Thye Seng 105

08/05/2026

Thye Seng 105 is pleased to announce that it will be hosting the first ever Kampar ZineFest, at the end of October 2026, in collaboration with Kinta Zine Club Some of us at TS105 have been making zines for more than four decades and so we are excited to be able to promote and support the activity and the community in this way.

But we do not want that support to begin and end with a single event. As part of our longer-term commitment to sustaining and celebrating Malaysian zine culture, we have decided to create and house a Malaysian Zine Library: a repository of zines made by Malaysians, accessible (FOC) to anyone interested in reading, research, or inspiration. We hope Malaysian zinemakers will support this endeavour by sending us copies of your zines (two copies if possible; if not, then one).

It strikes us that there seems to be a natural kinship between small towns and zines: both are often overlooked, deeply personal, sustained by community, and rich with voices, histories, and perspectives that larger cultural centres can miss. It seems fitting, then, that Kampar — with its own layered histories and independent spirit — should become a home for this celebration and archive.

Whether you’re a long-time zinester, a first-time maker, or simply someone curious about independent publishing, we hope you will come join us at the Kampar ZineFesta as well as visit the Malaysian Zine Library. Our goal is to keep this vibrant DIY culture visible, accessible, and alive. By sharing, preserving, and celebrating the work of Malaysian zinemakers, we hope to honour the past, support the present, and help ensure the future of Malaysian zines.

Kampar Zinefest 2026 will be held at Thye Seng 105 on 24 and 25 October.

To be included in the Malaysian Zine Library, send 1-2 copies of your zines to Thye Seng 105, c/o Daphne Lee, 105 Jalan Gopeng, 31900 Kampar, Perak.

Stay tuned for more information.

04/05/2026

We are a lived-in work-in-progress, an over-one-hundred-year-old shophouse and family home, lovingly restored to as near its original appearance as is practical and possible. DM us for a visit. There’s so much more to see: the shophouse is 120 feet long and there’s an upper story, and treasures from the past!

02/05/2026

In April, we were delighted to welcome visitors from Japan and Singapore:

1) Benjamin Ho, artistic director of Paper Monkey Theatre.

2) Vincent Ong, general manager of Paper Monkey Theatre.

3) Muhammad Ridhuan Jailer, visual artist.

4) Barry Yeow, visual artist.

5) Sachiko, a personal friend of the Thye Seng family.

Thye Seng 105 looks forward to future collaborations with Paper Monkey, as well as both Ridhuan and Yeow.

30/04/2026

Thye Seng is sponsoring five aspiring photographers to attend celebrated photographer Kim Boon’s morning photo walk on 17th May in Kampar.

There’s nothing like watching an expert in action and seeing the world through their eyes to teach you a thing or two about photography. So, drop us a DM to reserve your free spot on 17th May!

13/04/2026

Looking forward to attending this performance on 24th April!

*Some were sold. Some were taken*

They didn’t leave by choice.
Forced onto ships,
sent across the sea into the unknown.

This was “Crossing to the Southern Seas.”

A journey of survival.
A history carried in our blood.

🎭 A Song of Crossing to the Southern Sea
*Glove puppetry (POTEHI) × Hokkien Liam-Kua × live music*

A powerful stage work
about migration, memory, and identity.

📍 KOMTAR Auditorium A, Penang
🗓 24 April 2026 (Fri) – 7:30 PM
🗓 25 April 2026 (Sat) – 7:30 PM
🗓 26 April 2026 (Sun) – 3:30 PM

🎟 Book now:
https://www.cloudjoi.com/shows/5206-a-song-of-crossing-to-the-southern-sea/

Seats are limited.






PenangEvents
theatre

A cross-disciplinary performance combining puppetry, narrative singing, and music, exploring the history and emotions of Nanyang migration. 以布袋戲、唸歌與現場音樂交織而成的舞台作品，重現華人南來過番的記憶與情感，一場關於遷徙、家園與海的...

10/04/2026

A taste of Phan Ming Yen’s performance of ‘Karatachi-no-hana’ by Yamada Kosaku at Thye Seng 105’s first music event.

10/04/2026

The audience, waiting to be admitted into the performance area! Thye Seng 105’s first music night is off to a great start!

02/04/2026

We had the pleasure of Dr Wong Wun Bin
of UTAR Kampar’s Faculty of Chinese Studies visiting with some of this undergraduates.

We are planning collaborations with UTAR that will involve Thye Seng 105 working closely with UTAR undergrads, from various faculties, on different arts and heritage projects and events. Follow us for updates!

If you are reading this and have an idea of an event and project that you want to work on at TS105, DM us or email [email protected]

22/12/2024

Meeting Point betwen North and South

Thank you to Dr Chang Tou Liang and Dr Jane Gouw for coming up all the way from Singapore and Sharon Cheah for driving down from Penang this morning for making time to visit.

photo courtesy: Sharon UH Cheah