Institutions Malaysians grew up with
The organisations behind savings, roads, electricity, connectivity, transport and household investment.
PULSEKITA CHRONOLOGY
Malaysia, explained in the order it happened.
Follow people, companies, institutions and turning points through sourced timelines — then see what changed, why it mattered and what happened next.
42chronologies494sourced milestones8discovery lenses
Numbers explain scale. Chronology explains sequence.
Every milestone keeps its source attached. Decisions, allegations, statements, money movements and confirmed events stay separated so history remains readable without flattening uncertainty.
START HERE · POLITICSUpdated 9 Oct 2026
Mahathir Mohamad: two premierships across seven decades of politics
A chronology from doctor and political writer to deputy prime minister, Malaysia's fourth prime minister, a return to opposition politics, and a second premiership in 2018–2020.
37events2 kaliserved twice as Malaysia's prime minister: 1981–2003 and 2018–20201925–2026period covered
Follow the chronology →PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
CURATED COLLECTIONS
Don't know where to start?
Open Malaysia through a familiar institution, a major personality or a national turning point.
People who shaped Malaysian business
Founders, dealmakers and operators whose decisions created companies and industries Malaysians still recognise.
01Robert Kuok: from Johor commodity trader to one of Asia's most diversified business groups02Syed Mokhtar Albukhary: from rice trading to ports, autos and philanthropy03Lim Goh Tong and Genting: how a remote mountain became a global leisure group04Tony Fernandes and AirAsia: from a RM1 airline acquisition to a regional low-cost aviation group
Turning points in Malaysian history
Moments when politics, security, economics or tragedy changed what came next.
01Malaysia wasn't always Malaysia: how the federation was formed — and changed within two years0213 May 1969: how post-election violence reshaped Malaysian politics and national policy03Memali 1985: how an attempted arrest ended with 18 deaths — and decades of unanswered questions04When the ringgit collapsed: how Malaysia navigated the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis
Systems that built modern Malaysia
Energy, transport, industrial policy and infrastructure that changed how the country moves, works and grows.
01PETRONAS: how Malaysia's national oil company became a global energy group02PROTON: from the national car project and Saga to Geely partnership and Malaysian EVs03PLUS Highway: how the North-South Expressway changed travel in Peninsular Malaysia04Telekom Malaysia: from telephone lines to fibre, cloud and an AI-driven digital network
CHRONOLOGY LIBRARY
Find the story behind the headline.
Search names, organisations, events, years or even a phrase inside a timeline.
42 stories ready to explore
HistoryTun Dr Mahathir Mohamad
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
PoliticsYear by year
Mahathir Mohamad: two premierships across seven decades of politics
A chronology from doctor and political writer to deputy prime minister, Malaysia's fourth prime minister, a return to opposition politics, and a second premiership in 2018–2020.
Politics
2 kaliserved twice as Malaysia's prime minister: 1981–2003 and 2018–2020
37 events · 1925–2026Open →
BadmintonDatuk Lee Chong Wei
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
SportsYear by year
Lee Chong Wei: tiga perak Olimpik, 348 minggu nombor satu dunia
Daripada Bagan Serai ke pentas Olimpik: tiga final berturut-turut, persaingan sengit di gelanggang, rekod Jelajah Dunia dan keputusan bersara pada 2019.
3 perakOlimpik Beijing 2008, London 2012 dan Rio 2016
9 events · 1982–2026Open →
CyclingDato' Azizulhasni Awang
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
SportsYear by year
Azizulhasni Awang: daripada Dungun ke podium Olimpik dan juara dunia keirin
Perjalanan 'The Pocket Rocketman' daripada basikal trek ke podium Rio 2016, emas dunia Hong Kong 2017, perak Tokyo 2020 dan keputusan pahit di Paris 2024.
2 pingatgangsa Rio 2016 dan perak Tokyo 2020 (diadakan pada 2021)
11 events · 1988–2026Open →
ORGANISATIONMYEG / JPJ
2026 → 202613 PERISTIWA
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
BusinessMoney trail
JPJ–MyEG: how did RM314m in arrears end in a service suspension?
A sourced chronology from the start of the arrears period in May and the unprocessed RM231m cheque to the suspension and Zetrix's latest confirmation of the RM314m amount.
Companies
RM314joutstanding JPJ remittance now confirmed by Zetrix
13 events · 2026Open →
ChronologyBusiness2023
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
BusinessYear by year
Kahf in Malaysia: what do sales data and retail shelves show?
From a community-led strategy in 2023 to reported sales growth in 2024 and 35 Watsons items in October 2026 — a source-led view of Kahf's Malaysian expansion.
Companies
+189%reported sales growth in the 2024 FMCG Asia award material
6 events · 2023–2026Open →
SportsDatuk Nicol Ann David
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
SportsYear by year
Nicol David: from Penang public courts to nine years as world No. 1
A chronology from junior world champion to professional dominance, eight world titles, 108 consecutive months at No. 1, retirement, community work and Hall of Fame recognition.
108 bulanconsecutive months as world No. 1 from 2006 to 2015
11 events · 1983–2026Open →
MusicDato' M. Nasir
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
EntertainmentYear by year
M. Nasir: from songwriter to Malaysia's music 'sifu'
More than four decades as songwriter, Kembara member, solo artist, composer, producer and mentor blending Malay tradition with rock and pop.
40+ tahunmusic career summarised by Tatler Asia
10 events · 1979–2026Open →
MusicJoe Flizzow
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
EntertainmentYear by year
Joe Flizzow: from Too Phat to a defining voice of Malaysian hip-hop
A chronology from Too Phat in the late 1990s to solo albums President and Havoc, Apa Khabar, MTV recognition, Ciao and a wider role in building Southeast Asian hip-hop.
10m+YouTube views for Ciao cited by Tatler and Def Jam
10 events · 1998–2026Open →
InfrastructurePan Borneo HighwayOngoing
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
InfrastructureYear by year
Sabah Pan Borneo: how did a 2021 completion target become 2030?
An accountability chronology of Phase 1—from its 2015 plan and original 2021 completion window through the PDP model change, repeated target shifts and the Auditor-General's 2026 findings.
Major EventsInfrastructure
4 / 35work packages completed as at the Auditor-General's 31 Mar 2026 snapshot
11 events · 2015–2026Open →
LegalGISBH2024–26
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
CourtsLegal trail
GISBH: how did Op Global become a 331-charge money-laundering trial?
A legal chronology from the September 2024 enforcement operation through asset freezes, organised-crime proceedings, expanding AMLA charges and the October 2026 decision to proceed to trial.
331money-laundering charges now consolidated in the current trial
10 events · 2024–2026Open →
HousingDWI Rimbun KasiaOngoing
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
PropertyYear by year
DWI@Rimbun Kasia: how did a 2018 launch become a sick project still unfinished in 2026?
A buyer-facing chronology of DWI@Rimbun Kasia, Meadowfield and Ireka—from the project's early launch promises and the Hankyu Hanshin joint venture to contractor failure, rescue works, changing completion targets, Ireka's PN17 and delisting, and the project's current KPKT sick-project status.
Major Events
SICKcurrent KPKT housing-project classification — not abandoned
18 events · 2014–2026Open →
PoliticsPrime Ministers of Malaysia1957–today
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
PoliticsYear by year
Malaysia's prime ministers: nine people, ten premierships from 1957 to today
A compact chronology of every Malaysian prime minister from Tunku Abdul Rahman to Anwar Ibrahim, including Mahathir Mohamad's two non-consecutive premierships and the rapid leadership changes between 2018 and 2022.
PeoplePolitics
10numbered premierships held by 9 different people
10 events · 1957–2026Open →
ORGANISATIONMYDIN
1957 → 202612 PERISTIWA
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
BusinessYear by year
MYDIN: from a wooden Kota Bharu shop to a 77-branch Malaysian retail network
A chronology of MYDIN's growth from Tuan Mydin Mohamed's first shop in 1957 through the family's East Coast expansion, the move into Kuala Lumpur, corporatisation, hypermarkets and a nationwide retail footprint built around wholesale-style pricing.
Companies
77branches stated on MYDIN's current official company page
12 events · 1957–2026Open →
PeopleRobert Kuok
Kuok Group
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
BusinessYear by year
Robert Kuok: from Johor commodity trader to one of Asia's most diversified business groups
A chronology of how Kuok Brothers grew from trading rice, sugar and flour in Johor Bahru into a multinational network spanning food, hospitality, property, logistics, maritime businesses and agribusiness.
PeopleCompanies
1949Kuok Brothers begins business in Johor Bahru
14 events · 1949–2026Open →
ORGANISATIONPETRONAS
1974 → 202616 PERISTIWA
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
EnergyYear by year
PETRONAS: how Malaysia's national oil company became a global energy group
A chronology from PETRONAS' incorporation in 1974 through exploration, LNG, international expansion, the Twin Towers, floating LNG, renewable-energy investment and the company's 50th anniversary.
CompaniesInstitutionsEconomy
RM1.5tPETRONAS says it contributed to Malaysia through dividends, taxes, cash payments and other channels from 1974 to 2024
16 events · 1974–2026Open →
ORGANISATIONKhazanah
1993 → 202615 PERISTIWA
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
EconomyYear by year
Khazanah Nasional: from custodian of government assets to Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund
A chronology of Khazanah's creation in 1993, its 2004 strategic revamp, the GLC Transformation Programme, Iskandar Malaysia, aviation restructuring, impact investing and its modern role as Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund.
InstitutionsEconomy
1993year Khazanah Nasional was established
15 events · 1993–2026Open →
ORGANISATIONFELDA
1956 → 202610 PERISTIWA
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
DevelopmentYear by year
FELDA: how land settlement reshaped rural Malaysia
A chronology of FELDA from its 1956 creation and the first land schemes to more than 112,000 settler families, the end of new settler intake in 1990 and the shift toward a self-financing commercial model.
InstitutionsEconomy
112,635settler families placed across FELDA schemes by 1990
10 events · 1956–2026Open →
ORGANISATIONEPF / KWSP
1951 → 202613 PERISTIWA
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
MoneyYear by year
EPF/KWSP: how compulsory savings became a RM1.4 trillion retirement institution
A chronology of the Employees Provident Fund from its 1951 establishment through nationwide coverage, housing withdrawals, computerisation, account restructuring and a 2025 investment portfolio exceeding RM1.4 trillion.
InstitutionsEconomy
RM1.409tEPF investment assets at 31 December 2025
13 events · 1951–2026Open →
ORGANISATIONPNB
1978 → 202612 PERISTIWA
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
InvestingYear by year
PNB: how unit trusts turned corporate ownership into a mass-investment story
A chronology of Permodalan Nasional Berhad from its 1978 New Economic Policy mandate through ASN, the Guthrie Dawn Raid, ASB, strategic corporate stakes and the Merdeka 118 era.
InstitutionsEconomy
RM348.3bassets under management reported for 2024
12 events · 1978–2026Open →
ORGANISATIONMaybank
1960 → 202610 PERISTIWA
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
BankingYear by year
Maybank: from a Kuala Lumpur shopfront to a regional banking group
A chronology of Maybank from its 1960 incorporation and first High Street branch through early overseas expansion, public listing, ATMs, regional acquisitions and the growth of a Malaysian bank into an ASEAN financial-services group.
CompaniesEconomy
12 Sep 1960Maybank opened for business in Kuala Lumpur
10 events · 1960–2026Open →
ORGANISATIONCIMB
1924 → 202612 PERISTIWA
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
BankingYear by year
CIMB: how mergers turned many banking lineages into one ASEAN group
A chronology showing how Bian Chiang Bank, Bank Bumiputra, Southern Bank, United Asian Bank, CIMB merchant banking and regional acquisitions converged into today's CIMB Group.
CompaniesEconomy
10 marketsCIMB coverage reported in 2026
12 events · 1924–2026Open →
ORGANISATIONMalaysia Airlines
1947 → 202614 PERISTIWA
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
AviationYear by year
Malaysia Airlines: from Malayan Airways to the modern national carrier
A chronology of the flag carrier's shared Malayan Airways roots, the 1972 split from Singapore Airlines, international expansion, oneworld membership, the shocks of 2014 and the creation of today's Malaysia Aviation Group.
CompaniesInstitutionsInfrastructure
1 May 1947first Malayan Airways commercial flight
14 events · 1947–2026Open →
ORGANISATIONPLUS
1986 → 202611 PERISTIWA
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
InfrastructureYear by year
PLUS Highway: how the North-South Expressway changed travel in Peninsular Malaysia
A chronology of PLUS from its 1986 incorporation through completion of the North-South Expressway, electronic tolling, highway patrols and expansion into a wider expressway network.
CompaniesInfrastructure
748 kmlength of the North-South Expressway
11 events · 1986–2026Open →
ORGANISATIONTelekom Malaysia
1946 → 202611 PERISTIWA
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
ConnectivityYear by year
Telekom Malaysia: from telephone lines to fibre, cloud and an AI-driven digital network
A chronology of Malaysia's national telecommunications backbone from the 1946 telecommunications department through corporatisation, mobile services, dial-up internet, Streamyx, Unifi and TM's 80th anniversary.
CompaniesInstitutionsInfrastructure
80 yearsTM's connectivity history marked in 2026
11 events · 1946–2026Open →
ORGANISATIONTNB
1949 → 202610 PERISTIWA
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
EnergyYear by year
TNB: how Malaysia built a national electricity grid
A chronology from the Central Electricity Board in 1949 through the National Electricity Board, corporatisation into Tenaga Nasional Berhad and the modern transition toward smarter and lower-carbon power systems.
CompaniesInstitutionsInfrastructure
45,495consumers inherited by the Central Electricity Board in 1949
10 events · 1949–2026Open →
PoliticsDato' Sri Najib Razak
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
PoliticsLegal trail
Najib Razak: from young MP and prime minister to GE14 defeat and court cases
A chronology from Pekan MP and Pahang chief minister to deputy prime minister, Malaysia's sixth prime minister, the 2018 election defeat, SRC and 1MDB convictions, and a conditional pardon in September 2026.
Politics
2009–2018served as Malaysia's sixth prime minister
12 events · 1953–2026Open →
ORGANISATIONPROTON
1979 → 202614 PERISTIWA
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
AutomotiveYear by year
PROTON: from the national car project and Saga to Geely partnership and Malaysian EVs
A chronology of Malaysia's national car project from the 1979 feasibility push and 1985 Proton Saga through exports, changing ownership, the Geely partnership, the X70 and the e.MAS electric-vehicle era.
CompaniesInfrastructure
9 Jul 1985official launch of the first Proton Saga
14 events · 1979–2026Open →
TragedyHighland Towers1993
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
DisasterYear by year
Highland Towers: how a 1993 collapse became a 33-year story about slopes, law and accountability
A chronology from the collapse of Block 1 and the 48 lives lost through the rescue, legal battles, local-authority immunity debate and the 2026 decision to demolish the two remaining blocks.
Major EventsTragedies
48people killed in the collapse
9 events · 1993–2026Open →
Major EventMH3702014
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
AviationYear by year
MH370: how did the search evolve from 2014 to a new 2026–27 mission?
A source-backed chronology of the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, the shift to the southern Indian Ocean, the world's largest aviation search, the Ocean Infinity missions and the remaining search area now carried into 2027.
Major EventsInfrastructureTragedies
239passengers and crew aboard MH370
10 events · 2014–2026Open →
PeopleTony Fernandes
AirAsia
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
BusinessYear by year
Tony Fernandes and AirAsia: from a RM1 airline acquisition to a regional low-cost aviation group
A chronology of the 2001 AirAsia takeover, the low-cost airline model, rapid Asean expansion, the 500-million-passenger milestone, the pandemic shock, Capital A restructuring and the 2026 separation of aviation from non-airline businesses.
PeopleCompanies
RM1price paid for AirAsia in 2001, alongside about RM40m of debt
9 events · 2001–2026Open →
DisasterIndian Ocean Tsunami2004
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
DisasterDay by day
The day the sea came ashore: how the 2004 tsunami changed Malaysia's disaster preparedness
A chronology of the Indian Ocean tsunami's impact on Malaysia, the 68 lives lost, the coastal communities hit and the warning systems and regional disaster arrangements built afterward.
Major EventsTragedies
68deaths in Malaysia
7 events · 2004–2025Open →
PeopleSyed Mokhtar Albukhary
MMC / DRB-Hicom
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
BusinessYear by year
Syed Mokhtar Albukhary: from rice trading to ports, autos and philanthropy
A chronology of how Syed Mokhtar Albukhary moved from small-scale commodity and transport businesses into nationally significant corporate assets including ports, MMC, DRB-Hicom, Bernas and Proton, while building a large philanthropic footprint through the Albukhary Foundation.
PeopleCompanies
RM750half of a RM1,500 early rice-trading salary that the Foundation says he gave to 15 needy families
13 events · 1974–2025Open →
PeopleTun Daim Zainuddin
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
EconomyYear by year
Daim Zainuddin: businessman, finance minister and crisis-era economic powerbroker
A neutral chronology of Tun Daim Zainuddin's path from law and business into Parliament, two terms as finance minister, the National Economic Action Council, the 2018 Council of Eminent Persons, and the investigations that marked his final years.
PeoplePoliticsEconomy
2 termsserved as Malaysia's finance minister
12 events · 1938–2024Open →
PeopleAnwar Ibrahim
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
PoliticsYear by year
Anwar Ibrahim: from student activist and deputy prime minister to Malaysia's 10th prime minister
A source-backed chronology of Anwar Ibrahim's path from youth activism and UMNO, through the deputy premiership, Reformasi, two periods of imprisonment, opposition leadership, a royal pardon and the hung Parliament that ended with his appointment as prime minister in 2022.
PeoplePolitics
24 Nov 2022sworn in as Malaysia's 10th prime minister
14 events · 1947–2022Open →
BusinessTan Sri Mustapha Kamal
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
BusinessYear by year
Mustapha Kamal: from land officer to Malaysia's 'affordable housing king'
A chronology from Selangor land administration to property development, Emkay, MK Land and a housing legacy measured in tens of thousands of units.
Companies
12,000+low-cost homes in Selangor and Perak linked by BERNAMA to his legacy
9 events · 1949–2022Open →
National HistoryMemali1985
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
HistoryDay by day
Memali 1985: how an attempted arrest ended with 18 deaths — and decades of unanswered questions
A carefully framed chronology of the police operation in Kampung Memali, the deaths of 14 villagers and four policemen, the government's White Paper and later disputes over responsibility and whether an independent inquiry was needed.
Major EventsPoliticsTragedies
18total deaths: 14 civilians and 4 police personnel
8 events · 1985–2018Open →
SecurityLahad Datu · Ops Daulat2013
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
SecurityDay by day
Lahad Datu 2013: how an armed intrusion reshaped security in eastern Sabah
A day-by-day chronology of the Kampung Tanduo intrusion, the deadly clashes in Lahad Datu and Semporna, Ops Daulat and the creation of ESSZone and ESSCOM.
Major EventsTragedies
10Malaysian security personnel killed during the conflict
9 events · 2013Open →
PeopleLim Goh Tong
Genting
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
BusinessYear by year
Lim Goh Tong and Genting: how a remote mountain became a global leisure group
A chronology of Lim Goh Tong's defining business project: building the road, hotel and resort at Genting Highlands, listing the company, diversifying into plantations and handing the group to the next generation.
PeopleCompanies
25.5 kmaccess road opened from Genting Sempah to the Ulu Kali peak
12 events · 1937–2007Open →
PoliticsReformasi1998
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
PoliticsDecision trail
Reformasi 1998: how a dismissal, arrest and black eye reshaped Malaysian opposition politics
A neutral chronology of Anwar Ibrahim's 1998 dismissal, the street protests and arrest, the black-eye Royal Commission, court cases, the formation of Keadilan and Barisan Alternatif, and the 2004 Federal Court decision that overturned his first sodomy conviction.
Major EventsPolitics
1998year Reformasi became a national political movement
12 events · 1998–2004Open →
EconomyAsian Financial Crisis1997–99
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
EconomyYear by year
When the ringgit collapsed: how Malaysia navigated the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis
A policy-and-data chronology of the ringgit fall, stock-market crash, bank and corporate restructuring, capital controls, the RM3.80 peg and Malaysia's return to growth.
Major EventsEconomy
RM3.80ringgit per US dollar after the September 1998 peg
11 events · 1997–1999Open →
National History13 May1969
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
HistoryDecision trail
13 May 1969: how post-election violence reshaped Malaysian politics and national policy
A carefully sourced chronology of the 1969 general election, the violence in Kuala Lumpur, emergency rule, the suspension of Parliament, MAGERAN, the Rukun Negara and the policy changes that followed.
Major EventsPoliticsTragedies
196official death toll recorded by the National Archives
8 events · 1969–1971Open →
HistoryFormation of Malaysia1963
PulseKitaCHRONOLOGY
HistoryDecision trail
Malaysia wasn't always Malaysia: how the federation was formed — and changed within two years
A chronology from Tunku Abdul Rahman's 1961 proposal through the Cobbold Commission, the Malaysia Agreement, formation on 16 September 1963 and Singapore's separation in 1965.
Major EventsPolitics
16 Sep 1963date Malaysia was formed
9 events · 1961–1965Open →
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