The First Malaysian Open

The First Malaysian Open

1962 was a very good year. I had just come back from England the year before and started practice as a lawyer. Everything was new and hugely interesting. The country had become independent only five years earlier and with a popular and friendly and magnanimous person in Tunku Abdul Rahman as Prime Minister, the country had much to look forward to. There was no television and we followed entertainment on the radio and cinema. There were no traffic jams and the roads were clear. It was safe to cycle anywhere. Sport was very popular at schools and after work. There was no shopping malls and air conditioning was just coming in. The population in Kuala Lumpur was less a million and Petaling Jaya just beginning and there was no highway between Kuala Lumpur and Klang. There was no air pollution. There was no internet, the fastest way to communicate was by telegram. There were only four golf clubs in the country with 18 holes golf courses and only one in Kuala Lumpur.

In 1962, there was still a thriving expat population, the British civil servants and businessmen were slowly handing over to Malaysians. We were very fortunate indeed that independence was achieved without rancor, bitterness or trouble, thanks to our new leaders and the exiting British. All the racial groups were at ease with each other and united in the new country. The Tunku declared that he was the happiest Prime Minister and he had good reasons to be.