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.

The Majie in Penang: A Proud Heritage of Woman Power

8 min read

The majie may not have fitted the image of modernity, but she embodied its deeper transformations. Through financial independence, migration and lifelong labour, she was both breadwinner and caregiver, sustaining families across borders through decades of uncertainty, war and independence.

by Miriam Devaprasana

Penang’s Tourism Faces the Challenges of Success

5 min read

The office of Penang’s Executive Councillor for Tourism and Creative Economy (PETACE) has released data showing that the Penang International Airport (PIA) recorded a significant rise in foreign arrivals last year with a notable increase from China, Thailand and Taiwan.

by Ian McIntyre

The Pulau Burung Landfill: Managing Penang’s Dirty Backyard

7 min read

Each day, the inhabitants of Penang, both in Seberang Perai and Penang Island, generate over 2,200 tonnes of waste, of which 80% is channelled via barges to the Pulau Burung sanitary landfill.

by Ian McIntyre

Azmi Hussin: A Life in Lines, A Legacy in Love

4 min read

AZMI HUSSIN, a beloved Penang-born cartoonist and visual storyteller, passed away on 5 March 2025 at the age of 40 from a heart attack. He left behind a legacy far greater than the pages he had filled.

by Ivan Gabriel

Enjoying the Brackish Rivers of Seberang Perai Selatan

7 min read

In the south of Penang’s mainland, the estuaries of Sungai Kerian, Sungai Chenaam and Sungai Jawi quietly sustain much of the region’s coastal life.

by Husna Shafirah

An Aging Artist: Teoh Shaw Gie’s Midlife

6 min read

In his solo exhibition, Archaeology of Midlife, which was hosted at O Sculpture Studio from 21 June to 27 July 2025, Teoh Shaw Gie explored the pains and insecurities of his midlife with a beer-bellied sense of self-deprecating humour.

by Teioh Nuan Ning

Indian Barbershops in Malaysia: A Fading Fashion

3 min read

INDIAN BARBERSHOPS HAVE become a unique institution in Malaysia, rooted in local history and the country’s cultural fabric. Beyond…

by Wong Teik Aun

Bujang Valley Excavations Expose the Peninsula’s Exciting Past

11 min read

Nestled in the foot of Gunung Jerai and the riverine plains of the Merbok River, the Bujang Valley is widely regarded as the cradle of early civilisation in the Malay Peninsula.

by Dr. Nasha Rodziadi Khaw

Awake in Time for a Terengganu Sunrise

3 min read

Time is ticking by. Flash by flash, wave by wave, breath by breath. Azan by azan, full moon by full moon, sunrise by sunrise. Repeating, reiterating, reciting. And yet, this is but half the story of the universe.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Sex Determination and Facial Approximation Using the Skull of Penang Woman

9 min read

Determining the biological sex of early human remains is a critical step in reconstructing individual identities; sexual dimorphism in the skeleton can provide insights into the biology and social structures of ancient populations.

by Dr. Helmi bin Mohd Hadi Pritam

A Brief History of Archaeology in Malaysia

6 min read

The mid-1970s to 1980s was a watershed moment as Malaysians began to enter the field of archaeology. Among the first few Malaysians who went overseas for postgraduate training and study were Zuraina Majid, the late Nik Hassan Shuhaimi, the late Adi Haji Taha, Leong Sau Heng and Ipoi Datan.

by Dr. Stephen Chia

From Earth To Artefact: Prehistoric Pottery Discoveries in Malaysia

8 min read

Prehistoric pottery in Malaysia is generally characterised by a range of surface treatments and vessel forms that reflect both utilitarian and cultural functions within early societies.

by Dr. Suresh Narayanen

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