Carolyn Hong

lives in Ba Kelalan sometimes, in KL sometimes. A former journalist who once chased the big stories for a regional newspaper, she now hunts for the small stories in Malaysia’s smallest places.

34 posts

Getting to Know Malaysia, One Trip at a Time

4 min read

Not long ago, Chok Yen Hau hardly knew anything about Malaysia; today, he is one of the biggest champions of Malaysian travel. He now spends his days introducing Malaysia to Malaysians through his books, bespoke travel services and giving talks all over the country.

by Carolyn Hong

Taking Freedom with the Press

4 min read

In Art Printing Works, loyal old staff run the modern machinery that prints school textbooks and other materials while the young are designers who collaborate with the company to come up with new designs and products.

by Carolyn Hong

The letter in English: Ipoh’s place on the Sun Yat-Sen trail

5 min read

In the turmoil at the beginning of the 20th century, secret letters were commonplace. And it was with a letter from Dr Sun Yat-Sen, mysteriously written in English, addressed to her great-great grandfather, that Chan Sue Meng began the painstaking work of piecing her family history together.

by Carolyn Hong

Through the eyes of a refugee child

5 min read

When Universiti Malaya anthropology lecturer Kamal Solhaimi Fadzil began his project last year, he was not sure it would get anywhere. It seemed a tough job, an...

by Carolyn Hong

Gerakbudaya – A book-based cultural movement

4 min read

“That’s my boss,” Chong Ton Sin said when he caught me glancing at the Che Guevara poster on the wall of his office. Actually, there were two...

by Carolyn Hong

A Muslim Woman Answers the Call to Travel

4 min read

The Haj pilgrimage is familiar to most Malaysians who would have seen photographs of the millions of Muslims who make their way to Mecca to pay homage. But how does it really feel to actually be one among the millions there?

by Carolyn Hong

Where There’s A Will, There Can Be Light

4 min read

The very small village of Long Rusu in Sarawak, population 20, is supplied with hydroelectricity, thanks to a spirit of gotong-royong.

by Carolyn Hong

Christmas in the Mountains of Sarawak

3 min read

In the villages of Ba Kelalan in northern Sarawak, Christmas is a time set aside for reflection, and is dedicated to family and community.

by Carolyn Hong

Towards Healthier Rural Living, One Solar-powered Water Filtering System at a Time

4 min read

It began as a final year assignment for engineering student Ganesh Muren. He had to work on a project to showcase what he had learned during his years at Inti C...

by Carolyn Hong

The Bead Goes On

4 min read

It was like entering a treasure cave when Litad Mulok finally let me into the small building located across from her house.Arranged on long tables were thousa...

by Carolyn Hong

Maintaining a Forest in Shah Alam by and for the People, Hopefully Forever

4 min read

Peak Garden with its lovely views of KL.Slashing and chopping doesn’t come naturally to Alicia Teoh, a tall and elegant city girl. But that doesn&rs...

by Carolyn Hong

Within Reach of Nature

4 min read

My first glimpse of Miri many years ago was of a seahorse standing in a roundabout at a busy intersection. It seemed comical to me then to see the seahorse bein...

by Carolyn Hong