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’s Top 100 Auction Lots Across the Decade

5 min read

Ibrahim Hussein’s Man with Possessions, 1964. Oil on canvas (122 x 122cm).WHO IS THE No. 1 Artist in Malaysia?Going by the market record of prices...

by Ooi Kok Chuen

Tropical Spice Garden Evolves to Survive Covid-19

4 min read

PENANG HAS NO shortage of eco-tourism attractions. There is the Botanic Gardens, replete with a long history; the Penang City Park, formerly the Youth Park, whe...

by Kelvyn Yeang

The Middle Bank Can Anchor a Green Future For Penang

3 min read

AIR PASANG PAGI, surut pukul lima (a high tide in the morning, ebbs at five) is a traditional Malay pantun (poem) that describes tidal movements in Penang. Over...

by Prof. Dato' Dr. Zulfigar Yasin

Penang's Walkability in Numbers

3 min read

A STUDY BY Stanford University from 2017 found Malaysia to be among the most inactive nations.1 It ranked third-last in the average number of steps taken per da...

by Ng Kar Yong & Syafiqah Nazurah Mukhtar

Ng Kar Yong

Introducing the Penang Walk Zones Project

10 min read

IF THERE IS one motto that Penang Monthly can use to describe its mission and vision, it is "Knowing Penang". That means capturing to the best of its ability al...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Spotlight on Indian Malaysian Artists

9 min read

WHY ARE THERE so few artists of Indian (including Singhalese) descent in Malaysia?

by Ooi Kok Chuen

The Unique Wonders of Penang’s Marine Garden

4 min read

WHAT ARE SEAGRASS meadows? These are natural marine habitats found in shallow waters that support a large diversity of living communities, the most prominent of which is the seagrass.

by Prof. Dato' Dr. Zulfigar Yasin

A Market that Reeks of History

6 min read

Is there a need to choose between the heritage and day-to-day market life, or the option of a new building like that of nearby Chowrasta Market, or to transform into a decidedly upmarket venue?

by William Tham

Old George Town’s Transportation in Numbers

6 min read

The Municipality continued to license cars until 1940 but lost control of them after World War II to the Federal Government when vehicle registration was taken over by the Road Transport Department in 1948.

by Penang Monthly

What Makes A Street Memorable?

5 min read

Let us start by exploring the urban landscape of Penang – the streets, the public places and the buildings there.

by Laurence Loh

The Sarkies Brothers and Their Hotel Empire

13 min read

The E&O was founded by the Sarkies brothers. Who were they and what brought them to Penang?

by Enzo Sim

Traces of Penang's Role in the Age to Revolution

5 min read

LEBUH ARMENIAN AND Lebuh Acheen meet at Lebuh Carnarvon. I used to walk along either one of them each day on the way to work, picking the sense of history that...

by William Tham

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