GEORGE TOWN, Sept. 13 -- The Hakka community in Penang may be small, but its members are determined to keep their heritage alive.

From online language classes to drama shows and even songs, the 1,300-member Penang Hakka Association has been finding new ways since 2022 to connect with the younger generation.

Association chairman Datuk Pang Yun Tiam admitted it has not been easy to draw in those under 40.

"It is even harder to get members who are below 25 years of age," he told Malay Mail in a recent interview.

Pang said many locals of Hakka descent no longer speak the language.

"Most of them speak Mandarin at home or some speak Hokkien, because most people speak Hokkien in Penang, but many of them could not even converse in Hakka," he...