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.

The Elaborate Meaning of the Indian Marriage Necklace

7 min read

JEWELLERY CAN mean many things, all the more so if placed in their traditional contexts.In the Indian tradition, the Rig Veda, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and...

by Preveena Balakrishnan

Prostitutes in Penang: A Life Often Filled with Fear and Violence

6 min read

The “princess”, was a human-trafficked victim sold to brothel houses at a tender age. These girls suffered deplorable conditions; in exchange for basic food and accommodation, they were forced into prostitution and were treated as personal belongings and slaves by the brothel-keepers.

by Dr. Kuah Li Feng

Expanding the Hi-tech Ecosystem in Penang for a New Era

5 min read

OVER THE PAST 20 years, ViTrox has established itself as a global technology company that is “powered in Penang and in Malaysia”, growing to reach a market capi...

by Lee Siu Ming

Lee Siu Ming

The Japanese Conquest of Penang: Part Two

9 min read

[IN DECEMBER 2021, Penang Monthly published Part One of The Japanese Conquest of Penang. This issue covers the remainder of the campaign and what came after].Th...

by Enzo Sim

Pets in Numbers

4 min read

The ancient practice of having animals as part of a human community, even if not as pets in the modern sense, is at least 15,000 years old. It started with the breeding and domesticating of wild wolves...

by Yap Jo-yee & Ng Kar Yong

Ng Kar Yong

Pet Healthcare Options in Penang

9 min read

ONE WOULD THINK that since afflictions such as gastrointestinal disorders, chronic kidney diseases and the Big C are suffered by both humans and mammals, that i...

by Regina Hoo

What Are the Tropics If Not Naturally Diverse?

10 min read

DESCRIPTIONS OF NATURE in the tropics once employed expressions such as luxuriant, verdant or lush. As technical terminology became the vogue, our ability to im...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Uniting Communities Through Sports and Traditions

2 min read

The organisation of groups of people with similar goals have long been a key aspect in human interaction and social functions – it is also what sports clubs are founded upon.

by Dr. Beh May Ting

Negaraku: The Sonic Totem of the Nusantara (Part Two)

4 min read

THE ATMOSPHERE WAS abuzz as the resonant “Merdeka” call rang in the newly built Stadium Merdeka. It was 1957. Malaya, the newly independent nation, needed not o...

by Shazlin Hamzah

eSports in Malaysia: What Awaits Competitive Gaming?

5 min read

WHEN LAN GAMING cybercafes first emerged in the early 2000s, they were all the rage. They provided a social and competitive environment for gamers to gather and...

by Alexander Fernandez

Penang Continues to Punch Above Its Weight

9 min read

PENANG MONTHLY starts a new series, where we, once a year, talk to the Chief Minister of Penang. We met up with YAB Chow Kon Yeow after lunch on Saturday, 4 Mar...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Virtual Teaching Must Remain Relevant Post-Covid

4 min read

Virtual or online learning has been around for quite a while. Unfortunately, it was never extensively tapped into until the pandemic hit and forced teachers and students to look for a different way to continue teaching and learning, as traditional methods were not possible anymore.

by Sarah Yeoh

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