An analysis of Penang
3 min read
Penang is geographically divided into two sections, Penang Island and Seberang Perai (SP). The two sections are then further subdivided into five dist...
NonserviaM lifts heavy metal higher
5 min read
Non Serviam is the title of Greek black metal stalwarts Rotting Christ’s popular 1994 album, but there is no musical analogy between them and Penang&rsq...
Time for Asean art to flourish
7 min read
Stakeholders in the art world in South- East Asia are beginning to talk and work with one another again. This is a very promising development. One conversation...
Exaggerating the urban-rural divide is no help
4 min read
It’s been two months since the byelection in Teluk Intan, a semi-urban seat in Perak, dealt the opposition Pakatan alliance a shock defeat. It had not rea...
It begins with the narrative...
7 min read
When Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak invented the phrase "human rights-ism" in May to denounce humanism, secularism and liberalism as ideological thre...
What is the State of Freedom of Religion in Malaysia?
8 min read
Freedom of religion in Malaysia is a delicate matter – that is no secret. And with the marriage of religion and politics, along with “human rights-ism”, this freedom is slowly eroding.
Making Penang Island A City
4 min read
According to standard guidelines, Penang Island qualifies to be called a city, and the state government is to gain that upgrade. Hopefully, this can stimulate further improvement – from above and below.
Penang’s Forgotten Protest: The 1967 Hartal
6 min read
The word “hartal” refers to a cessation of work or businesses in protest against a political decision. While the 1947 hartal, organised by the Pan-M...
My Oh My George Town! Public spaces need publicity – and polish
8 min read
Much emphasis is placed on George Town’s historic buildings. Their architectural styles, unique features and building techniques are the subject of many...
Applause for the Penang budget model
5 min read
Regina Frey, head of the Gender Bureau, Berlin, Germany.The “People Oriented Model” of Gender Responsive Participatory Budgeting (GRPB), conce...
The mystery we call development
9 min read
In the late 1970s, Canadian diplomat David Malone found himself in Sudan, tasked by his government to check in on its $30mil aid programme. Six big projects wer...
Heritage Kept Right
8 min read
When it comes to heritage conservation, strictly maintaining an old building’s infrastructure is not enough. One must ensure that the essence, or the unseen heritage, remains preserved.
