September 2026

The September Issue Is Out Now! Penang Monthly’s September issue explores the vibrant world of Penang’s pasar malam, highlighting their food, culture, community, traditions, and evolving role in island life.

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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.

Pottery in Penang Gains Popularity Again

4 min read

Potters know that to get a fire started, much depends on the size of the wood used. Small woods get a fire going easily, but it is the larger ones that sustain it for longer and that maintain the overall temperature of the kiln.

by Lim Sok Swan

A Digital Revolution in Healthcare Has Arrived in Malaysia

14 min read

On March 12, 2022, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr. Noor Hisham bin Abdullah, Director-General of Health for Malaysia, was awarded the inaugural Dr. Wu Lien-Teh Award for...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

The Many Names and Traditions of the Hindu New Year

5 min read

HINDUISM AS A religion is interwoven with the practice of Indian astrology and the use of the lunisolar calendar, for prayers, marriages and christenings to be...

by Preveena Balakrishnan

Radio and Podcasts in Numbers

3 min read

MALAYSIA’S BROADCASTING SECTOR is mainly led by three service providers. These are Astro, Media Prima and Star Media. Of the RM5.4bil in revenue the sector made...

by Negin Vaghefi

PSDC Celebrates Penang’s Golden Jubilee of Industrialisation

3 min read

IN 1972, PENANG was in economic distress; unemployment rose sharply as its maritime trade floundered. The situation was dismal and so, the tide had to turn…Over...

by Ooi Tze Xiong

Around the Rocky Isle of Pulau Tikus

5 min read

MENTION PULAU TIKUS to a Penangite and most often what comes to mind is the northwestern suburb of George Town, well known for its good food and interesting his...

by Rexy Prakash Chacko

PSDC’s New CEO Not Allowing Any Resting on Any Laurels

5 min read

ON MARCH 1, Tan Eng Tong became the new chief executive officer of the Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC). A Penangite with a wealth of technological exper...

by Ooi Tze Xiong

What’s in a Kampung Name?

6 min read

Ever wondered why certain kampungs are so named? Maybe they were named after their founders or an upstanding community member? Or perhaps, they got their names from plantation crops, or the hills and rivers in their immediate environs?

by Dr. Beh May Ting

How to Strengthen Your Financial Health: Part Two

4 min read

LAST WEEKEND, I went out with a young friend. As we wandered through bookstores, bought pastries in bakeries and lunched at kopitiams, I admired his carefree-ne...

by Isaac Ooi & Xia Wa

Isaac Ooi Xia Wa

No Room for Economic Complacency regarding Ukraine-Russia War

5 min read

ABOUT TWO MONTHS ago, Russia shocked the world by launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, causing horrible human suffering and destruction. In response, the...

by Frederik Paulus

A Discourse on Birds – and Biodiversity

7 min read

BIRDS POPULATE literature and folklore as symbols of transit and freedom, embodying fleeting moments of beauty.[1] In Farid-ud-din Attar’s The Conference of the...

by William Tham & Yong-Yu Huang

A Quaint History of the Mystical Islet We Call “Pulau Tikus”

9 min read

IT IS SAID that Francis Light, after negotiations with the Sultan of Kedah to take possession of Penang, anchored his three ships off the islet, Pulau Tikus, an...

by Eugene Quah

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