Char kuay teow is a hawker favourite that has become a staple in Malaysian restaurants around the world. The origins of this dish reveal a lot about who emigrated from Malaysia and why.

The post-independence years in Malaysia were tense and race riots would trigger another State of Emergency in 1969. To quell civil unrest and alleviate poverty, the Government announced the New Economic Policy. Not everyone was happy with this new political trajectory and many left to build lives elsewhere.

Celebrity chef Julie Lin and her mum Lang Macleod share family tales on life in a Scottish-Malaysian household.

Resources and References

A History of Malaysia (2016), Barbara Watson Andaya, Leonard Y. Andaya

Borneo: The History of an Enigma (2026), Olivier Hein

Embedded Myths of Malaysia’s New Economic Policy, Christopher Choong Weng Tai, London School of Economics blog, 4 April 2022 https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/seac/2022/04/04/embedded-myths-of-malaysias-new-economic-policy/

Putting the Malaysian diaspora into perspective https://cs.stanford.edu/people/eroberts/cs181/projects/2010-11/BrainDrain/Malaysia.html

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Hosted by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson

Produced by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson

Sound Design by Jack Barr

Satay? Okay! is produced by Kopi Productions Limited and supported by the Golden Chopsticks Scholarship, by the Oxford Cultural Collective Trust

Hawkers are the life blood of Malaysia's cuisines and custodians of some of the nation's most iconic dishes. Yet few realise the important role that hawkers played in the post-war years when the fledgling nation was on the brink of starvation.

After Japan surrendered and World War II ended, Britain regained control of Malaya. Calls for independence grew, yet Britain did not want to let go of its most economically-important colony. And so, conflict continued and an Emergency was declared.

Academic Kar Yern Chin is the author of Modern Pangs. His research into the politics of food and hunger reveal the enormous challenges in feeding a starving population after Malaysian gained independence.

Resources and References

A History of Malaysia (2016), Barbara Watson Andaya, Leonard Y. Andaya

Borneo: The History of an Enigma (2026), Olivier Hein

Modern Pangs: The Politics of Food & Hunger After Merdeka, 1957–1969 (2025), Kar Yern Chin

Malaya - Britain's forgotten war for rubber, Mark Curtis https://www.ehm.my/publications/articles/malaya%E2%80%94britains-forgotten-war-for-rubber

How Britain fought a guerrilla war during the Malayan Emergency, Imperial War Museum https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/cold-war/end-of-empire/malayan-emergency/how-britain-fought-a-guerrilla-war

British Malayan capitalism, 1874–1957: An economic-historical perspective, Dr Elsa Lafaye de Micheaux https://www.ehm.my/publications/articles/british-malayan-capitalism-1874%E2%80%931957-an-economic-historical-perspective

Clairmonte, Frederic F. “Malaysia: Development for Whom?” The Malaysian Economy: Structures and Dependenceby Khor Kok Peng. Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 19, no. 29, 1984, pp. 1146–49. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4373434. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

Revealed: how Britain tried to legitimise Batang Kali massacre, Mark Townsend, The Guardian 6 May 2012 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/may/06/britain-batang-kali-massacre-malaysia

Relatives lose fight for inquiry into 1948 Batang Kali 'massacre', Owen Bowcott, The Guradian 25 November 2025 https://www.theguardian.com/law/2015/nov/25/relatives-lose-fight-for-inquiry-into-1948-batang-kali-massacre

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Hosted by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson

Produced by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson

Sound Design by Jack Barr

Satay? Okay! is produced by Kopi Productions Limited and supported by the Golden Chopsticks Scholarship, by the Oxford Cultural Collective Trust

Nasi lemak is the national dish of Malaysia. Does this humble rice dish encapsulate the story of Malaysian independence?

The early 20th Century saw all parts of Malaya and north Borneo under some form of colonial control. But with the advent of World War II, the invasion by Japan would upend the lives of locals once again.

Cookbook author Kalsom Taib is older than the country of Malaysia. She was born during the occupation and shares what it was like in the years before, during and after the war. She also recounts how food has transformed over the decades, for better or worse.

Resources and References

A History of Malaysia (2016), Barbara Watson Andaya, Leonard Y. Andaya

Borneo: The History of an Enigma (2026), Olivier Hein

Druce, Stephen C and Nani Suryani Haji Abu Bakar. 2023. Brunei and the World Since 1984. Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Brunei, pp. 100-117. eds. Ooi Keat Gin and Victor T. King. London: Routledge.

"Scorched Earth" Policy Hansard Volume 377: debated on Thursday 8 January 1942 https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/1942-01-08/debates/06602dd3-6929-4a8a-b4da-0c30b4427c9d/ScorchedEarthPolicy

SCORCHED EARTH POLICY IN MALAYA, The Canberra Times, 16 Jan 1942 Page 1 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2585976

Operation Sook Ching by Stephanie Ho, National Library of Singapore https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=cc4da337-3bcd-4f96-bdc6-5210646bdd90

Credits

Hosted by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson

Produced by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson

Sound Design by Jack Barr

Satay? Okay! is produced by Kopi Productions Limited and supported by the Golden Chopsticks Scholarship, by the Oxford Cultural Collective Trust

From traditional to contemporary, we look at the other side of Sabah culture.

Continuing on from Part 1, we learn about efforts to modernise traditional indigenous cuisine through fine dining. Raphael Jay Peter Lee is head chef of OITOM, a restaurant in Kota Kinabalu that aims to redefine what Sabahan cuisine is. But it turns out that instilling traditional cultural values into your restaurant requires more than just a menu change.

Resources and References

A History of Malaysia (2016), Barbara Watson Andaya, Leonard Y. Andaya

Borneo: The History of an Enigma (2026), Olivier Hein

Druce, Stephen C and Nani Suryani Haji Abu Bakar. 2023. Brunei and the World Since 1984. Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Brunei, pp. 100-117. eds. Ooi Keat Gin and Victor T. King. London: Routledge.

The Making of Sabah, 1865-1941: The Dynamics of Indigenous Society, University of Malaya Press, 2000

Titas Chakraborty, Matthias van Rossum, Slave Trade and Slavery in Asia—New Perspectives, Journal of Social History, Volume 54, Issue 1, Fall 2020, Pages 1–14, https://doi.org/10.1093/jsh/shaa004

James Warren, The Sulu Zone 1768–1898: The Dynamics of External Trade, Slavery, and Ethnicity in the Transformation of a Southeast Asian Maritime State (Singapore, 2007)

Barbara Andaya, To Live as Brothers: Southeast Sumatra in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries (Honolulu, 1993).

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Hosted by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson

Produced by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson

Sound Design by Jack Barr

Satay? Okay! is produced by Kopi Productions Limited and supported by the Golden Chopsticks Scholarship, by the Oxford Cultural Collective Trust

Almost anything can be turned into bosou. Sabah's favourite fermented condiment can be found in vegetable, meat and fish forms. It's a dish of survival, and a core part of indigenous identity.

Brunei's grip over Northern Borneo weakened in the 19th Century. Before long, land rights were acquired by the British North Borneo Company, kicking off a period of corporate colonialism. To survive, indigenous communities could either play along or rebel.

Dr Richard Gunting is a Murut community leader and founder of Borneo Outback Tours. His home of Nabawan is one of Sabah's poorest districts and both the environmental and Murut culture is at stake. Richard shares his efforts to use ecotourism to reverse his community's fortunes.

Resources and References

A History of Malaysia (2016), Barbara Watson Andaya, Leonard Y. Andaya

Borneo: The History of an Enigma (2026), Olivier Hein

Druce, Stephen C and Nani Suryani Haji Abu Bakar. 2023. Brunei and the World Since 1984. Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Brunei, pp. 100-117. eds. Ooi Keat Gin and Victor T. King. London: Routledge.

The Making of Sabah, 1865-1941: The Dynamics of Indigenous Society, University of Malaya Press, 2000

Titas Chakraborty, Matthias van Rossum, Slave Trade and Slavery in Asia—New Perspectives, Journal of Social History, Volume 54, Issue 1, Fall 2020, Pages 1–14, https://doi.org/10.1093/jsh/shaa004

James Warren, The Sulu Zone 1768–1898: The Dynamics of External Trade, Slavery, and Ethnicity in the Transformation of a Southeast Asian Maritime State (Singapore, 2007)

Barbara Andaya, To Live as Brothers: Southeast Sumatra in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries (Honolulu, 1993).

Credits

Hosted by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson

Produced by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson

Sound Design by Jack Barr

Satay? Okay! is produced by Kopi Productions Limited and supported by the Golden Chopsticks Scholarship, by the Oxford Cultural Collective Trust

A new generation of Sarawakians are breathing life into the burgeoning tuak industry. But can they take this drink worldwide when brewing tuak is technically illegal?

Continuing on from Part 1, we look at the future of the tuak industry in Sarawak.

Arif Abdul Rahman co-runs the Borneo Tuak Festival. He shares how the industry has transformed over the past ten years and the challenges it faces in the future.

We also hear from Martiana Chia who contemplates Sarawak's food future. Can the state live up to its reputation as City of Gastronomy?

Resources and References

A History of Malaysia (2016), Barbara Watson Andaya, Leonard Y. Andaya

Borneo: The History of an Enigma (2026), Olivier Hein

Druce, Stephen C and Nani Suryani Haji Abu Bakar. 2023. Brunei and the World Since 1984. Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Brunei, pp. 100-117. eds. Ooi Keat Gin and Victor T. King. London: Routledge.

The Rajahs of Sarawak, The Spectator, 1940 https://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/29th-january-1910/40/the-rajahs-of-sarawak

The little-known tree that revolutionised global communication, BBC Global https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rLTixi7pOo

A Land of Rice and History — The Role of Tuak, the Traditional Fermented Rice Drink, in Sarawak, Malaysia by Anna Sulan Masing, Good Beer Hunting, 2022 https://www.goodbeerhunting.com/blog/2022/7/20/a-land-of-rice-and-history-the-role-of-tuak-the-traditional-fermented-rice-drink-in-sarawak-malaysia

Credits

Hosted by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson

Produced by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson

Sound Design by Jack Barr

Satay? Okay! is produced by Kopi Productions Limited and supported by the Golden Chopsticks Scholarship, by the Oxford Cultural Collective Trust

Tuak is more than just rice wine, it's a core part of indigenous identity in Sarawak. But can the traditions of tuak be upheld if the drink is commercialised?

The golden age of Brunei ended from the 16th Century, leaving a weakened empire ripe for exploitation. Enter James Brooke, a so-called private individual who colonised his way to become the first White Rajah of Sarawak.

Academic, food writer and poet Anna Sulan Masing talks about the importance of tuak to Dayak culture, while Martiana Chia (or Mars) of The Rasa tells us what it's like to start a tuak business with her grandmother.

Resources and References

A History of Malaysia (2016), Barbara Watson Andaya, Leonard Y. Andaya

Borneo: The History of an Enigma (2026), Olivier Hein

Druce, Stephen C and Nani Suryani Haji Abu Bakar. 2023. Brunei and the World Since 1984. Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Brunei, pp. 100-117. eds. Ooi Keat Gin and Victor T. King. London: Routledge.

The Rajahs of Sarawak, The Spectator, 1940 https://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/29th-january-1910/40/the-rajahs-of-sarawak

The little-known tree that revolutionised global communication, BBC Global https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rLTixi7pOo

A Land of Rice and History — The Role of Tuak, the Traditional Fermented Rice Drink, in Sarawak, Malaysia by Anna Sulan Masing, Good Beer Hunting, 2022 https://www.goodbeerhunting.com/blog/2022/7/20/a-land-of-rice-and-history-the-role-of-tuak-the-traditional-fermented-rice-drink-in-sarawak-malaysia

Credits

Hosted by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson

Produced by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson

Sound Design by Jack Barr

Satay? Okay! is produced by Kopi Productions Limited and supported by the Golden Chopsticks Scholarship, by the Oxford Cultural Collective Trust

Ginger root isn't the only ginger out there. Malaysia boasts dozens of different gingers, some that are only found in Borneo.

Much of Malaysian Borneo's early history concerns Brunei, an ancient kingdom that sprung up in the 10th century. Like other coastal sultanates, Brunei was a maritime trade empire, specialising in jungle products found no where else. Critical to this trade system was Borneo's indigenous communities, which are still thriving today.

Pison Jaujip is one of Sabah's most famous content creators. He runs Ropuhan Di Tanak Wagu, or Bachelor's Kitchen, where he teaches people to cook traditional Sabahan foods. His efforts are helping to document a cuisine that is fast-changing.

Vicky Chong, meanwhile, runs Walai Dahai Corner in Kota Kinabalu, where she runs classes on traditional Dusun foods. She sits down with us to share the stories behind classic heritage foods, many of which are rooted in survival.

Resources and References

A History of Malaysia (2016), Barbara Watson Andaya, Leonard Y. Andaya

Borneo: The History of an Enigma (2026), Olivier Hein

Druce, Stephen C and Nani Suryani Haji Abu Bakar. 2023. Brunei and the World Since 1984. Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Brunei, pp. 100-117. eds. Ooi Keat Gin and Victor T. King. London: Routledge.

Ji, F. (2018). The Chinese Kongsis in West Borneo: the Rise of the Chinese in Global Trade in the Early and Mid-19th Century [Brandeis University]. https://doi.org/10.48617/etd.853

Charles Spence, Ginger: The pungent spice, International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, Volume 33,2023, 100793, ISSN 1878-450X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2023.100793

Credits

Hosted by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson

Produced by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson

Sound Design by Jack Barr

Satay? Okay! is produced by Kopi Productions Limited and supported by the Golden Chopsticks Scholarship, by the Oxford Cultural Collective Trust