February 2026

Our latest issue explores how third places—from bookstores and gardens to KOMTAR—shape community life in Penang, while reflecting on sustainability, inclusion, and the island’s rich history.

See Inside Read as Flipbook

Hello and welcome!

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.

Malaysia Education Blueprint: Weighing Unity Against Diversity

5 min read

The Deputy Prime Minister recently launched the draft version of the Malaysia Education Blueprint (2013-2025) with great fanfare. With that, the Education Minis...

by Penang Monthly

Cheah Cheng Hye

11 min read

Cheah Cheng Hye, alumnus of Penang Free School, has been called the Warren Buffett of the East. Although he claims that gives him way too much credit, the reaso...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Planting Seeds of The Future in Balik Pulau

5 min read

“The 21st century witnessed the beginning of the end of the age of industrialisation, driven by the forces of capitalism,” said Prof Tay Kheng Soo...

by Koay Su-Lyn

The Unknown and The All Too Familiar

5 min read

An irksome comment frequently heard is: “But does Pakatan have leadership? Can it take over the federal government?”One is prompted to ask what &l...

by Penang Monthly

Betting on BIDS

6 min read

Komtar, or Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak, remains one of the most recognisable symbols of Penang. Although an unmistakable landmark, it is also ironically a &ldquo...

by Penang Monthly

The Living Museum of George Town

4 min read

The Living Museum programme is an ongoing oral history exercise taking place in George Town to document, interpret and present the city's living heritage: its l...

by Penang Monthly

DEEPENING GEORGE TOWN'S HERITAGE- George Town’s Intangibles are Gaining Appreciation

10 min read

The revitalisation and remodelling of heritage buildings into boutique hotels and backpacker homes have redefined how the city uses space, and a fair share of...

by Penang Monthly

Breakdown of Government Revenue, 2012

4 min read

Government revenue consists of three components – direct taxes, indirect taxes and non-tax revenues. Direct taxes consist of income taxes from companies,...

by Penang Monthly

Meet Sesame, Meet Soy

3 min read

  We are at Sesame + Soy, a Pan Asian Chinese restaurant on the first floor of G Hotel at Gurney Drive. Interestingly the re...

by Penang Monthly

Managing Your Own High-Rise

4 min read

Buying and owning an apartment is easy enough for those who can afford it, but after that comes a string of worries. As always, maintenance is a problem, and one should know as much as one can about what property management involves.

by Mark Saw

Film review: The Rights Of The Dead

5 min read

Twenty five minutes. The length of this documentary is shorter than the interrogation of Teoh Beng Hock (which lasted nine hours), but it manages to convey with brevity and clarity the facts surrounding the mysterious death of the political aide three years ago.

by Chung Hosanna

Chung Hosanna

A Crane Without Bite

3 min read

I’ve always thought of musicals as the club sandwich of the performing arts world. Sure, a bacon sandwich tastes pretty good on its own, but throw in anot...

by Penang Monthly

Total posts

3456

Explore column

Ads

Support us

As Penang Monthly continues to evolve, we aim to deliver better quality reads. At present, our issues are free to be read. But we need your financial support as we endeavour to be the voice of Penang and an inspiring read for the curious Malaysian. Every RM100 contribution from individuals (or RM1,000 from corporations) will be entitled to tax exemption receipt.

Explore column

Feature

Editorial

Cover Story

Statistics

Photo Essay

Covid-19 Exclusives

Penang Profile

Ask Azmi