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…

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…

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…

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…

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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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…

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…

912 Batu Road, the Malaysian story that took 15 years to be born! September 30, 2021 – Posted in: In The News, Reviews

Intan Maizura Ahmad KamalSeptember 26, 2021 “WAS the book any good, Intan?” The question, fired ever so nervously by the elegant, bobbed-hair lady grimacing at me from my laptop screen, takes me by surprise. What kind of question is that? I mused silently before lobbing an excited smile in her direction. I mean, this is Viji Krishnamoorthy. She of The Lockdown Chronicles fame (an anthology of 19 Malaysian short stories that percolated from the Covid-19 lockdown published…

A meaningful journey with ‘912 Batu Road’ September 27, 2021 – Posted in: In The News

By Marina Emmanuel IT is often said that reading a good book is akin to making a journey. And what better time than now — during this Covid-19 pandemic — to be presented with an opportunity of travelling through time and space, via books. 912 Batu Road is a great Merdeka read, thanks to both fictional and true accounts of the country’s fight for freedom, the unity of her people, and the emergence of everyday heroes…

French missionary’s WWII diary offers a glimpse of life during wartime in Penang August 16, 2021 – Posted in: In The News, Reviews

Rouwen Lim One can only imagine the significance of the moment when French historian Bernard Patary stumbled upon handwritten accounts dating back to the 1930s, in the archives of the College General in Penang, about 15 years ago. This was a black hardcover notebook and numerous exercise books with brown covers. There were times when the author even wrote on loose sheets of paper that were then inserted into the book proper when it was…

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