The many uses of the "horse racing" calendar

Introduction

It is relatively easy to know which day of the week it is. Similarly, we can more or less tell the time of day merely by looking outside the window. But how many of us can tell the date without referring to a calendar?

The 32nd International Baba Nyonya Convention in Malacca

Sadhguru (Jaggi Vasudev), an influential yogi cautioned that the more we identify with something – religion, gender, race, ideology, money, et cetera – the more we will defend it, some even with our lives. Having said that, most of us feel the need to identify with things we hold dear, be it our family, heritage or even our social media status.

A traditional signboard maker in Penang

In this day and age of colourful and animated LED video billboards, digital displays for advertisements and other fancy forms of signage, one does wonder if there is a place, still, for the traditional, hand-carved signboard – the sort of signboard that is found in some Chinese homes and business establishments.

Sir Stamford Raffles and The History Of The Runnymede

Thomas Stamford Raffles was born in 1781, to Captain Benjamin Raffles and his wife Anne and in 1793 was sent as a boarder to the Mansion House Boarding school in Hammersmith, London. He joined the East India Company in London as a temporary clerk in 1795.

People of the Five Rivers

As one ascends the steps of George Town's magnificent Chinese clan temple of the Khoo Kongsi, it is difficult not to notice a pair of huge images meticulously carved out of granite as if welcoming visitors in.

The two tall, life-sized figures of Sikh guards (above) stand imposingly on the ornate pavilion of the century-old complex, widely considered to be the grandest clan temple in the country.

Heritage buildings in Penang

Acheen Street Mosque

Also known as Mesjid Melayu, the mosque was built on land donated by Syed Sheriff Tengku Syed Hussain Aidid an Arab merchant prince who came from Acheh in Sumatra. The vernacular-style mosque from 1808 remains basically unmodified except for the Moorish arcade added at the turn of the century.

Book review: Once Upon A Kamcheng

Lillian Tong and Jewel Tan

Preface

This book is an anthology of Penang Straits Chinese Baba Nyonya memoirs, biographies, and collected stories. The compilation was inspired by life growing up in a Baba Nyonya home and the stories told to me by my mother, Tan Chooi Bee, and my friends. Beyond the nostalgia of resplendent gold and gilded lattice screens and gracious living are behind the scenes expose bothering on the ridiculous to the tragic, where antics, escapes, indulgences and misadventure reign.

Lillian Tong

Silat – a Malay martial art steeped in tradition

Like other forms of Oriental martial arts, the millenia-old Malay silat is equally popular and effective in exhibitive, entertainment and sporting functions as it is for actual combat. The etymology of the word silat refers to movement of the body and the art itself originated during pre-Islamic times. Historically, silat reached its zenith during the Majapahit dynasty (1292-1478).

Hari Raya Open House

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language describes an open house as "a social event in which hospitality is extended to all". This could be taken to mean that the diplomacy of inviting one and all to your house to celebrate an event is not an unfamiliar practice. But one could conjecture that nowhere else in the world would you find an open house event as big and as merry as the ones held in Malaysia.

Eleanor McEvoy, an Irish songwriter live in Penang

The introduction to Eleanor McEvoy came when my dear friend Maggie Territt asked if I could design the streamer, posters and tickets for a concert she was organising. The show was to take place at Healy Mac's Irish Bar & Restaurant, part of a series of Irish cultural events around St Patrick’s season.

The Spring Festival—an insight into the festivities of Chinese New Year

The Chinese community observes various festivals, encompassing both religious and secular occasions. Among these, a particularly significant celebration is the Spring Festival, commonly referred to in Penang as Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year.

The intriguing tale of deliverance behind the Hokkien New Year

The ninth day of the first lunar month holds deep significance for the Hokkien people, a subgroup of the Chinese community. Some traditionalists even regard it as more important than the first day of Chinese New Year, as it marks the day their ancestors were spared from massacre. According to legend, the Jade Emperor, also known as the God of Heaven, provided them with divine protection. As a result, Hokkien communities, especially in Penang, observe this occasion with even greater reverence and festivity.

Ramadhan – a time for reflection

Once again, Ramadhan, the holiest of months for Muslims, is almost upon us. The ninth month of the Muslim year is strictly observed by all Muslims as a month of fasting (and abstinence) during which they would abstain from the pleasures of eating, drinking and carnal desires and actions from sunrise to sunset. Ramadhan usually lasts from 29 to 30 days, after which Muslims celebrate Id-al-Fitr (Hari Raya Puasa in the local language). Fasting is one of the five basic duties of Islam.

Chap Goh Meh—The Night of Romance

A charming Chap Goh Meh tale tells of a lonely young bachelor who, on a moonlit outing, was spellbound by a fleeting glimpse of the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Radiant in her finery, she passed before him like a vision, leaving him breathless and desperate to know her name. Heart pounding, he hastily noted the number of her car.

At first light, buoyed by hope, he traced her address and implored his mother to dispatch a matchmaker to the home of the girl he was certain he would marry.

On The Crest Of Prayer—The Thaipusam Story

From the top of the green hill, the endless string of devotees dotting its way up the concrete steps seemed like a sacred procession of silence.

Carrying milk-pots of brass and silver, and harnessed in colourful kavadis, the worshippers inched their way to the great temple overhead with sweet hypnotic resolve. The children, the elders, even the disabled ones, scaled slowly with their ceremonial burdens, ascending with a mission to the call of the good Lord Muruga above.

Penang Welcomes the Asean Navies’ City Parade After 35 Years

The morning of 17 August 2025 unfolded with pageantry and purpose. After 35 years, the Asean Navies’ City Parade (ANCP) returned to Penang and I had the honour of taking part as a member of the State Chinese (Penang) Association (SCPA).

Dinner with Emily: A Chinese Peranakan Musical of Love, Loss and Legacy

On Saturday, 6 September 2025, I had the privilege of attending "Dinner with Emily" at JEN Penang Georgetown by Shangri-La. This was the first time the musical adaptation of Emily of Emerald Hill was performed in Penang, bringing together food, theatre and music in a joyous celebration of Chinese Peranakan culture.

Penang Dragon Boat Festival – race of the ancients

About 100 years ago, large clans of sea-faring migrants from China settled along the foreshores of Penang island, building pier houses on the fringes of George Town.

Many of these humble coastal plank settlements, like the old Bang Liaw jetty in Weld Quay, still exist today, housing scores of fisher-folk families just as they did many decades before.

During the early period, every year on the fifth day of the fifth moon of the lunar calendar, the settlers would push out to sea lengthy specially built boats for a passionate day of racing. It was one of the great traditions they had proudly brought along from China.

Remembering loved ones on All Souls' Day

All Souls' Day is a solemn way to remember those who have passed, to keep their memory alive in our hearts and to offer prayers for their souls. This day gently calls us to extend our compassion beyond the familiar, not only for those we have loved deeply but also for the "neglected souls" – those who may have been forgotten over time. Such prayers are seen as acts of charity, offerings made in the spirit of hope, that all souls may find peace on their journey to heaven.

My understanding of All Saints' Day

Images of St. Joseph from the Roman Catholic Penang Diocesan Museum, Farquhar Street, Penang.

Can you name five saints, even if you are not Catholic? Perhaps the first name that comes to mind is St. Anne, honoured in Christian tradition as the mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus. Her legacy endures in the Minor Basilica of St. Anne in Bukit Mertajam. Beside her stands her daughter Mary, the mother of Jesus, two figures whose stories continue to inspire and move people across generations.