The old New World Park and its golden past surprisingly remain unknown to many, but to the very few that do know, going to New World Park back then meant enjoying roadside ice kacang, watching thrill-filled wrestling matches and catching films on large screens.

And, if you were really lucky, you’d even get to see a sultry performance by Malaya’s Queen of Striptease, Rose Chan.

When the Shaw Brothers opened New World Park’s gates at Swatow Lane on Dec 26, 1939, the park brightened Penang’s nightlife and was an instant hit as it attracted people from all walks of life.

Lee Eng Huat, 65, and his brother Eng Lai, 70, lived out every child’s dream and frequently visited the amusement park, as their father’s ice kacang cart stood directly outside the establishment.

The family business, known as Swatow Lane Ice Kacang, was established in 1923 and has been passed to its fourth generation now.

It was finally moved off the streets into a shop lot in 2007, but continues to thrive today within the grounds where the amusement park used to stand.

“The Shaw office used to be right around the corner and New World Park’s entrance fee was only 10 sen,” recalled Eng Huat, as he busied himself by dressing a bowl of ice with syrup and sweet gems.

“My mother brought me over to look at my father’s ice kacang business. I used to roam around during my primary school days whenever I had the chance.”

With an impressive array of delicious food, two massive theatres, three performance stages, a basketball court, merry-go-rounds and even a boxing ring, the amusement park had something for everyone.

“In the early days, this was the only amusement park in Penang. Everybody liked to come in at the end of the year for the Trade and Industrial Fair in December,” said Eng Huat.

“The fair was like a night market and it even sold balloons that were twisted into special shapes. I remember there were lots of food and game stalls.”

These game stalls consisted of traditional carnival games, where players would throw rings into cans or throw darts in hopes of winning a prize.

As for food, everybody back then was spoiled for choice as New World Park was cooking up all kinds of hawker favourites.

The amusement park was constantly crowded, whether it was December or not, as people flocked to the giant-screened theatres that were furnished with velvet drapery.

There were two cinemas; an open-air one and another with a built-in fan.

“Globe Theatre was the open theatre and you’d be able to go in and stand at the side to watch the film for free. If you wanted to sit you’d have to pay extra,” explained Eng Huat.

“For Lido’s closed-door theatre, you had to pay even more as tickets were split into third, second and first class categories that cost 40 sen, 65 sen and RM1.40 respectively.”

Eng Huat revealed gleefully that he was lucky enough to be able to get first class seats and watch shows for free as he had inside connections.

“We knew those who were working there and my father used to say, ‘Hey, let my son in’ and I’d be able to catch a free show!” said a laughing Eng Huat.

“During those times, I watched Hercules, Tarzan and loads of Chinese shows. I don’t remember the names of the Chinese films, but there was no Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee,” he said.

Eng Lai chimed in after hearing his younger brother’s list, adding that despite the absence of modern-day action heroes like Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee, people loved the P Ramlee films that were played there.

“The park also had performance stages where you could pay a small fee of 15 sen and dance with the Malay joget dancers,” said Eng Lai.

“Sometimes, people would even fork out RM30, which was a lot at the time, for tickets to watch Rose Chan on stage and watch the ‘Queen of Striptease’ work her magic!”

But films and striptease shows were not Eng Lai’s cup of tea, as the most memorable part about the amusement park, for him, was the boxing ring.

“A wrestler called King Kong used to come and once when he came to perform, he even ate an entire sheep in front of everyone and drank ungodly amounts of beer,” recalled a wide-eyed Eng Lai, who saw “King Kong” in action nearly six decades ago.

“He was crazy big, and I remember the car that he drove as it was plastered with advertisements about his touring dates.”

Those were the good old days, said Eng Huat, as everything was so free and easy, and nobody worried about the hustle and bustle of life too much.

Alas, New World Park began losing popularity in the mid-1960s and the Shaw Brothers’ lease on the land finally ended around 1969.

Another park called the Great World Park was built on where the Komtar building stands today, but unfortunately, it never lived up to its predecessor.

However, a silver lining remains.

Although the once-thriving amusement park has since closed its doors to make way for the now-famous food court today, those in George Town can still get a taste of its colourful past with Swatow Lane’s famous ice kacang — an icy cold treat with a hint of warm nostalgia.

Swatow Lane Ice Kacang
E, 102, 1, Jalan Burma
10050 George Town
Penang

Operating hours: 11am to 10pm daily.