Time for a second federation in Malaysia?
13 min read
Syngman Rhee at a welcoming ceremony in Seoul, Korea, October 1945.Queen Elizabeth II.Malaysians tend to have a very rigid notion of nat...
December 2025
Our December issue examines the flavours, practices and foodways that define Malaysian life, from home kitchens and inherited techniques to the diverse cultural influences that shape Penang’s palate.
Reviving a state of mind that can save our urban legacy
5 min read
One Sunday morning, I got up at the break of dawn to head into the heart of old KL with my parents. I had been hearing about a volunteer group called Rakan KL...
Constraints on artistic expression multiply
5 min read
Ng Sek San's Malaysian Spring installation "terkongkong" (constricted) inside a room.The latest blow to strike Malaysia’s art scene was the banning...
Making tourism lasting
4 min read
Prof Badaruddin Mohamed remembers a time when few people were interested in the phenomenon of tourism, or at least tourism research.“In 1990, the numb...
The Future Must Be Green
5 min read
The bird catchers came on Sunday, three men smoking cigarettes and talking in loud voices. They settled in the tiny padang beside my garden. “Catching bir...
George Town remains young at heart
5 min read
Nothing ever changes in George Town, yet everything changes all the time. Old shophouses stand unchanged to face the test of time, but within them new shops and...
TEDx Weld Quay's Artistry within offers Penang a different stroke
1 min read
On October 12 this year, Penang hosts the TEDx Weld Quay, named after the charming clan jetties at the water edge of George Town. To be held a...
Embracing Islam's Diversity
7 min read
What is the historical background of the Sunni-Shiite conflict?There are two major schools among Muslims: the As-Sahabah school (the companions, disciples,...
Time to mainstream forensic science
6 min read
During my studies in the UK, the murder trial of Stephen Lawrence was something no forensic science student could afford to overlook. With double jeopardy laws...
Devotion to the Nine Emperors
5 min read
Every year, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, devotees of the Nine Emperor Gods celebrate for nine days and nights, creating places of intense worship in parts of Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.
The GST & YOU
15 min read
The likelihood is very high that the National Budget being tabled on October 25 will introduce the country to a Goods and Services Tax (GST). This move is drive...
The first and forgotten Chief Minister of Penang
6 min read
When it comes to the history of Penang’s modernisation, the late Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu’s name will always appear. His legacy, from the Free Trade Zone...
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