When "Malaysia Hari Ini" Went To Carcosa Seri Negara

Seeing news reports today about the completion of the long-awaited restoration of Carcosa Seri Negara sent me down a nostalgic rabbit hole. It reminded me that long before Crazy Rich Asians and The Singapore Grip rolled in with their film crews and international glamour, Malaysia Hari Ini had already beaten them to it. Yes, we were there first. Minus the Hollywood budget, of course -- but with just as much history in the background.

Carcosa Seri Negara, perched on a hill overlooking the Lake Gardens, was originally built in 1896 as the official residence of the British Resident, Sir Frank Swettenham, before the adjoining Seri Negara was added in 1913. Over the decades, the estate has hosted royalty, dignitaries and heads of state, and more recently gained international attention when it appeared in Crazy Rich Asians (2018) and the BBC adaptation of The Singapore Grip (2020), standing in beautifully for colonial-era Singapore.

As for that MHI episode in 2010, it was one of those surreal “only in this job” moments. Co-host Hajah Abby and I interviewed Datuk Yusni Hamid, Francissca Peter, Salamiah Hassan, Tengku Zaini, and Malaysia’s very own “Tom Jones”, all of whom shared their experiences performing at private, exclusive and prestigious functions. 

Looking back, it wasn’t just a TV shoot at a grand old building -- it was a small slice of Malaysian pop culture history, captured quietly before Carcosa became an international star in its own right.