Rising from the ashes
8 min read
Long before most Malaysians thought green was trendy, when recycling was something you needed a bicycle for, there was Jimmy Lim.
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.
Taking Tourism To The Next Level
16 min read
From being one of Asia’s leading sun, sea and sand destinations in the 1960s and 1970s, Penang’s tourism industry seemed to wane in the 1990s, in the face of stiff regional competition.
The Prince of Wales Island Gazette
13 min read
The central role that Penang played in the early modernisation of South-East Asia is succinctly captured in the fact that it was the place where the region’s press history began. The first newspaper established there was The Prince of Wales Island Gazette.
Much Has Changed, But Much Remains The Same
9 min read
Has Malaysia truly become a tertiary stage services economy, after evolving from a primary stage economy in the 1950s and 1960s to a manufacturing based economy in the 1970s?
Even for artists, it’s about location, location, location
8 min read
Penang holds an attraction for foreign artists that locals find hard to comprehend. Perhaps what is most obvious is what is most difficult to notice.
Penang outlook forum 2010
1 min read
The Penang Outlook Forum provides a platform for the assessment of Penang’s past achievements, present capabilities and future growth potential. This year’s focus will be on “Penang in Asia” and the forum will be held at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), Singapore.
Human Resource For The Halal Industry
2 min read
There are about 1.57 billion Muslims in the world today, and the number is growing. This means that the demand for safe, high-quality halal food will rise astronomically.
Brain drain, once removed
8 min read
Penangites have been leaving the state to work in other parts of Malaysia and throughout the world, at least since the 1960s. The ties they retain with their home state vary, depending on family and working conditions.
Federalism going down the toilet
3 min read
Something that Malaysians have had to realise in recent months is that political power in the country has over the years become so centralised that local governance is in real danger of disappearing altogether.
Democracy Is Essentially Local
7 min read
Local government elections were abolished by the Malaysian federal government in 1976 despite suggestions to the contrary by the body set up to study them. Thirty four years later, the State governments of Penang and Selangor are asking for federal support to reintroduce them.
In Search of Good Penang Fiction
7 min read
Penang takes pride in having produced an endless string of intellectuals. But when it comes to good fictional writing, we certainly come out short. Why is this so? The late Lee Kok Liang is still the best we have had.
Earth Hour under the rain tree
3 min read
The Socio-Economic and Environmental Research Institute (SERI) celebrates its 13th anniversary and synchronises it with Earth Hour.
Explore column