BOOK LAUNCHING CEREMONY OF “GEORGE TOWN A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE” BY DATO’ EUSTACE ANTHONY NONIS

SPEECH BY YAB TUAN CHOW KON YEOW

THE CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG

BOOK LAUNCHING CEREMONY OF

“GEORGE TOWN A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE”

BY DATO’ EUSTACE ANTHONY NONIS

 

14 MAY 2022

Yang Berhormat Jagdeep Singh Deo A/L Karpal Singh

Penang State EXCO Town and Country Planning and Housing

Members of Parliament and State Assemblyman of Penang

Yang Berusaha Dr Ang Ming Chee

General Manager for George Town World Heritage Incorporated

Yang Berbahagia Dato’ Aloysius Gasper

President for Penang Eurasian Association

Yang Berbahagia Dato’ Eustace Anthony Nonis

Author of “George Town, A UNESCO World Heritage Site”

Yang Berbahagia Professor Dato’ Dr. Anwar Fazal

Chairman of Think City Sdn Bhd

Distinguished guests,

 

Members of the press,

 

Ladies and gentlemen.

A very good afternoon to all of you.

It gives me great pleasure to be here today for the Book Launching of “George Town, A UNESCO World Heritage Site” written by Dato’ Eustace Anthony Nonis. 

Dato’ Eustace Anthony Nonis is a Eurasian, who was born in George Town during the Japanese occupation of Penang. He grew up in town, studied at St. Xavier’s Institution and attended mass at the Church of the Assumption. After graduating with a B.A.(Hons) Degree in Economics from the University of Malaya in 1964, he worked as an officer in the Penang Port Commission for five years. 

For the next thirty years, he worked as Project Economist with the Asian Development Bank in Manila, The Philippines and travelled all over Asia and the Pacific. When he retired, he was a Director of the Asian Development Bank.

Dato’ Eustace Anthony Nonis' love for Penang made it the natural choice as the place for his retirement. As one who had experienced the importance of documenting information, he decided to write a book about George Town as a World Heritage Site, based on his personal knowledge and fond memories of the town.

To ensure that the book accurately reflected his inner thoughts and experiences, he made it a point to be a one-man show endeavour; Dato’ Eustace himself is the author, photographer, publisher and financier to have the book printed. This was truly a labour of love all by the man himself!

Ladies & Gentlemen,

I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation and congratulations to Dato’ Eustace Anthony Nonis for this very special book on “George Town, A UNESCO World Heritage Site”. I am sure all of us will enjoy reading it.

My heartiest congratulations also go to the team from George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) and the Penang Eurasian Association for hosting this book launching event successfully.

Penang is proud to be home to all of you. Thank you for working together in the safeguarding of our shared cultural heritage and for your contributions towards achieving the State Government's Penang2030 vision of ‘A Family-Focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation’.

Thank you.