Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Incarnation of The Beast

Every tragedy begins with conflict until you start suffering, torturing and feeling hurt.

A big thank you to TheatreWorks for bringing us the production of Incarnation of The Beast produced by Joavien Ng, who has finally return to the performing scene after 3 years of absence and getting 9 individuals from different social backgrounds to come together to perform this moving piece.
Joavien Ng


The show begins with a silent atmosphere, with each of the 9 performers posing in different gestures of a perfect sculpture, walking from one corner to the other, just like a catwalk show. The atmosphere was very peaceful until the performers started to gather in pairs or groups, where conflict and violent was involved.
Everyone began with different movement, speed, action and direction. Slowly the mass form as they roll along the pathway until the grotesque took over, where each of the performers used physical means to push and support each other till their limits.
When it came to the finale, each of the performers repeated their specific action until the lights were on and door was open. The audience begin to feel awkward among themselves as they were in doubt on whether to leave the venue or not. The performance reached its ending when the last of the audience left the performing space.
It was a really moving piece that presented all sorts of feelings. I would like to give praise to the performers, who have put in so much effort. It was not easy for the performers to perform the story that they wanted to tell through body movement as they all were not expertise in this area and only had 2 months to come up with a piece. 

A moving piece like Incarnation of The Beast that is presented only through the use of body movement without any other visual elements, is certainly challenging for the audience to focus on the physical movements used to reveal emotions from each performer. Personally I felt the suffering and pain portrayed in the performance, especially when the performance was about to come to the end because the performers are doing an action repetitively, which can be both physically and mentally exhausting for them. One example can be seen is that when they are sweating profusely and feeling very breathless while performing the piece.

I believe this performance has allowed the audience to understand further in depth about the concept of tragedy which will touch your heart deeply, while feeling the sense of awkwardness when facing such tragedy.

The is a draft of my reflection for this show. The final edition has posted on TheatreWork's Ambassadors’ Blog (https://tworksambassadors.wordpress.com/2015/10/28/thoughts-on-incarnation-of-the-beast). I would like to personally thanks to Tan Guan Lin for the words editing. TheatreWorks' Brendan Tan and Michelle Kee for giving the opportunity to helping out and watching the show.

All photos posted here are taken from https://incarnation2015.wordpress.com/gallery. For more information about the show, please visit https://incarnation2015.wordpress.com.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

『大马好』星云大师50年弘法回顾 ─ 三皈五戒暨为社会大众祈愿祝禱法会

感恩大师对大马的厚待,决定再次回来,回到那熟悉的场地,再次弘法,一起回顾大师在大马的殊胜因缘。本以为我是没有这样的因缘让我有机会来聆听大师的弘法,如今因缘却难得聚足了。
当我得知大师即将来临大马时,心中是无比欢喜却同时也非常担心大师的身体状况,那么长得行程,却还是专程坐飞机从台湾到泰国及新加坡弘法后再坐另一个航班才到大马这里。但是当看到大师抵达飞机场时那欢喜的笑容和大师的莲花印,仿佛告诉我们他的坚强就是为了要与大家再次见面。
弘法会当晚,上万名信徒来自全马各地都聚集在一起聆听大师的开示。也有很多名佛弟子乘大师的来临,参与法会的三皈五戒。大师也在现场解答了信徒们对三皈五戒的疑问。
在接近法会即将结束前,全体亮起了手上的起源灯,祈求世界和平,点亮世界每一个地方。大师过后也程踏电动车环绕体育馆与信徒们打招呼,并希望明年再回来弘法。

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Get Closer to Nature at Tropical Spice Garden!

Every working days, most of people waking up early not because of going for some jogging or walking around the park but actually waking up early to avoid the traffic jam on the way to the workplace. From morning to evening, even after going home, there might still have tons of works have to be done. Less and less time we get to go out for some walk and exercise. The parks and gardens looks so far to us when we have so much works to do.

Living in the city of George Town, Penang, we should not give it as an excuse. The Penang government has implemented their plan for going green around the state. More and more trees have being planted along the roads. More and more recreational parks has developed among the neighborhood. Green places are all around us!

Talking about green places in Penang, we must not left out the Tropical Spice Garden that located at Teluk Bahang. This garden was the ONLY one awarded-winning spice garden in South East Asia.
The garden set out over 8 acres of secondary jungle and you can found over 500 species of tropical flora and fauna in this garden. From the entrance, there will be some bees flying around the flowers and also welcoming you to the garden.
The garden open daily from 9am to 6pm (Last Entry: 5.30pm). The fee will be RM15 for adult and RM10 for child. They also have family package and guided tour, please visit their website below for more details.

There is a water garden with marginal and aquatic plants near to the entrance.
Along the garden trails, you will find lots of mushroom growing on the trees.
Not only that, you will able to discover many flowers that will amazing you. Not forget to take some photos with it. For your information, personal photography using handheld cameras and camcorders is allowed.
There is also a turtle pen which set up for protection and conservation of turtles and tortoises. Unfortunately i  didn't manage to take a photo of the turtle pen as it was too dark to get a good picture.
After walking around the garden trails, get yourself some rest at the viewing station. Benches built with more than generous proportions and deep seating are strategically positioned throughout the Garden. You can relax and fully take in the sights and sounds surrounding you. You will never experience it in busy town.
You also can spots some sculptures around the garden like this:
Along the trail, you will find there Chinese doors which were discovered at a local antique shop which believe they was came from a demolished pre-war house in Penang.
How long have it been since your last time sitting on the swing? Don't worry, your childhood memory is back as the giant swing available here. Take a sit and blow away your stressful!
Also don't miss out to learn about the spices from all the world with the Spices of the World painted by Rebecca Duckett, salvaged from a junkyard in Penang. You can retrace the historical spice trade routes and find out where some of the spices planted in the garden originated from.
Beside all of this, there is also a playground for the children! Get your child ready to experience the nature and adventure with the slides and ladders in the garden. There is also a dining place set on top of Lone Crag. Tree Monkey offers an unparalleled panoramic view of Teluk Bahang bay. Dine alfresco enveloped by jungle trees or find shelter under the double tiered ‘alang alang’ roof whilst you enjoy a fresh serving of the best Thai-Asian delights or simply enjoy a cool lime soda after a walk through the garden.

So why not to get yourself sometime and bring your family to get closer to nature at Tropical Spice Garden? You will definitely amazed by the beauty of this garden. It totally worth for your time here.

For more details about Tropical Spice Garden, please visit: http://tropicalspicegarden.com or "Like" them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tropical-Spice-Garden/158661167485624

For more photos taken during my visit, please go to http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=401316973256339&set=a.401316786589691.91688.124006624320710

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

George Town Festival 2012

George Town, Penang is where i born. A city that builds my memories all the time from past till now. Whenever i want to go around Penang island, this city is where i been for almost everyday in my life. This city was so ordinary to me but yet it still gives me more surprises than i thought. No matter how long i live on this city, i always get to see so many awesomeness things happen around this city every time i'm here. After George Town, Penang get listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. The name flow around the world, more and more people around the world know about this city. Nowadays, you can see lots of tourists around the city. No only that, more and more motel or hotel building up, old building being restored, people start to pay attention to this city and taking care of the true value of this city. George Town, Penang has its locational advantage and port facilities, grew as a major trading, commercial and entrepot centre for the region. With this advantage, the city get listed by UNESCO for its unique multicultural trading town, forged from the mercantile exchanges of Malay, Chinese, Indian & European cultures.



Such a wonderful gift to George Town, Penang. We should celebrate it. This is why George Town Festival held since 2009 which had transformed the city into an exciting and unique platform for the arts, heritage and culture. A month-long celebration of art, music, theatre, dance opera and film to commemorate George Town's inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage listing. The unique appeal of the festival lies in its well-balanced blend of local cultural performance and events with cutting edge international performances. For centuries, the city was renowned as an international commercial gateway. The festival was created to put George Town, Penang back on the world stage as an international boutique destination for art and culture. This year, the festival begins with our most famous local performance, our heritage to the world - Silat. The majestic martial art of Silat was practiced by Malay warriors from the dawn of Malay civilization some 2000 years ago. Now, the power and grace of this martial art will be showcased in a spectacular performance commissioned especially for the gala opening of the festival. Helmed by award-winning producer/director Saw Teong Hin, of Puteri Gunung Ledang fame, production designer Liew Kung-Yu, lighting designer Dorothy P’ng and choreographer Aida Redza the production is a hybrid of theatrics infused with traditional music and contemporary visuals.


Another highlighted performance that i went was The Manganiyar Seduction. The inventive Indian director Roysten Abel, introduces us to the world famous The Manganiyar Seduction, a unique confluence of traditional Rajasthani music and striking contemporary theatre. The formerly nomadic Manganiyar minstrels once performed for Rajasthani kings and worshipped Muslim saints as well as Hindu goddesses. Imagine a dark stage coming slowly to life as the conductor gestures and one by one the curtain-lined stacked boxes on stage light up to reveal white-robed musicians. The musical refrain slowly builds as more boxes and more musicians (42 altogether) begin singing, playing lutes, percussion and reed instruments in an increasingly frenzied symphony. It was such an incredible & awesome experience that night watching their performance, from just one music to the whole music with all instruments and songs at the end. EPIC!


Beside performances, there also have Handmade Market. You can found lots of different handmade things such as bag, toy and many many more selling here. Sometimes you will realise, actually handmade things are more beautiful than others as it was made by hand with full love and time on it. If you miss out this handmade market, next time when you have the chance you should buy yourself one too!


This year's festival also a hot topic around the public especially when you talk about the street art on the Armenian Street, a painting on wall about two little brother and sister cycling on the street. The artist, Ernest Zacharevic become so well-known today for his street arts that you can found around street in George Town, Penang such as Chew Jetty, Love Lane, Lebuh Acheh & Penang Road.


This year's festival, i got the chance to be the one of the volunteer for the festival. Helping one of the month-long exhibition held in Town Hall, Mapping An Identity. This is also my first time in my lifetime to involve myself as a volunteer in art world, helping the artist to set up the exhibition. Before the exhibition, i start to feel so nervous, keep thinking that artists should be a person that very hard to communicate with. They should have their own "unique" life different with "normal" people. Hahaha~ Just kidding, David! The artist, David Cheah is very nice, friendly and kind person. Able to help him throughout his exhibition was my honour. I learnt lots of things from him during the exhibition.


From the beginning of setting up this exhibition till the end of the exhibition, I'm learning day to day. Not matter how easy to show you the exhibition, at the back of scene will always have lots of thing going on. Different situations will appear that you unexpected Such as for the second day before the exhibition open to public, another helper from George Town Festival met an accident (Luckily he had recover from injury), leave two of us working like crazy man for the whole day to set up the exhibition but still we did it all done before the day. Beside that, when it comes to normal day with heavy rain, but for two of us we start to be so nervous. This is because the Town Hall will leaking during rain, and we have to rearrange the whole things to make sure those fabric won't get wet.


Mapping An Indentity was a exhibition insipired by geographical maps of Penang and expressed in a traditional way through textiles like 'Batik'. A way the textiles can be viewed as an alternative form of 'mapping' through which we can and have expressed our identities. From the exhibition, you able to know how the Batik making process and types of Batik. At the end of this exhibition, you will insipired by David's desgin and motif.


A month-long festival coming to the end with the last show, Tropfest. Originated in Sydney, Australia in 1993 and has grown into the world’s largest short film festival. Its presence at this year's festival puts George Town squarely on the map with other prestigious TROPFEST screenings in New York, Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi and other world cities. The city will still growing day by day even the festival have ended, lets us together looking forwards and giving support for George Town Festival 2013! Hand cross~

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

尋找佛陀的足跡

每年的五月都是法喜的月份…… 佛教徒都会在卫塞节这一天一起追随佛陀的足迹、一起回顾佛陀的一身、一起诚心地忏悔、一起纪念佛陀的诞生、成道和涅盘。

在今年的四月二十二日,槟城州政府率先第一次联合全槟多间佛教团体在大会堂举办了卫塞节庆祝。难得因缘让多为佛教徒都集合在一起欢庆和布施。


佛教徒当天都可以供养法师,功德无量。现场也设有浴佛台及展览厅让大家来认识佛教文物。佛教团体也悉心安排了多项节目和表演如佛陀传、手语表演等。

(转载自:CM Lim Guan Eng · Penang State Government Wesak Day Open House

五月一日是劳动节也是公共假期,大多数人都会在这一天好好的休息。但慈济义工们就不同啦。他们都一大清早就起身,为了要准备食物提供给诸位大德,响应慈济在这一天推动的万人斋戒。从去年开始,慈济共凝聚了五万多人一起持素,也获得多间素食馆的护持。今年也不例外……


虽然在准备食物的过程中不简单,但看着到来的诸位大德欢喜的领取食物。这些付出的值得的。

没到洪福寺也有一段时间了,难得因缘在今年卫塞节前夕又回来上早课。坐在那熟悉的角落、老朋友们再相聚、看着长老的欢喜、再看那庄严的佛殿,这寺院有着我非常多的回忆。期盼年年的卫塞节前夕我都能回来与老朋友们及大众们一起诵经绕佛祈福……

最不可以少了就是那在李氏宗祠旁边摆摊的素食加哩面啦!每年卫塞节我都会来吃一碗,绝不可以错过!它的加哩汤真的是一级棒,包你吃了一碗又想在叫一碗~  残了,才写到着,我又开始怀念它了。没关系,他们除了年年卫塞节在这里摆摊,也会在九王大帝的时候在立信那边摆摊。要吃到他们的加哩面就只有在这俩个时候而已。

(摄影者:Alfred Lim

卫塞节早晨就和一位朋友到了佛学院帮忙。过后就和另外几位朋友一起到宝譽堂、睡佛、缅甸寺庙及三慧讲堂参观。难得相聚也难得机会可以再回来参观,也一起学习。

(摄影者:Blueman Teh

今年卫塞节的天空非常的明朗、云朵非常的美、月亮特别圆特别亮,卫塞节游行的路上,月亮显得特别瞩目,有如佛光在照耀着我们、跟随着我们、为我们指引前方的道路……

(摄影者:Jin Keong

五月份除了欢庆卫塞节,大家也会在这月份好好效劳我们伟大的母亲。慈济在今年的母亲节举办了每年一度的浴佛大典,庆祝三大节日即佛诞日、母亲节和慈济日,三节合一。今年的浴佛大典在韩江中学大草场举行。大会将大德们排成六朵菩提叶,让大德们以虔诚的心来供香花、獻湯燭、禮佛足,回向给大众。

礼佛足,接花香,祝福吉祥!祈求人心淨化,社會祥和,天下無災無難。

(摄影者:慈济人文真善美团队

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Girls' Generation Finally You're Here for TWIN TOWERS @LIVE 2012!

This was a very shocking news when the organizer announced the artists line-up for TWIN TOWERS @LIVE 2012, just before 3 days from the concert date. Everyone was not expected for the girls will come here since SONEs in Malaysia requesting petition for the girls to be here for their concert but still not hint for it.


When everyone start to given up for the hope to see them here, their hope had finally been hear! Girls' Generation is finally making their first debut in Malaysia with their performance at TWIN TOWERS @LIVE 2012.

(via OHBULAN!)

Although the artists line-up only announced 3 days before the concert date, but all Malaysian SONEs have gone crazy with it as you can see from the concert venue, pinky crowd everywhere around Kuala Lumpur City Centre Park.

(via OHBULAN!)

Girks' Generation have sand 6 songs last night with The Boys, Genie, Hoot, Run Devil Run, Mr. Taxi & Gee without Yuri. But they promised to coming back to Malaysia again with Yuri.

(via Malaysia Airlines' Facebook)

Photos above are fully credited to OHBULAN and Malaysia Airlines' Facebook!

Monday, January 16, 2012

2012 Play! FT Island Concert in Malaysia

FINALLY! The FIRST concert for FT Island in Malaysia had successful held last Saturday at Stadium Negara! If you still remember, they supposed to have their concert back in year 2008 but cancelled at the last minutes due to some circumstances. Now the dream is finally come true to all Malaysia's Primadonna... We have waiting this moment for so long~

After few month since they second time visit to Malaysia for Korean Music Wave, they coming back again with their concert this time. Having the first day in Malaysia with their fans meeting session, those lucky fans who are there have the chance to meet them closer.

FT Island signing the concert posters for their fans.

During the press conference, FT Island said they are going to release a mini album this February and a full album after that. So lets wait for their great music coming soon...


The concert began without any opening act, just the boys appear on stage first to stroll in and getting their instruments ready for concert. Once everything is ready, the concert PLAY! with the first song, Hope! Throughout their performance with those their familiar hit songs like Bing Bing Bing, Hello Hello, Love Love Love and ends with Like The Birds...


Hopefully the band are rocking the whole fans that night with their successfully performance. Looking forwards for their good music coming soon!

Sunday, December 04, 2011

The Most Amazing 2011 in Malaysia!

The most amazing concert finally made their tour to Malaysia last Saturday at Stadium MBPJ featuring miss A, B1A4, f(x) and Super Junior!

Group picture during press conference

The concert started around 7.30pm with miss A. This is the their first time here in Malaysia. Getting with their hit song such as Goodbye Baby, Bad Girl Good Girl and Breath. They also bring another performance for Malaysian fans with Poker Face.


The show continues with the our little boys, B1A4! This is also their first time coming to Malaysia. They are so cute whereby every fans there falling love with them... xD Singing with their songs like Beautiful Target, My Love and OK, hopefully all the fans had enjoyed their first performance here in Malaysia.


Another group also here for their first time and everyone are getting more and more excited for them, f(x)! Although Krystal didn't came along with them, but 4 of them still given their best performance to the fans with the songs Nu Abo, Lachata, Hot Summer and Danger.


This is the moment everyone waiting for! As seen from the stadium with the blue ocean, you know they will be on stage tonight. Super Junior ending the concert with their performance of Superman, Marry You, A Cha, Sorry Sorry and Yesung's solo with It Has To Be You.


Hopefully all the fans had their most amazing night here with all their performances throughout the concert. Lets looking forwards to see them again soon.


All the pictures above are fully credited to MY FM's Facebook!

Sunday, November 27, 2011

2PM Hands Up Asia Tour Live In Malaysia 2011

Lets put your hands up! 2PM is going around Asia for their Asia tour including Malaysia with their first concert here last Friday at Stadium Negara.

2PM at press conference

Highlight from VIP seats as everyone able to spot Nichkhun's family also here to support him and other members.

Nickhun's family

Their concert started off with our local artist, Henry as the opening act. No waiting longer as the 2PM performing on the stage with all their hit songs, just like a party with all their fans here.


Starting off with Hands Up, Hot and also their solo performance till encore with their last song, Thank You. They even distributed roses to those lucky fans in rock pitt zone. Although their first concert here in Malaysia already finish but they promised to come back next year! So are you guys excited for the concert? Lets look forwards to meet them again soon...

All the photos above are fully credited to Everyone Connects's Facebook! View more photos at:
1) 2PM Hands Up Asia Tour Live In Malaysia 2011 Press Conference
2) 2PM "Hi-5 Session" in Malaysia
3) 2PM Hands Up Asia Tour Live In Malaysia 2011 | Part 1 / 2