December 2025

Our December issue examines the flavours, practices and foodways that define Malaysian life, from home kitchens and inherited techniques to the diverse cultural influences that shape Penang’s palate.

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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.

Gender Equality and The Millennium Development Goals

4 min read

Malaysia: The Millennium Development Goals at 2010 paints a general but holistic picture of the status of Malaysia since the midterm review in 2005. I was impre...

by Penang Monthly

Women: Economy and Employment

6 min read

The 2009 International Labour Organization (ILO) report on Global Employment Trends for Women warned that, with the deepening of the recession in 2009, the glob...

by Penang Monthly

Gender Issues are About Democracy

5 min read

A prominent woman politician recently lamented the enormous difficulty faced to achieve the United Nation's (UN) target of 30% women participation in Malaysia....

by Steven Sim

Opting Out – Choice or Circumstance ?

7 min read

When a woman opts out of the workforce, is it choice or circumstance?In both cases, the catalyst to this situation is motherhood which affects women at all le...

by Poh Heem Heem

Poh Heem Heem

Martina Rozells – Penang’s first First Lady

5 min read

During the year 1772 Light allied himself with Martina Rozells, a lady regarding whose antecedents an element of romance has been attributed by some contempor...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Empowering Selangor Women

6 min read

The Selangor Women’s Affairs portfolio is led by YB Rodziah Ismail. Under the previous Barisan Nasional-led state government, it was possible for the stat...

by Penang Monthly

PWDC - A Snapshot

1 min read

Today, four months down the road PWDC is set with nine fulltime and part-time staff on the go. Headed by chief executive officer (CEO) Sri Husnaini Sofjan who w...

by Penang Monthly

Right Time, Right Place and Some Luck

5 min read

On January 2, 2012 a new state-initiated body emerged – the Penang Women’s Development Corporation (PWDC) – as the result of the Chief Minister's 2012 budget speech when the state announced it had tripled the budget for women’s development.

by Cecilia Ng

Cecilia Ng

16 Women

19 min read

Chong Eng Member of Parliament for Bukit MertajamThe “woman in grey” is well known for her pursuit of gender equality. Under h...

by Penang Monthly

Master Photographers: The Professor & The Doctor

5 min read

Penang has an uncanny knack for being able to constantly surprise – both in art and Politics – and in Ismail Hashim and Dr. Ooi Cheng Ghee, has thrown up two photographers par excellence.

by Cecil Rajendra

Cecil Rajendra

Skilling Future Workers

5 min read

The manufacturing sector has been the bastion and catalyst of economic development for Penang for more than four decades now. The state economy continues, nev...

by Poh Heem Heem

Poh Heem Heem

The Evolution of Penang’s Chinese Associations

6 min read

As frontier territory, Penang generated many self-help groups in the early days. The Chinese were most keen on forming their own associations, organised according to a string of principles. These fulfilled many functions, but current challenges require them to adapt more than ever.

by Dr. Wong Yee Tuan

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