Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng - Penang Monthly (Page 6)

Listen Up, Malaysians! You Are Now Individually the Agents of Change

4 min read

One of the greatest challenges that faces a society coming out of a period of authoritarian rule and bad governance is the need to break away from looking to political initiatives and to politicians as the way to fix all national – and even individual – dilemmas.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Malaysia – Where politics must be ethnically inclusive and exclusive at the same time

5 min read

As truly as Malay dominance is an inescapable reality for Malaysia, a central policy direction that is ethnically inclusive is unavoidable for sufficient harmony to be achieved so that its economy can gain the trust of both domestic and international investors, and grow to its full potential.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Tun Lim Chong Eu: The Past Is Not Passé

4 min read

Tun Lim Chong Eu's reflections on history and politics show that, while we may be shaped by our past, we are not prisoners of it. Penang’s future hinges on learning from history to innovate and adapt.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Suffolk House-keeping

13 min read

Next to the Methodist Boys School stands what is destined to be one of Penang's most renowned restored heritage buildings, Suffolk House.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Brain drain, once removed

8 min read

Penangites have been leaving the state to work in other parts of Malaysia and throughout the world, at least since the 1960s. The ties they retain with their home state vary, depending on family and working conditions.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Federalism going down the toilet

3 min read

Something that Malaysians have had to realise in recent months is that political power in the country has over the years become so centralised that local governance is in real danger of disappearing altogether.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Finding Penang’s niche

2 min read

From left to right:Professor Dr p. Ramasamy, Penang Deputy Chief Minister ii; Lim Guan Eng, Penang Chief Minister; Liew Chin Tong, seri executive director and...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng & Datuk Dr. Goh Ban Lee

The man who industrialised Penang

6 min read

A politician may point the way, but without competent and dedicated civil servants to do the work, not much gets done. Luckily, Dr Lim Chong Eu had Chet Singh on his side.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Colonial Penang's pre-modern roots

3 min read

Penang under the East India Company 1786-1858Andrew BarberAB&A. 2009; Hard cover;160 pagesReview by Ooi Kee BengThe salience of the approach Barber ch...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

On vibrant port cities and anomalous nation states

6 min read

Ooi Kee Beng sat down with Professor Ho Eng Seng, a Penang Free School alumnus, who shared with him some of the most important lessons he had learned on his long academic journeys.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

The Regional Span Of Sun Yat Sen’s Republicanism

3 min read

Sun Yat Sen in Penang by Khoo Salma Nasution chronicles Sun’s revolutionary efforts, his ties to Penang, and the city’s role in shaping modern China, all through captivating narratives and rich visuals.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

The day George Town grew up

4 min read

IT IS THE MORNING OF the New Year. The face of the Victoria Memorial Clock Tower blocking the rising sun to the east shows the time to be 8.50.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng