Khoo Kongsi, Penang

Ever since the founding of George Town in Penang, and the immigration of the Chinese to the island, Clan Associations were the mainstay of the immigrants to unite and protect their interests in their new homeland.

The Five Big Clans were the Khoo, Cheah, Yeoh, Lim and Tan. Of the Five, the Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi, or Khoo Kongsi for short, is probably the most famous of the Clan Associations.

Khoo Kongsi is one of the most distinctive Chinese clan associations in Malaysia. It is well known for its extensive lineage that can be traced back 650 years, as well as its closely-knit and defensive congregation of buildings and a magnificent clan-house.

The main building, Leong San Tong (“Dragon Mountain Hall”), is hidden amidst the crowded gridiron of terrace houses and shop-houses. 

To make it to Leong San Tong, you will need to find the nondescript Cannon Square entrance, tread through an alley between two rows of 19th century terrace houses. 

At the last house on the right, pay RM10 per person for entrance fees. Then turn right and bypass the back of the opera stage, before you see it stand majestically on the granite square, completely hidden from the outside world.

Khoo Kongsi is one of the unmissable sights of heritage Penang and is a must visit if you are in George Town and looking for culture and history.

Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi

Address: 18 Cannon Square, 10200 Penang, Malaysia.
Telephone: +604-261 4609
Opening Hours : 9:00am to 5:00pm