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.

A Time to Thrive: Promoting and Sustaining Rural Community Tourism

9 min read

I recently made trips to the Lenggong area in Perak, which is just a two-hour drive away from Penang. Lenggong touts one of the most important archaeological and geological sites in the country, going back to between 1.83 million and 1,700 years ago.

by Rebecca Duckett-Wilkinson

Events in May

3 min read

RUNCelebrate National Youth Day this May with Youth Run! Slated to be held at Stadium Pulau Pinang in Batu Kawan, the 5km fun run is part of the Penang Communit...

by Penang Monthly

Dear People of Penang, Let's Support Creativity

7 min read

What is a creative economy? Malaysia’s National Creative Industry Policy understands the term under the three broad categories of Multimedia Creative, Culture Art Creative and Culture Heritage Creative.

by Alexander Fernandez & Lim Sok Swan

Thanks to Covid

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by Azmi Hussin

The Podcast – Relief for the Distracted

2 min read

THE RADIO WAS the key vehicle for the spread of popular music during my generation. In Penang, where would all those who were in their teens have listened to go...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Walk Zone: Balik Pulau - Penang Island's Rural Solace

7 min read

The term "Balik Pulau" and its Chinese equivalent "浮罗山背" refer to the hinterland – the opposite side – of the Island. Its long coastline bordered by rising slopes provided it with a sense of mystery and inaccessibility.

by Lim Sok Swan & Syafiqah Nazurah Mukhtar

Events

3 min read

CHARITYSpin For Charity is a fun spin ride session where participants ride on a SPIN bike for 30 minutes led by a Spin Cycle Star to raise monetary aid for Pena...

by Penang Monthly

The Invasion of Ukraine: Coping at a Distance

4 min read

War cuts deeper than flesh wounds. Weeks into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Penang Monthly speaks to a Ukrainian and a Russian based in Malaysia, on how “home”...

by Kristina Khoo-Rhodes

Batu Aceh – A Heritage in Need of Protection

4 min read

MORE THAN JUST a final resting place, the old Muslim graveyards in Penang are home to  gravestones known as Batu Aceh. These ornamented grave-markers are c...

by Emilia Ismail

This is Progress

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by Azmi Hussin

Radio Telescopes: Seeing through Clouds

5 min read

Our temperate tropical climate is typified by loyal clouds and a dusty atmosphere, and much stargazing ends up being a night of frustrating cloud-gazing.

by Tan Yu Kai

Radio Request Cards: A Blast from the Past

5 min read

ONE FEELS A sense of enveloping nostalgia, reading through the collection of old radio request cards; the words acting as a portal into the distant past when le...

by Paul Augustin

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