Getah Colour Heralds a Revolution in Painting
7 min read
Goh Beng Kwan – Tropical Summer.Smith Sein Lynn – Peacock Dreams.Azman Hilmi – Earth Dancing Series 3....
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.
Energy Healing Comes in Many Forms
6 min read
The Asian traditions of energy healing have been around in one form or another for thousands of years. In modern times, it was until recently dismissed as a &ld...
Dialysis – A Path back to Normalcy
5 min read
Kidney disease is referred to as the “silent killer” because a person can lose up to 90% of his kidney function before experiencing any symptoms.&...
Malaysia's Healthcare: A Public Service Legacy under Strain
11 min read
Public health services in Malaysia are financed through general tax revenue – not dissimilar to Britain’s National Health Service. This healthcare f...
Battling Plagues – One after Another
6 min read
The Dr Wu Lien-Teh Society conducts annual public lectures to showcase contributions made by notable medical figures in the realm of public health. Now in its f...
Hijrah and the Journey Towards Being Malaysian
5 min read
Nearly 1,400 years ago, the Prophet Muhammad and his small band of followers left Mecca, where the fledgling Muslim community was increasingly persecuted and op...
How Penang’s Early Prominence was Lost
15 min read
The early decades in the life of Prince of Wales Island did not see it living up to the expectations of its administrators, especially as a ship-building port...
A Makeover for Batu Lanchang Market
3 min read
When one thinks of Batu Lanchang, its famous market comes to mind. Batu Lanchang Market opened for business in 1986, and was inaugurated in July the same year b...
Bukit Panchor: An Oasis of Nature
6 min read
Iguanura corniculata, a species of endemic palm found in Bukit Panchor State Park.At the south-eastern border of South Seberang Perai lies the 446ha Bukit...
Heritage in a Bowl of Bubur Kacang
5 min read
In 1945, at the corner of Jalan Dato Koyah, Nagore Merrah set up shop selling teh tarik. Nagore hailed from Kadayanallur, South India, and he started off laboring hard in cargo ships during pre-independence Malaya before moving on to sell the nation’s favorite beverage.
Justices of the Peace: An Institution at Risk of Being Forgotten
11 min read
As a colony of the British, Malaya inherited the tradition of appointing Justices of the Peace (JPs) from among its prominent individuals and community leaders....
A Lifeline for the Urban Poor
6 min read
It is said that the larger and more developed a city is, the greater the chances of seeing people living out on the streets. And so, when a city is big enough...
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