November 2025

This November, Penang Monthly explores language, place and memory. As GTLF returns, we highlight Penang’s multilingual streets and the dialects that keep local history alive.

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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.

Mastering Medicine Requires the Immersion Method

8 min read

One cannot learn medicine only from textbooks, stressed president and dean of Penang Medical College (PMC) Prof Amir S Khir when Penang Monthly caught up with him recently.

by Julia Tan

Bitcoin – Currency With A Future or Just A Fad?

8 min read

Bitcoin is attracting people from all walks of life, from small entrepreneurs to global investors. But what is it really? And perhaps the most important question of all – is it reliable?

by Yap Jo-yee & Dheepan Ratha Krishnan

Every Artist Has A Story to Tell

7 min read

Art collecting need not be something only for the higher echelons of society. According to Lim Wei-Ling, founder and director of Wei-Ling Gallery, art collecting can start small, and it is something anybody with an interest can partake in.

by Julia Tan

Chowrasta Market Undergoes Change

7 min read

The Penang state government is upgrading the iconic Chowrasta Market in George Town’s heritage zone into a beautified indoor affair. Opinions among stallholders diverge greatly. Some welcome the transformation while others are apprehensive.

by Marco Ferrarese

Who’s the Hero– Tuah or Jebat?

5 min read

Who was right – Hang Tuah or Hang Jebat? Which one is the true hero? This was a question posed to a journalist when he was called to the police headquarters for a scare session in 1987, in the wake of Operation Lalang.

by Kee Thuan Chye

Was Bujang Valley Culture the Beginning of Malayness?

6 min read

The Bujang Valley civilisation, which stretches back to possibly as early as the year 110, is the oldest in South- East Asia, predating Angkor Wat (12th century), Sri Vijaya (seventh century), Majapahit (13th century), Borobudur (ninth century) and the Malacca Sultanate (15th century).

by Ooi Kok Chuen

The Grey World of Capital Movements

9 min read

Building connectivity does not only mean maximising the movement of goods. The movement of people and their wealth, not to mention corporations and their capital, are central to the global economy. But what does capital flows – and capital flight – mean?

by Herbert Poenisch

Herbert Poenisch

Talk About Elections Being Local!

4 min read

Why wait five years just to vote once when you can organise low-level neighbourhood elections to get a better say in the very place you live? This was what the residents of Taman Weng Lock asked themselves after being rudely woken up.

by Cynthia Hoo

Cynthia Hoo

Social Entrepreneurs: Just Who Are They?

6 min read

The perennial phrase “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” does not capture all the essentials where social entrepreneurs are concerned. In effect, these seek to revolutionise the entire fishing industry through innovative thought.

by P. S. Yeoh

P. S. Yeoh

Quick Guide to A Green Life

3 min read

A lot of us want to do something to help the environment. Maybe we’re concerned about what’s in our food, toiletries or cosmetics. Malaysians, as relatively new entrants into the consumerism fray, are very much at the mercy of transnational corporations (TNC).

by Pamela Nowicka

Penang – A Future Centre for Classical Music in Asia?

6 min read

At the Penang Philharmonic Orchestra’s (PPO) new venue on Lebuh Pitt, young musicians calmly practice their shiny instruments. In a few hours, they will be playing "Beethoven's First", the first of a cycle of Beethoven symphonies the orchestra will be performing this year.

by Jeffrey Hardy Quah

No Country A Contemporary Art Exhibition Without Borders

8 min read

The Guggenheim UBS MAP Global Art Initiative is a five-year programme which stretches across three regions: South and South-East Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa.

by Julia Tan

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