May 2016 - Penang Monthly

The Political Economy of Malaysia’s Migrant Worker Business

7 min read

Presently, we have a substantial number of migrant workers in the country – 2.1 million registered ones and another two to three million unregistered ones...

by Steven Sim

Lessons on Democracy from the Middle East

8 min read

We were not quite sure what to expect. Initially, the expedition was meant to be a study trip to Muslim-majority countries to learn about the diverse ways in wh...

by Zairil Khir Johari

Komtar’s Hidden Gems

5 min read

At its most basic level, Komtar is the administrative heart of Penang’s state and local governments. While the 65-storey (soon to be more) tower is recogn...

by Andrea Filmer

HDB Republic: Housing, Homeownership and Heritage in Singapore

7 min read

From its economy to its education system, Singapore leads in Asia. And one should not forget one very remarkable aspect of the country’s development: its...

by Soon-Tzu Speechley

A City For All Classes

15 min read

There is no doubt about it. Cities are growing with astonishing intensity, and as we move towards an increasingly urban world, a plethora of tools, indexes and...

by Evelyn Teh

New Cycling Lanes are Changing the Penang Experience

4 min read

Penang is leading other Malaysian states in promoting cycling and does that by trying to provide good cycling infrastructure. In August 2013, Chief Minister Lim...

by AhPek Biker

AhPek Biker

Will Getting Around Penang Without A Car Become Possible Again?

7 min read

Penang has ambitious public transport plans. It needs to if it is to keep its population on the move. The state’s transport masterplan – which seeks...

by Soon-Tzu Speechley

A Foreign Language Learned is a Cultural Gap Bridged

4 min read

Foreign language centres have long had afirm foothold in Penang. The Malaysian- German Society (MGS), for one, emerged more than 50 years ago as a friendship so...

by Chang Jia Ying

The Kopitiam: The Hearths Of Penang

3 min read

Apart from filling bellies, a kopitiam serves as a venue for tête-à-têtes, which more often than not turn into friendly group discussions—“coffee shop talk”.

by Nurul Ismawi & Izzuddin Ramli

Seeing Silence Speaking

6 min read

Twenty-five photographs, some in colour but most in breathtaking black and white, adorned the walls of the Camera Museum earlier this year. This is part of the...

by Marco Ferrarese

TMI May Be Gone, But Much Was Achieved

7 min read

In person, Jahabar Sadiq seems a very courteous and friendly fellow. It’s hard to believe that this is the same man who helmed The Malaysian Insider, a ne...

by Marco Ferrarese

An Ancient Art Form that Continues to Inspire

8 min read

When Deng Xiaoping visited Malaysia, he was said to have remarked that the spice-enriched Malaysian “Peking Duck” concoction was better than Beijing...

by Ooi Kok Chuen