Izzuddin Ramli

edits Penang Institute’s Suara Nadi and finds himself speaking to writers, researchers, and cultural activists in Bual Nusantara, a podcast channel maintained by the Institute.

36 posts

Millennials Moving into Politics – in Malaysia and in Indonesia

6 min read

In six months’ time, Indonesia, the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country, will be holding its presidential election, known as pilpres, simultaneo...

by Izzuddin Ramli

The Hopeful Future of the Malay Novel

7 min read

Time and again, I lose myself in the maze of shelves at the bookstore.At one of the remaining major bookstores in Penang, I cruise – as usual – fr...

by Izzuddin Ramli

Opening Worlds through Translation

5 min read

It was, for the most part, translations that brought me to become a keen social and cultural observer, and a full-time fanatic of modern classic English literat...

by Izzuddin Ramli

How Different the Kelantan of My Youth Was

4 min read

Our lives revolve around locating ourselves within the unfamiliar, and coming to terms with all the differences that we chance upon in our surroundings. There a...

by Izzuddin Ramli

Seni Reog: An Epic Battle Then, and a Cultural Dispute Now

6 min read

IN INDONESIA’S kabupaten (regency) of Ponorogo, people tell the story of the mythical battle between their king, Kelono Sewandono and the magical lion-like crea...

by Izzuddin Ramli

Manora: Much More Than Just a Ritualistic Dance

6 min read

PEOPLE FREELY MOVED along the neck of the Malay peninsula before the 1940 Agreement was introduced which necessitated a border pass for crossing between British...

by Izzuddin Ramli

The Word and the World(Part One)

12 min read

Transmitting Culture through TranslationTranslators are the unsung heroes of the literary world. Their products are widely enjoyed and consumed but their names...

by Izzuddin Ramli

Balik Pulau: A Pace Apart

Balik Pulau is one of the earliest Malay settlements in Penang, populated by refugees from Kedah who sought escape from Siamese invaders. Colonial-era buildings...

by Izzuddin Ramli & Khairunnisa’ Ahmad Mokhtar

Khairunnisa’ Ahmad Mokhtar

A Future in Penang for the Film Industry

4 min read

THE HISTORY OF Malaysian cinema began along Jalan Ampas in Singapore in 1933 with Leila Majnun, a rendition of a classical Persian story about two ill-fated lov...

by Izzuddin Ramli

Covid-19 Exclusives: Journalists are Also Essential Workers During Times of Crisis

5 min read

EVER SINCE THE World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid-19 a global pandemic, Zaim Aiman Ibrahim, a Penang-based journalist for The Malaysian Insight, has...

by Izzuddin Ramli

Covid-19 Exclusives: Balik Kampung: The Lockdown Offers a Chance for a Sincere Return to Oneself

5 min read

A 300KM RIDE back home along the east-west coast highway connecting Penang to Kelantan usually involves three phone calls to be made: the first, an early mornin...

by Izzuddin Ramli

Jelutong in Numbers

2 min read

Jelutong or jit loh tōng in Hokkien derives its name from the magnificent Jelutong tree that can grow up to 60m tall and wildly grew on the island. In the mid-n...

by Izzuddin Ramli