9 April 2015: Gayatri Rajapatni – The Woman Behind the Glory of Majapahit April 30, 2015 – Posted in: Newsletters

This book brings to life some of the most colourful women in history. The author depicts the court which ruled the largest empire ever to appear in Southeast Asia in a believable and accurate way. I hope that this novel will attract more people to learn about the fascinating history of this region. – Dr John N. Miksic (Department of Southeast Asian Studies, National University of Singapore) The kingdom of Majapahit, once centred in present-day…

05 Mar 2015: The Penang House – Posted in: Newsletters

The Penang House and the Straits Architect is the first serious attempt to define the architectural identity of Penang, and one that will certainly give rise to more detailed studies by others in the future. – Miles Lewis, architectural historian The mercantile communities of the Straits of Malacca were patrons of a distinctive architecture which flourished in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Western advances in technology combined with Eastern tastes, craftsmanship and local…

In memoriam: Malcolm Wade (1933–2015) April 4, 2015 – Posted in: In The News

Malcolm Wade passed away in England on 3 March 2015, a day before his 82nd birthday. He was a former chairman of The Malaya Study Group (1975–1978). The Malaya Study Group promotes the understanding and appreciation of Malayan philately and its members comprise collectors of the stamps, postal stationery and postal history of the states of Peninsular West Malaysia. In an obituary posted on the group’s website, the editor wrote that Malcolm, who had been a member since…