China Cuisines Expand Penang’s Food Scene
3 min read
They are distinct somehow from our local Chinese restaurants. Perhaps it’s because most of them have signage purely in Chinese, loud and usually in red....
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.
Rebranding Traditional Chinese Medicine
3 min read
Just shy of 90 years old is Cheng Woh Medical Hall, located along Lebuh Campbell in George Town. It was established in 1933 by Guangzhou native Lee Pak Fong, wh...
Feeding the Multitudes – at Sea and in the Air
5 min read
Large-scale food production involves complex processes ranging from menu-crafting and addressing a series of dietary needs, to ensuring safety and maintaining h...
Stay Super Fit – with Nasi Ulam!
4 min read
With over 20 years’ experience cooking genuine Peranakan dishes, Debbie Teoh has garnered herself a formidable name as a celebrity chef. But she has one m...
Hospital Food? Oh, Yes Please!
4 min read
Hospital food, however healthy it may be, still does not enjoy high repute. When mentioned, visions of lukewarm, bland food usually paired with a side of fruits...
Halal: More than Food – and Much More Holistic
4 min read
The global halal product market is burgeoning. It is expected to grow from having been worth US$45.3bil in 2016 to over US$58.3bil in 2022.1 Islamic finance dom...
The Motorcycle in Numbers
3 min read
IN 2019, 66.2% of Malaysian households owned either a motorcycle or a scooter (Table 1), with their ownerships in rural areas (76.0%) being higher than in urban...
Discourse on Sustainability and Indigeneity: PERA + FLORA + FAUNA 2022
4 min read
Photos by PORTPERA + FLORA + FAUNA (PFF) was one of eight “must-see” exhibitions held during the 59th International Art Exhibition of Venice Biennale, themed Th...
Echoes, Shadows & Footprints: A Symposium on the Upkeep of the Arts
9 min read
IT IS GENERALLY observed that there is a chasm between music, arts and culture practitioners, on the one hand, and academics on the other. The reason behind it...
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Revealing Complexities in the Practice of Faith in Malaysia
3 min read
Note: This book review contains spoilersFEAR. FATE. FAITH. Depending on your religious or cultural point of view, The Accidental Malay by Karina Robles Bahrin w...
Time to Make Music a Central Part of Malaysian Education
4 min read
ONE OF THE most important lessons my father taught me was appreciating music. He thought it important that my brother and I could manage both music and academic...
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