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.

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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.

A Festival For All The Senses

3 min read

Penang’s In-Between Art Festival – so called because it literally takes place in between the George Town Literary Festival and the Penang Island Jazz Festival – is an event for Penangites as much as it is for visitors from near or far.

by Maxine Carr

More to sailing than having a boat

4 min read

Sails, as far as the eye could see, stretched out on the gray horizon just off Straits Quay. It was a wet and drizzly morning in November last year, but for tho...

by Julia Tan

Between light and darkness

7 min read

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (feature film, 2010).Throughout the interview, Apichatpong Weerasethakul is soft-spoken and down to earth; I a...

by Penang Monthly

Malaysia’s Energy Generation and Usage

5 min read

Malaysia’s national grid operates as such: customers are connected with power from hydroelectric and thermal plants through a network system made up of transmission lines, substations and distribution lines.

by Penang Monthly

Tokyo Trippin’

5 min read

Bursting with frantic energy, tradition and sakura blossoms, springtime in Japan’s capital offers visitors a surreal and magical time.

by Veronica Liew

The Gay Side of Singapore

4 min read

Singapore is famous for its compulsively clean streets, rigid laws and structured way of living – even the idea of fun is clean and controlled. But like any other big city, Singapore too breathes secrets that it does not easily divulge to outsiders.

by Yuh Ting Tan

Raising the Stakes in Asia’s Art World

7 min read

Art Stage Singapore 2014 saw a record-breaking 45,700 visitors walk past the Joko Avianto-constructed archways at its Marina Bay Sands venue. It was the centrepiece of a giddying Singapore Art Week which witnessed some 70 events all over the island republic accompanying the Chinese New Year revelry.

by Ooi Kok Chuen

Bandung’s Creative City Image Grows Stronger

5 min read

With the support of its people and its government, Bandung builds on its existing dynamism to become a cultural hub.

by Adiwan Aritenang

A Magnificently Rich Tome on Early Penang

4 min read

Penang – The Fourth Presidency of India 1805-1830, Volume One: Ships, Men and Mansions, by Marcus Langdon. George Town: Areca Books. 2013.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Supping in the Homes of Strangers

4 min read

Home kitchens have long been pressed into service to supply food for sale, but how about going a step further and turning your home into an occasional restaurant?

by Cynthia Hoo

Cynthia Hoo

A Malaysia Lost

6 min read

Uneven policies, overzealous politicians – these are among the reasons many Malaysians feel estranged from their beloved country. But it wasn’t always like this. There were once happier times...

by Kee Thuan Chye

Mind the Chinese Shift in Foreign Exchange Holdings

5 min read

It’s no longer in China’s favor to accumulate foreign exchange reserves. With the country’s announcement of a policy shift on this issue, what does this mean for the global and regional economy, and for us?

by Dr. Lim Kim-Hwa

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