Footprints - Penang Monthly (Page 2)

No fetish for heritage here, and yet…

4 min read

I was looking out of a window in the longhouse when a local resident asked if I could spot the ancient stone mound, called a perupun in the local language, which is often associated with burials.

by Carolyn Hong

In the shelter of family trees

4 min read

The intimacy of the questions used to surprise me, but I have now become accustomed to being asked who my adoptive parents are or husband is. It’s not inq...

by Carolyn Hong

The Jacks of all trades of Ba Kelalan

4 min read

It was Sang who drew up the plans for the impressive church of Buduk Nur, as well as its community hall and several houses. Buduk Nur is the biggest of the nine villages of Ba Kelalan, an isolated settlement in the mountains of north Sarawak.

by Carolyn Hong

Getting to Know Malaysia, One Trip at a Time

4 min read

Not long ago, Chok Yen Hau hardly knew anything about Malaysia; today, he is one of the biggest champions of Malaysian travel. He now spends his days introducing Malaysia to Malaysians through his books, bespoke travel services and giving talks all over the country.

by Carolyn Hong

Taking Freedom with the Press

4 min read

In Art Printing Works, loyal old staff run the modern machinery that prints school textbooks and other materials while the young are designers who collaborate with the company to come up with new designs and products.

by Carolyn Hong

The letter in English: Ipoh’s place on the Sun Yat-Sen trail

5 min read

It all began with a letter written in English. The unusual choice of language intrigued Chan Sue Meng when she came across it among the musty papers kept by her...

by Carolyn Hong

Through the eyes of a refugee child

5 min read

When Universiti Malaya anthropology lecturer Kamal Solhaimi Fadzil began his project last year, he was not sure it would get anywhere. It seemed a tough job, an...

by Carolyn Hong

Gerakbudaya – A book-based cultural movement

4 min read

“That’s my boss,” Chong Ton Sin said when he caught me glancing at the Che Guevara poster on the wall of his office. Actually, there were two...

by Carolyn Hong

A Muslim Woman Answers the Call to Travel

4 min read

The Haj pilgrimage is familiar to most Malaysians who would have seen photographs of the millions of Muslims who make their way to Mecca to pay homage. But how does it really feel to actually be one among the millions there?

by Carolyn Hong

Where There’s A Will, There Can Be Light

4 min read

The very small village of Long Rusu in Sarawak, population 20, is supplied with hydroelectricity, thanks to a spirit of gotong-royong.

by Carolyn Hong

Christmas in the Mountains of Sarawak

3 min read

In the villages of Ba Kelalan in northern Sarawak, Christmas is a time set aside for reflection, and is dedicated to family and community.

by Carolyn Hong

Towards Healthier Rural Living, One Solar-powered Water Filtering System at a Time

4 min read

It began as a final year assignment for engineering student Ganesh Muren. He had to work on a project to showcase what he had learned during his years at Inti C...

by Carolyn Hong