January 2015 - Penang Monthly

A City’s Status and its Civil Society

12 min read

It’s not easy getting a Unesco listing. Apart from the rigorous assessment criteria, the nomination process can be highly political – tourist income, public recognition and federal funding drive state governments to compete with one another for endorsement.

by Shu-yun Ma

Shu-yun Ma

Will the Falling Oil Price Mean Austerity for Malaysia?

3 min read

The recent decline of the oil price – and therefore an increase in oil price volatility – have created a particularly uncertain forecasting environment that cannot be overlooked when attempting to forecast the economic outlook for 2015.

by Tim Niklas Schoepp

Getting to Know Malaysia, One Trip at a Time

4 min read

Not long ago, Chok Yen Hau hardly knew anything about Malaysia; today, he is one of the biggest champions of Malaysian travel. He now spends his days introducing Malaysia to Malaysians through his books, bespoke travel services and giving talks all over the country.

by Carolyn Hong

The housing Market in Penang Today

7 min read

Malaysia’s population crossed the 30 million mark in February 2014. According to the Population and Housing Census 2010, about three in 10 people fall in the 20-40 years old age group – the one most likely to be first-time home buyers. By 2020, that group is projected to grow to 11.3 million.

by Lim Chee Han

Penang Transportation by the Numbers

4 min read

We examine the transport situation in Penang and provide the statistics on the trends and modes of transportation available in the state.

by Penang Monthly

Ripples From Global Events Threaten Local Economy

13 min read

Recent economic events, particularly the fall in oil price, are predicted to significantly shade the economic outlook for Penang and for Malaysia at large.

by Ong Wooi Leng

Penang Economic Outlook 2015

4 min read

Malaysia’s domestic environment will become more challenging given the introduction of the GST from April 1, 2015 and the sensitivity of Malaysian households to any interest rate hike due to their high debt levels.

by Dr. Lim Kim-Hwa

Making Malaysia’s Literary Capital Work

9 min read

Organising a literary festival is no easy task, especially when you’ve only got five months to do it. But passion and determination drove one man and his team to pull it off – and very successfully.

by Julia Tan

An Art Exchange on Penang’s Walls and Streets

6 min read

Urban Xchange, Penang’s first international street art festival, divided the state’s art sphere between purists and those who dare to be different.

by Marco Ferrarese

The More Individual Stories We Acknowledge, The More Authentic Our National History

6 min read

One thing common to most Malaysians is the balik kampung tradition. This goes even for those millions who have left the country over the last 50 years, who return whenever they can to visit relatives, friends and old haunts.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

The Art of Sonny Liew

9 min read

Comics are fun, but if one is to make a career of it, one needs luck and lots of talent. And one needs to take bold initiatives and to experiment. A very adult way to stay young, really.

by Jeffrey Hardy Quah

Springtime For Art Biennales

7 min read

Art is not only big business worldwide, it is big everything today, including city branding. Huge art festivals are taking place throughout the world.

by Ooi Kok Chuen