September 2025

This September, we explore Seberang Perai Selatan. Our stories cover Nibong Tebal’s Teochew heritage and sugar legacy, Batu Kawan’s evolution into a township, Penang’s waste challenges at Pulau Burung, the brackish rivers of the south, and the communities that shape the district today.

17 posts

Relying on the Proximate and the Immediate to Keep Sane in a Virtual World

4 min read

Narratives are, by their nature, a collective event and a social event; in sum, they are an exercise of power as well, a nexus where different wills and opinions wrestle each other to emerge with as much claim to being true as possible.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

A Heritage Haven on Penang’s Mainland Nibong Tebal

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

Once Upon a Time in Batu Kawan

8 min read

It may not feel like it, but Batu Kawan is actually an island. It is separated from Seberang Perai by Sungai Jawi, a wide tidal river, and Sungai Tengah in the south.

by Samantha Khoo

Flashes in the Dark: Learning to Protect Fireflies

5 min read

As part of this year’s World Firefly Day celebration on July 5, researchers, families and firefly enthusiasts had gathered in Bukit Kiara to spot these rare insects. It is also a way for researchers to connect science with public curiosity and encourage community-led biodiversity conservation.

by Liani MK

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…

by Elizabeth Su

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.

by Nurul Natasha Amir

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…

by Dr. Suresraj Therambarajoo

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.

by Hajar Ariff

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.

by Rachel Yeoh

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.

by Carolyn Khor

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.

by Miriam Devaprasana

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.

by Ian McIntyre