The Year 2026 Belonged To Michelle Yeoh

 2026 really was Michelle Yeoh’s year. The prelude was the Singapore premier of “Wicked-For Good” where Michelle showed up with co-stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Elviro.   

That was November 2025 but it was the start of a string of wonderful 2026 announcements for Michelle Yeoh.    

First up was Michelle launching the Visit Malaysia Year on 3 January 2026. 

Michelle Yeoh at the launch of Visit Malaysia Year 2026

..walking on Jalan Bukit Bintang to meet PM Anwar Ibrahim

Here she was walking down Bukit Bintang Road waving to the Malaysian crowd and on the way to meet Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. After exchanging greetings she proceed to gesture the 'flip it around from Madame Morrible to Wicked Witch' from the movie 'Wicked - For Good'.

.." i am very priveleged to be here tonight" ..... 

     1. Madame Morrible            2. flip it into                      3. Wicked Witch          4.Madame Morrible

The next good news was on February 13 2026 when she received the Honorary Golden Bear award during the 76th Berlin International Film Festival in recognition of her outstanding achievements in film and cinema.

Sean Baker, the producer of ‘Sandiwara’ in which Michelle acted, presented the Golden Bear award to her. In the 11 minute short film made in Penang with an iPhone Michelle Yeoh played the role as five different characters , The Critic / The Hawker / The Waitress / The Vlogger and The Singer.

Sandiwara was amazing. Michelle played multiple roles and that it was filmed in a local environment using Penang as the backdrop. I epecially liked the roles of the Waitress (that dressing was so old school ) the Vlogger (depicting the foods Of Penang) and that sultry Singer was tantalizing and the setting was Red Garden Food Paradise was actually a local night outlet.

a youthful Michelle, knitware top and bell bottom jeans..a period dress in the early days 

Michelle the vlogger .... 

Michelle ..the sultry singer ...such beauty and tantalizing versatality ......

The piece de resistance of Michelle’s year was being inducted into the Hollywood Walk Of Fame on February 18 2026. 

She earned the Star since the 90’s with Hong Kong action films alongside Jackie Chan. Then her first Hollywood English movie was the 1997 James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, where she starred as Wai Lin alongside Pierce Brosnan. before becoming a global star, with credits spanning "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and "Crazy Rich Asians". In 2023 she became the first Asian performer to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in "Everything Everywhere All at Once."

Isn't she the Best!

JAG

MAY.. The Month of Mary – Our Mother Of Perpetual Help

The Month of May - dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary 

May is the month of Mary. Thats been the rule every May month of the year. It’s also when individuals and families who have statues of Mother Mary bring them to church during the morning mass to get them blessed by the priest.

..the display of  Mother Mary statues .....

Yesterday 1st May being a holiday, the mass was held in the evening so it was a photo opportunity to document this lovely ritual on the Month of Mary. There was a personal statue which was 3ft high and also a 100+ year old statue which the owner said was called Lady of Victory that had been given a touch over after a long time. 

Blessing of all statures ....

All the statues were taken home after mass and all proud owners felt much blessed and closer with their private and personal ‘Mother Mary’.

..proud owners taking their statues home ...

The owner calls it (left)  Lady of Victory, (middle) 3ft personal statue ...

JAG

  

 

YLCO Family And Museum Receives A Visitor - Millie Chan On Family Business

The large YLCO (Yeoh, Lim, Chew and Oh) family also has a Museum 

Millie Chan (photo inset) is a lawyer from Ipoh who also lectures on Family Business. She is the daughter of the late Ipoh industrialist Dato’ Chan Swee Ho and grand daughter of Chan Chee Keong. She has since relocated to Canada also practising law and lectures on Family Business for the Asia School of Business a University, Kuala Lumpur established by Bank Negara.

A lot of her businesses she works with are family owned hence she dropped by YLCO (Yeoh, Lim, Chew and Oh) museum and met its curator Ignatius Chew. Ignatius explained the benefits of a museum where families gathered especially during festive seasons, share old memories and bond with relatives and catch up with the latest family news.

Millie's lecture will emphasize on how families governed and guided and will touch on the soft issues ie personality and the various ways to make families to cohere and bond together. She is planning to introduce the family museum and mention of its cohesive power.

"It does not have to be big place just a place where you linger and share the past during their grandparents’ time, reminiscence and whilst sharing their differences recognise that problems arise but in a different context. I will teach the students about the benefits of having a museum".

Ignatius Chew showing Millie the exhibits at the Museum

According to a 2017 report by Credit Suisse Family 1000, 11 of the top 25 countries with the largest number of family owned businesses are located in Asia. China is ranked #1, India (#3) and Malaysia (#7) while Singapore (#17). The spectrum of family business is enormous from multinational giants to corner grocery store to those that have been passed onto succeeding generations but they share one defining characteristic ‘they are connected to a family’.

Oscar winning actress Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh is part of the YLCO family 

Eight months ago Taylors University – IFEC (International Family Enterprise Centre) and Raffles Institution, Singapore visited for a similar purpose. It’s good to know YLCO museum can contribute positively towards a community family system.

JAG

DBI Dumpster Swill .... is so bad resident complains to MBI

 

This dirty Dumpster swill fouled the road 

Received this complaint from a resident of Bercham requesting to complain about this Dumpster irresponsible actions …..”this morning around 8.15a.m a MBI Dumpster truck came by the front of my house and let loose a load of ‘swill / rubbish and dirty stinking water’ from the truck right in front of my house. The stench of the dirty waste water was so strong that it fouls the air.  The truck driver or the supervisor must have some hygiene not to dirty the housing road”.

Bercham resident / KC

Second Meru Valley Resort Derby

(L) Regina Lim presents the Derby trophy to Mr Sundararajan while Lim Keng Hoo looks on (R) winning horse 'Guru Fight' with Jockey KA Brewer 

The second Meru Valley Resort Derby was held on 22 March 2026 at the Perak Turf Club. Mr Lim Keng Hoo with his wife Regina  Lim represented Meru Valley Resort and presented the trophy to the owner.

The winner of the event was won by Guru Fight a 4yo brown Australian gelding ridden by jockey KA Brewer, trained by Simon Dunderdale and owned by Mr Sundararajan from Maximus Racing Stable.

Lim Keng Hoo (5th from left) followed by Regina Lim, jockey KA Brewer, John Lim PTC Chairman, Trainer Simon Dunderdale and owner Mr Sundararajan (holding the trophy) 

Ban Hoe Seng Auto, a member of the group brought two vehicles for display a Honda CR-V and Hyundai luxury van  ...

John Lim with Mr Lim Keng Hoo and Regina Lim

Ignatius Chew with (L) Kanna Jeyaratnam and (R) William Balasingam 

Ignatius Chew and John Lim with (L) Fiona Cheang and Annie Ho from Ban Hoe Seng Auto  (R) Sylvie Yap and Lim Keng Hoo

KC

Taking Refuge ...in my Bird Bath

It may be 40'C in the country but its cool under this cascading bird bath 

KC

 

Kuah Wei Ming aka WMK Visits YLCO Museum And Ignatius Chew

Kuah posing with a photo of Michelle Yeoh at YLCO Museum 

YLCO museum had a pleasant surprise this week when a regular Fb contributer and heritage enthusiast, WeiMingKua aka WMK visited the museum and met Ignatius Chew.

His full name is Kuah Wei Ming. He was brought by another Fb friend and fellow photo enthusiast May May and friend Ann Wong.

Kuah with May May and Ann Wong

Kuah usually posts one photo on his Fb post and adds a caption explaining the subject and date of the photo. All of his photos are about Ipoh and were contributed by family, friends and other sources. Whenever he wants to know more of a photo he refers to books to provide the background and details the caption accordingly.

..one of WMK's photos taken from his Fb page with details captioned 

His interest began around 15-20 years ago when he used to reference ‘Christian Art in Asia’ probably due to being a student of St Michaels Institution. Over the last 5 years he became interested in the Ipoh of yesteryears and would read from any source of information.

Ignatius explains the family connections ...

..having a heritage discussion .....

Ignatius reads Kuah’s postings saying they show a past era and provides valuable information. Ignatius gave Kuah the tour around the museum explaining the family connections all the while exchanging heritage notes. 

Kuah has a keen eye when composing his shots 

Meeting Kuah was a pleasure. Will it translate to more shared heritage information in future.

JAG