Seoul Subsumes Old and New
4 min read
“Seoul, Soul of Asia” is the Korean capital’s tourism tagline, and it lives up to this reputation through its eclectic embrace of the old and new.
November 2026
Penang Monthly | November 2026 is out now. This month, we journey through Penang’s South Asian links—from the enduring energy of George Town’s Little India to the remarkable restoration of Wadda Gurdwara Sahib. Discover stories of Punjabi cha, Ganesha at the threshold, traditional trades, migration, literature, art and the people keeping living heritage alive across Penang. Because heritage is more than buildings and archives—it is found in the languages we speak, the food we share, the work we do and the memories we carry.
Art space expands in Penang
7 min read
The squat Art Decor facade that only seven years ago hid grease, grime and smoke, with behemoth stage buses trundling in and out, has undergone an unexpected ma...
Sabahans Defend Their Heritage
4 min read
Unlike George Town, history has never been a major tourist selling point for Sabah, and there’s good reason for this: a lot of Kota Kinabalu, or Jesselton as it was then known, was destroyed in the war.
George Town goes dark for Earth Hour 2014
3 min read
Earth Hour is a global initiative where individuals and businesses switch off their lights for an hour from 8:30pm to take a symbolic stand against climate change. And so, on March 29, George Town went dark.
Will change come by GE14?
5 min read
More Malays voted for Pakatan at the Kajang by-election held on March 23 than in the General Election in May 2013 (GE13). And in the meantime, according to a re...
Managing Bubble Economies
7 min read
Penang Institute held the fifth event in its “Penang in Asia” lecture series on March 17, 2014. The honoured speaker was Prof Kiyohiko Nishimura, who is currently the dean of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Tokyo.
Karpal Singh: Will For Justice
14 min read
The funeral rites for Karpal Singh ended with family members scattering his ashes in the sea off Green Hall, Penang, but the national soul-searching to understand his legacy and to commemorate it has just begun.
21st Century PAS
8 min read
Malaysia’s Islamist party speaks the language of inclusiveness and balances itself between conservatism and progressiveness. This is in no way an easy task.
Keeping George Town’s golden goose strong and fat
5 min read
George Town has gained much from its Unesco listing. The inner city has been greatly revived – just go down Lebuh Armenian on weekends and see for yours...
Go Ridesharing and Reduce Traffic Instantly!
3 min read
While waiting for the public transport system and road networks to improve, ridesharing, or carpooling, promises to be a quicker way to reduce traffic and save cost.
Migrate For What???
6 min read
Australia is a favourite destination for Malaysians wishing for a better life, but its sparkling and seemingly rich shores, as writer Ken Soong discovers, can be deceptive.
Canvassing Nebulous Memories
4 min read
In 2009, British artist Kate Hunt found herself producing paintings that featured a herringbone pattern as part of her collection named Uncover.
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