Our Worsening Climate
1 min read
Climate change is a change of climate attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere, in addition...
October 2025
This October, Penang Monthly explores death rituals across Malaysia. From Muslim burials to Taoist and Hindu traditions, we reflect on how communities honour the departed with dignity.
Be Aware of Impending Heatstrokes
3 min read
THE MALAYSIAN METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT (MetMalaysia) has issued a Level 1 heatwave alert as scorching heat continues creeping northwards on the peninsula.(The...
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Simplifying Tax Compliance
3 min read
Malaysia’s tax system consists of direct and indirect taxes, with the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (IRBM), known to many as Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri Malaysia (LHDN), helming its administration. Citizens tout it as one of the most efficient departments in the country.
The Limited Local Benefits of Swiftonomics
4 min read
TAYLOR SWIFT, the queen of pop, transcends the realm of music. She is a cultural force, a brand powerhouse and—according to Swifties in political leadership—a s...
Penang Internet Exchange: Accelerating the State’s Digital Drive
2 min read
DIGITALISATION HAS BEEN a subject of interest for Penang’s leaders and stakeholders, and faster connectivity continues to be a pressing need.According to the Pe...
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Eid ul-Fitr in the Modern World: Navigating Traditions
3 min read
EID UL-FITR, or simply Raya (celebration in Malay), marks the end of Ramadan and holds deep cultural and religious significance in the Islamic calendar. Neverth...
Snapshots of Penang Week 1977 in Adelaide
3 min read
Photos by courtesy of Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu FoundationA PARTICULAR INTEREST shown to visiting delegates of the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) to Adelaide b...
Finally a Trip to Beijing: A Personal Cross-Cultural Connection
5 min read
MY FASCINATION WITH Chinese culture started at age nine, when I transferred to a Chinese vernacular school. While other children watched cartoons on weekends, I...
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“The Islander Surge”: Exploring Cultural Uniqueness in Music
4 min read
An island’s cultural traditions and social contexts often render “islanders” with unique yet versatile identities. Hence, they are sometimes described as having...
Pursuing the Meaning of Equality and Liberty (With Some AI Assistance)
4 min read
WHETHER WE LIKE to think so or not, modern political thought gained effective sloganic expression during the French Revolution (in 1789), incidentally around th...
A Perfect Hike on Pulau Rimau
5 min read
JUST OFF THE southern tip of Penang Island sits the lush tree-covered isle of Pulau Rimau. Having ticked off all the other large isles around Penang, Pulau Rima...
A Short History of Pulau Rimau
9 min read
WALKING ALONG THE Queen’s Waterfront promenade at Bayan Lepas, you see a large, heavily forested island nearby that once hosted a leper colony and, later, a pri...
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