Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

is the Executive Director of Penang Institute. His recent books include The Eurasian Core and its Edges: Dialogues with Wang Gungwu on the History of the World (ISEAS 2016).

318 posts

GTLF: One of Penang Institute's Two Annual Flagship Events

3 min read

Picnics are such optimistic events, come to think of it. A paradise for the multitasker, a dream for those in the family who love to keep connections alive, a time to touch base. Much can go wrong at picnics, no doubt, but they hold so much promise.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Between the Bookends of Birth and Death

2 min read

We fear death, but when it does appear, we find that we do accept it, simply because there is no choice.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Relying on the Proximate and the Immediate to Keep Sane in a Virtual World

4 min read

Narratives are, by their nature, a collective event and a social event; in sum, they are an exercise of power as well, a nexus where different wills and opinions wrestle each other to emerge with as much claim to being true as possible.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Awake in Time for a Terengganu Sunrise

3 min read

Time is ticking by. Flash by flash, wave by wave, breath by breath. Azan by azan, full moon by full moon, sunrise by sunrise. Repeating, reiterating, reciting. And yet, this is but half the story of the universe.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Dealing With the Droppings of Daily Life

3 min read

Novelties, novelties and new fashions. All crowding our homes and our heads. Within this paraphernalia of modern living, we try to stay balanced.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Defining Penang Exceptionalism Through Its Geography, Its Biology and Its Human History

4 min read

One trait in people from Penang is that they are passionate about the place. Besides being their home, it is almost a holy place to them—a blessed place that inspires, attracts and awes most visitors.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

As the Sun Warms the Valley…

3 min read

I AM IN the foothills of the peninsula’s main mountain range, off Gopeng. It is early morning, 7am. From…

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Simple Tools for Taming Your Prejudices

4 min read

I AM STRONGLY convinced that as long as children continue to be brought up to learn behaviours and imbibe ideas…

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

History: Mankind's Pursuit of Self-understanding and Self-acceptance

3 min read

IT IS OFTEN SAID—way too often—that “History belongs to the Victor”. There is of course a lot of…

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Between The Microcosmic and The Macrocosmic: We Are All Giants Now

3 min read

YOU WOULD HAVE seen them. Mobile drone shots of cities, done with the camera pointed straight down to capture the…

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

I Know Why Penang Food Is So Amazing...

3 min read

BORN WITHOUT ANY spoon of any metal in my mouth, food was a matter of having enough to dispel any…

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Climate Change: A Timeless Concern

3 min read

CLIMATE CHANGE. The phrase rings with an alliterative charm, yet it evokes a notion that is far from simple. It invites us to consider our relationship with the elements and...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng