Pre, post-war Sandakan images in new book
Published on: Monday, May 05, 2025
Published on: Mon, May 05, 2025
By: Winnie Kasmir Text Size: Wong (left) and Nicholas (second, right) holding the book during the launch. SANDAKAN: A new book, Vintage Images of North Borneo by the Kwan Brothers, offer a rare glimpse into the town's pre-war vibrancy and post-war devastation through the lenses of three siblings—Kwan Kai Fook, Kwan Yau Moi, and Kwan Dick Fook. Compiled over nearly a decade by local historian Nicholas Tan, the book features previously unseen photographs that document Sandakan's transformation during one of its most turbulent eras. The launch was officiated by Madam Wong Chio Chung and attended by over a hundred guests on Saturday. Tan reflected on the journey to bring the work to light. 'Many images were made public for the first time, thanks to Madam Wong, widow of the late Kwan Dick Fook. 'This is more than a book—it's a time capsule. It is both a privilege and a pleasure to present this pictorial book,' said Tan, who first encountered the late Kwan Dick Fook in the 1960s as a boy living near the family's Flower Studio in Sandakan. Tan paid tribute to those who supported him—including Madam Wong, Dr. PK Lim, historians Datuk Dr Danny Wong and Mr Ross Ibbotson, and his publisher Datuk CL Chan. He also addressed a long-standing misattribution: the iconic 1941 panoramic photograph of Sandakan, he clarified, was taken by Kwan Yau Mui and Kwan Dick Fook, and the original negative remains with the Kwan family. Twelve prints from the Kwan Brothers are now on sale, with proceeds benefiting The Sabah Society, Sandakan. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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