History
BWM Talk Series: From Land to Legacy
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Date : 1 November 2025
Time : 10.30 am
Location : Badan Warisan Heritage Centre, No. 2 Jalan Stonor, Kuala Lumpur
Fee : RM30 per person (non-members), Free for BWM members
Light refreshments will be served.
Click HERE to register.
About The Talk
Sentosa Janda Baik was founded by two eccentric souls, Kamarul and Frances, who built the property’s gardens and homes from imagination and heart, a lifelong act of love to preserve Malaysian culture through nature, art, heritage and shared community.
The property was never built with profit in mind. From the start, our journey with Sentosa Janda Baik has been about staying true to what this space was always meant to be, meaningful, rooted, real, and a place where people could come to learn something new.
For us at Sentosa, it was never about changing what was originally built but about continuing the vision and making it more vivid and accessible to all. We refined what was already there, improving the gardens, restoring the houses, and shaping the property so it could welcome everyone, regardless of ability. Small comforts like a new pool and jacuzzi have been added to Rumah Sentosa, not to alter our kampung house’s essence, but to make it comfortable for the modern world.
Our work at Sentosa has always been guided by a deep sense of purpose, keeping the spirit of our family’s estate alive while opening it up for others to experience and learn from.
Through this talk, Omar Ariff reflects on how Sentosa Janda Baik continues to grow as a living space for Malaysian heritage. He shares the ways we have chosen to preserve culture through connection. Every part of Sentosa carries an intention to teach, to spark curiosity, and to remind visitors that culture is not just something to be seen, but something to be lived and shared.
About The Speaker
Omar Ariff is a self-taught photographer and diver whose work is rooted in curiosity, observation, and a deep respect for nature. His journey began beneath the surface as a licensed diving instructor, where he first discovered his love for photography through capturing the quiet beauty of marine life. Over time, his lens moved from the ocean to the land, documenting people, places, and cultures that tell stories of connection and heritage.
He has travelled widely across the world, from Africa and Russia to China, Europe, and Southeast Asia, photographing landscapes and everyday lives that reflect the beauty and diversity of human experience. These journeys strengthened his urge to share stories, to teach, and to create spaces where learning and community come together.
At Sentosa Janda Baik, Omar and his family continue their legacy of preservation and storytelling. Through their work, they have shaped the estate into a living space for Malaysian heritage, a place where nature, art and culture meet, and where people can experience what it truly means to connect with place and story.
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: ‘SENTUL GEMS” – Hidden Treasure of the East’ by Gunasegaran Ramachandran
Organised by Badan Warisan Malaysia
Date: 19 July 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
The Central Workshops, located in Sentul of the Federated Malay States Railways (FMSR) was initially set up by the Colonial British Administration in 1905 as a stand-alone “One-stop Centre” to provide the engineering support to keep the railways as a well-oiled mode of transport to transport the raw materials that Malaya produced i.e. rubber and tin via the ports of the Straits Settlement (primarily Singapore and Penang) to the epicenter of the Empire – London, England to produce the goods and services that can be re-exported to the colonies to sustain the Empire.
Fast Forward to circa 1997, the 4pm siren sounded, and the tradesmen and staff started to leave the workshop that had provided the support for the Malayan railways to run its system smoothly with minimal interruptions (except for the war years) for the better part of 90 years of the 20th century. The doors finally closed at the workshops, and an eerie silence pervades the environs of the complex today.
Gunasegaran will share content from his book to document the various “shops” that constituted the workshop, so that future generations would know about the importance and historical value of the site, and its contribution to the economic development of Colonial Malaya and subsequently the Federation of Malaysia. The evolution of Sentul as a Railway town for the better part of the 20th century was because of the existence of the workshop.
About The Speaker
The author was born in Sentul in 1954 to a second generation railway family, his father and grandfather worked in the Railway workshop complex in Sentul. He completed his early education in La Salle Sentul and left to the UK in 1972, then graduated with a Chemical Engineering degree in 1978 at the University of Bradford in West Yorkshire, UK. He subsequently worked in the field of Industrial Water and process treatment in the downstream sector of the Oil, Gas and Power industries in the UK, Saudi Arabia, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia and East Asia that spanned 40 years. He retired in 2020 and keeps busy volunteering for two charities. For relaxation, he enjoys a game of golf regularly. He is married to Rani, has two daughters – Suba and Veenah – and resides in Petaling Jaya.
BWM Talk Series: ‘Niah Cave Heritage – A Perspective from Ancient Fauna’ by Lim Tze Tshen
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Organised by Badan Warisan Malaysia.
Date: 12 July 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
Archaeological exploration and excavations at Niah cave since the 1950s by teams of researchers from Sarawak Museum, in collaboration with other institutions, have not only revealed undisputed skeletal and material cultural evidence of the earliest presence of modern humans (Homo sapiens) known in Borneo and Malaysia, but have also recovered substantial amounts of non-human animal remains from the archaeological deposits inside the cave. These ancient animal remains that are associated with prehistoric humans and their daily activities are an integral part of the archaeological sites at Niah. They enrich the archaeological interpretation of the sites through an additional human-animal dimension stretching back in time to at least 45,000 years ago. Moreover, they provide us with a unique opportunity to understand faunal changes in prehistoric Borneo in response to environmental and anthropogenic influences. This talk, aimed at the general public, will trail the fascinating early history of archaeological research at Niah, with particular focus on the various milestones of achievement that continuously redefine our knowledge concerning Borneo biodiversity heritage. Draws heavily on the many important archaeological faunal specimens recently repatriated from Leiden-Cambridge to Sarawak in 2022/23 and some of the remarkable historical documents in the archives of Sarawak Museum Department, the speaker will lead the audience into the deeper prehistoric world of Malaysia’s latest UNESCO World Heritage Site.
About The Speaker
By profession, Lim Tze Tshen is a zooarchaeologist and vertebrate palaeontologist specializes in the study of fossil mammals, especially elephants and primates. He studied zooarchaeology and received his Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree from the Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge in 2018. From 2019 to 2020, he was a research fellow and guest curator of the Sarawak Museum Campus Project, Kuching, where he worked on the rich ancient animal remains recovered from excavations at Niah archaeological sites. Before that, as a research associate at the Zoology Museum, Universiti Malaya, he was responsible for curating one of the most important and comprehensive animal bones collections in the country. The opportunity allowed him to conduct scientific research based on the collections kept in several museums across Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah. Besides that, he also actively engages in limestone hills and caves biodiversity conservation, mainly through a series of field surveys conducted together with research teams from the Geology Department and the Institute of Biological Sciences of University Malaya, as well as with professional experts from the Malaysian Cave and Karst Conservancy and other grassroots NGOs. Combining prehistoric sites exploration in the field and collection-based studies in museums, his current research topics focus on the evolutionary history of ancient mammal faunas of southeast Asia and its bearing on modern-day biodiversity conservation. A founding and committee member of the Malaysian Biodiversity Collections Society, he is also the honorary secretary of the Friends of Sarawak Museum, an NGO dedicated to promoting the appreciation of Sarawak’s heritage through its museums.
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.
BWM Talk Series: If the Sky were to Fall . . . Unveiling hidden facts and forgotten history by Dr. Gary Lit Ying Loong
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Organised by Badan Warisan Malaysia
Date : Saturday, 23 November 2024
Time : 10.30AM
Venue : 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
Through his “ground up” approach, Gary Lit will retrace and rediscover the untold stories and hidden facts in our national narrative. In his retelling of history, he interrogates the official narrative and exposes the myths and mysteries involved in this dark and dangerous period of our nation. This empowers the reimagining and promotes the reawakening of our interest in some of the most tumultuous and contentious events in our nation’s history. Among others, the speaker will be sharing his research on the under-estimated and under-appreciated role of the fifth column during the war and the secret operational base and details of Lim Bo Seng and his Force 136 agents. He will also enlighten us on how geography has shaped history and vice-versa, especially in his own Kinta Valley, a hotbed of guerrilla activities both during WW2 and Emergency war. The speaker has conducted successful seminars with many universities and schools in Australia, Malaysia and Singapore. Another series of seminars and lectures are being planned with the universities in Britain soon.
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.
Conserving Bukit Persekutuan As A Historical And Natural Heritage Of The Nation
Organized by Badan Warisan Malaysia.
Live Webinar Details
Date: Thursday, 18 November 2021
Time: 4:00 PM (Kuala Lumpur, GMT+8)
Topic: Conserving Bukit Persekutuan As A Historical And Natural Heritage Of The Nation
Venue: Virtual – Zoom Webinar
Free Admission
Speakers: Ar. John Koh & Pasupathy Murugiah
Moderator: Ar. Anand Krishnan
ABOUT THE TALK
Bukit Persekutuan (Federal Hill) encompasses over 70 hectares in Kuala Lumpur. This talk will introduce Federal Hill from the historical, architectural and environmental perspectives, as well as its importance as an Urban Community Forest. This talk will also cover areas of conservation for preserving the natural environment and built heritage as well as community outreach programs. The speakers will also touch on the gazettal of Federal Hill and the vision to create a larger green network in Kuala Lumpur in linking Federal Hill to Taman Botani Perdana (Lake Garden) and Taman Tugu.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Ar. John Koh Seng Siew
Ar. John Koh has been in Architectural Practice since 1974. Akitek Maju Bina, which he founded in 1981, won numerous International and National awards for Excellence in Architecture in Township Design, Residential, Green Architecture, and Cineplexes. His firm’s Interior Design projects have also been recognized by the Malaysian Institute of Design (MIID) Pertubuhan Arkitek Malaysia (PAM) and the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA).
As a Fellow member of Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia, the Singapore Institute of Architects, and the Australian Institute of Architects, John has also been active in professional institutional affairs for over 40 years. He was the Regional Representative of the Royal Institute of British Architects Validation Board to the University of Malaya and Universiti Teknologi MARA.
He is also the Honorary President of the Eastern Regional Organization of Human Settlements. He has traveled extensively in the Asia Pacific to promote professional collaborations and the multi-disciplinary approach in the development of sustainable Human Settlements.
John developed the Conservation Masterplan for Historic Malacca in 1989 and continues to explore avenues for the Restoration of Malacca‘s Historical Landscape Heritage. He has also been involved in the Conservation of the Natural and Historical Heritage of Bukit Persekutuan, Kuala Lumpur since 2008. Among his accreditations include Chair of the panel of judges for the Mubin Shepperd Memorial Prize (Cycles 1 & 7) by Heritage of Malaysia Trust (Badan Warisan Malaysia) where he was an Honorary Council Member from 1995-97. He was also a founder member of the World Association of Chinese Architects (WACA).
Today, John is Principal of John Koh Architect, which he set up in 2014, and is immediate past Chairperson of the Malaysian Nature Society Board of Trustees.
Pasupathy Murugiah
Pasupathy is the Selangor Branch Chairperson of Malaysia Nature Society (MNS) from 2017 to 2023. She received her Basic and Intermediate Certificates in Birding from 2006 to 2008. She became a Licensed Nature Guide since 2009.
First and foremost, Pasupathy is a Teacher specialising in English with a B.A. Hons. (History, International Relations), Diploma in Education from the University of Malaya and M.A. Educational Psychology from the University of London She retired as a principal of Methodist Girls’ School in 2001. She received her Excellent Service Award from the Ministry of Education in 1993 and 1999. She became a Curriculum Director in the RR Technology & Training Centre, Kuala Lumpur from December 2002 to July 2003.
Her hobbies include gardening, reading, jungle-trekking, bird watching, and mountain climbing.
BWM Talk Series: East Indiaman: The World of Francis Light by Rose Gan
Organized by Badan Warisan Malaysia.
Live Webinar Details
Date: Wednesday, 3 November 2021
Time: 5:00 PM (Kuala Lumpur, GMT+8)
Topic: East Indiaman: The World of Francis Light
Venue: Virtual – Zoom Webinar
Free Admission
ABOUT THE TALK
KL-based author Rose Gan, accompanied by her daughter, Zoe, as the moderator for this talk, will speak about her newly released book entitled ‘Dragon’. This book is the first volume in the Penang Chronicles, which tells the story of Captain Francis Light and his partner, as well as the backstory of the British settlement of Penang. This new series of historical fiction features real historical characters and events from 18th-century Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Britain.
Before Stamford Raffles of Singapore fame, before Rajah Brooke of Borneo fame, there was Captain Francis Light, the 18th-century trailblazer in the Malay Archipelago. From humble origins in Suffolk, England, Light struggled against the social prejudices of his day. His subsequent adventures as a naval officer and country ship captain took him from India to Sumatra, the Straits of Malacca to Siam, through shipwreck, sea battles, pirate raids and tropical disease. But Light’s most difficult challenge was his ultimate dream: to establish a British port in the Indies on behalf of the East India Company.
Want to find out who his partner was? Register and participate in our webinar to find out many more fascinating details in Rose’s book!
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
British by birth, Rose Gan studied Ancient and Medieval History with Latin and Greek at University of Birmingham. Gan first arrived in Kuala Lumpur in 1978 and has been living and working between both UK and Southeast Asia ever since. Married to a Malaysian, and formerly a teacher of History, Latin and Classics, Gan was also Vice Chair for Museums of the Indonesian Heritage Society, a guide and docent in Museum National Indonesia, Jakarta, and Muzium Negara and the Textile Museum in KL. In addition to lecturing to cultural associations, Gan has been actively involved with museum publications in Malaysia and Indonesia, both as a writer and editor.
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