Sudirman: Malaysia’s Unforgettable Prince of Pop
As the Eid al-Fitr beckons each year in mostly-Muslim Malaysia, street traders typically take it upon themselves to set the mood by playing a plethora of festive songs for the…
Malaysia’s Tunku: A Rare One Who Stood For All In His Country
“All talk on Islamic States is just an empty dream,” said Tunku Abdul Rahman, the gregarious noble who led in the founding of Malaysia and was for 13 years its…
Arumugam: Malaysia’s Original ‘Spider-Man’
Malaysian soccer is trapped in a time-capsule -- if not the game itself, then at least discussions around it. Few seem bothered about what the national side is doing now.…
P. Ramlee: Malaysia’s Greatest Acting, Musical Son
If Malaysia had a "Walk of Fame", his star would be the shiniest—you know, polished by the tears of fans and lit by the flashes of their cameras. When it…
Ahmad Talib: The Creative, Quirky Giant of Malaysian Journalism
To instigate the flamboyant narrative of Ahmad A. Talib, this foundational plot has to be established: Mat — as he called himself — was greatly instrumental in the trajectory of…
Ismail Kassim: The Bridge That Used To Connect Malaysia, Singapore Journalism
The Malaysia-Singapore Bridge, or more precisely the Johor–Singapore Causeway, is the world’s busiest border crossing, and has connected for nearly a century two countries that used to be one. A…
Lee Ching Fui: The ‘Human Sun’ That Touched Us All
According to his Cantonese name, he was supposed to be “cement” — tough, hard to crack. But on the inside, he was really a marshmallow — all sweet and mushy.…
Vikna Raj: An Extraordinary, Ordinary Guy
The call came at around midnight New York time. It was Vikna Raj. He said he was working on a deal he felt was a strong suit for me. "Can…
Senthilathipan Muthandi: A Great Dramatist
He could make the saddest of us laugh. And the coldest of us cry. If comedy and emotions had a face, it could have well been that of Senthilathipan Muthandi.…
Harjeet Amber: The Beauty Who Wore The ‘M’ Badge for Motherhood
Harjeet Amber, as seen here, could have passed for a Bollywood actress or even Pakistani model. But she was neither. Born into a Sikh family in Malaysia and raised on…
Perry Tan: An Untiring ‘Lovable Rascal’
It was toward the end of the school day, probably an hour to the bell, in the Malaysian capital’s MBSKL. Sunny Chong, who usually adored the bright kids in his…
A Sweet Soul Who Defined “Amma” and “Avva”
If there was one thing she proved in her 80 years, it was that she could be mother to anyone. From the milkman to newspaper delivery guy, the neighborhood grocery…
MBSKL’s ‘Yong-Sook’: The End Of An Era
It’s been more than 30 years since I left school. Yet, sometimes it feels like I just walked out of its gates yesterday. An active text group – probably a…
Supramaniam: The Man Who Constantly Cheated Death To Bring Life To Others
He was barely 20. Yet, death looked almost certain to his eyes as the B-17 bomber headed menacingly in his direction, ready to decimate any target in its view in…