Penang Hill — Nature’s Gift to The Public
4 min read
INTERNATIONALLY, Penang Hill has little to shout about. It is nowhere near the fame of Huangshan in China or Mt Fuji in Japan. But to Penangites and many Mala...
Give Butterworth A Coastal Park
4 min read
IN THE JUNE 2010 issue of this magazine, I published an article entitled “Butterworth remains the Ugly Duckling”. It was about the failure of the to...
Non-compliance - A Bane of Urban Governance
4 min read
In March 2008, Penangites, at least those who voted in the General Election, wanted a change in the state government. Out of the 40 seats under contest, 29 we...
"Urbanized" - A Reminder of The Vital Role of City Design
3 min read
“Urbanized”, a documentary on cities, has been attracting much attention since its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 201...
Making A City Liveable is No Easy Matter
5 min read
As liveable city rankings become popular globally, there is a growing interest to make Malaysian cities move up the scales. For instance, the former mayor of Ku...
Why Not go for the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize?
5 min read
George Town is now 226 years old, and of course, it has gone through its share of trials and tribulations. The question is, is it a better city in which to stay...
Remembering an Early Step Towards Unesco Listing
4 min read
Part of George Town, together with part of Malacca town, is now a Unesco World Heritage Site (WHS). The inscription in July 2008 has excited many and has certai...
Attention, please! Public Health Services Need Improving
4 min read
When Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak visited Penang on December 8, 2012, he promised to build 20,000 a ordable condominiums and a monorail if the BN w...
Gurney Drive Must be Improved
4 min read
Gurney Drive came into being in 1934. The surrounding real estate was a choice area for the affluent to live; the sea water was clean and the sandy beach, invit...
Penang has decided – time for fulfilling the promises
5 min read
Penangites have shown their preferences. Notwithstanding accusations of fraud in certain constituencies, there is no doubt that the final election results in Pe...
Penang's growth cries out for more local councils
4 min read
It has been 37 years since the enactment of the Local Government Act 1976 which, among other things, enabled state governments to undertake major restructuring...
Make our main roads Welcoming for Walkers
4 min read
Penang Island has undergone tremendous changes in the popular mode of transport over the last few decades. In the 1950s and 1960s, when there were not too many...