YONGL shares his "Memories Around Malaysia"

When you’re looking for a place with a beautiful backdrop to create a memorable moment, it’s easy to claim that places overseas are way better than places in our locality. Places are like people — talents can come from anywhere and paradises can be anywhere. This series gives you an insight into the fact that sometimes, the very best of places reside right where you are. In this series, YONGL takes you around Malaysia and presents to you the underappreciated places with hidden beauty right in the home of Malaysia’s landscapes. 

Memories Around Malaysia presents a series of photographs of the picturesque landscapes and lifestyles local to Alor Setar, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor, Pantai Timur, Sabah, and Sarawak. 

YONGL begins this series in a sentimental place which is his mother’s hometown and also where he began his photography journey  — Alor Setar. The paddy fields that cultivate the crops which energise the locals of Kedah’s capital are captured against the backdrop of skies streaked with yellows, blues and purples. 

The next stop in this series is YONGL’s birthplace and hometown — Penang. From the hills to the coastline, the bustling state of Penang provides a balance between beautiful natural sceneries and bright night lights that sparkle even from aerial views in the far distance. YONGL shares his memories of his beloved hometown through his camera lens that captures the beautiful contrast of the state’s natural and man-made gems in both day and night. 

When YONGL moved to Kuala Lumpur for university, he began experimenting with street photography in the nation’s concrete jungle. This city is where he photographed stills of the urban lifestyle that features the familiar sights of street vendors, neighborhood kids playing after school, and the foot and vehicle traffic of a bustling city. 

While documenting the Malaysia city that never sleeps, YONGL also features the paddy fields in the rural areas of the state that surrounds it — Selangor. 

It is a known fact that some of Malaysia’s biggest exports come from oil palm and rubber plantations but how many of us have witnessed the behind the scenes of how these raw materials are sourced? YONGL shows us a glimpse of this reality in Kangkar Baru, Johor.  

YONGL also shares the mesmerising sights of the scenic route between Johor and Kelantan. 

Across the sea from Semenanjung are Sabah and Sarawak where YONGL documents his journey of climbing to the peak of Mount Kinabalu and the magnificent, breathtaking views that he experienced on his way to the top. 

He also photographs the beauty of the sunsets in Miri, Sarawak. Though we view these photographs through a screen, the warmth of the Malaysian sun radiates through the camera lens and brightens the scenes beautifully captured by YONGL. 

YONGL continues to create and inspire Malaysians by depicting the bits and pieces of their everyday life against a backdrop of surrealism. Check out feature stories about YONGL on Free Malaysia Today, the Sun Daily and World of Buzz. Stay updated with YONGL’s latest works on his Instagram and Facebook.