On the brink of a new decade, I’m reflecting on the
events in the past 12 months and beyond with much gratitude for the many
blessings and opportunities where My Johor Stories could encourage
others in our community.
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| My Johor Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich Heritage [Left] and My Johor Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People |
My Johor Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich
Heritage was launched on 15 July
2017 and it went to the Number One spot in the MPH Non-Fiction Bestsellers List
in the first week of its launch.
With the readers’ support, this title stayed on the
Bestsellers List for consecutive weeks and months, and at end 2017, it was
counted among the Best of MPH in 2017.
The success of Book One led to the launch its sequel
on 1 December 2018, My Johor Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational
People*, a community-centered collection of stories that featured
inspirational people and Heritage Trades in various Johor towns.
While I was working on Book Two, I had the privilege
to present Book One to different groups of people including students in local
and international schools, university undergraduates, as well as clubs and
associations.
Some hotels and resorts placed my books in their rooms
and suites and when Book Two was published, they added this book sequel to
their rooms.
In the same way, Iskandar Regional Development
Authority (IRDA) placed special orders for the hardcover versions of my books
to present to their Board of Directors and to present as premium gifts.
I didn’t think much about it until the last few days
of Dec 2019 when I shared A tale of two books, because readers were
still keen to have their own copies of my books.
In moments of quiet reflection, I counted my blessings
and praised God for how far my books have gone to touch other lives.
Allow me to share some exciting highlights of the My
Johor Stories journey in 2019:
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| The team at Amari Johor Baru, holding my two books |
1
Hotel Amari Johor Baru agreed with me that travellers
liked to stay in a place with a story and in January, my Book One and Book Two were
placed in their hotel suites to enhance their guests stay.
This hotel, along with Suasana Suites Iskandar
Johor Baru and the Zenith Lifestyle Centre are built on the site of our city’s two
landmark cinema halls, Rex and Lido.
A hotel guest, the granddaughter of Basil
Draper, contacted me after she read and connected with My Johor Stories
during her recent stay with the Amari JB. [Please read: Johor heritage link-up at Amari JB.]
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| My books also available at selected Popular bookstores |
2
While browsing around in a mall, I was delighted to
discover that besides MPH bookstores nationwide and online via mphonline, my
books were also available from selected Popular bookstores.
Before my first book was published, I went into a
large bookstore to admire the beautifully bound books arranged on the shelves
and thought, “Someday I would have my book on these shelves too…”
It was indeed a profound pleasure to see my books on
the shelf in a section labelled, Non-Fiction by Local Authors!
3
With a heart for heritage, I was happy to partner with
the team who had ambitious but worthwhile plans to document the history of Soo Peng Hang Press, one of the earliest printing companies in JB,
in a bi-lingual book.
This book
project would be followed by the physical restoration of the printing press
equipment and finally, setting up the printing press for display as a heritage
institution.
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| Adding my autograph to the Foreword printed in the Soo Peng Hang book, for a reader |
For my
contribution in writing its English version, I was honoured with the privilege
to write a Foreword in this precious book.
4
When the
organisers in the University of Southampton Malaysia invited me to participate
in a TEDx Talk, I hesitated because it was a challenge to speak according to a
script, on a topic I was passionate about within (only!) 18 minutes!
It was another first for me and with their
encouragement and guidance, I rehearsed my presentation in the privacy of an
empty lecture hall, with a camera trained on me…
I will never forget that morning in March when my TEDx Talk, Connecting People through My Johor Stories, was successfully
presented (and recorded!) and is now available on the YouTube channel.
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| Speaking at the TEDx Talk organised by the University of Southampton Malaysia |
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| Screenshot from Dr. Neil's Facebook post |
5
In 2016 I met Dr. Neil Khor who was then Programme
Director with Think City and it was his confidence in my local stories which
encouraged me to publish My Johor Stories in partnership with Think City
and MPH Publishing.
In March 2019, I was informed that Dr. Neil was leaving Think City for a new
opportunity with an international platform, the UN-Habitat. Wow! The United
Nations…
I’m ever grateful for his support and advance
praise for Book Two, which is printed on the back cover.
I wrote a little thank-you tribute on Dr. Neil and was
delighted when he posted it on his FB page with kind comments and further
encouragement to progress with my next book!
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| With students and teachers at the Book Talk event 2019 |
6
In 2018, I had the pleasure to encourage student
leaders at SMK Dato Jaafar Johor Baru through sharing my book-writing journey
for My Johor Stories in a Book Talk event.
Then in May 2019, I was at the school again for a Book
Talk organized
by the Malaysian University English Test (MUET) Panel in a District Level event
with 160 Form Six students from eight schools.
There was
no short-cut to acquiring the basic skills for writing, so I took the
opportunity to inspire and challenge the students by sharing my experience with,
Reading & Writing: From hobby to career.
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| Facilitators at the Basic Citizen Journalism Course |
7
From secondary students to youths, I was then given
the opportunity to encourage young people
in our community to write and share news responsibly, equip them with the skill
sets to do so and increase their marketability for job opportunities.
I was among several facilitators in the first of a
series of three training courses under Youth Truth News – Basic Citizen Journalism
Course organised by The Iskandarian newspapers that invited participants
from the public.
This series of training courses aimed to
empower interested individuals, was held in June, August and October as part of
their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contribution to the community and
offered Free-of-Charge.
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| My presentation on three screens at the Malaysiana Forum! |
8
In October, I was deeply honoured to be among three
local authors invited to join the panel for the Malaysiana Forum 2019 organised
by KDU College University in Shah Alam.
This year’s forum in the theme, Appreciating Works
of Malaysian Authors, featured My Johor Stories along with authors
in two other genres in Politics and Horror.
This was yet another first experience for me and this
event ended with a forum where the panel of authors spontaneously answered
questions from the audience.
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| A screenshot from the TV screen sent by Dr Lemuel Ng |
9
FOLO Farms, Johor’s urban farmers, was featured under
Portraits in Book Two and early this year I was invited to join them when the crew
from RTM2 TV series, #OBB, short-form for #Orang Baik-Baik came to film a documentary on the farm’s inspiring work.
The
filming started documenting the
activities of how kitchen waste was collected in this recycling project in
partnership with Renaissance Johor Baru and ended at the farm with packing of
fresh produce, with a snippet that featured my comments.
As I was leaving the KDU premises, I received a message and
photo from Dr Lemuel Ng, one of the urban farmers, who said: “Thank you Peggy.
We are so happy that you are on National TV with us.”
Wow! Appearing on National TV – no matter how brief –
was also a first for me!
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| I was a member of the Award Committee again for IMB2P |
1o
This year, I was again invited by IRDA to participate
as a member of the Award Committee in their Iskandar Malaysia Beyond Boundaries Programme (IMB2P), to meet Batch Two shortlisted applicants, over two days of
review.
It was a challenge but a privilege to help IRDA assess the Art
& Culture pursuits by artists, practitioners and performers who were keen
to explore or get involved in a collaborative project with international
partner/s in Iskandar Malaysia, within Malaysia or abroad.
This year, I also had the opportunity to attend several events
of successful applicants from Batch One and witnessed how they had
constructively used the awarded funds.
. . .
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| With Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Datuk Mohammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik at Tourism Malaysia's Media & Industry Appreciation event in KL |
I’m more than pleased that two more exciting new
experiences are just ahead, happening in the first few days of 2020. But more
about this later.
Suffice to say that one entails speaking to a group of
diplomats-in-the-making and the other, for My Johor Stories to be listed
among distinguished names and honoured in a museum!
As we look ahead to a promising start for My Johor
Stories in the new decade, I take this opportunity to thank readers,
friends and family for your encouragement, love and support, and wish you all
that you wish for yourselves in 2020 and beyond. God bless!
* I’m thrilled that Heritage Traders featured in my Book
Two have developed their businesses after their stories were published in my
book, since December 2018.
Volcano Thunder Tea, a Hakka specialty [Non-Halal] that started in Kelapa
Sawit, has expanded to a new outlet at No. 279, Jalan Kenanga 29/9, Bandar Indahpura,
81000 Kulai.
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| Look at for this Johor brand at food-courts in modern malls! |
The next generation of the family that serves popular Haji
Wahid Mee Rebus has opened in food-courts in Johor and beyond to serve
their family recipe of noodles.
Besides Plaza Angsana in JB, these noodles are also
served at @mart Kempas, Aeon Tebrau City, Aeon Bukit Indah, Aeon Bandar Dato
Onn, Aeon Danga Bay and Toppen Mall; Outside Johor at Aeon Ayer Keroh, Aeon Nilai
and by March 2020, also at Aeon Shah Alam.
Family recipe Mee Ho Seng Kee [Non-Halal] located
on Level Six of Johor Baru City Square is expanding their businesses to the
adjoining premises to serve a wider menu.
JB’s famous place for traditional Indian cuisine, Kerala
Restaurant, has relocated to new premises at No. 55 Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, Susur
1/1, 80300 Johor Baru, and open for business in January 2020.
Read their heritage stories and more in My Johor
Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People, available from MPH
bookstores nationwide and online at mphonline.
