December 2025

Our December issue examines the flavours, practices and foodways that define Malaysian life, from home kitchens and inherited techniques to the diverse cultural influences that shape Penang’s palate.

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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.

Kopi Jackfruit Monkey—Feeling Life in George Town

3 min read

I HAVE ALWAYS loved two things in life: travel and art. Combining these, my wife and I have travelled the world, stopping in particularly inspiring locations li...

by Nigel Sense

Left in Limbo: The Struggle for Citizenship for the “Overseas-Born” Is Not Over

5 min read

AND NOW HERE we are,” Amelia Tai is saying. She pauses, sighing a little. “He’s turning three in June, but there’s nothing I can do. I’m powerless.” She is talk...

by Emilia Ong

Emilia Ong

Keeping the Curtain Open for Peking Opera

7 min read

GuoGuang Opera Company, formed in 1995, was the outcome of the historical development of jīng jù in Taiwan. Today, it is celebrated for its innovative approach of presenting the stories of traditional opera through a modern lens, alongside creating new scripts for performance.

by Yee Heng Yeh

Public Housing can be Appealing in Design

5 min read

A FREQUENT QUESTION posed by the public and by construction industry stakeholders is, “Why is the architectural aesthetic design in so many public housing schem...

by Leow Kwong Choon

Recognising Penang’s Global Legacy Around Its Esplanade

9 min read

IN EARLY MAY, I was invited to the annual state-level Vaisakhi festival at Fort Cornwallis by the Sikh community. The choice of the fort as an annual venue for...

by Eugene Quah

All Aboard the STEAM Engine at Tenby Schools Penang

4 min read

A NEW ANNEXE in a school is a clear indication of student population growth. It might also mean that the educational establishment wishes to introduce enhanced...

by Samantha Khoo

Bandar Cassia: PDC’s First Smart-Eco City

4 min read

IN LEADING PENANG’S industrialisation, Penang Development Corporation (PDC) went beyond job creation and Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) to transforming rural...

by Penang Monthly

The Faded and the Fallen

4 min read

Words and photos by Jennifer de Souza.

by Jennifer De Souza

Fort Cornwallis: A Laboratory for Research and Training in Traditional Construction

5 min read

ONE OF MY passions from young is visiting urban areas that have their architectural heritage within their cultural and traditional identities preserved. I am al...

by Giovanni Santo

Anatomy of the Penang Shophouse

5 min read

MIXED DEVELOPMENTS AND integrated communities are a trend today among property developers. But long before the shiny brochures promoting these new home concepts...

by Lim Wan Phing

Imagine a George Town Welcoming of Pedestrians

6 min read

IT WAS A fine morning when my metro train arrived at the iconic Flinders Street station. The weather had started to get a bit chilly as we entered the winter se...

by Tan Cheng Keat

Curating the City: Public Spaces and the Framing of Urban Architecture

4 min read

THE KEY DIFFERENCE that I observe when visiting a thriving city and a striving one is in the manifest gap in ambition and maintenance between private places and...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

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