Malaysia’s troubled state
5 min read
Malaysia is currently in crisis. The ringgit seems to be on an inexorable downhill slide, ethnic tensions have deteriorated from uncomfortable simmer to open fl...
Giving the people a say – it’s their money after all
5 min read
Sometime in December last year, at a forum on the state and national budget organised by Lee Khai Loon, the state assemblyman for Machang Bubok, I threw out a c...
Making Words Perform Art
5 min read
At the George Town Literary Festival 2015, meet this group of people who create imagery and music with words.
Doing Heritage Diplomacy in Europe
5 min read
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was recently in the UK and France as the head of a state delegation to talk about Penang as an economic model and as an intelligent city.
Days and Nights at Claremont
7 min read
It’s up Penang Hill for a few days to unwind from the stress of Singapore’s workaholic lifestyle. Blustery weather, with a hint of rain, as I set off for the funicular railway turns into a downpour en route to Claremont Station.
To the summit, anyone?
5 min read
If you are planning a trip up Penang Hill, chances are the funicular train will be your preferred mode of transport to the summit. Yet how often do we ever stop to ponder about what makes such a trip possible in the first place?
Who gains and who loses in Budget 2016?
8 min read
Budget 2016 is the first of five budgets to be tabled under the five-year 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP). One of the aspirations of that Plan is the completion of Malaysia’s transformation into a high income, advanced nation.
Flip-flops Trip Key Education Reforms
5 min read
In September 2013 the Ministry of Education (MOE) launched the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025, a document touted by then Education Minister Tan Sri Muhy...
Time to Reform Public Universities
13 min read
Last May, Penang Monthly examined the condition of private higher education in the country. Now, we look at the challenges facing public universities.
Crowdfund Your Way to a Higher Education
4 min read
Co-founded by undergraduates from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and National University of Singapore (NUS), Skolafund is a recent online start-up that aims to help as many people as possible to obtain higher education.
The Luxury of Home-schooling
6 min read
Tailored to the particular child’s needs, home-schooling is considered by many parents to be the best option – even in Singapore.
Home-schooling – An Applauded Option
5 min read
National schools were once the first choice most Malaysian parents made for their children. However, in recent years, home-schooling has been a growing trend.