A Penang Potpourri: How Indian Food Became Everyone’s Food
6 min read
Indian food in Penang reveals the history of those who brought it over and the openness of the people in its new home.
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.
The Forest’s Table: Reviving Indigenous Knowledge for Malaysia’s Food Future
6 min read
Malaysia is home to one of the world’s richest rainforests, with an estimated 15,000 plant species. Out of these are more than 520 edible plant species, and 300 of these are indigenous to the country.
Of Private Archives and Public Histories
7 min read
If private collections govern our knowledge of the past, what histories are amplified and which remain obscured when they are exhibited publicly?
Bingley Sim and Ima Norbinsha’s “Now and Then 2”, presented by Galeri Puteh, addresses this poser through a lens of critical inquiry.
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The Southern Chinese Flavours that Built Penang’s Palate
6 min read
As a child, I spent a lot of time in this aunt’s house, and most of that time, in her kitchen. While my other aunts and cousins played mahjong in the background, I would sit at the kitchen table, annoying her with requests to help her cook.
The Wan Li Shipwreck: It’s Last 300kg of History
5 min read
In the space Rongen has curated over two decades, ceramic shards from the Wan Li shipwreck are arranged like relics. Some have been made into jewellery and others set onto small sculptural pieces. The rest remain untouched, displayed just as they were when they were lifted off the seabed.
The Murtabak: Techniques, Traditions and Regional Variations
8 min read
Penang murtabak is very elaborately prepared when compared to that from other parts of Southeast Asia. My findings are based on its traditional preparation at Hameediyah and the now-defunct Merah restaurants.
Kebebe: Not Your Average Fruit Salad
7 min read
Kebebe is a culinary heritage of the Malay-Pattani communities of Lenggong, Hulu Perak, and is believed to have existed for over a century. To trace its roots, I spoke with a local historian, Mohd Razali Ahmad, fondly known as Pak Su.
The Bougainvillea’s Odyssey: A Tale of Science and Romance Across the Seas
7 min read
The bougainvillea (Bougainvillea glabra) is a common ornamental shrub found throughout Malaysia. Though native to the Americas, it has taken root across the tropics, including in every state in Malaysia, thanks to its hardy nature.
The Making of the Malay Cuisine
8 min read
I am a Malay from Balik Pulau. We are sometimes assumed to be the same as the Malays of Tanjong (George Town), the Jawi Peranakans or the Indian Muslims. In truth, our identities differ; this is no more evident than in what we eat.
Reading the Signs: Penang Streets Have A Lot to Say
8 min read
Multilingualism here is banal, part of the fabric that holds daily life together. As Higgins and Coen remind us in Streets, Bedrooms and Patios, “as homo sapiens, we are all the same in terms of genetic structure and cognitive potentiality…
GTLF: One of Penang Institute's Two Annual Flagship Events
3 min read
Picnics are such optimistic events, come to think of it. A paradise for the multitasker, a dream for those in the family who love to keep connections alive, a time to touch base. Much can go wrong at picnics, no doubt, but they hold so much promise.
On Relationality and Geography: An Interview with Madeleine Thien
5 min read
In anticipation of Madeleine’s appearance at the George Town Literary Festival (GTLF), she talks about her new novel, the writing process and her identity.
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