books
Meet The Author: Rose Gan & Book Launch ‘Legacy’ (The Penang Chronicles IV)
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Badan Warisan Malaysia is delighted to welcome back Rose Gan to discuss the final novel of the Penang Chronicles quartet, ‘Legacy’. There will be book reading session and a book signing session by the author.
Date : Saturday, 25 October 2025
Time : 10.30am
Venue : Badan Warisan Heritage Centre, No. 2 Jalan Stonor, Kuala Lumpur
Price : Free for BWM members, RM20 per pax for non-members.
Click HERE to register!
PROGRAM
10.00 am: Registration
10.30 am: Introduction
11.00 am: Book reading session ‘LEGACY’ and Q&A session
11.45 am: Book signing and Refreshments
12.00 am: End of program
ABOUT THE BOOK
In the years following the death of Francis Light, his family faces an uncertain future. As Penang heads inexorably towards colonial rule, Martinha struggles to claim her rightful inheritance, encountering corruption, prejudice and heartbreak in equal measure. Scattered across the world, her children are forced to negotiate the British establishment alone as best they can with little but their father’s name and reputation to sustain them. From Britain to the Peninsular War, from the social pretensions of Bengal to the court of the Pasha of Egypt, from the new city of Adelaide to Java and Singapore in the company of Raffles, the next generation makes its way, its roots firmly planted in the beautiful island of their home.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
British by birth, Rose Gan has been based in South East Asia for many years with her Malaysian husband and family, having lived in Bangkok, Penang and Jakarta before settling back in Kuala Lumpur in 2012. With an academic background in Ancient and Medieval History and Classical languages, Rose worked for many years as a teacher both in Malaysia and the UK, and then later as a volunteer docent at various museums in Malaysia and Indonesia. Rose has also contributed to museum publications in Indonesia and Malaysia as a writer and editor.
In 2021, Rose published her first novel in the Penang Chronicles series entitled ‘Dragon’, followed by two others, Pearl and Emporium in subsequent years. The initial trilogy re-creates the life and times of Francis Light and Martinha Rozells set against a background of life in the 18th century Straits, published by Monsoon Books, UK. The companion novel, Legacy, which continues the story of Martinha and her children, particularly William Light who designed the city of Adelaide, was published in the UK on 1 September 2025. It will be available in Asia from 15 October 2025.
BWM Talk Series: The Trials and Tribulations of the residents of Kinta Valley during the Japanese Occupation and Emergency period- Recollections, Reflections and Retrospection by Professor Dr. Gary Lit Ying Loong
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Organised by Badan Warisan Malaysia.
Date : 10 May 2025
Time : 10.30 am
Location : Badan Warisan Heritage Centre, No. 2 Jalan Stonor, Kuala Lumpur
Fee : RM20 per person (non-members), Free for BWM members
Light refreshments will be served.
Click HERE to register.
About The Talk
Given the location of the Force 136 and MPAJA camp at Bidor Peak, Kinta Valley was the most active in anti-Japanese activities during the war. As a result, Bidor and the surrounding towns in Kinta Valley bore the brunt of Japanese atrocities and brutalities. Thanks to the legacy of the Japanese Occupation, the struggles and sacrifices of the Kinta Valley folks continued through the dark and dangerous years of the Emergency war. Through his “ground-up” approach, the speaker will retrace and recover the untold stories and hidden facts relating to the most tumultuous period of the nation’s history. In his retelling of history, he interrogates the “top-down” narrative and exposes the myths and mysteries involved in this tumultuous period of our nation. As with the first talk, the speaker will be sharing some fascinating facts and intriguing details.
About The Speaker
Born in Kampar, Perak in 1959, Gary Lit Ying Loong pursued his university studies at the National University of Singapore under the prestigious Public Service Commission scholarship. For his post-graduate studies, he obtained both his master degrees in the UK and completed his PhD with the University of Melbourne in Australia.
A retired academician from Nanyang Technological University, Gary Lit is director of GL Academy and Consultancy in Singapore as well as a visiting professor to some National Universities in Asia and Europe. He is also a regular contributor to both the Star and New Sunday Times newspaper as well as a popular guide for a series of successful heritage tours around Kinta Valley. His book “If the Sky were to Fall . . .” is a bottom-up inter-generational story of trials and tribulations facing the common folks during and after the wars in the Kinta Valley. It was ranked among “Top Ten” in Malaysia for 2023 and is still on the “Best-Seller” list in Kinokuniya at KLCC after two years.
Meet The Author: ‘As Equals: The Oei Women of Java’ by Daryl Yeap
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In conjunction with International Women’s Day 2024, Badan Warisan Malaysia is delighted to welcome Daryl Yeap to discuss her newly released book, ‘As Equals: The Oei Women of Java’. As part of BWM’S ongoing Talk Series, the event will consist of a talk by the author on the inspiration behind the book, a Q&A session and a book signing.
Date: Saturday, 9 March 2024
Time: 10.30am
Venue: Badan Warisan Heritage Centre, No. 2 Jalan Stonor, Kuala Lumpur
Price: Free for BWM members, RM30 per pax for non-members.
Payment can be made in cash during registration at the venue or via online transfer. Tickets are non-refundable.
Click HERE to register! Alternatively, email us at heritage@badanwarisan.org.my or call us during office hours (Tuesday – Saturday 9.00am – 5.00pm) at 03-2144 9273.
Programme
10.00am: Registration
10.30am: Introduction and Talk by Daryl Yeap
11.00am: Q&A session
11.30pm: Book signing
12.00pm: End of event
ABOUT THE BOOK
Described as the “Leo Tolstoys’ War & Peace for Straits Chinese” by Prof Lien-Hang Nguyen of Columbia University, As Equals takes readers on a sweeping journey into the lives of Hui-lan, Ida, and Lucy – wives and daughters of Oei Tiong-ham, Asia’s wealthiest man of the early 20th century. From the outpost of the European empire in Southeast Asia, to Belle Epoque Europe, to Nationalist China during the warlord period, and all the way to 20th century America, these three women forged a path that broke free from gender and cultural stereotypes. They flew planes, managed Asia’s most opulent estates, charmed the West with their impeccable sense of style and sophistication, and boldly challenged traditional gender roles while navigating the racial tensions prevalent during the era. In so doing, they paved the way for countless other women to follow in their footsteps.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Daryl Yeap is the author of As Equals: The Oei Women of Java. For most of her career she worked in the finance industry as a banking analyst for various financial institutions, before joining her family company. Her first book, The King’s Chinese, tells the story of the Straits British-Chinese immigrants, told through the life of her great-grandfather Yeap Chor Ee. She is now an independent researcher in her spare time.
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