Déjà vu - Tunku and Holden

Life is full of little surprises...

Out of the blue I received this Gmail from Mary ****, Portland, USA.

Mary even got my Gmail name with one dot too many! Yeah, but Gmail is clever, it decided the mail was for me!

"Dear Mr. Leow,

I was impressed by your photographic work in your blog, "The Man Behind the Lens: Freeze That Decisive Moment". Your work covers a great span of Malaysian history and you showed great persistence and loyalty in returning to the Star three times. 

Among the photos, I am particularly interested in the one between Tunku Abdul Rahman and William Holden in Penang. Based on what you said, these photos were taken during the '70's. Do you have an exact date? Were they connected with any newspaper articles? Have you made any copies or have sold any? 

I am interested in them for both a personal and historical level. My grandfather spent quite some time traveling and working in Southeast Asia especially Malaysia. Any insights you may have would be much appreciated and would be well recognized. Thank you again for your time and consideration. 

Sincerely,
Mary ******

This was the picture that Mary saw in my blog...

Looking Back... Dr. M and His Words

Dr.M is at it again!  He is back!!

On Thursday, 10 of May he has been sworn in as Prime Minister of Malaysia the SECOND time after his shock election victory, 15 years after he stood down!

During my career with The Star, Dr. M and Moi cross path many time..

I remember fondly that I was given a scolding by him when I try to snap a picture of him having his lunch in Alor Setar. The excitement when one crazy guy try to attack him in Kedah and was subdued by his body guards. But my most memorable moment with the oldest Prim Minister in the world was on Thursday August 19, 1982.

Fast rewind to that fateful day... 

I was a young Photo Editor for The Star, waiting patiently for Dr M to come out from his meeting at the Second Army Division at Northam Road in Penang.

Standing beside me were photographers from other "larger" papers, Star was "nothing" to New Straits Time, Malay Mail, Straits Echo, Nanyang, Sin Chew and even Sin Pin and Kwong Wah Yit Poh!

Alas on that fateful day, the other photographers did not notice the Dr M's trademark slogan "Bersih... Cekap... Amanah" (Clean... Efficient... Trustworthy) that were hanging along the corridor!

I knew the shot I wanted and I chooses my lens for the best perspective to bring Dr M and his slogan together. 

The rest, like they said; is history.

This was the front page of the Penang edition of The Star, the next day.

Highland Towers Tragedy, 20 Years On

20 Years ago today, On Dec 11, 1993, Block A of the Highland Towers condominium complex in in Taman Hillview, Ulu Klang, Selangor, Malaysia came crashing down after days of heavy rain, killing 48 people.

Today on the 20th anniversary of the worst construction tragedy in the history of Malaysia, I went and look at my pictures archives of the tragedy again.

 20 years ago, on that faithful day; I was working as a Picture Editor for the Singapore Press Holdings, looking after the photo division of the three Chinese Newspapers.

Life was good, I was head hunted from New Zealand; my boss like me, he approved the latest "toy" that I requested..

Déjà vu - Two Old Stars of The Star!

Charles Chan and Janet are in Wellington, we had a dinner catch up; we reminisced the good old days when we were with The Star tabloid in Malaysia. Isn't that what "Two old  stars of The Star" (quote and unquote from Chong Cheng Hai) talk about? Chong is a "younger star of The Star".  ;)

Charles and I go back a long way, he was the News Editor and me the Photo Editor at the 1974 Star Publications in Penang, Malaysia.

When I joint, The Star was hardly 2 years old. We were competing with the all powerful The New Straits Times, the national broadsheet and a 70+ year old local, The Straits Echo; another broadsheet.

Charles was a no nonsense News Editor during those "lean and mean" days, I remember fondly that he ordered the photographer to reshoot the job because the shots were not up to his high standard. In 1974, News Editor has MORE power and say than a young Photo Editor ;)

Charles got along with me so well that he SOLD me his precious SOLID SILVER Dunhill cigarette lighter for RM 60.00! He even let me pay the amount by 3 monthly installments of RM 20.00 :) He reckoned that was a sure way of quitting his smoking habit! Hee hee... 

Memory... Canon EOS D2000 in the Rain!

The Canon EOS D2000 (a Canon branded Kodak DCS 520) is a 2-megapixel digital single-lens reflex camera developed by Kodak on a Canon EOS-1N body. It was released in March 1998.

It features a CCD sensor and can shoot at 3.5 frames per second.

Many enthusiasts regard the D2000 as Canon's first truly usable Digital SLR. It was released in tandem with the Canon D6000 (a rebranded Kodak DCS 560), a 6-megapixel model. -Wikipedia


My experience with this RM 70,000 (NZ$ 28,000) digital SLR in Y2K...

Surprised?  Yes, that was how much the camera cost in 1999!!

Memory - Walk Under An Elephant Lately?

Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.  ~ The Wonder Years

Rummaging through my old prints yesterday I found these memories...

When was the last time you walked under the belly of an elephant?  We did it 27 years ago ;)

An elephant walking along Niphat Uthit2 (Second St) in Hat Yai, Thailand.

Hat Yai (Thai: หาดใหญ่, pronounced [hàːt jàj], also Haad Yai or Had Yai) is a city in southern Thailand near the Malaysian border. Located at 7°1′N 100°28′E, it has a population of 157,359 (2008) in the city itself and about 800,000 in the greater Hat Yai area. Hat Yai is the largest city of Songkhla Province, the largest metropolitan area in Southern Thailand, and third largest metropolitan area of the country.      - Wikipedia

NOSTALGIA - SPOT (SPORTS) ON!

Nostalgia - a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time.

A Redux... larger and sharper pictures :)

My friends asked me if I miss shooting big sports events, I do and I don’t; I do miss all the excitement and the adrenaline rush… I don’t, because physically I cannot handle jobs like this anymore!

I remember fondly that in the 70s and 80s, all you need for covering sporting events were a film based SLR and two lenses, the 35-70 and 80-200 zoom! The relatively “slow speed” of f4 was not a problem because of the classic Kodak Tri-X film which we often “push” processed in D-76 soup and raising the ASA (ISO) film speed to over 3,200!

For football match in dimly lit stadium at night, the standard arsenal was the 180/2.8 and the 105/2.5 lenses.

Those were the good old days when we were forever young, cameras and lenses were compact and light weight and shooting sports were FUN!

NOSTALGIA - Picture Without Permission!!

nos·tal·gia, noun - a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life...

Going through some of my "junk" recently, found a box of old black and white post-card size prints taken during my schooling years in Melbourne; Australia.

Ahh... those were some of the best days of my life :) And like the famous Kodak Eastman slogan, "We (pictures) capture your memories forever!"

This photo for instant...

A single shot taken with a film camera hidden inside a plastic lunch box, while I was attending our biology class in Oakleigh High School in Victoria, Australia; FORTY FIVE YEARS ago!

NOSTALGIA - BIKINIS Pictures NOT Allowed!!

nos·tal·gia, noun - a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life...

Malaysia's leading English diary newspaper The Star was born on 9 September 1971.

From day one; Mr K.S.Choong, the founder decided that a bikini clad "Beach Girl" will grace Page 3. "Page 3 girls always sell paper!" Choong reckoned ;)

Remembering Wakefield Market In Wellington

Migrants from Malaysia and Singapore are more "tum chiak" (greedy for food in Penang Hokkien) than migrants from other countries ;)

We belongs to that tum chiak group! We came from a small island (Penang) synonymous with good food. Penang is well known for its abundance of authentic hawkers’ delights which the locals claim, cannot be duplicated elsewhere!

 Shortly after we arrived in Wellington, 1988; we found to our horror; there were no hawkers fair in this "Coolest Little Capital" of New Zealand!

All you can get is "take away" of adulterated "Chinese food" to suit local taste!

We were ecstatic when our friends took us to the only "hawkers centre" at 181, Wakefield Street!  The "centre", a small space on top of an office block has only four food stalls; beggars no choosers, we were happy!

Hawkers centre or Asian Food Court come and go in Wellington, the last one was situated at Wakefield Market. We loved this old, run down venue!

From the outside the market looks old and really run down. There was only a small sign on the wall, indicating  that they sell food in there. But once you enter the place, you can smell food, glorious food!

Tribute - Pioneers of The Star, Malaysia

September 9, The Star (largest in terms of circulation) an English-language, tabloid-format newspaper in Malaysia turned 40.

On that day the paper reprint the first copy of The Star (09-09-1971) and gave to those who attended the anniversary celebration.

You are able to download this historical first issue in PDF format, here.

Within that first issue, The Star also reprint in full; the January 3, 1976; National Launch Supplement which show case the pioneers on that historical event!

My Memories Of WTC

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Ten years on from the day the 9/11 terrorist attacks changed so much for so many people, the world's leaders and millions of citizens are pausing to reflect...

On this day I pause and go through my photos and memories of our visit to The World Trade Center.

It was SEVENTEEN YEARS ago when we visited the WTC, as can be seen from this shot taken by our eldest daughter May-N with a 35 mm Nikon AF compact.

It was shot from Ellis Island, which was a good place to capture the New York skyline with the two imposing twin towers.

1994 was a good year for us, I was working in Singapore and we were having a time of our life; a two weeks holiday in The Big Apple!

Photographs are like a time capsule, looking at them brought back the happy time when we were posing with the Twin Towers :)

Rollei 35 - father of Point & Shoot

Going through my pile of photographic accessories in the week end, at the corner of my old Zero Halliburton aluminum case lie a inconspicuous, tiny black pouch.

Unzipping the pouch open the floodgate of my memory...

Inside the pouch is a super compact 35 mm FULL FRAME point and shoot camera I bought in 1975! A little gem I just about forgotten!

The tiny "Father of Point & Shoot", my Rollie 35S was hibernating since 1988 but accompanying our stuff from Penang to Wellington; then to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and back again to Wellington!

Photo Printed More Than A Million Time!

The highest circulated Malaysian English daily, The Star; is rushing to complete their 40th anniversary book on what us pioneers contributed to "The People's Paper".

This time round, photographers are being honored; about bloody time too!

The book, hopefully; will feature some of the BEST pictures that made The Star famous.

Among the thousands of pictures taken is a Decisive Moment shot that has been printed more than a MILLION times ;)

I am proud that yours truly took that picture!

1986, Pulau Tikus; Penang...

After a two year stint with The New Straits Times, I rejoined The Star; the second time.

I was covering the Malaysian general election in Penang, at the Pulau Tikus polling center I spotted this boy waiting for his mother to cast her vote.

There were two issues here, you spotted the boy; you realised it is a decisive moment; the next FIVE seconds will decide how FAST and how well PREPARED you are with your camera!

Within seconds the boy left, the moment was; decisive after all!

When Is It My Turn?

Déjà vu, Anti Racism Rally 2004

Why the Déjà vu? How did this came about?

At the moment, Malaysia's talk of the country is about the "Bersih 2.0 Rally". I read today that their Prime Minister said the government would not object if the organiser would assemble in a stadium from morning to night and later leave peacefully.

After viewing my post on Kiwis taking part in "SlutWalk", a Malaysian reader comment...

Fair play said...

Yo Leow, can you send this to our Home Minister and show him that not all Rally will end up in chaos. July 3, 2011 5:07 AM

Yo "Fair play", I am a photojournalist; an observer of history in the making. I try and record them if I can. I do not make judgement :)

My Malaysian friends asked me if I have been to a rally in Wellington, I remember the last one I went to was in 2004!

I recall what I wrote...

23 October 2004, Wellington.

Racism in "Godzone"? You better believe it! So much so that the huge ethics groups said "Enough Is Enough!" and they held an anti racism march through the streets of Wellington today.

To understand how all this came about, go and read March against racism in Scoop.

I thought to myself that this will be a good chance to practice my documentary photography, after all; the last time I attended a news event was YEARS ago!

My wife and me reached the "Beehive" (our parliamentary building) ground at noon.

The National Front members are already there.

Surprisingly they are orderly and quite, there is another group who the police called "radical, anarchist, punk-rocker type group" are there trying their best to stir up the National Front members ;)

The National Front members on the Parliament steps.

Nikon E2 DSLR - Redux

1995, good time... most media companies in South East Asia were doing very well; cash rich employers were paying out 4 to 6 months year end bonuses to happy employees!

I was into my second year working as the Picture Editor for the Chinese Newspaper Division at Singapore Press Holdings.

Digital camera was at it's infancy and costing S$30 - 60,000 each (body only)!

Kodak has just announced their DCS460 DSLR, a Nikon F90 (N90 in US) body with a noisy Kodak 6 MP CCD. It was the first camera that has a fixed ISO, at 80 only! The camera was selling at US$30,000.

Heritage Poster of The Star (Malaysia)

Story of the one and only surviving "Star Goes National" promotional poster!

First, for those not in the know, I am quoting Wikipedia:

"The Star is the leading English-language tabloid format newspaper in Malaysia. It is the largest in terms of circulation in Malaysia, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. It has a daily circulation of between 290,000 to 300,000.
 
The Star is also a member of the Asia News Network.

The Star is majority-owned by the Malaysian Chinese Association, the second-largest party in the ruling Barisan Nasional alliance. Its major competitors are the New Straits Times and the The Sun, both tabloids."

In 1974 I joined the young Star as their first Photo Editor.

In 1974 we had to fight with scores of established English, Chinese and Malay newspapers! Our biggest "enemies" were "The Straits Echo", "The New Straits Times" and their afternoon tabloid, "The Malay Mail"!

Our founder Mr K.S.Choong, who was also the MD and Editor In Chief realised that the only way we can beat the others are by publishing "Scoop News" and "Scoop Pictures".

Choong has the vision to play up good news pictures BIG and that gets the attentions of our readers! Asked any Star readers that live through the 70's and they will tell you we had the BEST pictures!

Heroes & Friends

Twenty two years ago, in 1988; Mary Andersen was at the Miami airport checking in for a long flight to Norway to be with her husband.

Her happiness was crushed when she was told she will have to pay $103.00 surcharge if she wanted to bring both her suitcases to Norway!

Mary had no money. Her new husband had traveled ahead of her to Norway, and she had no one else to call.

As Mary stood there, in front of the counter; with tears streaming down her face, a tall man whom she never seen before said; "That's okay, I will pay for her."

That man was Barack Obama.

Mary's hero became the first black President of the United States!

Fast rewind 22 years, 1988; Singapore International Airport, yours truly and family with THIRTEEN pieces of luggage; checking in at economy, Air New Zealand. We are migrating lock stock and barrel, from Penang to Wellington, New Zealand.

Déjà vu - LOTR Parade

What prompt me to re post "LOTR Parade in Wellington"... a short chat with our daughter this morning...

11:11 Ming-N: hey ya...just wondering, did you do a blog post on the lord of the rings premiere?

11:13 me: I did in the old blog that was attached to Jeff Ooi's ScreenShot, that site was hacked and completely gone! Why?

Ming-N: ahh... shame...Ashley (new guy) is a huge LOTR fan

was going to show him the picsare they online anywhere?

me: May be I should do a deja vu piece :)

11:14 I am sure it will be highly popular :)

11:15 Ming-N: definitely! especially with The Hobbit starting filming next Feb11:16 me: That is a good idea! I will, soon...

So to Ashley who recently moved log stock and barrel from England and all the LOTR fans, here it is again!

Most of the photos below were NOT in the original post, so please enjoy ;)

London Catch Up...

When we were in London my wife and I caught up with two special person that we have not seen for years!

Sim Hock Neoh is Le General's big brother, the last time we saw him and his wife Carol was in 1994 in Singapore!

At his web site which Lamont Moon designed, you will learn that Sim Hock, "grew up in Penang, Malaysia and began his artistic education from an early age, strongly influenced by his beautiful and inspiring tropical surroundings.

He moved to England in 1965 to further his studies and enrolled on a Fine Art course at Sir John Cass College of Art in London. After completing this he travelled extensively in Europe and the US, continuing to paint. He also taught and lectured on traditional Chinese art."