June 2026

Discover Penang Monthly’s June issue: explore the stories behind Penang’s enduring heritage brands, the richness of its multilingual and multicultural heritage, innovative local businesses, community-led initiatives, and the challenges shaping the state’s future. From family enterprises and semiconductor pioneers to traditional food, festivals, education, and environmental sustainability, this issue celebrates Penang’s resilience, identity, and capacity for renewal.

See Inside Read as Flipbook

Hello and welcome!

A publication of Penang Institute, Penang Monthly is the voice of Penang - an inspiring read for the curious Malaysian, featuring stories about the people, ideas, and issues shaping the state's well-being. Sign up for a free account to enjoy unlimited access to all our articles.

The Limits of Organised Inclusion: Some Insights From Engaged Youth In Penang

4 min read

“Young people are the leaders of tomorrow” is often spoken as affirmation, yet rarely matched by real influence today. Through the voices of four Penangites, this piece examines how inclusion without power leaves youth present—but still waiting at the margins of decision-making.

by Dr. Suresraj Therambarajoo

Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital: A Legacy of Hope And Love

7 min read

Born of Bishop Francis Chan’s final wish, Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital grew from a modest charitable home into a pillar of compassionate care in Penang. Sustained by faith, community and quiet sacrifice, its legacy endures as a testament to dignity in life’s final chapter.

by Koay Su Lyn

Malaysia’s Kindergarten Reform: A More Complicated Improvement Than Imagined

5 min read

…

by Dr. Rahida Aini

The Perfect Pace: Cycling In Northern Southeast Asia And Southern China

5 min read

FOR YEARS, I have cycled through much of what was once called “Indochina”—specifically Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia—and…

by Liew Chi Khong

Keeping The Tourism Industry Inclusive And Sustainable For The Habitat Foundation (THF) & Sustainable Tourism Malaysia (STM)

11 min read

THE CHANGES TO George Town’s core heritage area over the last decade have been significant. Although the “hardware”—the…

by Sumei Toh

Sumei Toh

From The High Tower To The Humble Truck Ilham Gallery’s Decade of Institutional Innovation, 2015—2025

5 min read

Over the past decade, ILHAM Gallery has redefined the Malaysian art museum through research-led curating, historical recovery and experimental outreach. Balancing private support with public purpose, it has become a civic space where art is not only displayed, but critically engaged and shared.

by Ivan Gabriel

Where Are You From? Letter by Laila Fanebust

2 min read

Laila Fanebust reflects on being repeatedly asked “Where are you from?” in George Town, exploring identity, belonging, and how she is perceived as an outsider. Through her time in Penang and the George Town Literary Festival, she considers how place and difference shape everyday interactions.

by Laila Fanebust

Laila Fanebust

Fish Ladders: Helping Fish Cross Human-Made Barriers

4 min read

As dams reshape Malaysia’s rivers, fish ladders emerge as quiet interventions—restoring pathways long severed. Balancing infrastructure with ecology, they offer a measured way forward, where development need not come at the expense of life moving beneath the surface.

by Dr. Chee Su Yin

Sustainable Tourism In Numbers

4 min read

Penang’s tourism rebound is powering economic growth, from surging visitor numbers to RM1.91bil in MICE impact—but it also strains liveability in key hotspots. As sustainability efforts expand, the challenge is clear: can growth, community well-being and environmental care truly align?

by Hajar Ariff

Beyond Numbers, Towards Meaning: Shifting To Developmental Tourism For Penang

5 min read

DRIVING ALONG THE old town’s narrow arteries, one quickly encounters the layered rhythms—and the resulting challenges—of George…

by Dr. Beh May Ting

A Retirement We Can No Longer Afford?

6 min read

YEAR-OLD NORAZLAN ISMAIL, a taxi driver in Johor, embarked on a journey from Johor Bahru to Istana Negara.[1] Travelling…

by Kenneth Ong

ZANG TOI: The Malaysian Who Dresses The Global Elite

9 min read

From Kelantan to New York, Zang Toi’s journey traces a couture legacy shaped by memory, ambition and reinvention. Decades on, his designs remain a dialogue between worlds—where Malaysian heritage quietly endures beneath the brilliance of the global runway.

by Rachel Yeoh

Total posts

3528

Explore column

Ads

Support us

As Penang Monthly continues to evolve, we aim to deliver better quality reads. At present, our issues are free to be read. But we need your financial support as we endeavour to be the voice of Penang and an inspiring read for the curious Malaysian. Every RM100 contribution from individuals (or RM1,000 from corporations) will be entitled to tax exemption receipt.

Explore column

Feature

Editorial

Cover Story

Statistics

Photo Essay

Covid-19 Exclusives

Penang Profile

Ask Azmi