Something for Everyone at the Jelutong Night Market
5 min read
Young and old participate at the Jelutong night market.Curios for the curious.Jelutong night market unfolds like clockwork every Friday...
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.
Kampar: A Town Built on Tin
11 min read
Kampar is a small town located at the southernmost end of Kinta district. Nestled at the foot of Gunung Bujang Melaka, its name is derived from Kampar River, wh...
The State of the Insurance Industry in Malaysia
9 min read
The insurance industry in Malaysia dates back to the colonial era. To start with, British-based insurance houses provided financial protection for Bri...
History of Saint Anne’s Parish
8 min read
The Early Days (1833-1914)The origins of St. Anne’s Parish can be traced back to as early as 1833 when the Chinese and the Indians came to settle in Bat...
Making Penang's Japanese Feel at Home
4 min read
Takayoshi So.Takayoshi So arrived in Penang over a decade ago under the employment of Japanese multinational Nippon Electric Corporation, and instantly to...
A Tale of Two Islands
7 min read
The Restoration of Traditional Architecture in Taiwan exhibition in 2018.What comes to mind when one thinks about Penang and Taiwan? Perhaps it’s th...
Performing the Arts to Excel in Life
6 min read
Soonufat Supramaniam.The last time I chatted with Soonufat Supramaniam, or Soon, was in 2014. He was preparing for a (dark but candid) performing arts pie...
A Malaysian Spring for the Intelligentsia?
4 min read
I know Malaysia is a tropical country, but let’s adopt a concept from temperate zones without having to be politically sensitive about it. We are in the m...
Rounded Learning for the Future
5 min read
International schools were originally established to educate children of foreign diplomats and overseas corporate personnel. However, increasing demand for West...
Religious Education Thrives in Penang
7 min read
The demand for religious schools in Penang is growing, especially for those offering tahfiz or Quran memorization classes. Each of these institutions offers a d...
Kindergarten Row
9 min read
There are over 200 kindergartens in Penang. The actual number is anyone’s guess: the vast majority, somewhere in the region of 80%, according to state exe...
Teaching in the Vernacular
12 min read
Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools are essential parts of the vibrant fabric that is the Malaysian education system.Teachers and school heads are appointed...
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