MBR Marks 30 Years Of Recognising Malaysian Excellence, Resilience

By Kuvineshwaren Nedunjelian

KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia Book of Records (MBR) has evolved its identity over the past three decades, while remaining steadfast in its mission to celebrate the spirit of human excellence among Malaysians.

Established in 1995, MBR has become synonymous with recognising extraordinary achievements and is now proudly marking its 30th anniversary.

MBR chief executive officer Christopher Wong, who has helmed the organisation since 2015, said MBR has grown beyond just being a record-keeping organisation, but it now serves as a powerful certification platform that empowers individuals and corporations to strengthen their brand identity.

“In the beginning, when we grew up looking at Guinness World Records, it's all about achievements when it comes to things like the tallest person, the fastest person, or the shortest person, or anything that's longest in terms of architecture, or in terms of anything else that's measurable.

“But now fast forward 30 years, MBR has now evolved to become like a branding activation platform, where we look at this organisation as a body that certifies achievements by many individuals and even corporate companies are looking to brand themselves with such feats,” he told Bernama in an exclusive interview.

Wong emphasised that while the organisation's core mission of recognising records remains unchanged, MBR is working to adapt to the changing media landscape, moving to focus on meaningful and inspirational content in the near future. 

Since joining MBR, Wong has overseen over 5,000 records and one record however, continues to leave a profound impact on him, a testament to sheer human willpower by double amputee Azzrulkhan Hasrullah Matsah, better known as Adam. 

“He (Adam) crawled up to the summit of Mount Kinabalu in 2016. That takes a lot of grit, perseverance, and discipline. I have done Mount Kinabalu. I mean, with able legs, it's not easy.

“But what more for a person who has no legs, who has to crawl, using his hands over there... So, I always would look at him as an example of how indomitable a human spirit is,” he said.

Adam’s inspiring journey didn’t stop there. The following year, he continued to defy the odds by crawling to Everest Base Camp. 

Recognising the power of storytelling, Wong is hoping that MBR will be able to become a platform that shares inspiring stories about extraordinary Malaysians. 

“Because I think we, The Malaysia Book Of Records, have always used and relied on the traditional method of running things. So, I think content creation is something that we need to explore further. 

“We need to create more awareness about what The Malaysia Book Of Records is, and for what we do, the content must be interesting,” he said.

He acknowledged that despite MBR's success, some records still draw criticism, but he highlights the team's dedication to upholding professional standards, transparency, and auditability, knowing that it's impossible to satisfy everyone.

As part of its 30th-anniversary celebration, MBR is launching a new television series titled Malaysia Luar Biasa, produced in collaboration with the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama).

The 13-episode television series, set to air in August 2025,  would spotlight 30 to 40 national records featuring extraordinary Malaysians.

“What I want to achieve with this is how you try to get people. It's like planting a seed into people's minds. Moving forward, maybe when they grow up, they will also want to break records. So, the upcoming television series is to create more of that impact on Malaysia,” Wong said.

-- BERNAMA