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.

Malaysia as a Global Educational Hub: A Win-Win-Win Situation

3 min read

ACCORDING TO THE Ministry of Higher Education, there were 136,497 international students enrolled in Malaysia in 2019, with 93,569 enrolled in tertiary institut...

by Dr. Rahida Aini

A Penang Comprador: “There Was Always Carlsberg beer in the House”

3 min read

TAN HENG SOON (1894-1962), a Straits-born Baba, was a comprador for the Danish East Asiatic Company, a prestigious European company established in 1897 by H.N....

by Anne Tan

From Hillview to Wellesley: The Evolution of a Pioneering Boys’ School

9 min read

JALAN SULTAN AZLAN SHAH, formerly known as Northam Road, hugs the contours of North Beach, extending towards Gurney Drive. With the panoramic views it offers of...

by Eugene Quah

Events in April

4 min read

LEARNINGOrganised by Penang Math Platform, MathBoost is a fun and engaging app-based learning experience focusing on arithmetic operations and numeracy skills f...

by Penang Monthly

Sunny With A Chance of Heatstroke

…

by Azmi Hussin

Weathering Climate Change—A Battle Fatal to Lose

3 min read

I REMEMBER STRUGGLING with the terms “weather” and “climate” in primary school.And as with most related words, it was about knowing when to use one and not the...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Fishing for a Living: The Case of Pulau Aman

6 min read

Photos by Jay Penfold

by Ian Browne

The Heat is Here to Stay: Surviving Climate Change is in Penang’s Own Hands

9 min read

“SHE IS HOT” exclaimed a male student, gaining immediate attention in my scientific lab. They clamoured to his monitor only to be disappointed to see that their...

by Prof. Dato' Dr. Zulfigar Yasin & Hajar Ariff

The Social and Economic Impact of Rising Temperatures Expected to be Strong

3 min read

CLIMATE CHANGE IS a global phenomenon whose impact on different regions varies in intensity. The Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change has identified sub-S...

by Sofia Castelo & Dr. Matt Benson

The Seas Are Warming Too... And That Should Make Us Very Afraid

8 min read

PENANG IS SURROUNDED by a sea that protects us, provides food and—the island beingsmall—moderates our climate. Now, imagine a world where our oceans are heating...

by Prof. Dato’ Dr. Aileen Tan & Hanis Razalli

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...

by Hajar Ariff

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...

by Dr. Mohd Nurfaiz Mohd Nasir

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