One Heck of a Hill
12 min read
A bright future awaits Penang Hill, and keeping the balance between old-world charm and new innovations is the key.
The Ringgit and Sen of Festivals
11 min read
Festivals are always a draw, attracting people looking for fun and inspiration. But fun costs money, and balancing the bottom line well is what turns them into events that can run year after year.
A City’s Status and its Civil Society
12 min read
It’s not easy getting a Unesco listing. Apart from the rigorous assessment criteria, the nomination process can be highly political – tourist income, public recognition and federal funding drive state governments to compete with one another for endorsement.
The Unity Fetish
10 min read
Building a nation involves sustained emotional stimulation, while building a state is more of a legal and technical matter. Balancing the two is the key to social stability and dynamism.
Local Elections as the Foundation of Democracy Part I: The Athi Nahappan Report Revisited
8 min read
It is not an exaggeration to say that we always have local governments. In the most traditional form of government in Malaysia, there were local chieftains governing sub-regional units such as “daerah” and smaller ones such as “kampung”.
The Athi Nahappan Report revisited Part 2: Local elections are part of a larger reform agenda
13 min read
The most cited recommendation of the Athi Nahappan Royal Commission of Enquiry must be the restoration of local government elections. Today, half a century late...
Crisis ahead for private higher education – and solutions
13 min read
Graduating students of the Penang Medical College (PMC). Private university enrolment is expected to grow at 5.6% per annum and overtake the public sector in...
Butterworth Beckons: A Bright Future Awaits East Penang
13 min read
It lies just 3km across the North Channel from George Town, but for most island side Penangites, Butterworth is a world away.
Cautiously but Surely, Penang's Growth Continues
8 min read
Penang’s economy is dependent on national and global economic conditions; the US economic recovery, lower oil prices, the Asean Economic Community (AEC) and the implementation of GST in Malaysia are likely to change consumers’ spending and producers’ output, as well as business strategies.
Putting Pulau Tikus on the Map
15 min read
Affluent. Cosmopolitan. Convenient. These are words that are often used to describe Pulau Tikus, a township in Penang that is pretty much located in the middle of everything. It connects the north of the island to the centre and the south.
Is Penang’s tourism on the right track?
15 min read
The messages started flying on social media in early July. The word was that some 4,000 tourists from China were arriving for a company holiday in Penang &ndash...
Education – Ever The Political Victim
12 min read
The painful history of education policy shifts tells us that the power of the Ministry of Education must be drastically cut. It's out with the old and in with the new every time a crisis engulfs the country's leadership – and all at the expense of our children's education.
