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.

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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.

Parenting Penang's pride

17 min read

There is a mystery about world champions that stems from the inability of common folk to imagine how otherwise normal persons can get to be so special and successful in what they do.

by Penang Monthly

Malaysia’s chance for some serious soul-searching

3 min read

Sixty odd years after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad first deliberated on politics as a student and almost three decades after he assumed the office of the Prime Minis...

by Barry Wain

Barry Wain

The short but significant story of the Khean Guan Insurance Company

3 min read

In 1885, the Chinese-owned Khean Guan Insurance Company was established in Penang. This was in response to the growing number of Western insurance companies operating in the city in the final decades of the 19th century.

by Dr. Wong Yee Tuan

Sculpturing Penang’s public spaces

11 min read

A squat oval marble sculpture on a circular pedestal sits forlornly at the edge of the paved estuary dominated by The Garage entertainment centre. Many people pass it by without batting an eyelid, or stopping for a breather or to take pictures beside it.

by Ooi Kok Chuen

On-the-job training critical to present-day education

3 min read

In this day and age, education is a requirement for success. Gone are the days when informal apprenticeship programmes were the route of choice for school-lea...

by Poh Heem Heem

Poh Heem Heem

Giving it everything

5 min read

According to 20something Chee Beng Kean, there's a void in the market in terms of computer knowledge. The usual practice for it services companies is just reselling computer products, and computer servicing.

by Jeffrey Hardy Quah

Cat on the prowl

5 min read

Transparency and accountability were key themes in the electoral campaign of opposition parties two years ago. At that time, Barisan Nasional governments at s...

by Tricia Yeoh

Welcoming The Old and Disabled to Penang

7 min read

For the distant traveler, Penang is unique to the region. It is not like Phuket or Pulau Perhentian where sun, surf and sea are the attractions, or like Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, where urban life pulsates late into the night. Penang is somewhere in-between.

by Khor Hung Teik

Khor Hung Teik

Must progress be ugly?

4 min read

It seems to me that in the last couple of decades, Penang, especially George Town, has been allowed to develop haphazardly. If I have to use one word to describ...

by Kee Thuan Chye

Living the poem

7 min read

Malaysia’s best-known poet has been raising the hackles of the establishment for over four decades with his outspoken work. Politicians find Cecil Rajendra subversive, academics believe he is a “propagandist troublemaker”, and the legal fraternity scathingly refers to him as a “part-time” lawyer.

by Rosalind Chua

Rosalind Chua

Suffolk House-keeping

13 min read

Next to the Methodist Boys School stands what is destined to be one of Penang's most renowned restored heritage buildings, Suffolk House.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Caught in the Net: The Malaysian Seafood Industry Waits In Vain

7 min read

The Malaysian seafood industry is widely recognised as world-class, with exports valued at RM2.5bil in 2007. However, the situation changed suddenly when Malaysian authorities decided on a self-imposed ban on exports to the EU.

by Rosalind Chua

Rosalind Chua

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