How well can we police the police?
5 min read
As enforcers of the law, the police are imbued with considerable power – but this is power that is wide open for abuse. As cases of police brutality and d...
Straits Green – towards more quality public space for Penang
5 min read
Last August, Penangites welcomed the makeover of Straits Green, a pocket park near Tanjung Tokong. Dubbed a “playground by the sea”, the park boas...
After the good start, let's get the rest high
6 min read
Two months ago, I wrote in this column about the issue of English and asked whether our government would give the language the importance it deserves and get ou...
Reforming Education
11 min read
Man of Mathematics was the title of the book, a parting gift from Mr Paul Pommel, my father’s secondary school teacher who finished his term as a Peace Co...
A feast of fish
2 min read
There is no cold hard rule to eating at a buffet, but to not miss out on anything, we started with the line-up of appetizers, diving into the refreshing and mod...
An Operetta on Masked Revenge
4 min read
Applause, laughter and gasps reverberated throughout Dewan Sri Pinang when Die Fledermaus took the stage on September 28. Sung in English (with lyrics projected...
The Tailor of Bishop Street
3 min read
I first met Lee in 1999 when my husband suddenly moved to a job that required him to be in an office and wear suits. Tukang Jahit Soon Loong was recommended by...
Tropfest comes to Penang
4 min read
What started out 20 years ago as an informal short film festival for friends in the Tropicana cafe in Sydney, Australia is now the largest short film festival i...
Awed by the Korean DMZ
5 min read
The border between North and South Korea. The Demilitarized Zone. DMZ. Not your typical tourist destination. What started off like a bad trip to a theme park du...
Ecstatic about short + sweet
5 min read
Short+Sweet Theatre Festival 2013.I still remember the rush I felt in the weeks leading up to last year’s Short+Sweet theatre Festival. It was my ve...
VIDDSEE, make south-east Asia films available
6 min read
It’s a Sunday a ernoon and Derek Tan and Ho Jia Jian are chatting with me via Skype (both of them are based in Singapore). Ho, the Malaysian half of the d...
Boxers in boxes, a different kind of Shaolin show
3 min read
The curtain swept aside to reveal a stark stage setting of 21 wooden boxes designed by Turner Prize-winning artist Antony Gormley, as the audience at Dewan Sr...