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Old Video Clips

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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





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