PENANG’S capital, the port city of George Town, is a Unesco World Heritage Site, reflecting its rich history, vernacular architecture and multiculturalism. To celebrate the distinctive structural designs of Penang’s heritage homes, writer Khoo Salmah Nasution embarked on Heritage Houses of Penang. The book illustrates the architectural style and history of the state’s period mansions, […]
Archives for August 2010
Revamping education: Is the government up to it?
By Deborah Loh
THE idea of abolishing the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) exams shouldn’t have taken us by surprise when Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced it in June 2010. Those who follow developments in the Education Ministry might recall that plans to have school-based assessments instead of centralised exams […]
“No one method for interfaith engagement”
By Ding Jo-Ann
PETALING JAYA, 12 Aug 2010: There is no one method for successful interfaith engagement, an expert in global interfaith initiatives said. World Faiths Development Dialogue executive director Katherine Marshall said engagement takes place on many different levels in many different ways. This ranges from the very specific, such as people of different faiths building a […]
Safe spaces for dangerous conversations
By Tarani Palani
REVEREND Sivin Kit isn’t just any ordinary pastor. The leader of the Bangsar Lutheran Church believes it’s important to have “safe spaces for dangerous conversations”. Even – or maybe especially – in present-day Malaysia. Kit, 38, is one of the most committed religious leaders when it comes to interfaith dialogue. He was one of the […]
Uncommon Sense with Wong Chin Huat: Will PAS and Umno ever unite?
By Ding Jo-Ann
AS part of its “Malay unity” rhetoric, Umno has been making overtures to PAS once again to have unity talks. PAS was a component party of the Barisan Nasional from 1974 to 1978, before the cooperation broke down and PAS left the coalition to become part of the federal opposition. Despite being rebuffed, Umno continues […]
Learning to fly in show biz
By Ding Jo-Ann
MALAYSIA needs to stop building walls and start learning to innovate if show business is to grow and develop in the country. This and other show biz topics were discussed during The Nut Graph‘s Found in Conversation: Creativity and Innovation in Show Biz forum on 8 Aug 2010 in Kuala Lumpur. When asked about enhancing […]
Keeping songket and batik alive
Compiled by Tarani Palani
A PARTNERSHIP between batik fashion label Pink Jambu and Royal Terengganu Songket has fused two traditional crafts to create a new Malaysian fabric design known as songtik. The first ever songtik collection was officially unveiled on 28 July 2010 in Kuala Lumpur by the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah, who is the patron of […]
Uncommon Sense with Wong Chin Huat: What does Malay unity mean?
By Ding Jo-Ann
“MALAY unity” and “Malay special rights” are grabbing headlines again. On 5 July 2010, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin reminded Malay Malaysians that they faced losing political power if they remained divided. On 28 July, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak warned the DAP not to highlight the issue of bumiputera and Malay […]
Ronnie Liu’s wriggle
By Gan Pei LingTHE fiasco over support letters has put Selangor executive councillor Ronnie Liu in a tight spot. To shift the spotlight away from himself, he has appealed to his political colleagues to focus on fighting the Barisan Nasional instead.
Saying “no” to child sex trafficking
Compiled by Nick Choo
ON 7 Aug 2010, The Body Shop Malaysia organised a march down Jalan Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur in an effort to join the war against trafficking of children and young people for sexual exploitation. More than 100 people, including students of Inti College University, took part in the march. They distributed leaflets and car […]
