The Present comes before the Past
2 min read
The past is significant not because of itself, but because the present – and the future – needs it.
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.
Labour stripped down to bare essentials
2 min read
Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng reflects on the migrant workers of Malaysia and what it means to be a labourer.
Charting a new direction
3 min read
The book 'Pilot Studies for a New Penang' offers a perspective on the future of Penang's future, through the lense of local planning, governance reform, housing, industrial development, health care, education, employment, job creation and social justice.
Placing heritage on the map
1 min read
When George Town was listed as a World Heritage Site (WHS) on July 7, 2008 (together with Malacca), the city’s profile as an international cultural tourism destination rose instantly.
Hidden Heritage
7 min read
George Town’s entry into the Unesco World Heritage Sites listing is a recognition of Penang’s unique history. But while Unesco’s “heritage zone” applies only to George Town, other historical treasures can be found outside the zone.
All you hybrids, emerge from your closet
2 min read
Ethnocentrism is not the opposite of multiracialism. For some reason, we tend to suppose it to be so. The truth of the matter is, the contradistinction between the two is political, not logical.
A defensive psyche is colonialism’s legacy
2 min read
Continental conditions create polities and mindsets that vary remarkably from those found in maritime and riverine areas. In modern day Malaysia, the underlying socio-economic structure and primary acculturating forces instigated by our archipelagic geography shine through quite clearly.
The age of cities is at hand
2 min read
Penang is a unique city with a unique history. How would it fare in an age of urbanisation?
Remember Penang
2 min read
The revamped Penang Economic Monthly marks the beginning of reawakening Penang's potential. It’s about remembering its past, rethinking its future, and rebuilding a vibrant, innovative Penang.
A Sea Odyssey that Led to a New Home
7 min read
Jim, the watermaker repairman, working in small-space conditions under the starboard settee.Asylum's navigation station.IT WAS ALMOST 22 years ago,...
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