The Penang Forum is a coalition of progressive public-interest civil society groups based in Penang, Malaysia.

We aim to promote participatory local democracy, sustainable planning and development, economic justice, affordable housing, environmental consciousness, and heritage conservation.

A Steering Committee guides the direction of the Penang Forum coalition and organises events and campaigns. It is run in the spirit of consultation and consensus as a collective without a permanent secretariat. No one group or individual dominates the coalition.

Periodically, the group organises a major event – Penang Forum – which brings together Penang-based civil society groups and concerned individuals to discuss issues of importance to the state and then highlights these to the Penang state government. So far, three major Penang Forum events have been held.

The genesis of the Penang Forum can be traced to the Pesta Rakyat Merdeka event in 2007, organised by Penang-based civil society groups to mark the 50th anniversary of Merdeka. The cooperation among these NGOs was further strengthened through their involvement in the successful Anti-PGCC campaign in 2007-2008 to oppose the Penang Global City Centre project at the site of the Penang Turf Club.

The following groups are represented on the Penang Forum Steering Committee, which meets periodically:

1. Aliran
2. Badan Warisan Malaysia
3. Cepat
4. Consumers Association of Penang
5. Friends of Penang Botanic Garden
6. Good Governance and Gender Equality Society (3Gs)
7. LLG Cultural Development Centre
8. Malaysian Nature Society
9. Penang Heritage Trust
10. Persatuan Orang-orang Cacat Anggota Malaysia
11. Sembang-Sembang
12. Suaram, Penang
13. Taman Sri Nibong Residents Association
14. Tanjung Bungah Residents Association
15. Women’s Centre for Change, Penang

To contact the Penang Forum, you may get in touch with any of the above groups.