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Publikasi yang akan datang (awal 2023) December 1, 2022 – Posted in: Excerpts

Suami Isteri Naik Haji 1939–1940: Kembara Raja Shahabuddin dan Rahmah Rihlah atau kisah naik haji ini merakamkan petualangan Raja Shahabuddin dan isterinya Rahmah yang menaiki kapal terakhir ke Jeddah sebelum pecahnya ‘Peperangan Besar Eropah’ (Perang Dunia Kedua) sembari ‘U-boats’ (kapal selam Jerman) menjadi jerung yang bermaharajalela di lautan lepas. Karya Raja Shahabuddin yang ditinta dalam aksara Jawi dan dicetak pada 1940 mengisi lompang (lacuna) periwayatan perjalanan haji dari Tanah Semenanjung ke sekujur tanah gurun merupakan…

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Celebrating unique charm of Penang houses June 28, 2022 – Posted in: In The News, Reviews

By Jeremy Tan Buildings are such a ubiquitous element of the urban environment that few give a second thought to how they were designed and constructed. From the inception of an idea on paper and then brick, there are countless processes and influences involved, especially in places like Penang which was at the crossroads of global trade by the turn of the 20th century. The confluence of cultures along with colonialism gave rise to a…

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New book showcases Penang as ‘architectural cradle’ of modern Malaya May 31, 2022 – Posted in: In The News, Reviews

By Marina Emmanuel Travellers and locals have come to realise that there is more to Penang than just solid historical structures wherever they turn. Thanks to author Jon Lim Sun Hock, the work of more home-grown architects is now showcased in his latest book –– The Penang House – Rise of the Malaysian Architect 1887-2017. The book, put together by Penang-based Entrepôt Publishing, talks about more than architects and architecture. Even non-students of history, conservation and…

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The Penang House, Rise of the Malaysian Architect 1887-2017 May 19, 2022 – Posted in: In The News

By Opalyn Mok Architecture, as a profession that wedded artistic and technical skills, was initially reserved only for the British during the colonial era. Despite this, several locally trained draughtsmen managed to rise up to become architects of note who went on to influence the direction of architecture in the then-Malaya. Looking back at history, author Jon Lim Sun Hock said Penang saw the beginnings of these first few homegrown architects. Back then, local Malayans…

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Gary Lit shares late father’s story in ‘If the Sky were to Fall’ April 29, 2022 – Posted in: In The News, Reviews

Intan Maizura Ahmad Kamal RETIRED academic and visiting professor, Gary Lit Ying Loong, better known as Gary Lit, presents the memoirs of his late father in his latest book, If The Sky Were To Fall, which offers a stark account of key historical events through the eyes of an ordinary citizen living in the Kinta Valley, Perak, during the wars of the 1940s and 1950s. Set against the backdrop of the most turbulent period of Malayan…

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Sukar meluruskan sejarah March 10, 2022 – Posted in: In The News

Anding KaharFebruari 22, 2022 KUALA LUMPUR : Jika sebelum ini nama Kapitan Cina ketiga, Yap Ah Loy dan Raja Abdullah Raja Jaafar didakwa sebagai pendiri Kuala Lumpur, lima tahun lalu naratif itu berkembang apabila nama Sutan Puasa, turut dikaitkan. Hal ini bermula apabila sejarawan mendiang Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Kim pada 2017 menyebut pendiri Kuala Lumpur adalah Sutan Puasa, yang mana ia mencetuskan banyak kontroversi. Tahun yang sama, sejarawan dan penyelidik bebas…

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Contested space revisited: a review in International Journal of Heritage Studies by Creighton Connolly February 9, 2022 – Posted in: Reviews

The rapid pace of urbanisation and development and its impacts on the material fabric of Asia’s largest cities has brought about a growing recognition of the need to conserve the tangible and intangible heritages of their historic neighbourhoods before it is lost completely. Contested Space Revisited explores this dynamic in the UNESCO World Heritage listed city of George Town, Malaysia, and the challenges faced in both achieving and maintaining its World Heritage status. The book’s…

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Forest plants in watercolours: Malaysian artist documents Orang Asli knowledge and culinary practices January 12, 2022 – Posted in: In The News, Reviews

Vincent Tan28 March 2021, CNA KUALA LUMPUR: Seated at her home studio, Syarifah Nadhirah Syed Abdul Rahman carefully applied different shades of green watercolour for a daun semomok painting. Harvested from the forests, the plant’s leaves are used by the local Orang Asli tribes to season food. When cooked, its insect-like smell disappears and is replaced by a pungent, appetising aroma.  “The communities I talked to also said that daun semomok only grows in certain parts of the…

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Cheah Cheang Lim, 谢昌林 (1875-1948) October 20, 2021 – Posted in: In The News

from a Facebook posting Jalan Kelab Golf is a famous or popular road for many horse racing punters. A road called Lorong Cheah Cheang Lim is just across of the Travelodge (former Heritage Hotel) at Jalan Kelab Golf. Who is Cheah Cheang Lim ? His uncle is Foo Choo Choon aka Tin King. His mother is the sister of Foo Choo Choon. Like his uncle, he was another famous tin miner, rubber planter, philanthropist and…

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Contested Space Revisited: a review from’Fabrications’ October 7, 2021 – Posted in: Reviews

Soon-Tzu Speechley, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia When Contested Space was first published by Lit Verlag in 2008, the book captured what felt like a triumphal moment in Penang’s history, coinciding with the city’s inscription (alongside Melaka) to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Jenkins’ book was the first substantial study of the process leading to George Town’s World Heritage Listing, and a valuable documentation of Penang’s rich heritage – both tangible and intangible. The book…

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