Stadium Merdeka opened its doors to the public again recently, marking the stadium’s next chapter in its life serving the nation. In conjunction with Malaysia’s National Day, I Love KL goes back to the beginning to chart the stadium’s explosive beginning as that iconic location where the country marked and celebrated its independence, as well as th…

Send us a text Episode 3 of the Collegiate Series! Dymaund Farmer shares her journey to purpose and the people that helped to make it happen. She shares the difficulty of moving from being the smartest to among the smartest in her class. She learned through community that she was making the right choices when it comes to purpose and how to move pas…

Filled with loads of tradition, Petaling Street has been regarded as a heritage site with its historical buildings, traditional trades and rich history. Taking note of the clash of modernisation and inhibitors maintaining their traditional practices, arts-and-culture initiative Project Future Malaysia (PFM) introduced its latest project - “Traditio…

The Forest Learning Centre, the latest addition in Perdana Botanical Garden, was set up recently to make learning about our forest more accessible and approachable. They do that by offering guided tours, focusing on our local plants, trees and fruits, as well as exhibitions that are meant to bridge the gap between art and creativity with technical …

Send us a text Episode 2 of the Collegiate Series! Bailey and Chris share with us how they choose who to be connected with and how those connections have helped them to succeed. They discuss how they decide to leave people behind and why it's important to truly follow your purpose. The wisdom shared on this episode is like no other! Connections mat…

Human Edition is Shi Han’s attempt at deconstructing people and peeling away that veneer that we sometimes simplistically latch on to when it comes to perceiving others. Human Edition came to be amidst Shi Han’s struggles with her own career and life, and using her own experience as a reference point, she aims to tell the stories of others from a m…

Popa Nota is David Ho’s attempt at expressing his creativity and love for design in multiple shapes and forms. Combining typography, origami and paper engineering, he produces pop-up art that looks at alphabets and letters from a perspective that’s not only three dimensional, but also very tactile. David joins us on the show to share the story behi…

Send us a text Episode 1 of the Collegiate Series! I sit down with Eb and Malaya to discuss purpose as college students navigating schedules, purpose, and leadership. They both share how to grow in your career and leadership on purpose. They share wisdom on how to navigate with intention and lead others with grace. Eb's Bio: Ebenezer Aggrey is a 20…

Singapore’s short film industry is a small but vibrant one. With limited budgets, filmmakers aim to spotlight events and issues that rarely surface in more mainstream platforms. One such filmmaker is Leon Cheo, who has directed short films that focus on Singapore’s history. Today, we speak to Leon about his films Two is Enough (about the Stop at Tw…

Documentary filmmakers UNI Gallery are committed to capturing the stories and people behind Malaysia's traditional trades. Also known as 有你, or "Together With You", the team have created a vast library of documentaries, shining a spotlight on over 150 businesses and traditional practitioners - many of whom are "uncles and aunties" keeping generatio…

Inspired by the waste found on the beaches of Langkawi, Rebecca Yau, founder of social enterprise Ekha Langkawi wants to make upcycling fun through arts and crafts by turning waste - primarily plastic bags and discarded cotton t-shirts - into sustainable fashion. With the launch of the Ekha Hub in Central Market earlier this year, they're aiming to…

We head to Putrajaya and Cyberjaya to reflect on the history, growth and future trajectory of these two places with our resident heritage conservation expert, Elizabeth Cardosa. We start the conversation by reflecting on what Kuala Lumpur was like in the early 90s and the catalyst to move our administrative capital over to Putrajaya, as well as unp…

Most of us are familiar with famous intelligence agencies such as the American CIA, the British MI6 and Israel’s Mossad. But did you know Singapore has its own spy agency known as the Security and Intelligence Division (SID)? Its first chief was Tay Seow Huah, who helped build Singapore’s early intelligence capabilities during the height of the Col…

Generally, kindergartens are the first few public spaces where children will get to explore the world and mingle with the larger society outside of their families on their own. Therefore it’s extremely crucial for this educational institution to be designed accordingly to facilitate their growth and development properly. In this episode, we look at…

Last month, a number of incidents involving trees being uprooted due to bad weather and heavy storms led to various conversations surrounding trees and greeneries and their place in the overall city landscape. There were many suggestions and perspectives on the matter, and in this episode of I Love KL, we’ll be looking at the issue from an urban de…

This episode of I Love KL looks at heritage conservation efforts and buildings and wonders whether there are “expiry dates” to them. Is there an end period where heritage buildings would eventually have to be demolished? Likewise, do we stop conserving these buildings once they’re no longer relevant, especially to the younger generations? We explor…

How do you turn food waste from one of KL's busiest wet markets into natural dyes for art to tackle the city's perennial food waste issue? That's what DuniaMotif hopes to answer through its project and exhibition, the Kuala Lumpur Colour District. The exhibition, held earlier this month at the New Chow Kit Market, had visitors experience firsthand …

Growing up in the 90s, it was easy to look for fanbase who support English Premier League clubs. Whether its Manchester United or Liverpool, Aston Villa or Derby County, its always easy to find with just a throw of a stone. Despite of its rich history, the same can’t be said about the Germany’s Bundesliga. However, all that is about to change with …

We've been away too long so it was good to be back again recording another episode. This time, we managed to track down the head coach of the Kenyan National Team, Harambee Stars. To be honest, our relationship with coach Firat goes some way back when we got connected on LinkedIn. We had the pleasure of asking him on his coaching journey, his footb…

KitaBina is a community-powered DIY and woodworking makerspace in KL that wants to furnish individuals with DIY skills by helping them realise their woodworking potential. We speak with KitaBina co-founder Jon to find out more about the space, how they're tackling the prevailing stigmas that DIY skills might still carry, and how they're getting peo…

The Singapore Heritage Fest this year celebrates our nation's rich built heritage. One of the most striking examples of this are the public housing estates which dominate Singapore’s urban landscape. How did we remake the island’s colonial era urban spaces into Singapore’s earliest HDB estates? How did rehousing Singaporeans change our lifestyles a…

Bike Commute Malaysia (BCMY) is a grassroots NGO made up of architects, commuter cyclists, and urbanists, advocating for safer street design and low carbon mobility across Malaysia. The group aims to make streets more safer and inclusive to serve the needs of diverse mobility modes. Earlier this year, a pilot project was implemented in SK Danau Kot…

In conjunction with the upcoming by-election happening this weekend, I Love KL decides to travel out of Klang Valley slightly, to pay a figurative visit to Kuala Kubu Bharu. We look at the history of the place, what it’s known for now, and whether the negative aspects of development will ever come to this quaint little town. Photo credit: Selangor.…

The Force is strong this month as Star Wars Malaysia Fan Club commemorates Star Wars Day on the 4th of May in the best way possible! It’ll be a month-long celebration full of events organised by the club and many of its associates. Expect screenings of Episode I: The Phantom Menace in conjunction with the film’s 25th anniversary, flea markets, and …

Over the past four years, the Borneo Laboratory has woven together artists of diverse backgrounds and practices through their art. Aiming to bridge divisions and rekindle our shared roots through the ancestral wisdom drawn from Borneo's craft practices, Malayan communities, and global communities, the Lain Lain Project unveils these narratives thro…

When we study and discuss history in Singapore, we usually focus on the social and political history of this country. However, the people’s relationship with this island’s natural environment also tells a rich story of its own. Today, we speak to Associate Professor Timothy Barnard from the National University of Singapore about his new edited book…

We might be tempted to believe that to set off some of the city's best pyrotechnic nighttime spectaculars, you just gotta ignite the light and let it shine. But what happens before the fuses are lit? This week on I Love KL, we're joined by fireworks programmer Jeffry Bahary, the man behind the 2017 SEA Games fireworks and countless more firework sp…

Part of the tradition of commemorating Hari Raya Aidilfitri is to get fresh attire in the form of Baju Raya. Traditionally, Baju Melayu is the go-to outfit for men, but these days, people look for other options too as alternatives. Then, there are also those that modernise the Baju Melayu in various different ways. Sometimes, to mass approval, and …

Our conversations on heritage buildings have always had a mix of everything and is pretty even in its distribution, but for some people out there, their notion of heritage might tend to skew towards focusing on British colonial buildings, rather than vernacular or rural architecture. So, in this episode, to play a bit of a devil’s advocate, we deci…

Somewhere In The Kuala is an illustrated children's book that follows two kids, Han and Mina, on their whimsical, curious, sometimes even treacherous, adventure as they run around KL. The book, written and illustrated by Lisa Goh and William Chew, features no words or dialogue, but paints a wondrous picture of our city, its iconic buildings and are…

Pertubuhan Cahaya Hawwa, or Percaya, is an NGO dedicated to uplifting and empowering women in need. Despite still being in its infancy, the three women behind the organisation are no strangers to community work, having organised the Sebalang Kasih initiative annually since 2016, which aims to ensure the poor and the less fortunate have kuih raya du…

If you’re looking to learn more about the many architectural gems in KL, consider dropping by Singgah KL 2024! This third edition of guided tours organised by Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM) will explore 20 built environments in Kuala Lumpur, from high rise condominiums to contemporary office buildings, event spaces and even a mall! We speak to it…

The recently completed Merdeka 118 and The Exchange 106 continue Kuala Lumpur’s trend of developing buildings that are meant to be the tallest in the country, region and the world. It’s interesting to note that once upon a time, Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad was the tallest building in KL. It’s inevitable that progress and development have to happen …

When we think about the history of Indians in British Malaya, their work in the rubber estates usually comes to mind first. But Indians also helped construct, operate and maintain the Malayan Railways that stretched across the peninsula and connected Singapore as well. Along with the tracks came numerous Hindu temples and shrines that shaped Malaya…

This week on I Love KL, we immerse ourselves in the fantastical world of "Piying Dream", a brand-new immersive art exhibition at REXPERIENCE KL. The immersive exhibition, created by China-based immersive digital art exhibitor Temple of Light, is a digitally animated showcase of Chinese shadow puppetry that weaves together over 3,000 shadow puppet a…

From the outside, the world of bodybuilding might look very masculine, intimidating and vain, focusing on only aesthetics. But the truth is far from that as it’s a world filled with determined individuals that are very consistent, disciplined and meticulous in their routine. Joining us in this episode to dispel myths and misconceptions about bodybu…

Recorded on 26 January 2024. Episode 153. In this episode of dia.log, Wam tries to get into Tekken 8, Meck is happy alone in the swamp loving Final Fantasy XII (despite it all), and Danial played an RPG.And no, none of us played Palworld.

When we think about Southeast Asia during the Cold War, we usually think just about Indochina and the Vietnam War. But British counterinsurgency strategies and engagement with nationalist elites in Malaya and Singapore also influenced America’s anti-communist policies in the region. Today, we speak to Associate Professor Ngoei Wen-Qing from the Sin…

In a move that’s considered pretty regressive, the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Land Executive Committee is planning to degazette the land around Sungai Bunus flood retention pond, less than 4 years after gazetting it as an impounding reservoir. Despite claiming that the degazettement will be done purely to amend the land status to “Flood Rete…

Recorded on 12 January 2024. Episode 152 Happy new year and welcome to a new season of dia.log! Meck tries to kill chaos in Stranger Of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin, Danial keeps playing Baldur's Gate 3, Anan discovers the Yumijoshi Top 100 list and... the crew reunites with an old friend. Who's now married. And spoils Grey's Anatomy on podcast ab…

Recorded on 16 December 2023. Episode 151The seventh edition of the Gamer Malaya and Gamer Matters Game Of The Year Awards is here. Hear these three chuckleheads deliberate which of their favourite games should come on top in various award categories!

Recorded on 15 December 2023. Episode 150.Here we go, this is the 30 games of 2023 that the crew at Gamer Malaya and Gamer Matters believe are "the best".

Recorded on 1 December 2023. Episode 149. The Gamer Matters crew are prepping for the annual Game Of The Year Awards episodes so here are the three chuckleheads talk about just about anything tangentially related to video games.

Explore the fascinating history and complex narratives of Malaysia's new villages on this week's episode of "I Love KL." Join us as we ponder and navigate their origins, evolution, complexities and larger relationships with our society, then and now.

Recorded on 19 November 2023. Episode 148 On this episode of dia.log, Meck played Like A Dragon again and Cities Skylines 2, Danial tried out EA Sports WRC, and Anan is here for the indie game discourse. We also attended Indie Jam 2023, and talked more of "true indie" games made in Southeast Asia.

Recorded on 5 November 2023. Episode 147 In this episode of dia.log, Meck played Like A Dragon Ishin and Cities Skylines 2, Danial played Alan Wake 2 and refuses to pay for Call Of Duty this year, and Anan is here listening to the crew ponder about live service games.

Recorded on 20 October 2023. Episode 146. In this episode of dia.log, Meck is excited for his five-minute commute to the next mission in Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Danial is in sunny Singapore for gamescom asia 2023 and reporting what he saw on the show floor, and Anan asks if we would download a Gunpla.…

Recorded on 8 October 2023. Episode 145 In this episode of dia.log, Meck goes vroom in Forza Motorsport (2023) and Danial goes into Cyberpunk 2077 for the Phantom Liberty DLC. And Anan discover how Starfield's story has stirred some emotions. A full spoiler talk on Starfield starts at 1:10:40

Recorded on September 23. Episode 144In this episode of dia.log, Anan telling no caps on Lies Of P, Danial went cruising in The Crew Motorfest and Meck is not friends with Unity anymore.

Recorded on 8 August 2023. In this episode of dia.log, the crew all played Starfield and figured out if we are in the "yeay Starfield!" or "ergh Starfield" camp. Space Mondays, amirite?