In the shelter of family trees
4 min read
The intimacy of the questions used to surprise me, but I have now become accustomed to being asked who my adoptive parents are or husband is. It’s not inq...
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.
One country’s Merdeka is another’s damage control
6 min read
It takes two hands to clap; there is no shore unless there is sea; one man’s ceiling is another man’s floor – as the poet rightly claims.You...
Going Dutch: Lessons in urban amenity from Amsterdam
7 min read
It’s a human theatre conducted against the gracious Golden Age backdrop, where over 7,600 buildings in the city centre alone are listed as “monument...
Penang targets non-traditional tourists
6 min read
Greg Caplan, the founder of Remote Year, was three seas and two continents away when I called him. His team of six was in Slovenia, with 75 Remote Year particip...
Pulau Tikus in numbers
3 min read
Pulau Tikus land useThe statistics below are based on the Pulau Tikus Revitalisation Plan (2014), prepared by Geografia in association with Penang Heritage...
The Jacks of all trades of Ba Kelalan
4 min read
It was Sang who drew up the plans for the impressive church of Buduk Nur, as well as its community hall and several houses. Buduk Nur is the biggest of the nine villages of Ba Kelalan, an isolated settlement in the mountains of north Sarawak.
A designer wise to the streets of Pulau Tikus
4 min read
Tell us a bit about your background. You dropped out of school at a young age; how has that experience shaped you?When I was growing up, education was a luxur...
Old shops face new realities
5 min read
Pulau Tikus is one of the upmarket districts in Penang. A fair amount of bungalows, colonial buildings and highend condominiums is located in the area, alongsid...
A City’s Status and its Civil Society
12 min read
It’s not easy getting a Unesco listing. Apart from the rigorous assessment criteria, the nomination process can be highly political – tourist income, public recognition and federal funding drive state governments to compete with one another for endorsement.
Will the Falling Oil Price Mean Austerity for Malaysia?
3 min read
The recent decline of the oil price – and therefore an increase in oil price volatility – have created a particularly uncertain forecasting environment that cannot be overlooked when attempting to forecast the economic outlook for 2015.
Getting to Know Malaysia, One Trip at a Time
4 min read
Not long ago, Chok Yen Hau hardly knew anything about Malaysia; today, he is one of the biggest champions of Malaysian travel. He now spends his days introducing Malaysia to Malaysians through his books, bespoke travel services and giving talks all over the country.
The housing Market in Penang Today
7 min read
Malaysia’s population crossed the 30 million mark in February 2014. According to the Population and Housing Census 2010, about three in 10 people fall in the 20-40 years old age group – the one most likely to be first-time home buyers. By 2020, that group is projected to grow to 11.3 million.
Explore column