Cover Story - Penang Monthly (Page 11)

The Unity Fetish

10 min read

Building a nation involves sustained emotional stimulation, while building a state is more of a legal and technical matter. Balancing the two is the key to social stability and dynamism.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Local Elections as the Foundation of Democracy Part I: The Athi Nahappan Report Revisited

8 min read

It is not an exaggeration to say that we always have local governments. In the most traditional form of government in Malaysia, there were local chieftains governing sub-regional units such as “daerah” and smaller ones such as “kampung”.

by Steven Sim & Koay Su-Lyn

The Athi Nahappan Report revisited Part 2: Local elections are part of a larger reform agenda

13 min read

The most cited recommendation of the Athi Nahappan Royal Commission of Enquiry must be the restoration of local government elections. Today, half a century late...

by Koay Su-Lyn & Steven Sim

Crisis ahead for private higher education – and solutions

13 min read

Graduating students of the Penang Medical College (PMC). Private university enrolment is expected to grow at 5.6% per annum and overtake the public sector in...

by Geoffrey Williams

Geoffrey Williams

Butterworth Beckons: A Bright Future Awaits East Penang

13 min read

It lies just 3km across the North Channel from George Town, but for most island side Penangites, Butterworth is a world away.

by Andrea Filmer

Cautiously but Surely, Penang's Growth Continues

8 min read

Penang’s economy is dependent on national and global economic conditions; the US economic recovery, lower oil prices, the Asean Economic Community (AEC) and the implementation of GST in Malaysia are likely to change consumers’ spending and producers’ output, as well as business strategies.

by Ong Wooi Leng

Putting Pulau Tikus on the Map

15 min read

Affluent. Cosmopolitan. Convenient. These are words that are often used to describe Pulau Tikus, a township in Penang that is pretty much located in the middle of everything. It connects the north of the island to the centre and the south.

by Julia Tan

Is Penang’s tourism on the right track?

15 min read

The messages started flying on social media in early July. The word was that some 4,000 tourists from China were arriving for a company holiday in Penang &ndash...

by Andrea Filmer

Education – Ever The Political Victim

12 min read

The painful history of education policy shifts tells us that the power of the Ministry of Education must be drastically cut. It's out with the old and in with the new every time a crisis engulfs the country's leadership – and all at the expense of our children's education.

by Zairil Khir Johari

TPPA – The Winners and the Losers

14 min read

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) is a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) that involves 12 Pacific Rim countries: Singapore, Brunei, New Zeal...

by Lim Chee Han

MAKE A DATE WITH NATURE - Tourism Turns Green with Age

16 min read

 Lined by pristine sandy beaches and covered by flourishing forests overflowing with animals and plants, Penang National Park humbly occupies the nor...

by Andrea Filmer

A Sky of Stars: Penang Shines as a Sporting State

13 min read

Mention squash and Datuk Nicol David comes to mind for most of us. The longest reigning world No. 1 (a whopping 108 consecutive months!) until September last ye...

by Jeffrey Hardy Quah & Sarah Yeoh

Sarah Yeoh