Penang artist speaks out against unchecked development

Summary

• Rebecca Duckett-Wilkinson, an artist known for her vibrant paintings of jungle flora and fauna, is a strong advocate against unchecked development threatening Penang.

• She criticises high-density projects proceeding without proper planning, leading to a lack of transparency, public participation, and environmental damage to fragile areas.

Vibrant patterns, rich textures, and gorgeous botany drawn from verdant forests, Rebecca Duckett-Wilkinson’s art is deeply intertwined with her mission to speak out against the relentless march of development threatening the soul of Penang.

Rebecca, who will exhibit her paintings “A Travelling Artist’s Diary”, at Hikayat along Beach Street, from July 30 to Aug 31, echoes the sentiments of many Penangites that the island is changing at an alarming pace.

The activity is part of the annual George Town Festival 2025 celebrations.

“All over Penang, frantic construction, hoardings, demolitions and earthworks are taking place on slopes and beachfront land. Huge mega-projects are popping up.

“Many residents in the Tanjung Bungah and Batu Feringgi areas feel hijacked.

“They are the last to know why this rush of construction has suddenly begun in their neighbourhoods and the wider surrounding area,” the artist said in an article recently published in Aliran.

Lack of public participation

The Malaysian artist has voiced her deep concern, particularly over the high-density projects rapidly sprouting without a gazetted local plan, leading to a profound lack of transparency and public participation.

She highlights how these developments, including ventures like the Kobay development (two blocks, 42-storey) and the Boon Siew Villa/Ascott Residences, are already causing significant disruption, traffic issues, and environmental damage, especially in fragile beachfront and hill-slope areas.

“No approval permit number, developer name or relevant authorities are displayed,” she added.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has reportedly promised that a revised version of the Local Plan will be approved by the state and the Penang Island City Council this year.

Rebecca has raised critical questions about the necessity and impact of the expensive North Coast Paired Road (NCPR) project, advocating strongly for a moratorium on all new developments.

Her call to action includes urgent public consultation, transparency, and accountability from the state government, city council, and developers, all vital to ensuring Penang’s safe and sustainable future.

“Is the change in alignment of the ‘North Coast Paired Road (NCPR)’ also the reason to rush construction now, before potential buyers are fully aware of the highway?”

Her story

Rebecca’s own story began in the plantations in the 1960s and 70s, where her planter father, a passionate lover of natural history, nurtured her innate curiosity, often leading her barefoot through sun-drenched landscapes.

Later, formal studies in archaeology and a stint in Dorset, England, added layers of academic rigour. Parsons School of Design in New York further honed her craft, transforming her into a master weaver and pattern maker.

But it was in Malaysia, with her husband David, that Owen Rebecca Designs in Kuala Lumpur flourished, her work vividly reflecting the exuberant flora and fauna of the region.

With the birth of her two sons, Tiger Rock Resort (Pangkor Island) were set up, along with Penang’s Tropical Spice Garden.

The duo later ventured to Jakarta, where they embarked on building a “pinisi,” the traditional Indonesian sailboat, which they christened “Tiger Blue.”

Back in Penang, they lovingly restored a Capitan Cina’s house, a testament to her belief in preserving the past. Then recently, a house in Italy also beckons, offering a quiet retreat where she can paint.

Hikayat director Gareth Richards said, “Rebecca’s new exhibition is unique, without precedent. The sheer variety of her artwork is testimony to an ongoing search for artistic meaning.

“Having an in situ studio setting will enable visitors to interact with her in a personal way; it promises to be the highlight for this year’s George Town Festival,” he added.

Rebecca’s artistry is not confined to a canvas or a loom. It extends to her voice, to her firm conviction that the beauty she captures in her art deserves to be protected in the world around her.

Rebecca, the artist, the weaver, the storyteller, has become a quiet yet powerful advocate, using her voice to weave a different kind of pattern – one of resistance, hope, and unwavering love for her home in Malaysia.

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