Oooohs, Aaaahs, And A Bit Of Storytelling At Seri Negara

 

Seri Negara is now open to the public after a refurbishment that finished ahead of schedule, and we finally made our way there. It really is splendid. The kind of place that makes visitors pause at the entrance of each gallery, mouths slightly agape, instinctively going “ooooh” and “aaaah”. That happened a lot. The exhibitions are thoughtfully curated, making them accessible for foreigners and, just as importantly, engaging enough for our young ones to grasp the history of both the building and the nation.

The tour guide did a decent job, though perhaps because everything is still fresh, he leaned a little too heavily on the script on his tablet. Things took a more personal turn for me when we entered the gallery on Malaysian pop culture. I found myself naturally slipping into storyteller mode, chatting with a few visitors — including some from Singapore — who seemed genuinely entertained. The group even asked to take a photo with me, which was unexpected, mildly amusing, and oddly flattering.

Walking around Seri Negara also means you’re free to explore the grounds at your own pace, taking as many photos or videos as you like. Built in 1913, this 112-year-old former King’s House has been beautifully restored in just 10 months under Khazanah Nasional’s Warisan KL initiative. Today, it houses cultural and heritage galleries, displays 14 artworks from Khazanah’s collection (some dating back to the 1960s), and offers inviting spaces like Semuka Café and Serai House for a nostalgic break. Entry is free, with registration via the Sahabat Seri Negara programme — always a bonus.

Being there also stirred up a personal memory. Back in 2010, I co-hosted an episode of Malaysia Hari Ini at nearby Carcosa. While many people lump the two together, Carcosa and Seri Negara are actually distinct historic colonial mansions within the Perdana Botanical Gardens, collectively known today as the Carcosa Seri Negara complex. Carcosa, built around 1898, was once the official residence of the British High Commissioner, while Seri Negara — originally called the King’s House — was completed in 1913 and served as an official guest house for VIPs. Standing in Seri Negara again, years later, felt like history looping back in a quiet, personal way.

Tia Sofia The Graduate!

Alhamdulillah. Congratulations on your graduation, my darling daughter Tia Sofia! Watching you reach this milestone fills our hearts with pride and joy.

And here's an amazing coincidence...

A Day At The Viral Library: Pustaka Raja Tun Uda

So, we finally made it to the “viral” library in Shah Alam -- Pustaka Raja Tun Uda. My daughter Tia is a full-on library lover, so this little outing felt like a cosy family field trip lah. Haha.

Pustaka Raja Tun Uda is a six-storey library set in a lush, green enclave near the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Golf Club. With its airy modern spaces and a collection that runs into the hundreds of thousands, it’s no wonder students, families, and knowledge-seekers flock here for a quiet place to read, learn, and just chill.

Beyond books, the library is impressively kitted out: discussion rooms, free WiFi, a Makerspace, recording studios, a bright children’s section, a café, a surau, and OKU-friendly facilities. It really feels like the kind of place where you can spend an entire afternoon without even realising it.

What made my visit extra meaningful, though, was spotting a coffee-table book on my alma mater, English College JB, right at the entrance. The book commemorates the school’s 100th anniversary. I was actually at the celebration back in 2014, but I never managed to get my hands on this special edition -- so finding it here felt like a small, unexpected full-circle moment.

Anyway, if you haven’t been, do drop by! It’s worth the trip.

And here’s a short video for your viewing pleasure 😄

Lando Norris Is F1 World Champion!

Lando Norris is the new F1 World Champion, and McLaren have finally completed their epic comeback after 17 long years! For the longest time, it felt like this moment would never arrive… but on the final day of the season, McLaren didn’t just have one driver in the title fight -- they had two. Both Lando and Aussie sensation Oscar Piastri entered Abu Dhabi with a real shot at the crown.

And just to crank up the drama even further, reigning world champ Max Verstappen had dragged himself back into contention over the last couple of months after a disastrous mid-season dip. Suddenly, it was a three-way showdown.

In the end, Lando sealed the championship by finishing third at the Abu Dhabi GP -- enough to clinch the title by just two points ahead of a charging Verstappen. Absolutely unreal.

What a season. What a fight. And once again -- massive congratulations to Lando Norris, the 2025 Formula One World Champion!

Why Don't I Remember This Stuff?

Just for fun, I spent the past weekend hunting down old Malaysia Hari Ini videos that I once co-hosted and compiling them into a playlist. I must have hosted a couple of hundred episodes of Malaysia’s No. 1 morning show, but the funny thing is -- I don’t actually have any proper archive of them. No hard drive. No personal collection. Nothing “for kenangan sake”.

It was a different time back in the 2010s. Not everything was easily recordable, and although Media Prima had an internal system where we could watch all programmes on demand, I never made it a habit to save even the “big” episodes. And tonton -- the portal I co-launched -- didn’t keep full episodes of MHI back then either.

So here I am today, scrolling through videos uploaded by random people on YouTube. Nostalgic? Definitely. Fun? Absolutely. But also a bit shocking because the videos made me go, “Eh, I interviewed THAT person?” or “I actually did THAT on the show??”

I’ve always credited myself with having a pretty good memory. While I may not be able to list every single person I interviewed throughout my media career (and trust me, it was A LOT), I usually remember the moment when I come across an article or video. But I guess age is catching up (haha), because quite a few memories have slipped through the cracks.

Case in point: I have absolutely no recollection of interviewing our current Deputy Prime Minister II, YAB Datuk Amar Fadillah Yusof, back when he was a deputy minister.

I mean, I clearly remember interviewing most of the politicians who came on MHI -- including the other DPM, Zahid Hamidi, as well as KJ, Ahmad Maslan, Mukhriz Mahathir etc -- but this particular interview? Zero memory.

But that’s the beauty of being on MHI. We got to meet and talk to people from all walks of life: politicians, celebrities, trend-setters, business icons, cute kids with big stories, and ordinary Malaysians with extraordinary experiences. It kept us on our toes -- we had to stay updated, stay sharp, and constantly refine our interviewing game because every day brought someone new.

So go ahead and check out some of these interesting interviews that I can hardly remember doing! There are dancers, martial artists, lawyers, bands -- the works!