February 2026

Our latest issue explores how third places—from bookstores and gardens to KOMTAR—shape community life in Penang, while reflecting on sustainability, inclusion, and the island’s rich history.

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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.

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

Batu Lanchang Market Food Court Stays Afloat with Digital Ordering and Pick-up Service

3 min read

THE BATU LANCHANG Market Food Court may be decades old but the food vendors there are making sure the place does not close down because of the Covid-19 pandemic...

by Enzo Sim

Designing Solutions for Social Change

3 min read

LEARN. IMBIBE. REGURGITATE. These are hallmarks of rote learning and its derivatives are wide-ranging, from the attrition of critical and creative thinking to a...

by Regina Hoo

Online Schooling: A Necessity that is Not Yet a Virtue

7 min read

CAN ONLINE CLASSROOMS reap the equalising benefits of Education that previously eluded traditional learning? Or will it share the same fate? Whether it was read...

by Godharan s/o Thyagarajan

Godharan s/o Thyagarajan

National History Based on Half-truths Undermines the Critical Spirit of the Young

5 min read

A NATIONAL HISTORY is never fixed and instead, tends to take on chameleon-like characteristics. Malaysian history is no different. Under colonial rule, the popu...

by Santhiram R. Raman

Santhiram R. Raman

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