In Lieu of Race and Religion
4 min read
One can easily see how southern South-East Asia – being largely maritime, ethnically very diverse and geo-economically a collection of trade routes &ndash...
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.
OBITUARY: KHALIL IBRAHIM (1934-2018) Rustic and Enduring
7 min read
Khalil Ibrahim and his East Coast Fishermen Series in acrylic.IN THE SULTRY New Delhi heat, the ceaseless traffic of humanity below was a cacophony of pro...
Free of Words
5 min read
Artist Ono Kang is dyslexic, but was not diagnosed with the reading disorder until he turned 30. Dyslexia was not known in the local community back then, and On...
Take a Gentle Walk on the Back Side of the Island
6 min read
When people think of hiking, the first thing that usually comes to mind is a strenuous uphill climb. While this may be the case for most of Penang as half the i...
Celebrating George Town’s History of Diversity
4 min read
The George Town Heritage Celebrations (GTHC) is an annual celebration done to commemorate George Town’s inscription as a Unesco World Heritage Site on Jul...
The City After Dark
6 min read
Every last Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the month (i.e. the last entire weekend that falls within the month), Penang's Tourism Office arranges a panop...
Thinking of Doing Business in George Town?
6 min read
Many buildings in George Town are used for commercial purposes, and certain activities in specific areas are highly encouraged under the implemented George Town Special Area Plan (SAP). However, not all buildings can be converted for commercial use and such a procedure can cost a huge sum.
Caring for George Town the Correct Way
12 min read
Ten years ago on July 8, 2008, George Town and Melaka, two historic cities on the Straits of Malacca which developed through trading and cultural exchanges between the East and the West, were listed by Unesco as a World Heritage Site.
Small Community, Big Legacy
8 min read
Eustace Nonis.Economist Eustace Anthony Nonis was born and raised in Penang, and has St. Xavier’s Institution as his alma mater. It was also in Pena...
The Nyonya Craze Continues
5 min read
It has been a decade since the Singaporean drama, The Little Nyonya, hit airwaves in 2008. Set in the 1930s and spanning a period of 70 years, the melodrama fol...
A Guardian of Acheen Street
6 min read
Sheikh Omar was a man with many social roles: he was a religious and community leader, scholar and trader. He is famous for the fatwa he issued in 1867 which prevented the influence of secret societies from seeping into the religious order.
Artists Never Retire
8 min read
Cheah Yew Saik.Chung Chen Sun.Eng Tay.Artists, like some politicians, don’t really retire. So who are the notable ones in Ma...
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