November 2026

Penang Monthly | November 2026 is out now. This month, we journey through Penang’s South Asian links—from the enduring energy of George Town’s Little India to the remarkable restoration of Wadda Gurdwara Sahib. Discover stories of Punjabi cha, Ganesha at the threshold, traditional trades, migration, literature, art and the people keeping living heritage alive across Penang. Because heritage is more than buildings and archives—it is found in the languages we speak, the food we share, the work we do and the memories we carry.

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A publication of Penang Institute, Penang Monthly is the voice of Penang - an inspiring read for the curious Malaysian, featuring stories about the people, ideas, and issues shaping the state's well-being. Sign up for a free account to enjoy unlimited access to all our articles.

Nation In A Dilemma

15 min read

The mere mention of migrant workers is usually greeted with a sneer, and when not, it is because of indifference. Foreign workers are often seen as a wage depressant, and accused of “taking” jobs away from locals.

by Ivy Kwek

Ivy Kwek

Voter registration

2 min read

On May 1, 2010, a voter registration drive was held throughout Penang, with the aim of encouraging more Penangites to get involved in the parliamentary process.

by Penang Monthly

Nirmala’s last wish

7 min read

Above: A 1986 work from Nirmala’s Damai series on the pity of war, The Pity War Distilled. Ink drawing of a bag lady in Brussels in 1995.With vision...

by Ooi Kok Chuen

Baba Nyonya culture in Penang and Phuket

8 min read

When I First walked down Thalang Road in Tongkah, the old town of Phuket, several years ago, I was reminded of the streets of Penang.

by Khoo Salma Nasution

Khoo Salma Nasution

Getting Good Bacteria to Green Penang

6 min read

Parallel to its programmes for formal education, the Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC) is introducing the “Greening Penang Initiative” to mobilise members of the public to do their bit to preserve the environment on this beautiful but industrialised island.

by Poh Heem Heem

Poh Heem Heem

Democratising women

6 min read

“ Change” was the rallying cry in the last general elections which managed to excite voters throughout Northern Peninsular Malaysia. One of the basic changes needed, and often more implied than expressed, is the betterment of the economic, social, legal and political situation of Malaysian women.

by Cecilia Ng

Cecilia Ng

We are the led-ing light

5 min read

Penang has built its reputation as the Silicon Island of the East through its almost 40 years of experience in the export-oriented electronics industry. Today&r...

by Anna Ong

Anna Ong

Finding Penang’s niche

2 min read

From left to right:Professor Dr p. Ramasamy, Penang Deputy Chief Minister ii; Lim Guan Eng, Penang Chief Minister; Liew Chin Tong, seri executive director and...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng & Datuk Dr. Goh Ban Lee

By George Town! A festival to inherit

4 min read

Penang celebrates its Unesco Heritage status with a pulsating fiesta. Performances by local and foreign talents will fill the whole month of July, giving no one an excuse for missing it.

by Jeffrey Hardy Quah

Cleaner, greener Penang

2 min read

Will Penangites finally learn to use the mysterious orange object? “It’s not easy being green,” sang Kermit the Frog, it hasn’t been for Penang either, and the state once dubbed the “rubbish bin of the Orient” by a former prime minister has struggled to live down this label.

by Rosalind Chua

Rosalind Chua

A Personal Penang Treasure That Can Be Revived

7 min read

Kee Thuan Chye returns in his mind to the village his great-great-granddad built. Sungai Bakap, after being bypassed by development, has lost much of its past glory. But the Kee family home is still there, reeking of history and other fragrances, waiting for another turn in its fortunes.

by Kee Thuan Chye

Between faith and hope

7 min read

Forlorn letterboxes in a Rifle Range block.When Khoo Cheng See started the House of Hope five years ago, she had no idea what she was getting herself into...

by Rosalind Chua

Rosalind Chua

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