Penang is a Malaysian state located near the Strait of Malacca. Its capital is George Town and is Malaysia’s second most populous city. Penang is divided into two parts: Penang Island and Seberang Perai, which is located on the Malay peninsula. It is known for its economic influence and has been nicknamed the Silicon Valley of the East. Francis Light arrived on behalf of the British East India Company in Penang in the 1770s and acquired the island for the British in 1786.