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.

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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.

Jordan Plofsky: Acknowledging Results and Recognising Performance

5 min read

With more than 20 years of leadership experience, spanning from system and technologies to semiconductor and marketing, including positions at LSI Logic, Analog Devices and Harris Corporation, Jordan is a firm believer in leadership development.

by Poh Heem Heem

Poh Heem Heem

Palm Oil Remains Key Export For Malaysia

4 min read

The palm oil industry has been in existence in Malaysia for more than a hundred years. The palm originated in West Africa, and it was the British who first brought it to Malaya in the 1870s.

by Rafiq Idris

Rafiq Idris

Before Palm Oil, There Was Coconut Oil...

5 min read

Coconuts turned out to be the only crop successfully cultivated on a large scale on the island, contributing considerably to the economy for almost one century. Why and how did coconuts become such as an important commercial crop in Penang?

by Dr. Wong Yee Tuan

The day George Town grew up

4 min read

IT IS THE MORNING OF the New Year. The face of the Victoria Memorial Clock Tower blocking the rising sun to the east shows the time to be 8.50.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Death and The Undertaker

5 min read

When a family mourns a loved one recently departed, there is no greater help than that offered by the undertaker. pem talks to Ooi Thean Choo, a funeral director whose experiences have made him ever more philosophical and caring.

by Daniel Lee & Daniel Lim

What the Selangor State Secretary issue teaches us

6 min read

IN 1993 the Federal Constitution of Malaysia was amended with the aim of removing legal immunity of the royalty. Articles 32, 38, 42, 63, 72 and 181 were amended as a result.

by Tricia Yeoh

Garbage Graves of Penang

8 min read

Most of us are happily unaware of where our garbage goes after leaving our bins. Very few of us on the island know that our rubbish takes a sea cruise from the Batu Maung Waste Transfer Station on barges to their final resting place on the mainland.

by Khor Hung Teik

Khor Hung Teik

In Between Heaven and Earth

7 min read

Cheah Teng Hong is the director of Corporate Finance at the World Bank, where he has been since 1981.

by Kee Thuan Chye

The miracle of Penang Jazz

7 min read

The Seventh Penang Island Jazz Festival was spread over four days in early December 2010. It may not yet be “seventh heaven” but it is something of a small miracle that this festival started, survived and has begun to flourish.

by James Lochhead

James Lochhead

Freeing education from politics

5 min read

New nations tend to suffer from excessive politicking. Being moderate in many ways, politicking in Malaysia has permeated most aspects of nation building, bringing effects that are more long-term than if we had not been so moderate. This is most obvious in the field of education.

by Zairil Khir Johari

All that Rozz-matazz

7 min read

It has been five years since Rozz first lit up Bagan’s stage with his electric takes on classic torch songs and Broadway numbers. With undeniable panache, Rozz fluidly melds the worlds of the masculine and the feminine.

by Rosalind Chua

Rosalind Chua

Life on the List

14 min read

ENOUGH TIME has now passed for PEM to start asking what the most significant and noticeable changes are, and what people have learned from the fact that George Town is now under global scrutiny, what measures are crying out to be taken, and what the future holds for this newly recognised treasure.

by Jeffrey Hardy Quah & Rosalind Chua & Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Rosalind Chua

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