June 2026

Discover Penang Monthly’s June issue: explore the stories behind Penang’s enduring heritage brands, the richness of its multilingual and multicultural heritage, innovative local businesses, community-led initiatives, and the challenges shaping the state’s future. From family enterprises and semiconductor pioneers to traditional food, festivals, education, and environmental sustainability, this issue celebrates Penang’s resilience, identity, and capacity for renewal.

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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.

Ripples From Global Events Threaten Local Economy

13 min read

Recent economic events, particularly the fall in oil price, are predicted to significantly shade the economic outlook for Penang and for Malaysia at large.

by Ong Wooi Leng

Penang Economic Outlook 2015

4 min read

Malaysia’s domestic environment will become more challenging given the introduction of the GST from April 1, 2015 and the sensitivity of Malaysian households to any interest rate hike due to their high debt levels.

by Dr. Lim Kim-Hwa

Making Malaysia’s Literary Capital Work

9 min read

Organising a literary festival is no easy task, especially when you’ve only got five months to do it. But passion and determination drove one man and his team to pull it off – and very successfully.

by Julia Tan

An Art Exchange on Penang’s Walls and Streets

6 min read

Urban Xchange, Penang’s first international street art festival, divided the state’s art sphere between purists and those who dare to be different.

by Marco Ferrarese

The More Individual Stories We Acknowledge, The More Authentic Our National History

6 min read

One thing common to most Malaysians is the balik kampung tradition. This goes even for those millions who have left the country over the last 50 years, who return whenever they can to visit relatives, friends and old haunts.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

The Art of Sonny Liew

9 min read

Comics are fun, but if one is to make a career of it, one needs luck and lots of talent. And one needs to take bold initiatives and to experiment. A very adult way to stay young, really.

by Jeffrey Hardy Quah

Springtime For Art Biennales

7 min read

Art is not only big business worldwide, it is big everything today, including city branding. Huge art festivals are taking place throughout the world.

by Ooi Kok Chuen

The New Wave of Malaysian Fixi-on

6 min read

Petaling Jaya-based independent publisher Fixi conquered Malaysia's bestsellers charts with a new wave of pulp fiction that dares to defy Islamic conservatism and the country’s alleged low-reading rates.

by Marco Ferrarese

George Town – From City to Municipality to Culture Centre

7 min read

George Town became a city on January 1, 1957. The timing was not by accident. In fact it was an event to herald the approach of sovereignty for the 11 states of Malaya exactly eight months later that year.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Manufacturing in Penang: Onwards and Upwards

6 min read

In 2013, Penang's share of the manufacturing sector to the overall GDP of the state was almost equal to that of the service sector, at 47.8%. Penang shows that its manufacturers have a higher overall share towards its income than the Malaysian average.

by Tim Niklas Schoepp

Demographics of A Diverse Malaysia

4 min read

Malaysia is made up of many races and cultures, the predominant ones being the Malays, Chinese and Indians on the peninsula. For February, to accompany our cover story, here are the figures on Malaysia’s demographic makeup.

by Penang Monthly

Rasa Sayang’s Cool Lounge

4 min read

It was three days after Christmas in Penang. The weather was erratic and the traffic was mad. All I wanted was some coffee and cake. The timing couldn’t have been better for me, because just down the road from me, Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa had recently launched their F.I.P. Lounge.

by Emilia Ismail

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