Feeding Penang
16 min read
From international players to small cottage enterprises, our food manufacturing industry is thriving and getting more diverse.
July 2026
Discover Penang’s living heritage in this month’s issue: from the revival of historic clan houses and district associations to new voices in the arts, community, and cultural preservation. Explore how tradition meets modernity as Penang’s diverse communities adapt, innovate, and celebrate their unique identity.
A Bungalow on the Hill
6 min read
Sanatorium. Retreat. Home. The bungalows up on the Hill played different roles throughout Penang’s history. The first structures to appear on top of Penang Hill were almost certainly a flagstaff for signalling the arrival of shipping, together with a small building to house a military detachment.
Malaysia – Where politics must be ethnically inclusive and exclusive at the same time
5 min read
As truly as Malay dominance is an inescapable reality for Malaysia, a central policy direction that is ethnically inclusive is unavoidable for sufficient harmony to be achieved so that its economy can gain the trust of both domestic and international investors, and grow to its full potential.
Penang as an Entrepreneurial State
12 min read
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng talks about Penang as a high income model for Malaysia at Merton College in Oxford University.
The Strange Rise and Sudden Fall of the Chinese Stock Market
6 min read
The recent rollercoaster ride that the Chinese stock market went on puzzled the financial world and spawned extensive analysis and scrutiny.
Festivals of Significance: A Writer’s View of Literary Festivals
11 min read
Tan Twan Eng, Malaysia’s most noted writer of intricate and sensitive stories rooted in the country’s history, shares some experiences from the global journey of meeting admirers – and other authors.
In Malaysia, Every Year is A Year of Festivals
4 min read
Timing is everything, and for local writer Keith Hockton to have released his book, Festivals of Malaysia, this year, well, one might have thought he had insider knowledge.
The Path Not Taken
9 min read
What happens when you put necessity before passion? The high achievers who brought prestige to Penang in their younger days and then chose other pursuits tell their stories.
Can Budget 2016 Strengthen Malaysia Against External Economic Headwinds?
5 min read
Budget 2016 has been touted as a people’s budget. We decided to examine if it is capable of weathering external economic headwinds.
A Right Time for Novel Fashion, Retail and Architecture
8 min read
Situated along Jalan Kelawai is a breathtaking piece of structural design. Two blocks of 43-storey residential units and a 10-storey office tower rise over a futuristic mall, which houses a secret: a century-old heritage building within the mall itself.
A balanced society? The planning must start now
13 min read
Malaysia follows a plan-led development system, with top-down multilevel plans ranging from the National Physical Plan to State Structure Plans and Local Plans;...
Winners and losers as the Ringgit falls
4 min read
China’s Yuan devaluation prompted a global sell-off in emerging markets’ currencies.China’s Yuan devaluation prompted a global sell-off...
Explore column