Dzulkifli Abdul Razak On Big Pharma, Compromised Politics And Failing Academia
9 min read
DZULKIFLI ABDUL RAZAK is the fifth recipient of the Dr. Wu Lien-Teh Society Award for Leadership in Public Health.…
November 2026
Penang Monthly | November 2026 is out now. This month, we journey through Penang’s South Asian links—from the enduring energy of George Town’s Little India to the remarkable restoration of Wadda Gurdwara Sahib. Discover stories of Punjabi cha, Ganesha at the threshold, traditional trades, migration, literature, art and the people keeping living heritage alive across Penang. Because heritage is more than buildings and archives—it is found in the languages we speak, the food we share, the work we do and the memories we carry.
George Town’s Award-winning Seawall: Engineering continuity on the North Seafront
5 min read
WHAT DOES AN award-winning heritage project look like in a city confronting climate change? In George Town, the answer…
Speaking of CHT… on Penang Seizing the Moment and Breaking from Industrial Silos
8 min read
AS USUAL, THIS column highlights an exciting personality from Penang, no
doubt because of what they have achieved, but more…
The Inclusive Ownership Of Penang And Its Paradoxes
3 min read
What makes a Penangite is not birthplace, but attachment. In this reflection on identity and belonging, Penang emerges as a place shaped by contradiction—provincial yet cosmopolitan, fragile yet resilient—held together by the people who care enough to claim it as their own.
Managing the Times: Businesses Evolved to Thrive
6 min read
Penang’s heritage businesses survive not by resisting change, but by evolving without losing their identity. Across generations, trust, craftsmanship and adaptability remain the foundations of their enduring relevance.
A Watery Conumdrum: Improving Water Supply Amidst Climate Change
5 min read
WATER IS BECOMING an increasingly precious resource, yet Penang still lives in a state of functional illusion. Every day, we…
A Reputation For Style Sustained By Heritage Brands
5 min read
Penang’s fashion heritage lives through brands that balance tradition with reinvention. From batik and tailoring to menswear and jewellery, these enduring names continue shaping how identity and style are expressed across generations.
Mai Cerita: A Student Project With High Intercultural Ambitions
4 min read
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN you bring together two distinct Malaysian puppetry traditions? In December 2025, I participated in “Mai Cerita, Hidupkan…
Phoenix Press Rising: Publishing as a Creative Industry
4 min read
From printing bus tickets in post-war Malaya to operating advanced presses today, The Phoenix Press embodies Penang’s culture of adaptation and endurance. Its story is one of quiet innovation, where tradition and technology continue to coexist across generations.
Built to Last: Lessons to Learn from Penang’s Many Heritage Brands
5 min read
Penang’s heritage brands endure not through nostalgia alone, but through clarity, consistency and community. From hawker stalls to historic hotels, their stories reveal that lasting brands are built as much on experience and identity as on the products themselves.
Penang as a Heritage Linguistic System
5 min read
George Town’s heritage is carried not only in buildings and festivals, but also in the languages woven through its streets and daily exchanges. As urban change reshapes the city, this piece asks what it truly means to preserve a living heritage rooted in multilingual life.
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