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.

See Inside Read as Flipbook

Hello and welcome!

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.

Putting Pulau Tikus on the Map

15 min read

Affluent. Cosmopolitan. Convenient. These are words that are often used to describe Pulau Tikus, a township in Penang that is pretty much located in the middle of everything. It connects the north of the island to the centre and the south.

by Julia Tan

A heritage trail of nostalgia (and food)

4 min read

Growing up in one place and walking past the same things every day, you tend not to notice the beauty and uniqueness that are there right in front of you. And s...

by Yeoh Siew Hoon

A tribute to Marco Giovanni Battistotti (1966-2015)

3 min read

Marco was without doubt a “hotelier extraordinaire”. His achievements throughout Malaysia make an impressive list. However, it is here in Penang where he will, for many of us, always remain the “face” of G Hotel on Persiaran Gurney.

by Rebecca Duckett-Wilkinson

Highlights of George Town Festival 2015

11 min read

 The Metamorphosis, Android VersionIn France sometime in the near future, as war rages in the background, Gregor wakes up one morning to find that he...

by Jeffrey Hardy Quah

Living Hyphenated

6 min read

Penang Monthly talked to Omar Musa when he was in town for a two-month artist’s residency at Hotel Penaga to chat about identity, belonging and Russell Crowe.

by Julia Tan

Stories from some young Malay minds

4 min read

They say don’t judge a book by its cover, and in the case of Young and Malay: Growing up in Multicultural Malaysia, I couldn’t agree more. The spunk...

by Marco Ferrarese

Malaysia’s troubled state

5 min read

Malaysia is currently in crisis. The ringgit seems to be on an inexorable downhill slide, ethnic tensions have deteriorated from uncomfortable simmer to open fl...

by Meredith Weiss

Meredith Weiss

Medical tourism: A billion-ringgit industry for Penang

6 min read

Medical tourism, or health tourism, is defined as the travel of people to a foreign country for medical treatment. In an estimation by Nikkei Asia, the worldwid...

by Lim Chee Han

Putting them up for the night

5 min read

The record drop in the value of the ringgit is making Malaysia a cheaper destination for foreign tourists. Furthermore, it is encouraging Malaysians to have the...

by Sarah George

Sarah George

Welcome to Penang

2 min read

2017-03-22The top three countries of origin of international visitors to Penang were Indonesia, Singapore and China. These three countries made up almost 71% of...

by Penang Monthly

The tourists keep coming!

6 min read

Despite being an island, Penang today is fortunately highly accessible. According to the Penang Tourists Survey 2014 prepared by the Sustainable Tourism Researc...

by Sarah George

Sarah George

Is Penang’s tourism on the right track?

15 min read

The messages started flying on social media in early July. The word was that some 4,000 tourists from China were arriving for a company holiday in Penang &ndash...

by Andrea Filmer

Total posts

3527

Explore column

Ads

Support us

As Penang Monthly continues to evolve, we aim to deliver better quality reads. At present, our issues are free to be read. But we need your financial support as we endeavour to be the voice of Penang and an inspiring read for the curious Malaysian. Every RM100 contribution from individuals (or RM1,000 from corporations) will be entitled to tax exemption receipt.

Explore column

Feature

Editorial

Cover Story

Statistics

Photo Essay

Covid-19 Exclusives

Penang Profile

Ask Azmi