September 2015 - Penang Monthly

A balanced society? The planning must start now

13 min read

Malaysia follows a plan-led development system, with top-down multilevel plans ranging from the National Physical Plan to State Structure Plans and Local Plans;...

Winners and losers as the Ringgit falls

4 min read

China’s Yuan devaluation prompted a global sell-off in emerging markets’ currencies.China’s Yuan devaluation prompted a global sell-off...

Lim Kim-Hwa

Novel businesses on the block

5 min read

There has been a steady sprouting up of new businesses in Pulau Tikus – from bakeries to boutiques. But behind the scenes, there is a radical transformati...

Chang Jia Ying

Penang people are more diverse than you think…

10 min read

Captured for posterity: Dr Sibert's old house built in the Eurasian style.A community of faithAmong the earliest settlers in Pulau Tikus were the Cathol...

PARK(ing) Day: Reclaiming urban space, one bay at a time

3 min read

Fancy a game of 4v4 football? (PARK)ing Day in Dallas, US.It began in 2005 when Rebar, an art and design studio, converted a single-metered parking space...

Election fever! Memories of a by-election gone by

5 min read

In the true style of festive Malaysian élan, the Permatang Pauh by-election campaign that went on from the end of April through to early May this year pa...

James Springer

Pulau Tikus in numbers

3 min read

Pulau Tikus land useThe statistics below are based on the Pulau Tikus Revitalisation Plan (2014), prepared by Geografia in association with Penang Heritage...

The Jacks of all trades of Ba Kelalan

4 min read

Looking up at the high roofs of Ba Kelalan’s many churches – with their exposed rafters forming intricate patterns – it doesn’t seem pos...

Carolyn Hong

A designer wise to the streets of Pulau Tikus

4 min read

Tell us a bit about your background. You dropped out of school at a young age; how has that experience shaped you?When I was growing up, education was a luxur...

Old shops face new realities

5 min read

Pulau Tikus is one of the upmarket districts in Penang. A fair amount of bungalows, colonial buildings and highend condominiums is located in the area, alongsid...

Chang Jia Ying

Paris – Source of inspiration for local artists

6 min read

Lai Foong Moi.Until Lai Foong Moi paved the yellowbrick road to the art world of Paris in 1953, few in Malaya/Singapore thought it possible for them to tr...

A very well-kept secret jungle trail

5 min read

The National Park at Teluk Bahang is a favourite of Penang hikers and tourists alike. Its well-trodden track to Monkey Beach and the lighthouse at Muka Head can...

Louise Goss-Custard