Songs & Stories

Songs & Stories duo Gina Yap Lai Yoong and Juwita Suwito return for a year-end bonus, sharing their thoughts about Christmas. Join them as they discover their differing traditions, introduce two homegrown songs produced specially for the season, and take some time to pause before the arrival of the new year!

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Gina and Juwita had heard about the Bajau community – knowing them as sea nomads and super divers. But is there more to the Bajau ethnic group than is seen on the surface? Bringing the girls back to his hometown at Kalapuan island was a Bajau boy named Hardy who gave them a glimpse of life on an island and at sea.

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Three more days till Malaysia Day, Gina Yap Lai Yoong and Juwita Suwito chat about the difference between Malaysia Day and National Day, the largest roundabout in the world, and how the Ringgit currency got its name. Join them as they share more fun facts about their beloved country.

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Semporna is a diving haven but somewhere on an island out there, an ideal place awaits non-divers and young families too. Join the Gina Yap Lai Yoong and Juwita Suwito on Mataking as they recall interesting stories from coral rejuvenation to first-time diving, kayaking, a reef day initiative, island weddings (above and underwater), and a shipwreck postbox!

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What are your fondest memories of National Day? How do we creatively express our love and hope for our nation? Are we willing to go the extra mile? Join Juwita and Gina in a heartfelt chat and get a poetic treat plus a double dose of songs for a dash of that Merdeka spirit today!

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How does a town get its name? What does upcycling have to do with building a sense of community? Why in the world would Gina have Mee Racun not once, but twice in a single trip? Join the girls in their Batu Pahat adventure as they bring you stories from the historic Johorean town and let Juwita daze you with the origins of Kuda Kepang Reog Ponorogo.

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Stress is a strange thing. In this episode, Gina and Juwita chat about their high stress levels during the pandemic despite being self-declared homebodies. They also share their coping mechanisms along with some self-diagnosis as to whether they are suffering from cabin fever.

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Did you know that there are three groups of indigenous populations in Malaysia? Ever imagined what it might be like to experience the MCOs in the kampongs, on your own land? In this episode, Gina and Juwita chat about the Orang Asli, Orang Ulu and Anak Negeri of Malaysia — collectively known as the Orang Asal. Juwita also introduces a festive Murut song while Gina shares folk stories from the Temuan tribe.

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Buriek and Pua Kumbu are more than traditional cloth and craft in Sarawak, they are arts of state heritage that is a very big part of Malaysia. Today, Juwita and Gina spill the beans on these precious crafts and how you can identify a good masterpiece when you see one.

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As promised, Juwita and Gina take you on an adventure on the longest river in Malaysia, on a 3-hour Express to Kapit, Sarawak. Take a stroll around Market Teresang and be transported into foresty Bornean dreams by the sound of the Sape!

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The girls didn't expect to be stunned by the longest river in Malaysia having learnt about Sungai Rajang from their textbooks. More than that, Juwita discovers her happy place and Gina shares about her first experience in a traditional longhouse.

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Juwita and Gina bring you through their Memories of Penang along with a late-night discovery for all brave hearts out there. Known as the Pearl of the Orient, what mysteries do Penang hold? Join us in this week's podcast to find out,

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Addicted or not addicted? In this episode, Gina and Juwita share about table top games they've been hooked on — from age-old, multi-edition games like Monopoly to online adaptations of newer ones. They also give us a peek into the mind of game creators and introduce some locally-designed board games to lepak with during this pandemic season.

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There can only be one Godfather but there is a whole generation of Lims in Johor whose Chinese given names start with Jit! In this episode, Gina and Juwita share about a pair of cousins whose life-changing encounters ushered them into the passionate business of serving communities in Kluang — in very different ways. 

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In conjunction with Father's Day and World Music Day, Gina gets Juwita to chat about a song she wrote for her dad! The girls also share some of their fondest memories of their fathers and music festivals, and why they think Malaysians should be excelling in the world music genre.

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A continuation from the previous podcast episode, Juwita and Gina continue sharing their shocking discoveries in Tawau, Sabah. Be prepared to drool as they describe all the interesting food they have tried out, some for the first time! The girls will also be introducing an old Malaysian song by one of Malaysia’s renowned filmmakers: Pete Teo.

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Juwita and Gina bring you through their adventures in the third biggest city in Sabah, Malaysia. It was their first time experiencing many activities including riding on ATVs, ziplining between trees, and tasting chocolate porridge! Listen in on their adventures to discover what you can do when you visit Tawau once this pandemic is over.

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It's the Harvest Festivals weekend in Borneo! The Dayaks in Sarawak celebrate Gawai while the Sabahans celebrate Kaamatan. Gina and Juwita share the origins behind both festivals, accompanied by Mayabayu's latest release - Battle Cry. It's so epic, you don't want to miss it!

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Did you know that Malaysians are makers of musical instruments too? Join Juwita and Gina as they recount their visits to a gong-making village in Kudat, Sabah, and a social entrepreneur's cajon manufacturing workshop in Kluang, Johor!

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Selamat Hari Guru! We all have had at least a teacher in our lives — whether formal or informal. We've seen them day-in-day-out at school or tuition classes, but how well do we really know them? In this episode, Gina and Juwita share their encounters with teachers, even those outside of school, and how some have left an indelible mark in their lives.

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Born in Melaka, Juwita had not knowingly stepped into the Portuguese Settlement until her Singaporean cousins requested to go there. In the same way, Gina only found out about PorSett at Christmastime! Is there more to this Eurasian community than meets the eye? Find out in this episode as the girls share their journeys with you.

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What was it like growing up in the poetic old town of Melaka? In this episode, Juwita brings Gina down memory lane with trishaw rides, chicken rice balls and favourite hangouts outside of Jonker Street. She also shares her experiences with old-school printing!

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For self-taught Suzi Chua, dabbling in different forms of art is her way of growing and enjoying her artistic journey. For extraordinaire violinist Joanne Yeoh, when she can't dabble, she collaborates with artists of different disciplines to enjoy their art forms. In this episode, Gina and Juwita chat about these two amazing women who inspire others to keep creating masterpieces that would make Malaysia proud.

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There are two things that would keep Gina and Juwita chatting all day long - music and books. In this episode, Gina shares about Kuala Lumpur being the World Book Capital 2020 and Juwita talks about the books that changed her perceptions of people. Find out their first affair with books and their favourite reads.

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This week, as promised, Gina and Juwita share the legend of Supirak, and Gina surprisingly confesses that she is skeptical about humans turning into stones or rocks. But with Si Tanggang and similar legends weighing in from around the region, will Gina change her mind? Find out in this rocky episode. 

Gina and Juwita share about their discoveries on the biggest island in Malaysia. Located northeast of the Tip of Borneo in Sabah, this island is one of our best-kept secrets that could easily compete with the beauty of the Maldives. Discover the magical wonders of underwater competitions, single rod fishing, and crystal clear water in this episode on Banggi Island.

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Who would have thought that Gina would prank a boy and discover love, or that Juwita would collect flowers and hunt for eggs to add onto her Nasi Lemak? What an episode! We promise to leave you with a heart that's foo... full!

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'Selamat Ulang Tahun' means Happy Birthday in the Malay language, which is the national language of Malaysia. In this episode, Gina and Juwita chat about birthdays and one of Gina's favourite birthday songs. The title and origin of the song remain unknown, though. Perhaps you can help them to identify it! 

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Exactly a year ago, Malaysia received news that a Restriction of Movement Order (which later became known as the Movement Control Order) would be enforced nationwide to curb the spread of Covid-19. In this episode, Gina and Juwita share their experiences during the lockdown and their thoughts on the future.

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Sometimes women put their dreams aside to focus on their families, but eventually, those who believe in themselves would also do something they love and do it exceedingly well. In this episode, Gina and Juwita share stories about some of the extraordinary women they have met who inspired them to keep living their dreams. One of them includes South East Asia's First Signature Coloured Pencil Artist - Sharon Kow.

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FOOD unites Malaysians as they put all differences aside to enjoy their favourite meal together. In this episode, Gina and Juwita share some stories behind our Malaysian Food Heritage. Nope, it's not about the people who cook them but those who created the dishes we've all come to love very much.

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In this episode, Gina and Juwita share about how they started collaborating and the story-gathering model they use to share stories, in return, inspiring more stories to be shared among every Malaysian.

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Juwita and Gina interpret the most lovey-dovey day of the year with a twist of their own. Join them as they share how they spent Valentine's Day previously. As they uncover the story behind the song 'Malaysia Kau Ku Cinta', Adibah Noor joins them to share her love story for Malaysia.

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With uncertainties looming as the Lunar New Year draws near, Juwita and Gina talk about their years-long CNY traditions and how it would all be different this year.

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In this debut episode, Juwita and Gina share their personal experience with the lost world of Putrajaya, the bustles of Kuala Lumpur, and the island of Labuan. They also share the story behind the Malaysian song 'Kotarayaku' by Altimet featuring Noh Salleh. 

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