PETALING JAYA, May 24 ― A lot can happen in 15 years. Take Malaysia, for example. How many of us can remember the highlights from 2003?
From the first Malaysian film to be screened at Sundance to a historical discovery made in Malacca, here’s a quick throwback.
Malaysia celebrated her 46th year of independence
Four decades after gaining independence from Great Britain, Malaysia is often described as a guiding model for developing, post-colonial nations thanks to its rapid development and infrastructural growth.
Kimi Raikkonen wins his first Formula One Grand Prix victory
At the 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix, Finnish racing driver Kimi Raikkonen won his first-ever Formula One victory while representing McLaren-Mercedes at the Sepang International Circuit. It was the second race of the season.
Amir Muhammad’s The Big Durian is first Malaysian film screened at Sundance Film Festival
Known for films such as The Last Communist and Susuk, Amir Muhammad’s part documentary, part fiction film became the first Malaysian film to be screen at the Sundance Film Festival. The Big Durian is based on an incident that took place in 1987, where a soldier went amok on the streets of Chow Kit.
Construction of the SMART Tunnel begins
Touted as a major national project, the SMART Tunnel stands for Stormwater Management And Road Tunnel. The dual-function tunnel was meant to alleviate flash floods in Kuala Lumpur and ease traffic congestion along Jalan Loke Yew and Jalan Sungei Besi. The 9.7-kilometre tunnel is South-east Asia’s longest storm water drainage tunnel. Construction began in November 2003 and the tunnel was completed in 2007.
Berjaya Times Square, Malaysia’s highest shopping complex, opens
Standing at 666ft (203 metres), Berjaya Times Square is a 48-storey building housing a hotel, indoor amusement park, condominium and shopping mall. It currently ranks tenth among the world’s top buildings with the largest amount of floor area.
KL Monorail begins operations
The monorail project was announced by Kuala Lumpur City Hall in 1990 and the KL Monorail Line opened on August 31, 2003, comprising 11 stations that link KL Sentral and Titiwangsa with the city’s Golden Triangle area.
Yasmin Ahmad makes her first film
Adored by Malaysians, the late film-maker Yasmin Ahmad made her first film, Rabun, in 2003. The film is about an older couple who moves to the country to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. Yasmin went on to make other films such as Sepet, Gubra, Mukshin and Talentime.
Naza Ria launches the first Malaysian MPV vehicle
Marketed as Naza Ria in Malaysia, this MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) was a joint-venture with Korea’s automobile manufacturer Kia Motors.
Royal Malaysian Navy purchases two French Scorpene-class submarines
The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) commissioned two Scorpene-class submarines developed by French Direction des Construction Navales and Spanish company Navantia for €1.2 billion (RM5.7 billion today). The subs were named after Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Abdul Razak.
Archaeologists uncover historical artifacts at Malacca’s Fort Santiago
Centuries-old towers, forts and walls were found at historical Malacca’s Dataran Pahlawan. During the excavation, a tower that was part of Fort Santiago was unearthed. Fort Santiago is the only remaining part of A Famosa today, the fortress which was built in 1511 by the Portuguese to keep enemies out of the city.
And while all this was happening, The Glenlivet cask number 906283 was maturing in barrels before being bottled and finding its way to Malaysia this year, the only country it is available in.
This exclusive Glenlivet 15-year-old Single Cask Edition (Cask 906283) is one of The Glenlivet’s rarest whiskies yet, with only 174 bottles available in the country.
The non-chill filtered single malt is drawn from a single first fill American oak barrel and is the closest experience to drinking straight from the cask.
The Glenlivet 15-Year-Old Single Cask Edition is available through selected trade partners from May 1 onwards. Visit https://thecask.my/ for more info and to purchase.
