A Short History of Penang’s Port, Ferries and Wharves
6 min read
BRITISH WRITER AND philosopher, Julian Baggini once wrote, “Looking out over the port of Dover, with the endless stream of…
January 2026
Our January issue explores how artificial intelligence is redefining work, security and everyday life, from the promises of automation and digital finance to the ethical questions it raises about creativity, ownership and the future of human thinking.
Walkability Badly Desired in Batu Kawan
5 min read
Unlike George Town, Batu Kawan was—ostensibly—built “from scratch”. You live in one area, work or study in another, and hang out somewhere else. It sounds great in theory, but unless you have a car—which is not something to expect of students—getting around takes much more energy than expected.
Penang’s Keramat Roar: Football Fandom as Community Identity
3 min read
SOMETIMES, YOU DON’T need a map to know where you are. You just need a sound.
In Penang, it…
Getting to Know Seberang Perai Selatan
7 min read
Home to about 188,000 people, SPS is Penang’s least populous mainland district, and recorded the state’s lowest growth rate in 2024, at just 0.7%. Its population has remained mostly steady over the past three years, shaped by a mix of Bumiputera, Chinese and Indian communities.
Tan Sooi Beng: The Revivalist of Dying Cultural Arts in Penang
10 min read
Penang Monthly sits down to chat with her after she recently received the 20th BOH Cameronian Arts Awards (BCAA) Lifetime Achievement Award as recognition of her outstanding contributions to dance, music, theatre and musical theatre.
Placemaking for and by Residents: Participatory Mapping in Nibong Tebal
4 min read
Spearheaded by Arts-ED, a Penang-based arts and education non-profit, this participatory mapping project places local voices at the centre of heritage documentation—literally putting them on the map.
The Majie in Penang: A Proud Heritage of Woman Power
8 min read
The majie may not have fitted the image of modernity, but she embodied its deeper transformations. Through financial independence, migration and lifelong labour, she was both breadwinner and caregiver, sustaining families across borders through decades of uncertainty, war and independence.
Penang’s Tourism Faces the Challenges of Success
5 min read
The office of Penang’s Executive Councillor for Tourism and Creative Economy (PETACE) has released data showing that the Penang International Airport (PIA) recorded a significant rise in foreign arrivals last year with a notable increase from China, Thailand and Taiwan.
The Pulau Burung Landfill: Managing Penang’s Dirty Backyard
7 min read
Each day, the inhabitants of Penang, both in Seberang Perai and Penang Island, generate over 2,200 tonnes of waste, of which 80% is channelled via barges to the Pulau Burung sanitary landfill.
Azmi Hussin: A Life in Lines, A Legacy in Love
4 min read
AZMI HUSSIN, a beloved Penang-born cartoonist and visual storyteller, passed away on 5 March 2025 at the age of 40 from a heart attack. He left behind a legacy far greater than the pages he had filled.
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Enjoying the Brackish Rivers of Seberang Perai Selatan
7 min read
In the south of Penang’s mainland, the estuaries of Sungai Kerian, Sungai Chenaam and Sungai Jawi quietly sustain much of the region’s coastal life.
An Aging Artist: Teoh Shaw Gie’s Midlife
6 min read
In his solo exhibition, Archaeology of Midlife, which was hosted at O Sculpture Studio from 21 June to 27 July 2025, Teoh Shaw Gie explored the pains and insecurities of his midlife with a beer-bellied sense of self-deprecating humour.
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