Cover Story - Penang Monthly

The Human Legacy Behind Penang's Heritage Brands

9 min read

Behind Penang’s heritage brands lies more than longevity alone, but a continual act of inheritance, adaptation and trust. From family-run eateries to old trading houses, their survival reflects how identity is preserved not through resisting change, but through refining it without losing coherence.

by Tony Yeoh

Keeping The Tourism Industry Inclusive And Sustainable For The Habitat Foundation (THF) & Sustainable Tourism Malaysia (STM)

11 min read

THE CHANGES TO George Town’s core heritage area over the last decade have been significant. Although the “hardware”—the…

by Sumei Toh

Sumei Toh

In Defense of Slowness: A Journey Through Malaysia's Small Towns

10 min read

Having grown up in a small town, I am drawn to its unhurried rhythm—where time stretches and belonging needs no transaction. Through “Small Towns Malaysia”, we capture this quiet magic: overlooked places that offer a slower way of living, reshaping how we experience time and connection.

by Ash Raja

Dementia: A Disease An Aging Nation Cannot Ignore

7 min read

Dementia doesn’t diminish a person’s worth. Through supportive spaces like dementia-friendly day care or pop-up cafés, individuals like Mary can regain joy, agency, and connection—reminding us that empathy is the key to living well in ageing societies.

by Dr. Cecilia Chan

Third Places, Tropical Rules: How The People of Penang Gather

8 min read

The question today is not just where we gather, but how the rise of air-conditioning, gentrification and ageing society is reshaping the “Penang shophouse” spirit into new, sometimes unrecognisable forms.

by Eugene Quah

AI in Cybersecurity: Is It a Blessing or a Curse?

9 min read

The big question, “Is AI in cybersecurity a blessing or a curse?” does not have a simple answer. Like most technologies that fundamentally reshape human behaviour, AI brings transformative benefits, while also creating new areas of risk.

by Howie Chang

Why I Still Cook When It Is So Easy Not To

11 min read

I often wonder why I subject myself to extensive labour when I could easily eat out. In Penang, food is everywhere—cheap, delicious, convenient, fast. Why spend hours chopping, stirring and cleaning when I could get a perfectly good meal for under RM10 outside?

by Sheryl Teoh

Reading the Signs: Penang Streets Have A Lot to Say

8 min read

Multilingualism here is banal, part of the fabric that holds daily life together. As Higgins and Coen remind us in Streets, Bedrooms and Patios, “as homo sapiens, we are all the same in terms of genetic structure and cognitive potentiality…

by Tan Shu Min

Marking the End of Life: Rituals Across Malaysia

10 min read

Death may arrive suddenly, but it is never endured in isolation. What follows depends on your race, religion and family background.

by Sheryl Teoh & Teioh Nuan Ning

Nibong Tebal: A Heritage Haven on Penang’s Mainland

12 min read

To the Chinese community, Nibong Tebal is known as 高渊, or ko-ean in the local Teochew dialect, which is both a transliteration of the Kerian River that runs through the town and a reference to the said river’s deep currents.

by Teioh Nuan Ning

Bujang Valley Excavations Expose the Peninsula’s Exciting Past

11 min read

Nestled in the foot of Gunung Jerai and the riverine plains of the Merbok River, the Bujang Valley is widely regarded as the cradle of early civilisation in the Malay Peninsula.

by Dr. Nasha Rodziadi Khaw

Celebrating the Kebaya

9 min read

The kebaya holds deep cultural significance for women and communities across Southeast Asia, symbolising refinement, femininity, tradition, cultural heritage, women’s empowerment and identity.

by Dato' Lillian Tong