Reforming Education
11 min read
Man of Mathematics was the title of the book, a parting gift from Mr Paul Pommel, my father’s secondary school teacher who finished his term as a Peace Co...
A feast of fish
2 min read
There is no cold hard rule to eating at a buffet, but to not miss out on anything, we started with the line-up of appetizers, diving into the refreshing and mod...
The Tailor of Bishop Street
3 min read
I first met Lee in 1999 when my husband suddenly moved to a job that required him to be in an office and wear suits. Tukang Jahit Soon Loong was recommended by...
Tropfest comes to Penang
4 min read
What started out 20 years ago as an informal short film festival for friends in the Tropicana cafe in Sydney, Australia is now the largest short film festival i...
Ecstatic about short + sweet
5 min read
Short+Sweet Theatre Festival 2013.I still remember the rush I felt in the weeks leading up to last year’s Short+Sweet theatre Festival. It was my ve...
VIDDSEE, make south-east Asia films available
6 min read
It’s a Sunday a ernoon and Derek Tan and Ho Jia Jian are chatting with me via Skype (both of them are based in Singapore). Ho, the Malaysian half of the d...
Penang's secret hash society
6 min read
I am a runner. I may not stride at a blistering pace, but I do run when and where I travel. I get out in the early mornings before it is too hot. Last summer my...
Homeless in Penang
5 min read
Penang is perceived as a food paradise, a world-class tourist destination and the all- round place to be. George Town is the cultural heart of the island state....
Speed Tables are plateaus of our uncivil behavior
4 min read
The latest new infrastructures in Penang are “speed tables”. They can be seen in and around Pulau Tikus, a township that is associated with rich Pen...
Letter to the Editor
2 min read
In your September 2013 issue, I read your article, “Bahasa Indonesia championed by Chinese”, and I have a question for the writer. Since she said th...
Budget 2014 Changes that don't add up to a reform
12 min read
The 2014 budget was formulated with two prior events in mind: the election in May 2013 and Fitch Ratings’ downgrade of Malaysia’s credit ratings out...
An internationalised Renminbi will help stabilise global finances
4 min read
China is increasingly debating whether or not the Renminbi should be internationalised, possibly joining the US Dollar and the Euro as an international vehicle...