Maggie Cheung Ho Yee

Hong Kong Actress

“True investment isn’t just about financial yield; it’s about acquiring pieces that continue to yield intellectual and emotional dividends over time.”

For celebrated Hong Kong actress Maggie Cheung Ho Yee, the trajectory from screen icon to talent agency founder and art connoisseur is not a departure from her craft, but its natural, elevated evolution. In an exclusive conversation with EZ Malaysia during her visit to Penang, she reveals a life beautifully recalibrated by the discipline of fine art, curation, and intentional living, demonstrating that creativity knows no rigid boundaries.

Cheung views her iconic acting career—particularly in atmospheric period dramas like War and Beauty—as a form of transient living sculpture. Performance, much like fine art, relies heavily on negative space; the tilt of a head, a held breath, or a deliberate pause often speaks much louder than written dialogue. This acute aesthetic sensitivity now directly guides her approach to art curation and investment. Rather than chasing fleeting market fads, she walks through galleries waiting for a “visual gasp”—artwork that offers a deep emotional spark and quiet mastery. For Cheung, emotion acts as the key that opens the door, while structural curation ensures it remains standing.

“Reinvention is not about discarding who you were; it is about unfolding the next layer of who you already are.”

This philosophy of restraint mirrors her visionary capsule exhibition concept for EZ Malaysia readers, titled “The Space Between Shadows and Light” (陰陽之間). Fusing Eastern philosophy with Western minimalism, the conceptual salon serves as a sanctuary of contemplative beauty, spotlighting contemporary Asian abstract masters who bridge heritage with modern form. For Cheung, managing a fine art portfolio demands the exact same patience as nurturing raw creative talent. Both disciplines require looking past immediate noise to protect long-term intrinsic value and mature over time.

Away from the camera lens, art and regional travel provide Cheung her ultimate luxury: the freedom to simply observe. Wandering through the heritage streets of Penang, she finds inspiration in the warm timber and historic patina of George Town, which directly influences her interior design choices. Her own home is a minimalist sanctuary built around air and natural light, allowing her collection to breathe. To the next generation, Cheung offers a blueprint for longevity: build “creative capital” by feeding the mind. True reinvention is never a chaotic leap, but the elegance of aligned action and consciously curating your attention.

by CHT

Glen Chee · Candy Cheong

Singaporean · Malaysian

Fifteen years ago, standing on the wind-scoured ridge of Pakistan’s treacherous Gondogoro-La at 5,585 meters, Singaporean Glen Chee dropped to one knee and proposed to Malaysian Candy Cheong. His lungs burned from the thin air, his legs trembled in crampons, and fixed ropes anchored them to the raw edge of the Karakoram range. Yet through the freezing exhaustion, Candy said yes—it was a proposal etched in ice and adventure! Returning home, Glen and Candy packed away their high-altitude gear into an old trunk, pushed it into a dark corner of the storeroom, and quietly hung up their mountaineering boots. They traded glacier ascents for domestic life, running marathons, exploring cities, and traveling at a leisurely pace. But by 2025, a deep, persistent craving returned to their souls. The mountains were calling them home, and it was time for one gloriously crazy comeback.

They set their sights on the Nepalese Himalayas: Mera Peak. Standing proud at 6,476 meters, it promised a breathtaking front-row seat to five of the planet’s six highest giants: Everest, Lhotse, Cho Oyu, Makalu, and Kanchenjunga. To turn this wild dream into reality, they entrusted their safety to living legend Khoo Swee Chiow, the famed Singaporean adventurer who has stood atop Everest three times and crossed over 300 peaks worldwide. Excited, they dragged that forgotten trunk out from the storeroom. Opening it was a heartbreak; 15 years of dormancy had reduced their trusted gear to literal dust! A massive shopping spree later, fully geared up, they embarked on three months of relentless hill climbs and road runs. They felt ready, but the mountains would soon prove them delightfully wrong.

Their expedition was a close-knit crew of seven like-minded Singaporeans and Malaysians who cherished efficiency and comfort. To maximise time on the trails and skip the grueling road approach, they chartered private helicopters from Kathmandu directly to Kothe (3,691m), nestled inside the remote Hinku Valley. From Kothe, the trek to Thagnak was a leg-draining warm-up against a backdrop of surreal majesty, pushing upward toward Khare across rocky moraines and beneath staggering vertical cliffs. At Khare (5,045m), they settled down for crucial acclimatisation. Above 5,000 meters, high altitude is a silent game of patience; skipping this step means severe illness, permanent injury, or death. Here, they strapped on crampons for refresher training, practicing jumaring, roping, and ice-axe handling on icy slopes. Then came the push to the Mera massif, where romance met raw, unadulterated agony.

Ascending the massive Mera glacial slope between 5,300 and 6,000+ meters was an agonising, 16-hour ordeal. At this height, the air pressure plummets, cutting effective oxygen down to a brutal 47%. In sub-zero cold, every single step felt like lifting lead weights. Severe breathlessness tore at their chests, extreme fatigue settled into their bones, and a thick brain fog clouded every thought. They didn’t just walk; they waddled, crawled, and fought for every inch of elevation. Standing on the Mera massif at their absolute physical limits, Glen and Candy leaned into each other. They would never have made it without the flawless guidance of Khoo Swee Chiow, alongside the astonishing care, technical skill, and infectious warmth of their Sherpa team; Lead Sherpa Guide Ngwang, Sherpa AP Pasang, Sherpa Rinji, and the superhuman porters who carried their gear with effortless grace. Lying in high camp, battered and bruised, Glen and Candy swore to each other: “Never, ever again!”

Yet, less than a month later, looking at the faded tan lines on their faces and the fresh fire in their eyes, the mountain magic had already worked its spell. The pain is fading; the triumph remains. The gear isn’t going back into the trunk this time. In fact, they are already eyeing 2027. Whether it’s a return to Mera Peak or a dramatic summit of Mt. Kazbek in Georgia, the mountains haven’t seen the last of Glen and Candy.

by Dato’ Dr Ooi Kee Beng

Dato’ Dr Ooi Kee Beng

Executive Director of Penang Institute
Founding Editor of Penang Monthly
Festival Director for George Town Literary Festival

“When is the hardest time to be positive? When you are in a personal crisis, of course. But that is also the time when you can learn things that are the most life-changing for you. So, don’t waste your crises, crises don’t come every day.”

My self-image is that of a writer. That had always been the case. More precisely, I love to learn, and then digest facts into exciting big pictures that I can then put into words. I realised, however, that truths come in layers and in different shades, and you have to peel, peel and peel, and view, view, view, to experience successive epiphanies.

I began working life in Penang as a reporter, and then a sub-editor, a giver of newspaper headings. That was Chapter 1 of my adult life.

Chapter 2 was when I left Malaysia for Sweden, where I worked as a restaurant janitor, floor sweeper, bus-boy and dish washer for a couple of years before entering Stockholm University. My deepest interests were in language philosophy, history, Chinese culture in various forms, and modern geopolitics including Asian post-colonial studies. Big pictures subjects. Meanwhile, I supported myself working three-day weekends at Ericsson Electronics, and raising a daughter.

“Life is simply the period between Birth and Death; it is not the opposite of Death. Birth and Death are bookends, precise points in time. Meaning is found in the space between them”

Chapter 3 involved raising a second family—a son and another daughter—and moving to Singapore to work at the think tank which we now know as ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. I blossomed with this switch from academic lecturing to think tank work. I learned to think through writing. The more I wrote, the more I realised that A-Ha moments can be a frequent experience. Writing is the best way to weave together “the big picture”, about all things, really. That intense period made me an award-winning author. Doors opened even more, and in many directions. Biographies about leaders became my thing, alongside commentaries in regional newspapers. I helped to found the Penang Monthly in 2009, for which I have always written the editorial. That has been a fruitful column for me, along with my regular column in The Edge, “Picking on the Present”.

It is true that you make your own luck; but it takes a lot of hard work to get lucky. Singapore offered me much, and I was smart enough to make full use of it.

In 2017, Chapter 4 began. I was now ready to return to Penang. By then, I must have written 20 books. There is so much left undone in Malaysia, so much to do, so much to be exasperated about. My return synced nicely with the Reformasi Movement. Undeniably, change is generational. What my generation couldn’t do, this new one was trying hard to do. And in that sense, they became my muse.

“The phenomenon of international trade has been costly to build,
and we should now make full use of it to help humanity accept its diversity and recognise the need for peoples and governments to be tolerant, mutualistic and humble.”

Running Penang Institute is the best job possible for a returning son of the island. I believe I have made some lasting impact—on Penang’s public discourse and its policymaking ecosystem, and on the young.

Chapter 5, The Epilogue, remains to be lived—and to be written about. I look forward to it.

Chef Whan Srintip Ruangraigomen

Head Chef of as i am by chef ton

“Authenticity in Thai cuisine has no shortcuts. Respect begins with the ingredients”

Chef Whan Srintip Ruangraigomen’s culinary journey is a masterclass in discipline, evolution, and the pursuit of authentic flavor. Her foundation was built at Suan Dusit University, Thailand’s premier culinary school, where she balanced her degree with a role as a Teacher Assistant, a precursor to her future as a leader.

In 2017, Whan joined the kitchen of the renowned Bo.lan. For two and a half years, she immersed herself in the rigors of Thai fine dining. It was here she learned the “no shortcuts” philosophy, mastering the art of crafting traditional Thai ingredients entirely from scratch. Seeking to broaden her technical horizon, she moved to Gaa in 2019. Immersed in a multicultural environment (60% international staff), she refined her European techniques and emerged as a confident communicator.

“I left David Thompson’s kitchen not just as a cook, but as a student of gastronomy ready to find my own direction.”

Whan’s perspective on Thai cuisine reached new heights at Aksorn, under the mentorship of David Thompson. She regards Thompson as her greatest influence, credited with teaching her the scientific precision and “heart” behind Thai gastronomy. Under his guidance, she moved beyond recipes to master the troubleshooting of complex flavour profiles.

Driven by a desire for career growth, Whan’s path led her to Chef Ton. Connected through Chef Nhat of Sood Penang, Whan recognised an opportunity to master the PR and management skills that define world-class restaurateurs.

In April 2025, Chef Whan took a bold leap, moving from Bangkok to Malaysia to become the Head Chef of as i am by chef ton, which officially opened in February 2026. Transitioning to a new country has been her greatest challenge yet. While she admits she wasn’t “born a leader,” she is proving her mettle by navigating cultural nuances and managing a diverse team with grace. Her mission is clear: to bring uncompromising, authentic Thai soul to the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

“I wasn’t born a leader, but I am becoming one through the challenges in
as i am by chef ton“