First Penang Flat

The first flat in Penang was built in the 1970s but has no name till today. This is the story from my sister's taxi driver, Lim Hean Seng @ Ah Hai. Ah Hai grew up in Penang and his family lived in the first flat built in Penang. He lived with his parents and another sibling when he was a small boy. The flat had only one room - for the parents. The children slept elsewhere.

Before the flat was built, the area was a gangster area and had many shabby shelters. The government then bulldozed all the shelters and made the flat, the first of its kind in Penang.

The peculiar thing about this flat is it has absolutely no name! It has no name at all but the Chinese called it "17" because it has 17 floors or storeys. What is 17 in Chinese?

The first flat in Penang has no name and has only a room in each unit.
It is called "17" in Chinese because it has 17 floors.