logo
It's great fun going offline

It's great fun going offline

The Star16-07-2025
Just one more round...: Visitors playing at the many booths during the ABGF at 1st Avenue Mall in George Town. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: Imagine having to tear yourself away from the phone. Gasp!
But that's precisely what participants of the Asian Board Games Festival (ABGF) 2025 did for at least two hours as they familiarised themselves with the rules, devised strategies and tried to outdo each other in a friendly competition billed as the largest English-speaking board game convention in Asia.
'Nowadays, because of life and work, you tend to be glued to your phone. It was nice to be able to put it aside and just have fun,' said media lecturer Intan Amalina Mohd Ali, 34.
To her, the offline games were refreshing.
She said many people assumed board games were just for children.
'But some are actually for adults. They are really complex and make you think,' said Intan Amalina, who was among those who stopped by the three-day festival in 1st Avenue Penang, which ended on Sunday.
The event, which featured rows of tables filled with colourful cards and wooden tokens, drew in families, friends and curious onlookers.
Players drifted from one table to the next, and many stayed for hours.
Hospitality student Wong Jia Chuen, 23, went looking for new games to add to his growing collection.
'I have two younger siblings. We try to play on weekends when we're free,' he said.
'We like those with local themes. Some games make us feel like we are running a kopitiam or selling durians.'
ABGF began in Singapore in 2019 and came to Malaysia last year under a collaboration with creative studio Luma as part of the George Town Festival.
Luma founder Goh Choon Ean said more people sat down to play the games this year.
'We even had visitors from other states and countries,' she said.
'It was nice to see families and people of all ages laughing and playing without looking at their phones.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Cleo Laine, British jazz singer who performed with Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra, dies at 97
Cleo Laine, British jazz singer who performed with Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra, dies at 97

The Star

time7 hours ago

  • The Star

Cleo Laine, British jazz singer who performed with Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra, dies at 97

LONDON, 2025 -British jazz singer Cleo Laine, who performed with musical greats including Frank Sinatra and starred as an actor in London's West End and on Broadway, has died aged 97, the Guardian newspaper reported on Friday, citing a statement from her children Jacqui and Alec. Born to an English mother and a Jamaican father in a suburb of London in 1927, she initially worked as a hair-dresser, a hat-trimmer and a librarian. She married in 1946 and had a son while still a teenager. Driven on by her dream of becoming a singer, she divorced and got her big break in 1951, when she joined the band of English saxophonist and clarinettist John Dankworth at 24. Dankworth's band decided her name was too long - at the time she thought she had been born Clementine Campbell, though a passport application later revealed her mother had used her own surname Hitching on the birth certificate. The men of the Dankworth Seven band thought her name was too cumbersome for a poster, and that her nickname Clem was too cowboy-like. They settled on a new stage persona for her by drawing "Cleo" and "Laine" from hats. In 1958, she and Dankworth married. Their home became a magnet for London's jazz set: friends included stars from across the Atlantic such as Oscar Peterson and Ella Fitzgerald, Lester Young and Dizzy Gillespie. After acting as well as singing in Britain through the 1960s, Laine toured Australia in 1972 and performed at New York's Lincoln Centre. The recording of a further show, at Carnegie Hall, won her a Grammy. Recordings included "Porgy and Bess" with Ray Charles. In 1992 she appeared with Frank Sinatra for a series of shows at the Royal Albert Hall in London, but she was best known for her work with Dankworth's bands. He later became her musical director. The couple built their own auditorium in the grounds of their home near London and were friends with the late Princess Margaret, the sister of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Their two children went on to become musicians. Dankworth - who Laine described as being "joined at the hip" with her - died in 2010. Hours after his death, Laine performed a scheduled show in their auditorium, announcing the news about her husband only at the end of the concert. (Editing by Andrew Heavens and Olivier Holmey)

Two Malaysians defy limits to leave a legacy of creativity and courage
Two Malaysians defy limits to leave a legacy of creativity and courage

The Star

time14 hours ago

  • The Star

Two Malaysians defy limits to leave a legacy of creativity and courage

Disability is never the end of possibilities. With support, understanding and love, every individual can live a full, purposeful life and inspire those around them. No one lived that truth more fully than two extraordinary Malaysians who defied their respective physical and neurological limitations to build extraordinary lives. Although tech entrepreneur Tan Thong Kai and artist Janet Lee have passed on, their stories continue to demonstrate how love and support can empower even the most vulnerable among us to live not just ordinary lives, but impactful ones. Despite his physical disability, Thong Kai was active and independent. He wasn't defined by his condition and just wanted to live a normal, full life. Photo: Tan Thong Kai Thong Kai was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease. As a result, he wasn't able to walk and required a wheelchair to move around. When he was six days old, he had already suffered his first fracture during a bath. Growing up, his bones fractured easily, often healing poorly, leaving him with misaligned limbs. Yet, none of that stopped him from living his life to the fullest. He studied computer science, started his own business, travelled alone across continents and became a respected figure in Malaysia's e-sports community. Despite enduring pain, multiple surgeries and stares from strangers, Tan responded to life with humour, tenacity and unshakeable positivity. 'If a kid asked why he looked different, he'd joke, 'I didn't listen to my parents' advice to eat my vegetables, so make sure you do!'' reveals his sister Tan Li Lynn. 'Ah Kai turned awkward moments into laughter.' 'He made his difficult life seemed easy,' his brother Tan Jun Tat, adds. 'He always used to say 'Aspire to inspire', and he's definitely an inspiration to all of us.' Tan is survived by his younger siblings: sisters Tan Lay Hui, 36, and Li Lynn, 32, and twin brothers, Jun Liang and Jun Tat, both 28, and his father Datuk CS Tan, 69, a widower. Janet was an artist who expressed herself through colours. Photo: The Star/Samuel Ong Janet's journey was different but no less remarkable. Born a healthy baby, she began having seizures at 18 months and was later diagnosed with intractable epilepsy – which meant her condition couldn't be treated with medication. She often collapsed without warning, suffering bruises and injuries. By the age of 16, Janet still couldn't read or write. 'No one could explain why,' says her mother, Joyce Moi, 69. 'There was nothing wrong with her brain nor her eyes.' It wasn't until a specialist in Australia suggested that the issue could be a neurological disconnect between her brain and vision that the pieces finally came together. 'An educational consultant in Melbourne said Janet's reading and writing issues could be hindered because of her vision. While her eyes and brain were fine, the connection between them wasn't,' reveals Moi. Faced with two choices – to help her daughter live within her limitations or push her to discover her fullest potential – Moi chose the latter. That decision changed everything. Janet became an artist, expressing herself not through conventional techniques but through colours. 'She was a colourist,' Moi explains. 'Her art expressed her feelings, thoughts and moods through vibrant hues and shades.' Her works found homes in galleries, on fashion and premium items, and even in people's homes and offices as part of curated collections. Janet began using WhatsApp, YouTube, Facebook and could even order online meals independently. 'That might not seem like much to others,' says Moi. 'But for someone who was diagnosed as intellectually and developmentally disabled, she had come incredibly far.' Tan surprised everyone by travelling alone to Seattle for The International, an annual Dota 2 competition. He is pictured here with the Malaysian Dota 2 team. Photo: Tan Thong Kai While Janet's canvas was colour, Thong Kai's playground was digital. In 2003, he discovered Dota 2 – a multiplayer strategy game – and it quickly became his passion. Even though his physical condition made fast reflexes difficult, his strategic mind thrived. In 2021, Thong Kai joined the Ideal Coaching Global programme in Kuala Lumpur, training to help other players reach their potential. 'He told us it gave him confidence and purpose,' says Jun Tat. 'He couldn't always compete physically, but he could teach – and he was brilliant at it.' He even travelled alone to gaming tournaments and events in the United States, Norway and Ireland. 'He proved that physical limits didn't mean life limits,' he says. Janet, too, found meaning beyond her personal growth. Inspired by her journey, her family founded the House of Janet Lee, an initiative to mentor mothers of neurodivergent children. The project, encouraged by her father, Lee Tiam, 70, spearheaded by her mother, and named by her sister Joanne Lee, 42, aims to equip families with the tools and knowledge to help their children reach their potential. 'Every child deserves a chance, whether able-bodied, disabled or neurodivergent,' says Moi. 'That's what Janet taught us.' In 2022, Thong Kai (pictured with brother Jun Tat) opened Mecha, a mechanical keyboard store in Subang Jaya. Photo: Tan Thong Kai In 2022, Thong Kai opened Mecha, a mechanical keyboard store in Subang Jaya. It was one of the first of its kind in Malaysia, offering fully customised keyboards. 'It was his dream business,' says Jun Tat. 'He loved tech, design and wanted people to have keyboards tailored to their needs. Ah Kai understood struggle, so he always wanted to make things easier for others.' Thong Kai's store became a haven for keyboard enthusiasts – and a symbol of his resilience. His customers weren't just buying a product; they were witnessing a story of overcoming obstacles, and the of joy found in craft and connection. He was also a fan of Taiwanese singer and actor Jay Chou, never missing a concert in over 20 years. 'Jay Chou even asked from the stage, 'Is my fan Ah Kai here tonight?' That's how well he knew him,' says Li Lynn. Furthermore, he adored Singaporean singer-songwriter JJ Lin, and even met him once. 'Despite living with disability, Ah Kai was active and independent. He wasn't defined by his condition. He just wanted to live a normal, full life,' she adds. Janet was a colourist and expressed her feelings, thoughts and moods through vibrant hues and shades. Photo: The Star/Low Lay Phon Despite his physical fragility, Thong Kai's kindness was boundless. He was known among friends as the 'life of the party' – always cracking jokes, always ready to play games or hang out. But behind that infectious laugh was a deeply generous spirit, reveals one of his friends, Jeremy Tan. Once, a magician shared on social media that his gear had been stolen. Thong Kai had only met him once but immediately loaned him RM2,000. "Just want to help lah," he had said. 'Whenever anyone was feeling down because of difficulties, he'd say: 'You're healthy – you can find a way to solve this problem',' Jeremy recalls. Janet (right), pictured with her parents, has a legacy that lives on through her art (featured onfashion). The Star/Samuel Ong On Apr 21, Tan and his family had dinner together. 'It was such a happy night,' says Li Lynn. 'We didn't know it would be our last.' Their father flew to Australia that evening. The next morning, Tan developed breathing difficulties and couldn't be revived. The shock was immense. 'Most people with his condition don't live past 20,' their father confided. 'That he reached nearly 40 was already a miracle.' Thong Kai's siblings are still processing the loss. 'He taught us that life isn't about what you can't do,' says Li Lynn. 'It's about how much you give, how much you love, and how bravely you live.' When Janet passed away from ovarian cancer in 2023 at the age of 33, her family was devastated too, but they knew her journey wasn't over. Through her art and the House of Janet Lee, her story continues to guide other families in finding strength, even in hardship. These two never let their disabilities define them. Instead, they defined themselves through action, expression, joy and love. Their lives remind us that every individual – regardless of capability – has the potential to thrive, to give and to inspire. It starts with being believed in and loved.

Dancer Lee Kai Yin shares first photo of face since Mirror accident in 2022
Dancer Lee Kai Yin shares first photo of face since Mirror accident in 2022

The Star

time19 hours ago

  • The Star

Dancer Lee Kai Yin shares first photo of face since Mirror accident in 2022

Lee Kai Yin (right) uploaded a recent photo of himself (left) on social media on July 23. Photos: Lee Kai Yin/Instagram Hong Kong dancer Lee Kai Yin has shared a close-up photo of himself for the first time in three years. The 30-year-old, also known as Ah Mo, was critically injured in July 2022 when a giant LED screen fell on him during a concert by popular Hong Kong boy band Mirror at the Hong Kong Coliseum. Lee suffered a severe spinal injury and was in critical condition for more than a month. Reports then said he faced the possibility of being paralysed from the neck down. Hong Kong media said he has left the territory to continue his treatment overseas. On July 23, Lee posted on Instagram several photos, including one of himself in a wheelchair. Although filters were used on the face, the tattoos on his chest and one of his arms matched those in old photos of him. A scar was seen near his collarbone in the latest photo, which was probably caused by a tracheostomy tube in his neck. 'It's me!' he wrote in English, before adding in Chinese: 'I was encouraged by what the daughter of an optical shop owner said yesterday, so I'm going to share some of the little things which made me feel good lately and see if I can pick up energy from you all.' He posted a picture of the items on his table – including K-pop girl group NewJeans' official light stick and three Teletubbies figures – two photos of a sunset and two artificial intelligence-generated pictures of his cats. His girlfriend So Ching, a former member of Hong Kong girl group Collar, shared his post on Instagram Stories, writing: 'If I were half as strong as him.' In December 2024, Lee posted on Instagram his first photo of himself in hospital showing only his hand, while his father, pastor Derek Li, was beside him. 'Probably the only human being who loves me so much and actually cares about my every nanometer bit of improvement every single day,' Lee wrote then. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store