Vol. 4 Independece

Independence

The New Forward project is The New Forward project editor
made possible through the Siti Khairunnisa Chan
generosity of our corporate
supporters and other Editor for each volume, Design
contributors. Siti Khairunnisa Chan

I want to express my most All archival materials within
profound appreciation this publication are from Malaysia
to my supervisor, Mr Design Archive.
Khairul Azuwan Bin Ishak
(University of Selangor),
for his expert advice and
encouragement throughout
this challenging project, The
New Forward. I would also
like to extend my deepest
gratitude to Malaysia Design
Archive for providing access
and reference services in
archives for this project.
Finally, I’m incredibly
grateful to my parents and
friends, who helped me a
lot in finalizing this project
within the limited time
frame.

04

Contents



Introduction

06

Merdeka, or the period of Independence, Introduction New Malaya | Malaysia
saw a historic opportunity for a
definitive articulation and shaping of
Malaysian identity.
In reality, the struggles and contestation
of symbolism, aesthetics and socio-
political values continue to influence
what constitutes ‘Malaysia design’.
‘Malaysia design’ is fluid and in constant
negotiation. We can begin to unravel
the threads of influences through the
choices of imagery and symbolism that
were articulated, reiterated, diffused
and persisted through different forms of
design work until today.

07

Advertisement

08

Advertisement New Malaya | Malaysia

A country that was going through a deep
cultural transformation, graphic design
experienced new ways of conveying. One
of the many ways used by the colonists
to engage with local markets was the
production of its designs using multiple
languages and typographies, as well as
the adoptation of local symbols into their
communications.

The adoption of local symbols within
colonists’ ideologies was also evident
in the production of newspapers.
Newspapers, which were widely
distributed, were used to disseminate the
colonists’ ideals, customs and agenda.
Through advertising, colonists took steps
to adapt foreign ads to local languages
and systems of symbolic exchange.
The number of British locally adapted
advertisements continued to grow when
newspapers became the main platform
to launch new foreign products – cars,
cosmetics, medicines, consumer goods
etc. – and slogans were targeted mainly to
the local market.

09

Advertisement New Malaya | Malaysia “Anak-negeri
Malaysia”
yang berwarna
warni Advertisement: Shell

To commemorate the birth of a new
nation, Shell published a book titled
MALAYSIANS, published in Singapore
in 1963. The book featured costumes
and ceremonies in Malaya in the early
1960s and the 52 full colour pages
illustrated by artist Hoessein Enas.

Title: “Anak-negeri Malaysia” yang berwarna warni
Designer: Hoessein Enas
Type of Graphic: Advertisement
Date: September 1963

10

Advertisement New Malaya | Malaysia

Advertisement: AJINOMOTO

This multilingual advertisement
for AJINOMOTO depicts a map of
a newly formed Malaysia as the
backdrop, symbolising the common
patriotism that grounds this sense
of togetherness. The Jalur Gemilang
was updated with 14 stripes and a 14
point star on 16 September 1963.

Title: AJINOMOTO
Type of Graphic: Advertisement
Date: September 1963

11

Advertisement New Malaya | Malaysia

Title: Marican’s
Type of Graphic: Advertisement
Date: 1968

12

Advertisement New Malaya | Malaysia

Title: Malaysia Singapore Airlines
Type of Graphic: Advertisement
Date: 1968

Title: Malayan Banking Berhad
Type of Graphic: Advertisement
Date: 1968

13

Advertisement New Malaya | Malaysia An
Advertisement
for Malaysia-
Singapore
Airlines

Title: The 707 Express Goes Daily
Type of Graphic: Inside Cover Advertisement
Client: Malaysia-Singapore Airlines
Date: 15 January, 1969

14

Advertisement New Malaya | Malaysia

Title: The 707 Express
Type of Graphic: Inside Cover Advertisement
Client: Malaysia-Singapore Airlines
Date: 1st August, 1968

15

Advertisement New Malaya | Malaysia

Title: Bangkok – Penang
Type of Graphic: Advertisement
Client: Malaysia-Singapore Airlines
Date: 23 September 1963

16

Advertisement New Malaya | Malaysia

17

Book

18

Book

Tiga Sumber dan New Malaya | Malaysia
Tiga Komponen
Marxisme

After the Second World War, the
Malayan Communist Party (MCP)
fought successively the British colonial
government and the Malayan government.
Support for the MCP came mainly from
the ethnic Chinese in Malaya. The Malayan
Liberation Army was the armed wing
of the party. The Liberation Army was
organized according to Marxist-Leninist
principles, with commissars, political
sections and a secret service. The army
mainly consisted of Chinese regiments,
but there was one Malayan regiment as
well. This ’10th regiment’, established in
1949, recently donated its archives to the
IISH.

Title: Tiga Sumber dan Tiga Komponen Marxisme
Type of Graphic: Book
Publisher: Pejabat Kebenaran
Date: 1981

19

Book

New Malaya | Malaysia

Title: Buaya Mati Dua Kali Title: Malaysia Year Book 1968/9
Type of Graphic: Comic Cover Type of Graphic: Book Cover
Publisher: Saudara Sinaran Berhad Date: 1969
Date: 1962

A personal accounts of the individual
suffering at the hands of the Japanese.
Published by the author and printed by
Khee Meng Press, Kuala Lumpur. This true
story is presented in a semi-fictional form;
many Japanese names are those of real
persons who served in Perak.

Title: Nyawa Di-Hujong Pedang oleh Ahmad Murad
Type of Graphic: Book Cover
Publisher: Khee Meng Press
Technique: Lithography
Date: 1959

20

Book

Communist New Malaya | Malaysia
Party of
Malaya
“Special
Edition” 58th
Anniversary
Booklet.

Contributed by Malek Hue

Title: Suara Demokrasi
Type of Graphic: Book Cover
Publisher: Suara Demokrasi
Date: 1988

21

Book

New Malaya | Malaysia

Title: Modern Teaching Atlas for Malayan Schools
Type of Graphic: Book
Publisher: A. Wheaton & Co.
Dimensions: 10.9″ X 8.6″
Date: 1957

An interesting study of
mysticism in Malaya beginning
with its historical background
and proceeding to explain the
origin and work of the Bomoh.

Title: Mysticism in Malaya
Type of Graphic: Book
Publisher: Asia Publishing
Date: 1964

22

Book

1961 School Text book “Tunas Bahasa New Malaya | Malaysia
Kebangsaan”, a Malay language subject for Tamil
and Chinese students in the primary level.

Title: Tunas Bahasa Kebangsaan
Type of Graphic: Text Book
Printer: Shing Loong Press Ltd., Singapore
Publisher: Southern Publishing Co., Ipoh
Dimensions: 156 x 200mm
Date: 1961 (Second Edition)

1964 Standard Three school text book on
“Structural Modern English”, a revised
edition of the former “Modern English
Course”.

Title: Structural Modern English
Type of Graphic: Text Book
Printer: Central Printing Co., Kuala Lumpur
Publisher: Times Educational Company
Dimensions: 170 x 190mm
Date: 1964

23

Book

New Malaya | Malaysia Lo Koon-Chiu founded the full-colour
children’s comic book Children’s Paradise
in 1953 in the capacity of both editor-in-
chief and artist, thus becoming one of
the first-generation illustrators in Hong
Kong. Original and refreshing, his comics
sought inspiration in everyday life and
aptly reflected the local social culture
and children’s interests in those days.
With the aspiration of fostering good
morals and temperament in children, he
set his hopes on changing society with
childlike innocence, maintaining that art
can serve both to educate society and to
realise the “beauty of life”.

Children’s Paradise Press was also
distributed in Malaysia and Singapore.

Title: Children’s Paradise – Issue 42
Type of Graphic: Comic Cover
Printer: The Children’s Paradise Fortnightly Press
Publisher: Union Publishing Agency, HK
Date: 1960s

A personal accounts of the individual
suffering at the hands of the Japanese.
Published by the author and printed
by Khee Meng Press, Kuala Lumpur.
This true story is presented in a semi-
fictional form; many of the Japanese
names are those of real persons who
served in Perak.

Source: Kinta Valley: Pioneering
Malaysia’s Modern Development by Khoo
Salma Nasution, Abdur-Razzaq Lubis

Title: Nyawa Di-Hujong Pedang oleh Ahmad Murad
Type of Graphic: Book Cover
Publisher: Khee Meng Press
Date: 1959

24

Book New Malaya | Malaysia

25

Book magazine

26

Book New Malaya | Malaysia

Book

Magazine: New Malaya | Malaysia
The Straits
Times
Annual
1957

On the cover, Maria Menado, a datuk,
an actress and dubbed as the most
beautiful woman in Malaya by Times
Magazine. She is significant in Malay
film history as the first Malay female
film producer.

Title: The Straits Times Annual for 1957
Type of Graphic: Magazine Cover
Date: September 1957

27

Book

New Malaya | Malaysia

Bulanan
Gelanggang
Filem “dari
hati ke hati”

Title: Bulanan Gelanggang Filem
Type of Graphic: Magazine Editorial
Date: 1961

28

Book

New Malaya | Malaysia

1961 Qalam
Magazine

Title: Qalam
Type of Graphic: Magazine Cover
Dimensions: 193 x 264mm
Date: 1961

29

Book

New Malaya | Malaysia The Straits Times Annual publication
covered various topics in Malaysia –
political events, cultural history and
tradition, arts and crafts, folklore,
indigenous, economy and trade. This
edition was published in October
1962 and cost $3.75. It included
stories about the Yang di-Pertuan
Agong’s daughter’s wedding, face
painting in Chinese theatre, the
growth of “new municipality” Ipoh
and Trengganu travel.

Title: The Straits Times Annual for 1963
Type of Graphic: Magazine Cover
Date: September 1963

Dewan Masharakat, a magazine
focusing on knowledge and culture,
was published by Dewan Bahasa
dan Pustaka and first launched in
September 1963. On the cover is
the painting “Bibir Merah” by Chuah
Thean Teng, who is considered the
father of Batik painting in Malaysia.
Some of the articles in the first issue
include “Angkatan Sedar Wanita
Malaya”, “Muzium Negara” and
“Badan Kebudayaan Kebangsaan”.

Title: Dewan Masharakat
Tagline: Majallah Kebudayaan dan Pengetahuan
Designer / Painter: Chuah Thean Teng
Type of Graphic: Magazine Cover
Publisher: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka
Date: 1963

30

Book

1961, Chinese Swimming Club Penang New Malaya | Malaysia
souvenir programme. A fundraising
event “Dollars for Songs” courtesy of
the “Nightingale Melodians” and their
vocalists, the Chinese Swimming
Club request the public to kindly
pick their favourite song, make a
donation and listen to it being sung
by one of their able singers.

Title: Chinese Swimming Club
Type of Graphic: Souvenir Programme
Date: 1961

Front and
Back Cover
of ‘Mastika’
Magazine.

Front – ‘Mastika – Menyambut
Kelahiran Malaysia’. Back, an
advertisement of AJINOMOTO –
“Disamping merayakan kelahiran
Malaysia jangan lupa…. AJINOMOTO”

Title: Mastika – Menyambut Kelahiran Malaysia
Type of Graphic: Magazine Cover
Publisher: Utusan
Date: September 1963

31

Book

New Malaya | Malaysia 1962 ‘Majallah Bahasa kebangsaan’,
an educational magazine targeted
to Chinese to encourage and
educate the learnings of the national
language – Malay.

Title: Majallah Bahasa kebangsaan
Type of Graphic: Magazine Cover
Printer: Kam Wha Printed Co. (Hong Kong)
Publisher: Pengusaha Perkembangan Persuratan
Melayu (P.P.P.M)
Dimensions: 130 x 184mm
Date: 20 May 1962

Mastika magazine issue July 1974
titled – ‘Mastika – Kunjungan
Sejarah Razak Ke Peking’.

Title: Mastika – Kunjungan Sejarah Razak Ke Peking
Type of Graphic: Magazine Cover
Printer: Utusan Melayu Berhad
Publisher: Utusan Melayu Berhad
Dimensions: 130 x 185mm
Date: September 1974

32

Book

Magazine about education, news, politics, Title: Pembina New Malaya | Malaysia
nationalism and the spirit of Merdeka. Tagline: Majallah Kebangsaan Untuk Kemajuan
Cover shows a collage of the heads of the Bangsa, Agama dan Negara
Malay sultanate states flanking Tuanku Type of Graphic: Magazine
Abdul Rahman in the centre, both literally Publisher: Merdeka Press
and symbolically presenting a story and Dimensions: 6.5 X 9.3 inches
symbol of Merdeka. Pages: 32
Date: 1957

33

Book

New Malaya | Malaysia Magazine: The
Straits Times
Annual 1957

1960 Variety Show programme book The Official Opening was on 15th June
published by the Dondang Sayang Club. 1954, followed by a dinner and ronggeng
Printed in Penang, Malaysia. The excerpt is given by the President, the late Mr Teoh
taken from the magazine about “Dondang San Choon. Besides the annual Chap Goh
Sayang Club.” Meh celebration, the Club was able to
provide a charity show in aid of the Poppy
As far back as 1950, there was a group of Day Fund. This effort collected over two
friends interested in pantun and old-time thousand dollars.
Malay music. They used to gather around
one of the founders of the Club, one The following year, Madam Lim Swee Bee
Madam Yew Beng Huat. was elected President and re-elected year
after year; until today, she is still the ever-
Then it was suggested that a party be popular figure of the Club. The Club has
formed to go round the town during Chap raised funds for the U.M.N.O., Federation
Goh Meh. The response was good. There School for the Deaf, and we trust that the
was enough money subscribed to pay for public will respond to the efforts put up by
the bus, lighting, decoration, etc. Those the Club.
who could sing went into practice. The
day came, and without a hitch, the party
succeeded in their efforts to revive old-
time Malay music and pantun. This was the
first occasion the Dondang Sayang Club
went around the town on three successive
nights.

The following year the same celebration
was repeated with success. This went on
for the next four years.

In June 1954. the Dondang Sayang Club
was formed, first at No. 31, Krian Road, the
residence of Madam Yew Beng Huat, and
subsequently, the Club was moved to No.
217, Hutton Lane.

34

Book

New Malaya | Malaysia

Title: Variety Show
Type of Graphic: Programme
Date: 1960

35

Card

36

Card

Bombing of New Malaya | Malaysia
Malaya

A card from a large set that was Title: Bombing of Malaya
released by Edito-Service S.A. in Type of Graphic: Collector’s Card
1977 (also known as Atlas Editions Publisher: Edito-Service
Cards) and was available through Dimensions: 12 x 12.5 cm
mail subscription only. The card Date: 1977
back is filled with a complete
write-up about the subject
featured on the front. This card is
# 40-19 in the set, and this card is
part of the War in the Air Subset.

The story on the back is titled:
Interdicting Japanese supply lines.
The caption below is found at
the bottom of the card back and
explains the picture shown on the
card front:

Illustration: Devastation caused
by RAF and USAAF bombers,
Chumphon railyards, 1944

37

Card

New Malaya | Malaysia Invasion of
Malaya

A card from a large set that was
released by Edito-Service S.A. in
1977 (also known as Atlas Editions
Cards) and was available through
mail subscription only. The card
back is filled with a complete
write-up about the subject
featured on the front. This card is
# 51-22 in the set, and this card is
part of the WAR ON LAND Subset.

The story on the back is titled:
British colony falls. The caption
below is found at the bottom of
the card back and explains the
picture shown on the card front:

Illustration: Map showing main
Japanese thrusts and lines of
advance.

Title: Invasion of Malaya
Type of Graphic: Collector’s Card
Publisher: Edito-Service
Dimensions: 12 x 12.5 cm
Date: 1977

38

Card

General New Malaya | Malaysia
Yamashita

A card from a large set that was
released by Edito-Service S.A. in
1977 (also known as Atlas Editions
Cards) and was available through
mail subscription only. The card
back is filled with a complete
write-up about the subject
featured on the front. This is card
# 62-12 in the set, and this card is
part of the Personalities Subset.

The story on the back is titled:
Japanese commander in Malaya
and Philippines. The caption below
is found at the bottom of the card
back and explains the picture
shown on the card front:

Illustration: General Yamashita at
his trial for war crimes, Manila,
November 1945.

Title: General Yamashita
Type of Graphic: Collector’s Card
Publisher: Edito-Service
Dimensions: 12 x 12.5 cm
Date: 1977

39

Card

New Malaya | Malaysia Resistance in
Malaya

A card from a large set that was Title: Resistance in Malaya
released by Edito-Service S.A. in Type of Graphic: Collector’s Card
1977 (also known as Atlas Editions Publisher: Edito-Service
Cards) and was available through Dimensions: 12 x 12.5 cm
mail subscription only. The card Date: 1977
back is filled with a complete
write-up about the subject
featured on the front. This card is
# 62-08 in the set, and this card
is part of the “Occupied Territories
Subset”.

The story on the back is titled:
Underground work of the MPAJA.
The caption below is found at
the bottom of the card back and
explains the picture shown on the
card front:

Illustration: Chin Peng (right)
leader of the Malayan Resistance
during the war.

40

Card

Radio Malaysia New Malaya | Malaysia
Sabah

Listener Card from Radio Sabah in 1977, Title: Radio Malaysia Sabah
665kHz mediumwave. Type of Graphic: Listener Card
Date: 1977
Source © Keith Robinson Collection, Radio
Heritage Foundation.

41

Card

greeting card

42

Card

New Malaya | Malaysia

1960s
Selamat
Hari Raya
Greeting
Card

Title: Selamat Hari Raya
Type of Graphic: Greeting Card
Date: 1960s

43

Card

New Malaya | Malaysia

1960s
Selamat
Hari Raya
Greeting
Card

Title: Selamat Hari Raya
Type of Graphic: Greeting Card
Date: 1960s

44

Card

1960s New Malaya | Malaysia
Selamat
Title: Selamat Hari Raya Hari Raya
Type of Graphic: Greeting Card Greeting
Date: 1960s Card

Title: Selamat Hari Raya 1969
Type of Graphic: Greeting Card Selamat
Date: 1969 Hari Raya
Greeting
45 Card

Card

New Malaya | Malaysia

Title: Greetings
Type of Graphic: Greeting Card
Dimensions: 127 x 100mm (Folded)
Date: 1950s

1950s Malayan
Christmas
Greeting Card

46

Card

New Malaya | Malaysia

Title: Christmas Greetings
Type of Graphic: Greeting Card
Dimensions: 127 x 100mm (Folded)
Date: 1950s

1950s Malayan
Christmas
Greeting Card

47

Card

New Malaya | Malaysia

Title: Greetings
Type of Graphic: Greeting Card
Dimensions: 127mm x 100mm (Folded)
Date: 1950s

1950s Malayan
Christmas
Greeting Card

48