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.

Thrilled by the Western Twang

4 min read

Miri’s festival makes it the region’s centre for country music. The date is February 27. Stepping into the gazebo of ParkCity Everly Hotel Miri feels like walking through the swinging doors of a Western saloon.

by Julia Tan

Wonderful Surprises Abound on the Way up Penang Hill

5 min read

Anak Hutan is a charming and friendly group of people who hike together in Penang every Sunday and also arrange expeditions further afield. I have hiked with th...

by Louise Goss-Custard

Pondering Malaysia’s Complex Society

5 min read

Upon meeting Julian Lee for the first time, one may take his silent, observant nature as a sign of shyness. But shy Lee is not; an accomplished academic and wri...

by Marco Ferrarese

Selfie Politics: Perhaps We Need Superheroes After All

5 min read

I wrote recently about “selfie politics” – how politicians try to project an “I’m-like-youthe- normal-people” image, exempli...

by Steven Sim

Our Young Need New Ways of Financing Their Higher Education

9 min read

Higher education in Malaysia has evolved together with the economy. In the 1980s large-scale industrialisation saw agriculture and mining giving way to manufact...

by Zairil Khir Johari

A History of an Icon

6 min read

It stands at the end of Jalan Pangkor. The impressive and imposing building crafted in Victorian fashion has been the site for gatherings and activities organis...

by Koay Su-Lyn

The Cherished Clubs of Penang

5 min read

In an age when young and old tend to be glued to their mobile devices, there exists an avenue for healthy socialising: sports and recreational clubs. These club...

by Nanda Lakhwani

Nanda Lakhwani

Making Extreme Sports Common

5 min read

Speed, height, maximum physical exertion and specialised equipment: check. A high level of inherent danger: check.Extreme sports like skateboarding, skim boar...

by Izzuddin Ramli

Penang a Mecca for Marathoners?

4 min read

Imagine running 50km, 100km or 100 miles – which is a whopping 165km. One could technically be running from Penang to Taiping and back, with a few kilomet...

by Sarah Yeoh

Sarah Yeoh

A Sky of Stars: Penang Shines as a Sporting State

13 min read

Mention squash and Datuk Nicol David comes to mind for most of us. The longest reigning world No. 1 (a whopping 108 consecutive months!) until September last ye...

by Jeffrey Hardy Quah & Sarah Yeoh

Sarah Yeoh

The Future Starts Now

6 min read

It’s almost 10pm, and Frederick Tan and I are still chatting in his office. Downstairs, the Penang Sports Council’s Chinese New Year celebration is...

by Jeffrey Hardy Quah

The Panthers are Back!

7 min read

When Ola Bola was released earlier this year, the buzz it created was sensational. Interest in local football surged, thanks to the movie, which portrays a fict...

by Fikri Fisal

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