September 2026

The September Issue Is Out Now! Penang Monthly’s September issue explores the vibrant world of Penang’s pasar malam, highlighting their food, culture, community, traditions, and evolving role in island life.

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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.

Four Penang Stories of Teachers and Parents Who Build Rather Than Blame

5 min read

While many children are “farmed” out to schools, tuition centres, iPads and smartphones, there are still those who believe in showing up. We examine four distinct narratives, beginning with a Penang teacher, who once found his classroom in the homes of strangers.

by Agnes Chin

Some Initial Lessons Learned when Training Large Language Models

2 min read

AI training aims at feeding, tuning and perfecting the content in LLMs. Behind facilitating “human thinking” is a great deal of labour-intensive work by many AI trainers.

by Dr. Tan Lee Ooi

Biting the Bullet: Globalisation Slowdown as a Necessary Stage in Global Decolonisation

7 min read

Today the Greater Bay Area (GBA) is the world’s most dynamic economic district, and it has been recognised as the most innovative region in the world, ahead of the Greater Tokyo Area, and then US’ Silicon Valley.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

A-Z Glossary in Artificial Intelligence

3 min read

AI has roots going back decades. The idea of creating “thinking machines” can be traced to philosophers and mathematicians who explored logic and reasoning, but the formal field of AI began in the 1950s.

by Ir. Dr. Bernard Lim Kee Weng

From Bukit Meriam to Bukit Penjara: Retracing the Landscape of Ancient Kedah

10 min read

When the island of Srai (ไทร)—meaning “banyan tree” in Siamese—had just become attached to the mainland, forming what we now know as Mount Jerai, the king of this ancient land of Kedah embarked on a coastal expedition.

by Eugene Quah & Rexy Prakash Chacko

Laughing in the Shadows: Stand-Up Comedy in Malaysia

4 min read

In Malaysia, a country juggling contradictions for decades, stand-up comedy quietly functions as both pressure valve and mirror.

by Dr. Suresraj Therambarajoo

Facing the Spectre of AI: The Real Challenge is to Restore the Conditions under which Thinking Happens

7 min read

Before we debate what teachers should do in the age of ChatGPT, Gemini and Deepseek, we must ask a more foundational question: Do our classrooms still offer the mental, emotional and social space that allows students to think at all?

by Dr. Torsten Juelich

AI Complicates Ownership of Intellectual Properties

5 min read

Advancement in generative AI over the last few years has disrupted not only the tech scene, but knocked businesses, entrepreneurs and professionals off-balance… with new opportunities and also threats.

by Ong Siou Woon

Self-Taught Gen Z Artist Paints Kaleidoscopes of Malaysian Culture

5 min read

At just 17, Danya Adriana Feri Pito Manda has carved a distinctive space in Malaysia’s contemporary art scene.

by Nicole Chang

Making State-Federal Relations Fit for the Purpose of Nation Building

4 min read

Have you ever wondered why, at times, it takes so long to repair certain potholes, alleviate congestion at bottlenecked road junctions or realign bus routes closer to housing communities?

by Yeong Pey Jung

The State of AI in Malaysian Healthcare

5 min read

A recent review estimates that the AI healthcare market in Malaysia could grow more than 20 times, from roughly USD10mil in 2022 to approximately USD220mil by 2030, which indicates both the current under-penetration and also the significant upside available.

by Dr. Kev Lim

Eating with Senses Mingling

3 min read

When it comes to food and our ability to accept and enjoy it or to reject and discard it, humans actually rely on both Tongue and Nose to decide.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

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