The best of 2015
SEA Games bling
Sixty-two gold medals – a clean sweep for gold in diving, gold for the first time in 14 years for the women’s artistic gymnastics team (go Farah Ann and team!), and a new record for the men’s 400m freestyle – which exceeded original expectations of 48 gold medals for Malaysia’s outing at SEA Games 2015.
It’s a girl!
Liang Liang and Xing Xing, both pandas on loan from China, broke a world record for being proud parents (without artificial insemination too) to a tiny female cub after less than two years in Malaysia. The local buluh betung (bamboo) might have something to do with it.
The Edge back in print
Back in July, the Home Ministry suspended the publishing permits of The Edge Financial Daily and The Edge Weekly for three months over the publications’ coverage on 1MDB. A rally on the streets and a legal battle later, the High Court lifted the ban. This is the first time a publisher seeking legal recourse has won in Malaysia.
New openings
In terms of new openings this year, KL is putting up a stellar report card. There’s TREC, there’s IKEA Cheras (‘getcheras’ there now), but we’re most excited over the revival of KL’s new favourite hangout: The Row at Jalan Doraisamy. Maybe because you can get really good fried seabass there.
[Admin] Lee Chong Wei, Malaysia, claims China Open title after beating World No.1 ranking Chen Long 21-15 , 21-11 in an action packed 50 minutes finals! #ChinaOpen #ChinaSSP #RoadToRio
Posted by Lee Chong Wei 李宗伟 on Sunday, November 15, 2015
A smashing return
Lee Chong Wei crushed top seed Chen Long at the China Open last month, becoming only the third Malaysian singles player to succeed doing so on Chinese soil. It was an even sweeter victory for the national hero as he beat nemesis Lin Dan in the semi-finals.
The worst of 2015
Haze, I just met you (again)
This year, smoke from Indonesia’s (now annual) forest fires choked us for more than a month in what some are calling the most serious man-made environmental disaster of the century. Marathons were cancelled, schools were shut down, flights were grounded, and asthmatic rates skyrocketed. Not cool, neighbour.
Financial scandals
You know, that one, that one, and that one also. You know I know lah.
I keep on fallin’…
Everything also drop lah. Ringgit drop, parliament ceiling drop, former DPM also dropped… But don’t simply drop yellow balloons, okay?
The party is over
This has been The Year of Cancelled Concerts – first to the chopping block was Thirst 2015, then Cash Cash’s performance at Zouk in May was called off and Robbie Williams was a no-show in KL in September. To make matters worse, Good Vibes Festival will only return next year, Urbanscapes definitely didn't happen this month, and Soulfest Asia has been ‘postponed indefinitely’.
Photo: Tkkurikawa/iStock
Toll hike takes its toll
Twelve highway concessionaires in the Klang Valley announced a sharp increase in toll rates between 10 sen and RM6 in October. The new toll rate for private cars on the DUKE highway, for example, is now RM2.50 (from RM2), RM3 (from RM2) at the SMART Tunnel, and RM2.30 (from RM1.60) on the NPE.
For an all-happy list, see the 15 best dishes of 2015.