Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2021 i Tatler Malaysia

TATLER HONG KONG Film star Donnie Yen discusses his latest blockbuster role, in John Wick: Chapter 4, which is set to be released early next year, and reveals how he hopes to use his production house to save the dying art of Hong Kong action filmmaking. TATLER INDONESIA Anggun is a singer and TV personality who has achieved enormous fame both in her home country of Indonesia and around the world, with her albums charting in France, Italy and the US as well as in Southeast Asian nations such as Malaysia and the Philippines. She has also worked as a UN Goodwill Ambassador, campaigning in particular to end world hunger. TATLER MALAYSIA Malaysian serial entrepreneur Kevin Wu discusses how he runs three very different businesses simultaneously: a law firm, a…

The world’s population is growing year-on-year and by 2050, it is projected there will be nearly 10 billion people on Earth. Worryingly, our current methods of farming use a lot of resources and are unsustainable in the long run. Should this continue, we face an uncertain future where food shortages could be a new reality. Serial entrepreneur Kevin Wu understands the gravity of the situation and hopes to boost food production via his alternative protein startup, Ento. The 28-year-old lawyer started his entrepreneurial journey shortly after he left his job at a big corporate law firm in 2018. Deciding to take a break, he travelled around the world and visited Mexico City, where he tried cricket tacos. The tasty, though unusual, street snack caught Wu’s attention, and it sparked his…

ISADORA CHAI Head chef at Bistro à Table Prepare for the present Call me crazy but I usually complete my Christmas shopping by June! Unless you are planning to buy electronics with limited warranty or perishables, it is never too early to buy Christmas presents. Not only does it relieve the stress of last-minute shopping, you have more time for more thoughtful gifts and you have the luxury of wrapping them at your own leisure throughout the year. Compose your own compote Instead of buying processed canned cranberry jelly/sauce that is full of preservatives and artificial flavouring, make your own compote from fresh or frozen cranberries and a sprinkle of sugar. Fresh cranberries are usually available in your grocers in late November/early December. Plant some prettiness Prepare your table setting…

Qyira Yusri has always been very passionate about politics. Even as a student, she would often find every opportunity to discuss the topic with everyone she meets, whether it is her friends, classmates and even lecturers. After returning from studying overseas, Qyira strongly felt that it is finally time to give Malaysian youths a voice. In 2016, she and co-founder Tharma Pillai initiated Undi18 with the vision of amending Article 119 (1) of the Federal Constitution to reduce the minimum voting age in Malaysia from 21 to 18 years old. We speak to Qyira about how Undi18 has changed the dynamics of the electorate and could spell more youth representation in the halls of power. I’m glad Undi18 has finally achieved our objective despite the numerous delays. The memory of…

Karl Lagerfeld’s penchant for detail will be on full display this month as Sotheby’s sells the contents of the celebrated designer’s eight luxuriously furnished residences. Hundreds of pairs of fingerless gloves will be among more than 1,000 lots presented at two online auctions. The first will take place until December 6, with the second running from December 6 to 16. There will also be live auctions in Monaco from December 3 to 5; Paris from December 14 to 15; and Cologne in March 2022. Pierre Mothes, vice-president of Sotheby’s France, believes most lots will exceed their estimates because of their connection to the German fashion designer. “Most estimates don’t take into account the power of memorabilia items—those linked with Karl Lagerfeld’s daily life.” In addition to Lagerfeld’s wardrobe, which includes…

In the 2000s, Toni Ko’s affordable make-up brand, Nyx Professional Make-up, became known for its jumbo eye pencils, liquid lipsticks and roll-on eyeshadows. Having sold the brand to L’Oréal in 2014, in 2019 the Los Angeles-based entrepreneur launched Bespoke Beauty Brands, a company that helps personalities create their own lines of beauty products. Here, Ko talks about Bespoke Beauty Brand’s latest project, male grooming, Covid-19, and life after Nyx. Tell me about your newest project, Mai Johnson & Company. Mai Johnson is Bespoke Beauty Brand’s newest line that’s going to be a trailblazer for all things in the men’s beauty space. We just launched in August. The collection includes a full suite of products designed to address dryness, cleanliness and skincare. More and more men are open to using (and…

Tell us about your favourite jewellery piece. I have a little Van Cleef & Arpels heart that my grandfather gifted me when I was 18 years old. I’ve never not worn it, and it’s very emotionally valuable to me. My favourite Nouvel Heritage piece is the Mood bangle, which is perfect for stacking. What inspires you? Architecture, fashion and travel. I spend a lot of time observing things and people, and this gives me time to daydream and get inspired. Describe the woman who wears your jewellery. She’s independent, confident and cares about the story behind her jewellery. What’s your first memory of jewellery? Sitting in my grandmother’s room, rifling through her jewellery box while she tells me how she acquired each piece. If you weren’t a jeweller, what would…

The spirit of New York is notoriously difficult to capture: wild and untameable as ever, the city refused to sleep as the pandemic struck. As crowds returned and the city moved at full force, Tiffany & Co paid close attention. Tapping into every beat, every pulse that moves New York, collectively, the brand honed in on the streets that travellers and New Yorkers used. Tiffany first launched its flagship store in 1837, located on 295 Broadway in Lower Manhattan. The Big Apple is responsible for Tiffany’s explosion into pop culture—some may remember Audrey Hepburn window-shopping at the Fifth Avenue store in her little black dress, in the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Complete with its distinctive robin’s egg blue box, the brand established itself as a revolutionary force decades ago, bringing…

1 Vacheron Constantin Métiers d'Art Tribute to the Great Explorers A series of three ten-piece limited editions, these miniature masterpieces pay tribute to Portuguese explorers Bartolomeu Dias, Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral. Each watch comes with an intricate Grand Feu enamel dial that’s inspired by the Miller Atlas, a richly illustrated map that took about three years to make between 1519 and 1522. 2 JJaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 Quadriptyque The world’s first four-faced watch, the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 Quadriptyque can be yours for a bank-busting US$1.35 million. Jaeger-LeCoultre is celebrating the 90th anniversary of its Reverso collection this year, so this new world record couldn’t be more perfectly timed. 3 Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Limited Edition 1858 Montblanc is usually inspired by hulking glaciers and…

With our December issue, Tatler introduces an ambitious new directory of the most influential individuals who are defining the future of Malaysia. Featured in the following pages, these powerful and prominent figures are driving positive change in the world of architecture and design, fashion and beauty, business, food and beverage, arts and culture, social impact, technology, healthcare, sports and more. The flagship list of 300 individuals can be found on tatlerasia.com…

Alena Murang is a singer-songwriter, sape player and visual artist who is deeply passionate in preserving the Kelabit and Kenyah languages of the Dayak tribe in Borneo. She established herself as one of the first women to play and teach the sape, a lute-like instrument that’s traditionally played by men. The Kuching-born musician, who is of Kelabit and Italian-English descent, started playing the sape at the age of 10. She has learned the tunes of the Kenyah and Kelabit tribes and presents them in a contemporary way. Murang, who previously worked in management consulting, made her debut as an artiste in 2016 and has released numerous singles and albums such as Sky Songs and Flight. She has performed with the sape at numerous international showcases around the world like South…

Hailing from the sleepy town of Sungai Ara, Penang, Han Chong has come a long way since then. Encouraged by a tutor he met while studying art and design in Kuala Lumpur, Chong enrolled in Central Saint Martins, London, and soon after graduating, he eventually created the contemporary label known worldwide as Self-Portrait in 2013. From catching the eye of its first major stockist, Selfridges, in the very same year he launched his first collection, to selling out in just three hours at Net-a-Porter after releasing Self-Portrait’s designs, it has grown into a global fashion label with flagship stores across London, Taiwan, Bangkok and China. The brand became even more popular after being seen worn by an impressive list of high-profile clients, which include the likes of Lady Gaga, Korea’s…

Also known as Isabella Wong, Bella Kuan is a bonafide multi-hyphenate. Not only is she an active presence on social media for her no-frills approach to healthy, balanced living, this digital content creator is also the co-founder of Handmade Heroes, an all-natural indie beauty brand that gained cult status after its lip scrub was featured in British actress Lily Collin’s beauty routine with Vogue. A fitness enthusiast, Kuan is an adventurer through-and-through—from every board sport imaginable to being a certified Flycycle spin instructor with a background in martial arts. Unafraid of a little rough and tumble, Kuan had once fallen 10 metres down a waterfall during a jungle trek in 2019, where she hit her head and shattered her left foot. Yet two months after her incident, she was raring…

The aeronautical engineering graduate founded Creador Sdn Bhd in 2011 and within a decade, has successfully grown it into a multibillion-dollar private equity firm specialising in mergers and acquisitions, management buy-outs and corporate restructuring. Just this year, his firm has managed to pull off the largest listing of the year via credit information provider CTOS Digital Bhd, following from last year’s record listing and initial public offering (IPO) of home improvement chain MR.DIY in October. It is no wonder that many market watchers eye his every move with anticipation and deep interest. Before going full-in into the world of private equity financing, he cut his teeth in the business world with stints at British American Tobacco plc, Astro, and the Boston Consulting Group. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business…

After over 12 years of working in his family’s business, Vuitton Pang forged his own path to become an entrepreneur in his own right, bringing the fastest-growing Korean convenience store franchise, emart24, to Malaysian consumers. Hailing from the Mamee-Double Decker empire, Pang was exposed to the family business from an early age. Born in Melaka, he graduated with a double degree in information systems and commerce from the University of Melbourne in 2004. He then joined the family business in 2009 after three years of working experience with OSK Investment Bank Berhad. Responsible for setting up and managing the group investor relations team, he helped to more than double the value of the group’s market capitalisation. He was also instrumental in the privatisation of Mamee in 2011. Despite his success,…

A public health crisis does not come any bigger than what the world is currently facing in Covid-19, and an effective national health policy response is vital to successfully save lives and overcome the pandemic. Thus far, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has been making and implementing the right decisions and communicating them well to the population, getting people onboard with his decisions but more importantly, reducing the negative Covid-19 numbers and bringing the pandemic under control. Notwithstanding the initial slight hiccup in the procurement and rollout of vaccines, Khairy has done relatively well in his role as Coordinating Minister of the country’s Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme (NIP). Under his watch, vaccination rates reached hyper speed; immunising high risk groups, protecting frontliners and expanding vaccination coverage for the wider population became…

Nadiah Wan holds the distinction of being the youngest chief executive officer at TMC Life Sciences (TMCLS) Berhad and was appointed its executive director since February 2019. She is also the chief executive officer of Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara and group chief corporate officer of TMCLS since June 2017. Under her leadership, the private listed company saw a turnover in the vicinity of RM152 million plus a market capitalisation of RM1.4 billion. And despite the pandemic lockdown, TMCLS posted revenue of RM201 million, up 6 per cent, with profit after tax at RM20 million, up 86 per cent year on year. Recognition of her achievements led to her being named one of Forbes Asia’s 20 most powerful businesswomen—she’s the only Malaysian and the youngest to make this year’s list. Medicine…

Nisha Ayub is one of the driving forces in Southeast Asia at the forefront of the region’s transgender rights movement. Recognised across the globe for her compassionate efforts in empowering as well as protecting the local transgender community, Nisha co-founded Justice for Sisters (JFS), a non-governmental organisation that sought to raise public awareness towards the violent persecution against trans people. Armed with the motto ‘nobody gets left behind’, the activist created Seed in 2007, a grassroots organisation that served as a safe space providing food and shelter plus medical services as well. Having faced ridicule and assault during her own imprisonment at just 21 years old, it’s a testament to Nisha’s tenacity that she continues to speak out against Malaysia’s discriminatory laws and its hostile environment towards the local transgender…

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes is one of the few instantly recognisable Asian business leaders, known globally for his appetite for risk and innovation. Fernandes first came to prominence as the head of low-cost carrier AirAsia, which brought travel and connectivity throughout the region. Exposed to an entrepreneurial environment early on, he attributes his love of marketing to his mother who, he said, could “sell ice to an Eskimo”. This led him to a career in the music industry as a VP at Universal Music Group to eventually buying AirAsia for RM1… and a debt of RM10 million. Two planes and a couple years later, Fernandes succeeded in building an aviation empire in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets. In recognition for his outstanding contributions to the aviation industry, he was…

Dato’ Azizulhasni Awang is an accomplished track cyclist who, despite his small stature, has been one of the rising stars in Malaysian sports. His nickname “The Pocket Rocketman” accurately describes the explosive power he produces when he is on the track and has gone on to win several international cycling competitions throughout his career including two podium finishes at the Olympics. Born in the coastal town of Dungun in the state of Terengganu, Azizulhasni was initially drawn towards skateboarding in his youth. However, his life took a turn after he was advised by his first coach Rozimi Omar to focus his efforts on cycling instead. A brilliant student in his own right, he was given a choice to enrol either in a boarding school that specialises in science or the…

Six-time para-badminton world champion with 11 world championship gold medals under his belt, Cheah Liek Hou went on to clinch a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics in the men’s singles category. His victory also made him the first Paralympic gold medallist in para-badminton, which debuted as an official event in Paralympics history that same year. The KL-born athlete was born with Erb’s palsy, causing his right hand to have a lack of strength and stability. However, that did not stop him from taking up badminton when he was nine years old. During his early years, Cheah played in yards and on the streets, chasing shuttles carried by the occasional breeze, which could have contributed to his highly changeable, fluid play style today. Over time, his mother, Joe Tjin,…

Datuk Ramli Ibrahim is one of the most accomplished Indian classical dancers and choreographers in the world. Although interested in dance since childhood, he only took up the art form seriously while studying mechanical engineering at the University of Western Australia. He began with ballet and modern dance before being introduced to Indian classical dance, or bharatanatyam. He later specialised in Odissi dancing under the tutelage of Deba Prasad Das in India. When he returned home, he founded the Sutra Dance Theatre and the Sutra Foundation, bringing recognition to the dance form, especially Odissi. Ramli is acknowledged as an example of Living Heritage by the government of Malaysia, and was awarded one of the highest civilian honours in India, the Padma Shri award, in recognition of his contribution to the…

Datuk Mohd Nor Khalid, famously known as “Lat”, is one of the few names that’s internationally recognised in the cartoon and comics world. Known for his comedic, light-hearted and relateable cartoon illustrations depicting Malaysia’s social and political scenes, Lat started drawing cartoons as a child and is mostly self-taught, but credits his father who doodled and found humour in his talent. From the age of nine, he began to sell his comics, first to friends and then to a magazine. His first comic book Tiga Sekawan Menangkap Pencuri was published at age 13, which was so proficient that the publishers paid him RM25 after mistaking him for an adult. While his editorial cartoon strips, Scenes of Malaysian Life, in the New Straits Times, brought Lat national attention and endeared him…

As much a fashion icon as a highly-astute businesswoman, Dato’ Seri Dr Farah Khan is well regarded for leading Malaysia’s transformation into a sophisticated and stylish Southeast Asian hub over the past 30 years, concurrently building a formidable retail empire. The Melium Group is one of Malaysia’s designer retail powerhouses, distributing more than 100 international luxury fashion brands through a network of 35 standalone and two mixed-brand stores. In 2007 Khan launched her eponymous fashion label, Farah Khan, whose DNA is centred around the heritage art of handstitched embellishments. In tandem with her work, Khan has an enduring commitment to social responsibility. Over the course of many years, she has created and spearheaded numerous original fundraising initiatives, the most notable being The Melium Group’s 30th anniversary auction in collaboration with…

One of the most celebrated “Second New Wave” of film directors in Taiwanese cinema, Tsai Ming-liang has often been referred to as an auteur for his arthouse-styled work. His films are critically acclaimed, winning numerous awards and earning him worldwide recognition. Born in Kuching, Sarawak, his love for the medium can be traced back to his evenings accompanying his grandparents to the cinema, often watching movies back to back. In his 20s, his pursuit to study theatre would see him move to Taipei and settling down here. Tsai released his first feature film, Rebels of the Neon God, in 1992, starring Lee Kang-Sheng. The film’s rawness and slow burn pacing, minimal dialogue, prodigious use of long shots and ambient sounds would become Tsai’s trademarks. His most recent film, Days (Rizi),…

Having been Malaysia’s longest-serving prime minister for a cumulative grand total of 24 years, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is a once-in-a-generation phenomenon. He held office as the fourth PM from 1981 to 2003, and a second stint as the seventh PM from May 2018 to March 2020 marks him as the country’s and the world’s oldest premier as well. But before he served the country via politics, he served the people in another capacity. Trained as a medical doctor in King Edward VII College of Medicine, he went to work in government service before returning to his hometown of Alor Setar, Kedah to open his own successful practice in 1957. His involvement in politics began at age 21 when he joined the UMNO political party before becoming a member of…

Tan Sri Ananda Krishnan is a self-made Malaysian tycoon who is widely known as one of the richest men in the country. He is currently the fourth-richest man in Malaysia, with a net worth of US$5.8 billion according to Forbes. Noted as an astute leader with exceptional business acumen, Krishnan—who is known colloquially as “AK”—made his fortune as CEO of Usaha Tegas, which has stakes in telecoms, media and oil services. Some of his best-known business interests include Astro, Measat and Maxis. In 2006, he bought Indian mobile carrier Aircel for US$800 million, but was embroiled in a scandal over allegations of money laundering. In 2018, Aircel filed for bankruptcy, which reduced his fortune. Still, a generous donor, Krishnan is a regular benefactor of education, the arts, sport and humanitarian…

Professor Dato’ Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman is an acclaimed infectious-diseases expert who has dedicated her career to HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, research and advocacy, both in Southeast Asia and internationally. She is the former dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Malaya, and is also an adjunct associate professor at Yale University, USA. Trained in internal medicine and infectious diseases, Adeeba established the Infectious Diseases Unit at University of Malaya Medical Centre and later the Centre of Excellence for Research in AIDS, which is one of the few dedicated HIV research centres in the region. In her instrumental role on the Malaysian AIDS Council, the steadfast and compassionate advocate for marginalised communities championed harm-reduction measures to combat HIV transmission among injecting drug users. Adeeba has also been…

In the mid-20th Century, Glasgow’s town planners looked to Le Corbusier for a blueprint to modern life. To address overcrowding they relocated its tenement-dwelling citizens into tower blocks on the fringe of the Scottish town. The exercise proved to be a colossal failure that resulted in anti-social behaviours and contributed to life expectancies far below the UK average, and the phrase Glasgow Syndrome subsequently came to represent ill-conceived urban planning that makes communities sick. But by the same token, could well-planned cities make you healthy? Research suggests it can. As up to 90 percent of our existence is spent indoors, good building design is critical to human well-being, and architects consider greenery – both natural and cultivated, ventilation, light conditions and noise pollution when designing healthy buildings. Sick building syndrome,…

The disruption of the past two years has turned our lives upside down, making us live in isolation, and were kept from living a full life. In the midst of everything, the pandemic has made us realise the importance of what really matters to us and we begin to question what is our purpose in life that makes it worth living. In fact, the Japanese have a term for this—Ikigai, which describes a reason for being (or a reason to wake up in the morning). And so to round off the year, we dedicate this issue to the theme of Power & Purpose, delving into a myriad of things where people can make a difference, no matter how big or small. Exemplifying this is none other than Datuk Nicol David,…

DARYL FOONG General manager, Aquaria KLCC “I’m grateful for my family! My parents and in-laws have been a great help providing guidance, wisdom and support during uncertain times, and my two kids are the lights of my life—the reason I get out of bed, both figuratively and literally! But if my family are the firmaments in the sky of my life, my wife is the North Star—she is my constant and unwavering companion that anchors my life. She’s kept me sane, lighting my way and guiding me home.” KEN LIM Entrepreneur (Kensapothecary) “I am most grateful for the good health of my parents and very relieved that they have been fully vaccinated. In time, they will regain the confidence to travel and eat out. I shall look forward to the…

Imagine, if you will, that one day, due to one cataclysmic event or another, you get forcefully uprooted from your home with nothing but the clothes on your back. The life you built has been upended overnight, and all you know—with terrifying certainty—is that staying in the country you were born and raised in was a death sentence. You are now left with no other choice but to survive. The fear of the unknown is real. You want to go home, but where is home now? A NINE-YEAR ROLLER COASTER In June 2020, Heidy Quah, co-founder of nonprofit organisation Refuge for the Refugees (RFTR) published a Facebook post that detailed the harrowing experience of a female detainee and her newborn at a local immigration centre in 2018. One month later,…

1 They are really rare Before its closure last year, the Argyle Diamond Mine [in South Africa] supplied approximately 90 per cent of the world’s pink diamonds. A year’s worth of production fits into a single champagne flute, making these diamonds the rarest of the rare. 2 They are very expensive Some medium-quality pink diamonds attract prices 20 times higher than their white diamond equivalents. The current record auction price was for the Pink Star, which was sold by Sotheby’s Hong Kong in April 2017 for US$71.2 million. 3 They haven’t been around long Pink diamonds are the youngest diamonds to exist, at roughly one billion years old. White diamonds typically take between one and three billion years to form, which is approximately 25 per cent to 75 per cent…

GAME FACE Omega has been the official timekeeper of the Olympics since 1932 and, to celebrate this year’s games, the watchmaker has debuted the Seamaster Aqua Terra Tokyo 2020 Gold Editions, which are housed in one of two yellow-gold cases that measure 38mm or 41mm. Polished blue ceramic dials pop with a laser-engraving inspired by the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games emblem, and sapphire case backs are etched with the words “Tokyo 2020”, as well as the Olympic rings in blue, yellow, black green, and red. MEDIEVAL WORLD The storied tale of King Arthur pulling the magic Excalibur sword from a stone, thus anointing him the future king of England, has inspired Swiss watch brand Roger Dubuis since 2013 when it unveiled its first Excalibur Knight of the Round Table watch.…

Inspired by a woman’s desire for a contemporary timepiece that can stand the test of time, the Égérie was launched in early 2020, heralding a new era in Vacheron Constantin’s rich legacy in feminine watches. Featuring a pleated pattern drawn from haute couture’s art of tapestry on the dial, Égérie is a collection premised on elegance and timelessness. This is achieved via its slender 35mm case, attractive silvery opaline dial with interlocking circles, and an in-house calibre that gives the watch a quiet strength complete with a sturdy frequency of 4Hz. The crown sits between one and two o’clock for a better fit on the wrist. The oldest Swiss watch manufacture in the world has been producing the finest feminine watches since its inception, with the Queen of Romania Elisabeth…

So what’s it’s like in the day of Datuk Nicol Ann David nowadays, I ask. One would think that the record-breaking World No 1 squash champion would miss being playing competitively, as she’s done professionally for nearly 20 years of her life but she dismisses the idea with an empathetic shake of her head. “I’m so happy I’m not competing anymore. I know what it takes, not just playing it but the training that goes into it. I did like the travelling… but I can travel now without my rackets and actually visit places. I’ve been to some cities but I hardly got to visit the museums and see some cool sights but now I can!” she says with a little laugh. A feeling of contentment seems to emanate from…

Landscape architect Ng Sek San’s finished works speak for themselves. From numerous commercial projects like the PJ Trade Centre and Lot 10 rooftop, to personal projects like Sekeping, there are unmistakable landscaping cues that reflect the man’s views on design, which is to inject a sense of nature and life into cold, inanimate objects, as well as scaling back on the grand and returning to basics. Hence the organic quality of his final products that harmoniously blends building structures with its natural surroundings. This Ipoh boy spent a good chunk of his life in New Zealand from the age of 17 to 30, initially pursuing his bachelor’s in civil engineering at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch. Upon successfully obtaining a postgraduate diploma in landscape architecture from Canterbury’s Lincoln University…

Graduating from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with a degree in broadcasting and electronics, Marion Caunter found her calling as a television presenter after her stint as a reporter for Milwaukee’s WB 18 Channel, covering stories about the local youth community. She was also in the advertising department of KIIS-FM, a radio station in Los Angeles which American entertainer Rick Dees had worked at. A renowned TV presenter in Southeast Asia, Caunter began her illustrious career in the local entertainment scene by putting her nose to the grindstone. She first hosted 8TV’s 15-minute talk show, The Quickie, before moving on to programmes like One in a Million, The Biggest Loser, Channel V’s Poparazzi, ESPN and E!News Asia. And while she has taken a step back from the jet-setting lifestyle of…

Born in Taiping, Perak, Bernard Chauly is a prominent figure in the local film industry; the filmmaker is known for his highly acclaimed works, such as Gol & Gincu (2005), Goodbye Boys (2006), and the award-winning Istanbul Aku Datang (2012). The last aforementioned film won Best Picture in the comedy category and has been nominated for the Grand Prix at the Osaka Asian Film Festival in 2013. The film and television major graduated from Universiti Sains Malaysia, and took up a minor in sociology and anthropology too for good measure. His interest in human sociology would serve as one of Chauly’s trademarks in film as most of his work was character-driven. His first foray in filmmaking began with Saying Goodbye, a six-minute video based on his parents. It won Best…

Newly elected as the first female president of the Fintech Association of Malaysia in April, Karen S Puah is a trailblazer who’s in the right place at the right time to advance the country’s fintech industry. Her skillset and background ably complements her focus on building the national platform to support and push Malaysia to be the leading hub for fintech innovation and investment in the region, in light of fintech being a prime growth sector with huge potential. She has been and continues to be an active advocate for women’s involvement in entrepreneurship and technology, as seen by her role as ambassador and head of Malaysia for She Loves Tech—the world’s startup competition and accelerator programme for women-led and women-impact tech startups. Her active presence in the Malaysia startup…

Restaurateur extraordinaire Eddie Chew is a rock star in the fine dining arena. Together with his partner-in-dine Christian Bauer, they’ve been rocking hard in the big leagues since they opened Frangipani on Changkat Bukit Bintang end of 2001. After acquiring space on the 24th floor of The Troika, they populated it with a string of swanky restaurants and swish bars—Cantaloupe which serves modern French cuisine, Claret wine bar, Strato Italian restaurant, and Fuego South American restaurant. Later, Mr Chew’s Chino Latino Bar and Brasserie Fritz joined the Troika Sky Dining family. His love for food has its roots in his grandmother’s cooking in their family home in Ipoh. Born in 1965, he grew up happy in this bustling mining town and did his primary and secondary education at the Anglo…

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Hannah Yeoh, as the current Member of Parliament for the Segambut constituency in Kuala Lumpur, has been delivering aid, food and funds assistance to the needy and worst affected. Prior to that, she served as Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration from July 2018 until its collapse in February 2020. She was known as a fearless and vocal advocate for women’s rights, community and various other issues of public interest. The 42-year-old is one of the few politicians in the country who has risen to the challenges of public office and excelled. Born and bred in Subang Jaya, she furthered her studies at the University of Tasmania, where she obtained her law degree. Yeoh started…

Deborah Henry, who is of Malaysian and Irish blood, has dedicated her life to human rights advocacy, sustainable development and has a long-term goal to eradicate poverty. The daughter of a former teacher, Henry co-founded Fugee School in 2009 with the aim of giving refugee children living in Malaysia equal access to education, a cause she’s always been passionate about. Starting off with providing basic math and English lessons to four children from the Somali refugee community, the not-for-profit organisation has grown tremendously and now provides a holistic academic education to equip 200 students with the right tools and opportunities for a better life. The school kept its doors open throughout the MCO lockdown to keep the children engaged and mentally stimulated. Recognising the need to help their students pursue…

Datuk Dr Hartini Zainudin is an activist who co-founded Yayasan Chow Kit, the first 24/7 one-stop child-crisis centre in the country. It is dedicated to providing marginalised and displaced children—including the abused, neglected, trafficked and abandoned—with basic needs, counselling and protection. Besides advocacy work, fundraising and outreach programmes, she has also been involved in law and policy reforms, as well as training on children’s issues as part of the Voice of the Children NGO, of which she is vice-president. Prior to establishing Yayasan Chow Kit, Hartini had extensive experience working on children’s educational issues in America. After returning to Malaysia, she was hired as an adviser and consultant for local NGO Yayasan Salam Malaysia to revamp the organisation. Seeing a dire need to help and protect the children in and…

When sweethearts Rachel Yeng and Henry Chandra embarked on a DIY project to create a slipcover for an old sofa Yeng brought with her to Chandra’s place 11 years ago, they didn’t expect it to change their lives. Armed with YouTube videos and a second-hand machine, they successfully created a slipcover, which caught the eye of friends and neighbours in Melbourne, who began to put in orders. Buoyed by the response, the couple decided to build a side hustle. At the time, Yeng was fresh out of university while Chandra had a career in the advertising industry. When business picked up, he left his advertising career and the couple decided to focus on Comfort Works full-time. In the absence of a mentor and seasoned investor, the duo had to learn…

At just 23 years old, Lee Zii Jia represents the new generation of Malaysian badminton players who are taking the country’s game to the next level. Born in the state of Kedah, Lee is the son of former national basketball players Lee Chee Hin and Leow Siet Peng. Lee was first introduced to badminton by his father who brought him to a badminton club when he was six years old. He excelled in the sport and won several under-12 competitions before being subsequently drafted into the Bukit Jalil Sports School. He has been trained by various coaches including former national badminton champions Datuk Misbun Sidek and Datuk Tey Seu Bock. Lee won his first international title at the Victor Polish International championship in 2017. He also participated in other competitions,…

An accomplished para-athlete with multiple gold medals under his belt, 24-year-old Abdul Latif Romly is also a two-time Paralympic champion in the men’s long jump T20 category. He clinched his first Paralympic gold medal when he was just 19 years old at the Rio Paralympics in 2016, beating his predecessor, Jose Exposito from Spain, whose 7.37-metre jump had previously remained unrivalled since 2003. Latif was crowned Paralympic champion again when he set another world record at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Hailing from Beseri, Perlis, Latif is the youngest of seven children in his family. He first got involved in sports when he was six years old, when he would jog and jump with his sister when he followed her to school. Latif was an active child and was already winning…

Datuk Faridah Merican has been instrumental in elevating the performing arts culture in the country, having been actively involved in the theatrical scene for over 60 years as an actor, director, producer, teacher and ardent champion. She is one of the pioneers in the local theatre scene, acting in some of the earliest productions such as Lela Mayang, Tok Perak, Uda & Dara. Her passion for performing arts led her and her husband Joe Hasham to establish The Actors Studio, klpac and penangpac. Faridah is a respected mentor who is credited for giving many of the country’s performing artists, playwrights and directors their big break. She is now paving the way for the next generation of budding talents as an adjunct professor and program development director of TUTAS, Malaysia’s first…

Dubbed as Malaysia’s King of Fashion, Dato’ Sri Bernard Chandran burst into the limelight while still in fashion school in Paris by becoming the first non-European designer to win the Open European Contest For Look of The Year 2000. Inspired by Malaysia’s rich and diverse heritage, his trademark style fuses together elements of haute couture with traditional Malaysian wear. Chandran has pioneered a new way for traditional Malay outfits to be designed and worn by introducing a new silhouette and embellishment technique. A fashion designer to the who’s-who in Kuala Lumpur and the region, he has also dressed international celebrities like actress Michelle Yeoh, and singers Lady Gaga, Estelle and Tori Amos. In 2018, he was invited to showcase his collection at London’s Buckingham Palace to the Duchess of Cambridge,…

The son of a cobbler, Datuk Jimmy Choo first learned how to make shoes by hand from his father and made his first pair of slippers at the age of 11. To hone his skills, he furthered his studies at Cordwainers Technical College in London and eventually opened his own shop in 1986 in an old hospital building. Admired for its impeccable craftsmanship and design, his shoes were soon featured in Vogue magazine, gaining him significant recognition. Choo’s prominence grew exponentially when Princess Diana began to wear his shoes wherever she went. He went into a partnership with Tamara Mellon from 1996 to 2001, turning the Jimmy Choo brand into a global empire worth US$783 million but later sold his 50% stake in the company. He now works on an…

Dato’ Sri Siti Nurhaliza is a musical powerhouse who paved her way into the local entertainment industry at just 16 years old, debuting in 1995 with her first award-winning single, Jerat Percintaan, after winning a local competition show that very same year. Arguably one of the most celebrated artistes across the Malay Archipelago as well as the Nusantra region, the singer-songwriter has under her belt over 300 awards, both local and international, and was even crowned as the number one most-streamed local artiste of 2020 on Spotify. A prolific performer, Siti has performed in monumental events, such as the 1998 Commonwealth Games; and in 2005, became the first Southeast Asian singer to ever perform a solo concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Proving to be an enterprising business…

Perhaps best known as the wife of Malaysia’s longest-serving prime minister, former premier Tun Mahathir Mohamad, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah is also one of the first Malaysian women to achieve great heights in the country. She was one of the first Malay women to read medicine, attending King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore after World War II, where she met her husband. She was also the first woman to be appointed medical officer in the Maternal and Child Health Department. Leveraging her position, she focused her efforts on improving public health and literacy, advocating family planning and increasing awareness of the dangers of drug abuse. Her memoir My Name Is Hasmah (2016) recounts her upbringing, medical career and her experiences as the wife of the PM. It was…

We recently launched the T Dining Guide to Champagne, a digital book encompassing 60 champagnes and several original features based on interviews with more than 25 professionals and champagne lovers from across Asia and beyond. It’s the biggest project we’ve undertaken since I became Tatler Asia’s Wine Editor in 2019 and we’re all extremely proud of the results. For anyone who’s ever wondered about the inner workings of wine reviewing or shows, here’s a little “behind the scenes” look at how the Guide came to be: AN IDEA BUBBLES TO THE SURFACE In 2020, I started to notice that, despite universally gloomy predictions for champagne, my wine circles were all over it. The number of champagnes available in Hong Kong (and Asia) had exploded, champagne was being watched or accumulated…

LARA JADE Originally from the UK, Lara Jade is a New York-based fashion and beauty photographer. Her work can be found in the pages of publications including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and InStyle. For Tatler, Jade shot this month’s fashion shoot (p.72) AFFA CHAN Tatler Asia’s senior photographer Affa Chan was born in Hong Kong and raised in the UK. After graduating from Goldsmiths College of Art with master’s degrees in fine art and image and communication, he worked as a photographic assistant in London, going on to win The Vanity Fair Photography Award. His work has appeared in magazines such as British Vogue and Vanity Fair. For Tatler, he shot this month’s jewellery shoot (p.96) CONNIE BERG Connie Berg is a New York-based fashion stylist with more than a decade…

ALL THAT GLITTERS London-based jewellery house Graff’s Tribal high jewellery collection is a sophisticated choice for the holiday season. Known for acquiring many of the world’s most notable diamonds, including some that have set world records, Graff’s pictured gem-set suite is incredibly supple, slipping onto the skin like silk. NATURAL WONDER The carefully considered design of Gübelin’s newly unveiled Cascading Springs cocktail ring is inspired by the powerful waterfalls that crash into the lush tropical forests and rolling green valleys of Colombia. For added drama, the central stone—a cushion-cut emerald weighing 8.68 carats—is elevated by a pair of pear-cut emeralds, which sit within a river of baguette- and brilliant-cut white diamonds. BRANCH OUT The renovation of 30 Avenue Montaigne, which was once Christian Dior’s townhouse and is now home to…

Khatia Buniatishvili has been lauded as a breath of fresh air in the classical music scene; a much-needed injection of young talent into a genre that can be seen as out of touch. The newly minted Cartier ambassador is of the opinion that jewellery and music have plenty in common. “They have both existed since humankind started creating art. Not everything survives through time, but the worthwhile ones do—that’s why we still listen to Bach and Mozart. Art may be subjective, but time defines its objective qualities.”…

Tell us about your most treasured watch. My 18th birthday present was my great-great-grandfather’s pocket watch. The very first thing I bought and sold was also a pocket watch from a flea market in France when I was about 13 or 14, which I sold on eBay. It sounds like you’ve always had a passion for watches. I kind of had an unofficial background in watches but I didn’t consider myself a “watch guy”. I just saw how things were changing in the luxury market and discovered that there was nothing particularly sophisticated for second-hand watch buyers and sellers online. How has this changed over the years? It’s changed radically. The industry has been led by a number of transformation actors like Chrono24 and Watchfinder & Co, but also by…

The all-new Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona is just as out of this world as it had been in 1963, now equipped with a state-of-the-art movement developed and manufactured entirely by Rolex. A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, an asteroid explodes, its fragments left adrift in space. Primarily composed of iron and nickel, this raw, extraterrestrial material is known as metallic meteorite. It is said to be composed of iron and nickel as it travels light-years through space, creating a unique, distinctive crystallisation that is impossible to recreate on Earth. Choice cuts of this metallic meteorite are then selected by Rolex’s expert watchmakers, thinly sliced and applied with a chemical treatment that reveals an interwoven surface only meteorites would have, known as the Widmanstätten pattern. Designed for…

Red Hong Yi is one of the trailblazers in the Malaysian art scene who has developed her own unique style of taking everyday objects and turning them into striking art installations. She often finds new inventive methods to push the boundaries of her medium, never settling on one particular material or style. More recently, Red has taken to creating Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)—one-of-a-kind digital artworks that are verified on blockchain technology. The Sabah-born artist had a knack for art early in life and was encouraged by her parents to pick up the paint brush and express herself. A brilliant student, she went on to study architecture in Australia and after graduating, worked as an architect in Shanghai. The need to be creative never left her and she challenged herself to create…

Eleena Jamil is one of Malaysia’s leading architects known for her contemporary works merging homegrown, organic building materials with modern ones to create enduring architecture with strong references to the Asian context and culture. Her works prove that small, not just big buildings, can make a big impact if they are well designed. Born in Penang, Eleena studied at the Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University. Upon obtaining her M.Phil and PhD degrees at the same university, she returned home and worked for a local architectural firm for a few years before setting up her own practice in 2005. Eleena’s concern about responsible and sustainable building led to her focus on climate-sensitive buildings and the use of plant-based materials like timber and bamboo in her work. Her project, the Bamboo…

The Seremban-born entrepreneur envisioned a brand that would offer jewellery lovers the look of luxury while keeping it affordable. The enterprising Jenn Low founded Wanderlust + Co in 2010 from her apartment in Melbourne, Australia while she was still studying. She recognised there was an opportunity as there weren’t any digital jewellery brands that offered on-trend designs that remain reasonably priced. From then on Wanderlust + Co has been focused on creating designer-looking jewellery pieces that pleased its community of brand fans who they call #WCOgirlgang and includes the likes of Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner. From their headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Low has grown her business from strength to strength with her website sales and traffic growing six times in early 2017 and their wholesale business growing at a…

Prior to 2018, the name Henry Golding didn’t ring a bell or spark little interest. That all changed with the surprise movie hit of that year, Crazy Rich Asians. Adapted from the bestselling book of the same name, it was Hollywood’s first all-Asian cast film since 1993’s Joy Luck Club and in it Henry played the lead. Overnight, his star went supernova and he’s become much in demand as a leading man in many big productions. It wasn’t always this way. Born in Betong, Sarawak to an English father and a Malaysian Iban mother, he lived his early years in Dungun, Terengganu before the family relocated to Surrey, England when he was eight. After a successful stint as a hairdresser for a few years, he made the decision to return…

In 2011, Syed Haizam founded Tuas Capital Partners, a private equity investment group that specialises in managing and raising capital for entrepreneurial founders across Malaysia, ASEAN and beyond. Over the last five years, his firm has invested in six new tech companies specialising in the fintech and TravelTech sectors across Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong. The firm has also teamed up with Calilfornia-based venture studio The Hive and local conglomerate the Sunway Group to manage The Hive Southeast Asia Fund I and provide startup launch pads. In December 2020, Tuas succeeded in being selected as a venture capital fund manager for Penjana Kapital under the Dana Penjana Nasional—a programme aimed at accelerating Malaysia’s post-pandemic economic recovery. Aside from Tuas, he is also a director in Segi Value Holdings Sdn Bhd,…

Troika Sky Dining’s duo extraordinaire, Christian Bauer and Eddie Chew are rock stars in the fine dining arena, with a string of swanky restaurants and hip bars such as Canteloupe, Strato, Fuego, Mr Chew’s Latino Bar and Brasserie Fritz. Born in Luxembourg in 1964, Bauer loves to eat and produce good food, having honed and refined his self-taught culinary skills through time and across different cultures. His love for food can be traced to him hailing from a family of foodies. Naturally, he dove into the culinary arts at the young age of 12 before being recognised for his talent by his mother and was subsequently put in charge of her dinner parties. Whipping up 8-course dinners for 12 soon became a routine occurence throughout his teens. As a young…

A chip off the old block, the youngest son of the group’s founder and president Dato’ Beh Chun Chuan was always a keen study when it came to entrepreneurship. Soon after graduating from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science degree, Garvy Beh’s first entrepreneurial venture was Garvy’s French Dining in November 2013, a fine dining restaurant in Ipoh. At 25 years old, the executive director of BP Healthcare group founded Doctor2U in 2015 alongside university mate Keegan Flynn. Bringing the group’s business to the next level, the free mobile application aims to provide patients convenient one-stop access to quality health with services that range from doctor house calls, medication delivery, live chat, video consultation and an ambulance hailing feature. Utilising his experience as the group’s IT director,…

Social worker, advocate and journalist Izza Izelan has a deep passion for social justice, actively championing causes that protect and empower girls and women so they may create a better future for themselves. Prior to this, Izza had worked as a news anchor, broadcast journalist and producer at Astro Awani for seven years. Having been part of the Breaking News team, Izza had covered some of the most significant events in history, including the MH370 and MH17 tragedies, the United States presidential elections, the Malaysian general elections (2013 and 2018), among many others. As she progressed in her career, Izza developed a journalistic niche that focuses on education, women and youths. Her work was recognised in 2013 when she won Best Reportage for the Health Journalism Awards by the Ministry…

Francesca Chia left her stable job as a management consultant at Boston Consulting Group to enter the world of entrepreneurship. Having witnessed the rise of gig platforms in the West, she was inspired to bring a similar solution to Malaysia. In 2014, she and her two co-founders created GoGet, an on-demand marketplace that connects businesses and consumers with verified gig workers, called GoGetter. GoGet has set up a vast network of GoGetters that are able to assist with jobs that range from logistics, administration and operations. The platform now has 250,000 users that includes companies such as Lazada, Yoodo and FashionValet. The gig platform has a network of over 20,000 GoGetters amid a surge in demand for flexible work arrangements. When Covid-19 hit the world in 2020 and resulted in…

A forward-looking man who spearheaded Bonia Corporation Berhad’s acquisition of Braun Büffel Southeast Asia in 2012 and subsequently, shares from the brand’s principal company in Germany, Dato’ Sri Daniel Chiang helms the business and brand direction of three major brands under the group—Braun Büffel, Bonia and Renoma Paris. Today, the three brands boasts over 150 points of sales globally. The third son of Chiang Sang Sem, founder and chairman of Bonia, Chiang was born and raised in Singapore. He graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne in 2007 and joined the Bonia Group as a personal assistant to his father in 2008, from whom he learnt the trade. In 2014, he was appointed executive director. Having served the group for 14 years, Chiang was instrumental in…

Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik started representing Malaysia internationally in 2015 and have steadily risen through the ranks. Chia and Soh are now the country’s top badminton men’s doubles players and they rank 8th in the world. Both shuttlers are graduates of the Bukit Jalil Sports School and were featured at the junior level in the Under-19 Junior International Championships in Malaysia in 2015. They were briefly split up before reuniting at the senior level to compete in the 2017 Malaysia International Challenge. The 24-year-old Chia hails from Malacca and he started playing badminton from the age of seven. Meanwhile Soh, who is 23 years old and is from KL, is the son of former national badminton player Soh Goon Chup and his uncle is Soo Ben Kiang, one-half…

Paralympian and world para-powerlifting champion, Bonnie Bunyau Gustin won Malaysia’s first Paralympic gold in the men’s under-72kg class at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. His winning lift of 228kg set a new Paralympic record, beating former world champion, Iranian Rasool Mohsin’s lift of 227kg, which had previously remained unrivalled since the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Born with a short stature, Sarawakian Bonnie’s interest in powerlifting started at a very young age, when he used to accompany his father, Gustin Jenang who was also a powerlifter, to the training centre in Kuching. His love for the sport eventually led to his decision to leave school to focus on powerlifting at just 15 years old. Bonnie’s determination to excel in the sport paid off. His international debut in 2017 won him a…

Joe Hasham is an artistic director, actor, producer and writer. He started out as an actor in Australia in the 1970s, appearing mostly in soap operas and television advertisements. In the 1980s, he moved to Malaysia where he met his wife and frequent collaborator Datuk Faridah Merican, and has since dedicated his life to championing the performing arts in the country. He co-founded The Actors Studio, an actor training and theatre company which has nurtured thousands of artists, as well as klpac and penangpac. He has directed and produced countless award-winning productions, and nurtured the careers of many of the country’s top performing artists, directors, producers and writers. In 2009, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his service and time-honoured career in the performing arts.…

Widely acknowledged as the father of modern Malaysian architecture, Hijjas Kasturi is credited for some of the most iconic buildings in the country including Tabung Haji, Menara Maybank and Menara Telekom skyscrapers. He founded his award-winning practice Hijjas Kasturi Associates in 1977—now known as Hijjas Architects + Planners, and run by his daughter Serina Hijjas. He was responsible for establishing The School of Art and Architecture at the MARA University of Technology, and the first professional architectural degree programme. While officially retired, the octogenarian’s passion for architecture clearly hasn’t waned in the least, and he often starts his day sketching. He also guest-lectures at the institution he founded, works on occasional projects and remains a consultant for his old firm. Since 1994, his compound at Rimbun Dahan has been running…

With her record-breaking albums and sold-out concerts, the legendary Dato’ Sheila Majid has been pushing the boundaries of the Malaysian music scene since the release of her first album, Dimensi Baru, which turned gold. The youngest of eight siblings, Sheila’s break into the music industry in 1985 marked the beginning of her long list of accomplishments. Notably, she was the first Malaysian artiste to break into the Japan music market and stage a solo concert at London’s West End, in the Royalty Theatre, in 1996. Sheila’s best-selling album, Legenda, was released in 1990. This was complemented by a two-year nationwide tour, culminating in a concert at Stadium Negara with an audience of 10,000. In the years that followed, Sheila continued to make headlines, including winning four awards at the Anugerah…

Pushing 60, the immensely talented Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh continues to see her star shine bright in the cutthroat entertainment industry, and in Hollywood, no less—proving that age is no barrier to career longevity and continued success. She shows no signs of slowing down, having appeared in three shows this year alone and slated to appear in a half-dozen films on both the big and small screens in 2022, among them the highly anticipated sequel to Avatar, the highest-grossing film in history. She took up ballet at the tender age of four and progressed to studying it at the UK’s Royal Academy of Dance. Unfortunately, a spinal injury prevented her from becoming a professional ballet dancer, but fate would write this as being ballet’s loss and acting’s gain. However, the…

Datuk Redzuawan Ismail, commonly known as Chef Wan, is one of the most famous television chefs in Malaysia and the region, recognised for his tireless dedication to promoting Malaysian and Asian cuisine to the world. The multi-award-winning celebrity chef, TV host, restaurateur and author first captured the hearts of Malaysians with his cooking show, complemented by his colourful personality. He gained a much wider international audience—both for himself and for Asian cuisine—with numerous TV shows, including East Bites West where he travelled around the UK in a food truck, educating Brits about Malaysian and Southeast Asian cuisine. He was also featured in Anthony Bourdain’s massively popular show No Reservations. Besides having his own restaurants, Chef Wan has authored at least a dozen cookbooks, and has now, since January 2021, launched…

Known for her way with words as she was known for her way around men, feisty sex symbol, Mae West said that: You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. Indeed, life is too short not to live well and the best way to do so is find an enclave which suits you, a place of your own where you want to put your roots down. In Malaysia, we are blessed to have an abundance of land, natural resources and desirable places to live in - whatever your preferred lifestyle is. From revelling in the crisp highland air of Genting Highlands to the bright lights of Bukit Ceylon, or fast paced yet wholesome Damansara Heights to the grace of a mature neighbourhood that is Ampang,…

The advent of Covid-19 and the world’s subsequent lockdowns and movement control orders were a reminder of just how important nature and getting outside are to our physical and mental wellbeing. But not everyone is cut out to throw on a backpack and go off the grid. Malaysian weather is hot and sticky, its jungles dense and full of alien creatures and camping can be uncomfortable. Sleeping conditions are cramped, often on hard, uneven ground and the sanitary facilities are lacking. There are formidable souls out there that lap this stuff up, chiefly Bear Grylls, but for some of us there are modern conveniences we’re not willing to part with. Enter glamping. A portmanteau of the words glamorous and camping, glamping is all the joys of the outdoors with few…