Malaysia Then and Now

August 31st, 2007 • Related • Filed Under

Being 20 hardly counts for having much nostalgia for the ??good ol’ days’ as most retired or aged people have license to. But being around for two decades should at least count for having long-lost memories, especially since the country I grew up in has transformed unimaginably.

Take for instance, the television I used to watch. I vividly remember Beverly Hills 90210 and the X-Files, having religious followings on a weekly basis, but many local productions were watched as well such as Cili Padi, Pi Mai Pi Mai Tang Tu and of course Kopitiam.

It was considered ‘family time’ to watch those shows together, as we huddled around the TV set glued to the screen and laughed uncontrollably when the jokes were more of a reflection of our way of life than funny.

These days? Given the affordability of satellite TV, local television has been sidelined, giving way to regional and international television channels. One up for us who want to keep up with the most current sitcoms and world news, but a downer for the local entertainment industry in trying to make ends meet.

Another form of wholesome family time were visits to the nearby indoor theme park, at the then-known-as Yaohan shopping mall, now simply called ‘The Mall’. A big ship of screaming people swinging back and forth used to intrigue and scare me at the same time, too bad I was set back by the height limitations.

Colourful, blinking light bulbs at every turn, the smell of cheap candy floss and popcorn always lit my siblings’ and my eyes up, to the dismay of our parents.

Cosmo World, Berjaya Times Square

The theme park has long since shut down, making way for other shops to open up, none as significant as the theme park we remember. The indoor theme park in Berjaya Times Square is much akin to the Yaohan one, sans the blinking light bulbs and cheap candy floss.

And who could forget Ampang Park , one of the first shopping centres in KL, as my parents never ceased to remind us. Built in 1973 and developed by the Low Keng Huat Brothers Realty Sdn. Bhd., it cost RM10 million then. The humble forefather of shopping malls still stands today housing many photography distributors and is still frequented by the nostalgic.

Ampang Park
Our shopping malls have definitely come a long way with the likes of Suria KLCC, walking distance from Ampang Park, being Malaysia’s most expensive retail location and taking the 26 th spot as the most expensive retail location in each country in 2005. ( Source )

Speaking of shopping, one of the most visited shoe stores of my young days was Bata . Contrary to popular belief, Bata is not a local brand. It was, however, one of the earliest shoe stores to open in Malaysia. Bata was the first thought when it came to buying canvas school shoes and subsequently, shoes for any occasion due to its availability and price range.

Bata Store

Today, Bata has expanded its retail chain and houses brands such as Marie Claire, Comfit, Power, Bubblegummers, North Star and B-First. Bata is not the only name synonymous to shoes anymore; instead, Vincci, Nose and Primavera have stolen the limelight with their wide range and unique designs. However, the best place for canvas shoes is still and will always be Bata.

Growing up in the developing era, it blew our minds that we could talk on a phone minus the cables and dialing tone. DiGi managed this mind-boggling feat, being the first Malaysian telephone company to launch and operate a fully digital cellular network in 1995.

DiGi

And these days we are spoilt for choice to be mobile and keep in touch, with telephone companies like Celcom, Maxis and of course DiGi competing amongst each other, only to our benefit. What seemed to be the ??rich man’s accessory’ has now become crucial, as parents have a digital leash on their children.

In the spirit of reminiscing:


Lat’s Famous Comic Book
Lat comics have always managed to capture the essence of Malaysian life and tickle our funny bone. In the days where blackouts were aplenty, Lat comics never failed to entertain despite the sweating and discomfort. Lat or Dato’ Mohammad Nor Khalid, has been given much honour , as he rightly deserves.

Datuk Shake

In the music scene, Datuk Shake was the pioneer in making his name known internationally. Singing French and English tunes, he was known in the 70s and 80s in France before his fame in Malaysia. His legend set the stage for more Malaysian musicians to take on the international world as did Sheila Majid and Siti Nurhaliza. The Malaysian music scene is now booming, with local bands gaining ground and embracing their heritage and supporters playing their dutiful role.

Ling Tan

On the runway, Ling Tan is Malaysia’s first international supermodel, working for big names such as Guess, Emporio Armani and Gucci, when she started her carreer in 1994. She has signed contracts with IMG Models, New York, Elite Models, Paris and Riccardo Gray, Milan. Her footsteps have now been succeeded by Carmen Soo and Amber Chia.

In the pageantry world, Ms. Catherine Loh was the first Miss Malaysia , ironically hailing from Brunei . It was April 1963 and Brunei was to be included in the Malaysian Federation but later pulled out to be a country of its own. The current Ms. Malaysia may be of mixed parentage, but is without a doubt from the Malaysian Federation.

We have indeed come a long way. It feels like I’ve had an imaginary friend, and just as friends grow up together, we’ve walked hand-in-hand, overcoming the doubts and fears while celebrating the joys. My country has grown, and so have I.

(A little soppy and melodramatic, but heck! We’re 50!)

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