INTRODUCTION
We think it’s interesting to see old video footage of Malaysia and went on YouTube to try and find some suitable pieces. All these videos were shot between 1913 and the 1990s, and provide insight into what Malaysia looked like years ago (and in some cases still does). As would be expected, the quality varies, usually in accordance with the time period in which the video was shot. We have given you a small summary of each video so you get an idea what you will be looking at.
Most of the videos in this section were filmed or sourced by Michael Rogge, a Dutch photographer and videographer who moved to Asia after World War II and captured his travels on film. In some cases, the videos have attracted advertisers and we have left them untouched. You can either watch them or press “skip ad”.
If you have your own old video footage (pre-2000) and would like to share it please contact us [email protected].
We are also planning to put together a collection of old photos of life in Malaysia. If you have any that you’re willing to share, we would love to put them up here. We will of course attribute them to the person who shared them with us.
THE VIDEOS – IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
Title/description: Malaya 1961
Date 1961s
Location Malaysia
Content A look at Malaya before it became Malaysia
Language English
Quality High-quality video
Source Finas
Title/description: Sarawak, Malaysia, 1913 “wild women” (orang asli)
Date 1913
Location Sarawak, Malaysia
Content Video clips of lions, and adventurers
Language No language, no audio
Quality Very poor, but for the time (1913) this is acceptable
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Old Penang, photos and postcards of Penang in the past
Date 1901-1960s
Location Penang
Content Post cards/Photos of Penang
Language No language, or audio available
Quality Mediocre/Average
Source Peter Vanderlans
Title/description: Malaysia, Penang in 1931 (orang asli)
Date 1932
Location Malaysia, Penang
Content Pictures of Orang Asli, traditional methods of their lifestyle, housing
Language No audio
Quality Low-Reasonable quality
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: British Malaya (Singapore and Malaysia): 1939 Trip around the World
Date 1939
Location Singapore
Content 8 minute extract from video of a ’round the world’ trip in 1939 – various scenes of Malaysia
Language No audio or commentator but a few title cards
Quality Very poor images, but accounting for the time (1939) it is acceptable
Source P O Hvids
Title/description: Japanese Invasion of Malaya
Date 1942
Location Malaya
Content Short (4 minute) documentary of Japanese invasion of Malaya
Language English
Quality Reasonable quality
Source ZX War
Title/description: Japanese Invasion of Malaya
Date 1942
Location Malaya
Content Amateur presentation about lead up to attack on Malaya and how it progressed.
Language English – but quality not very good
Quality Reasonable quality
Source Sadial Haque
Title/description: Orang asli in Malaya’s jungle in 1947
Date 1947
Location Malayan jungles
Content Interesting professional video of Orang Asli living in the jungle
Language English – professional – assuming role of one of natives
Quality Decent images
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Malayan Emergency – jungle warfare in Malaya
Date 1948 – 1960
Location Malaya
Content Explanation of communist uprising after World War II
Language English
Quality Reasonable quality
Source Paul Sparrow
Date 1950s-60s
Title/description: Kuala Lumpur: Architecture of Malaysia’s Capital City
Location Kuala Lumpur
Content Video clips of traditional and modern styles of Malaysian architecture
Language No commentator/voiceover
Quality High-quality video images of Kuala Lumpur housing and lifestyle
Source: British Pathé
Title/description: Malayan Emergency – jungle warfare in Malaya
Date 1950
Location Jungles of Malaya
Content Short documentary about jungle warfare during Malay Emergency; British and Malayan troops
Language British professional commentator
Quality Good quality
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Jungle warfare during Malayan Emergency
Date 1952
Location Kuala Medang, Pahang
Content Short (4 mins)- images of Malayan and British troops in the fight together against the terrorists
Language No commentary, but natural background noises
Quality Reasonable images, clear enough to see faces of the troops
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Malayan Emergency
Date 1952
Location Layang Layang, Johor Baru
Content Short documentary with images of troops
Language No audio – natural background sounds
Quality Clear
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Malayan Emergency – Lieutenant General Templer
Date 1952
Location Malaya
Content Lieutenant General Gerald Templer leading the fight against communists
Language British professional commentator
Quality Decent image quality
Source MichaelRogge
Title/description: Malaysia: Fishing along Penang’s beaches
Date 1952
Location Penang’s beaches
Content Video clips of locals fishing
Language No audio, natural background noises
Quality Reasonable
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Traveling from Surat Thani, Thailand by bus and train to Malaysia in 1952
Date 1952
Location Surat Thani –> Malaysia
Content Amateur footage – video images of Thailand and Malaya.
Language No audio, natural background sounds and some music
Quality Reasonable
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Malaya’s Tin and Rubber industry in 1956
Date 1956
Location Malaya
Content Professional documentary – maps and video image
Language. English – professional commentator
Quality Good documentary
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Malaysia Independence Day
Date 1957
Location Malaysia
Content Short (2 minute) footage – Tunku Abdul Raman declaring Malaysian independence and shouting the immortal words “Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka” (“Independent” or “free” in English)
Language Malay
Quality Reasonable quality
Source promahathir
Title/description: Kuching, British Sarawak
Date 1959
Location Kuching, British Sarawak
Content Amateur colour video of a British police officers life in Kuching.
Language No commentary, natural background sounds
Quality Reasonable image quality
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Sarawak, Kuching. Regatta in 1960
Date 1960
Location Sarawak, Kuching
Content Video images of the annual Kuching Regatta (boat races) as it was oin 1960
Language Just background sounds, no commentary
Quality Decent image quality
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Old Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Date 1961
Location Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Content Short video by Michael Rogge of KL in 1961
Language No audio
Quality Good quality video , background sounds but no commentary
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Old Malaysia and Singapore back in 1961
Date 1961
Location Parts of Malaysia and Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, etc.
Content High quality, series of colour slides, with some title cards
Language No commentary, just music and some background sounds
Quality High quality images
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Malaysia inland in 1961, rural scenes
Date 1961
Location Rural villages, inland Malaysia
Content Shots of traditional way of life by Michal Rogge
Language No audio
Quality Decent, acceptable video quality
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Malaysia/Indonesia Confrontation (Konfrontasi)
Date 1963-56
Location Borneo
Content Documentary of confrontation between Malaya and Indonesia in Borneo
Language English
Quality Good quality
Source History Hustle
Title/description: Malaysian rubber industry in 1970
Date 1970
Location Malaysia
Content Video images of the Malaysian rubber industry
Language German
Quality Decent. Excerpts from German documentary
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Malaysia, enchanting Penang
Date 1975
Location Penang, Malaysia
Content Video images (in colour) of Penang shot by Michal Rogge
Language No commentary
Quality Good image, high quality as well as colourised
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Visiting Kuala Lumpur in 1979
Date 1979
Location Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Content Colour video clips shot by Austrian couple – some German commentary
Language Background sounds and a few comments in German
Quality Mediocre, video clips aren’t great, amateur work
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Sarawak, excursion to see Dayaks in 1987
Date 1987
Location
Content Colour images of Orang Asli housing/fishing huts
Language Background sounds, some music and commentary in German
Quality Decent image quality
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Kuching and shots by the sea, Sarawak at Christmas 1987
Date 1987
Location Kuching, Sarawak
Content German couple celebrate Christmas in Kuching – few signs of Christmas seen
Language German
Quality Moderate
Source Michael Rogge
Title/description: Mini busses in Kuala Lumpur, 1993+
Date 1993+
Location Kuala Lumpur
Content Short piece, less than 3 minutes, which captures the time when pink mini buses were the most popular form of public road transport in KL
Language No commentator, just background noises
Quality Moderate
Source Kamepo
"ExpatGo welcomes and encourages comments, input, and divergent opinions. However, we kindly request that you use suitable language in your comments, and refrain from any sort of personal attack, hate speech, or disparaging rhetoric. Comments not in line with this are subject to removal from the site. "
