12 Incredible Photos of Pre-Independence vs Present Day Malaysia

So, the day of our country’s 61st independence is just around the corner, and we definitely have lots of reasons to celebrate this year.

Apart from celebrating the dawn of a new Malaysia, Merdeka is also the time to celebrate the sacrifices our forefathers made in the fight for independence. Malaysia has a rich history and is constantly evolving for the better. Heck, it’s just a trip looking at ancient photos of what our country used to be like mere decades ago!

So, in homage to our country’s 61st year of independence, we’ve compiled some mind-boggling “then vs now” photos of some of the most famous parts of Malaysia. Have a fun trip down memory lane!

1. Seremban Station, Seremban 

THEN:

Source: Malaya Railway

NOW:

Source: Travel Malaysia

2. Menara OCBC Medan Pasar, KL

THEN:

Source: Savoir Vivire | Blogspot

NOW:

Source: Wikimedia Commons

3. Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, KL

THEN:

Source: Pinterest

NOW:

Source: Pinterest

4. Chinatown, Kuching 

THEN:

Source: Unique collections Blog | WordPress

NOW:

Source: Travel & Culture Malaysia

5. Penang Road 

THEN:

Source: Anil Netto

NOW:

Source: Hotels.com

6. Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Johor Bahru 

THEN:

JB fish market (left) connected to Jalan Long Ah Fook (right) | Source: Peggy Loh

NOW:

Source: sgmytaxi.com

7. Pejabat Pos Besar, Alor Setar 

THEN:

Source: Sustainable Living Institute | Blogspot

NOW:

Source: Tripmondo

8. Hugh Low Street, Ipoh 

THEN:

Source: Wikipedia

NOW:

Source: Ipoh Talk

9. Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

THEN:

Source: North Borneo Historical Society

NOW:

Source: Sabah Tourism

10. Klang & Gombak River

THEN:

Source: @shafiq_zikri | Twitter

NOW:

Source: @shafiq_zikri | Twitter

11. Jonker Street, Melaka

THEN:

Source: Tour Malaysia

NOW:

Source: Holiday Go Go Go

12. Kampung Cina, Kuala Terengganu 

THEN:

Source: Basil Adilnor | Flickr

NOW:

Source: Ravindran John Smith | Dreamstime

What a trip, huh?

This Merdeka, let’s not only celebrate our country’s bright future, but also look back on what it took to get where we are today. After all, a country is nothing without its history!

Selamat Hari Merdeka!

Also read: Malaysians Are Petitioning to Include This Woman in Our History Syllabus, Here’s Why