Malaysia China 35 years Ties 1974-2009

My apply my first  Malaysia International Passport on 26th Nov 1974 while working as an Immigration Officer was it is so easy for to get one without the need to Q up like the public. The Immigration Office HQ was at Jalan TuGu, Kuala Lumpur using an old colonial building. There was no air condition and only ceiling fans and there was no Qup system like the modern immigration office now.Daily there are hundred of people waiting even before the door open. it take about one month before you can get your passport.  
Secondly I like so many other Malaysian Chinese with ancestor coming from China was happy about Malaysia established diplomatic relationship with China. In fact the first South East Asia nations to do so. It was the hope of older Chinese generation with the ties with China they can now visit their ancestor village before they die.
My father from Guangzhou and my father in law from Wing Jun Fujian state was eager to know when they could return for a visit after over 40 years.However I was sad that they can't visit yet because all Malaysia International passport are not permitted to travel to China beside 10 other nations listed. I hope of accompany my fahter and father inlaw on 2 separate trip to China was like a dream for 13 years till 1987.
My father and father in law never have the chance to retrun to their village due by the time partial restriction was lifted for Chinese to visit China they already too weak to do so.
Therefore they passed away a 1-3 years later.

Now I realize after 35 years of ties first by former premier Tun Abdul Razak in 1974 and now his son our current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in 2009 to strengthen what his father have done 35 years ago. To me this 1974 is an important year to me as I still have my first passport issue to me so are all my other previous 5 old passports.
It is with the various overseas immigration stamping on pages of the passport and from old photos that I am able to write my 35 years travel stories in my blog.  

I decided to detour writing about Taiwan now but to write about my first trip to China since it is our Prime Minsiter re visit to bring a closer ties to China for tradeand others.

Looking back I think we missed so much opportunity to further establish closer working relations in trading, tourism and to seek opportunity to rush to China in the early 1980. Even after 1974 Malaysian are not permitted to visit China, as passport issued was not valid for travel to China besides 10 other nations. ( prefer to my first passport 1974-1979 validity page as shown earlier.


However Malaysian can still apply directly from home Ministry to visit China for medical treatment and for trading. those who return to China for good and the senior citizen can also apply for permission. Working as an immigration officer in the early 70 I come across senior citizen returning from China. Our immigration booth have a section inside for special branch officer to screen all local and foreigners passport. At the firs counter open section an immigration officer will collect the passport and check everything including embarkation card etc and then pass to second section cover up and then pass it to the end open counter fro immigration to stamp the passport for entry. The special branch will only come out to tell the person concern to go for an interview at their office. Sometime after all passengers clear if the special branch need translation in mandarin or other Chinese language like Cantonese and Hakka they will ask me for help.  
As such I know what China living standard those era of 1970 to 1986 ( My first immpression on China during first trip in 1986). they also told me some what happended when they return to their ancestor village.
I will re tell their ecounter after I finish writing about my first trip to China in 1986 during next publish by end of this week.