Syed Al-Attas mansion is now available for rent

The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) have now put up the Syed Al-Attas mansion in George Town for rent after an extensive renovation.

MBPP, which owns the premises, had spent RM1.5 million to restore and upgrade the mansion.

Located at the junction of Armenian Street and Acheh Street, the mansion was once the home of a powerful Achehnese merchant of Arab descent, Syed Mohd Al-Attas, in the mid-19th century (the 1860s to 1870s).

The 150-year-old mansion was previously left to decay due to a lack of maintenance and proper care, which led to termite infestation, rotten timber flooring, leaking roof and damaged walls.

This condition was despite after going through several renovations when different parties previously owned the mansion.

Jointly collaborated with the George Town Conservation and Development Corporation (GTCDC), the works were completed on June 14 this year.

MBPP councillor Wong Yuee Harng hopes to rent out the mansion, and the tenant will consider utilising this place to promote heritage values or anything relevant to George Town and its uniqueness.

“The rent period will be for three years,” he added.

The mansion covers 10,994sq ft in land size and a built-up area of 6,088sq ft.

Syed Mohd Al-Attas, as reported in the early days, was a leader of the Red Flag Society and an instrumental figure in smuggling arms to the Achehnese resistance fighters in the 1870s.

Although surrounded by other buildings in the George Town World Heritage Site, the Syed Al-Attas mansion stands tall as a grand Straits Eclectic-style mansion sporting a vertical-aligned star and crescent at the entrance.

The mansion became the property of the Municipal Council.

Restoration work was carried out on it in 1996, with technical assistance from France, and financed by the Federal and State governments as well as the Municipal Council.

The restoration work was honoured by Badan Warisan Malaysia with a Best Project award in 1999.