15th edition of annual George Town Literary Festival kicks off

THE annual George Town Literary Festival (GTLF) has begun with its 15th edition designed to enliven and blend the world of literature with heritage and gourmet.

Held in five locations throughout the Unesco World Heritage Site in George Town, the event has special activities at the main site - the UOB Building, Wawasan Building, Hikayat (Book Store), the Cheah Kongsi and the ChinaHouse eatery.

It is helmed by the state public think thank - Penang Institute and many of the literary works would be reproduced it is monthly magazine - "Penang Monthly."

Despite the popular culture shifting towards the world of short video bursts, social media postings and digitalised entertainment, Penang Institute sees a greater need to conserve the habit of reading, understanding and importantly, writing.

Its executive director Datuk Ooi Kee Beng said this year’s festival is the country's biggest and brings together prominent writers, historians, publishers, activists and journalists under one roof - Penang.

The GTLF also announced that young undergraduate Nur Syuhada Mohd Surahbil has won the Prestigious PM Short Story Prize 2025.

Ooi presented the award to Nur Syuhada with her short tale of “The Echo That Splits Two Worlds.”

The narrative’s seamless blending of fantasy with familial ties over the backdrop familiar to all Penangites; Penang Hill and Pulau Jerejak, distinguished it as a powerful and resonant contribution to the Festival.

Nur Syuhada received a cash prize of RM800 and her work will be published in the Penang Monthly December 2025 edition.

Runners up of the competition are Tan Shu Min, author of “The Gold That Fed Us” and Joshua Lim, the author of “Fishing for Durians”.

Stories of the runners up will also be published on Penang Monthly's website soon.

Other highlights include the unveiling of a book on (Dr) Lim Kee Jin, a doctor and a mentor to his peers.

Historian Patricia Lim will on hand to assist in the launching of Lim Kee Jin: Doctor and Mentor, a portrait of one of Malaysia’s pioneering medical figures.

Blending biography and social history, the book traces a life devoted to healing, teaching, and public service — celebrating a legacy of compassion and leadership. - November 30, 2025.