7 Inventions You Probably Didn't Know Were Made By Malaysians

In celebration of these remarkable achievements, we've compiled a list of everyday items that you might not realise were invented by talented Malaysians.

1. Surgical face mask

During the COVID-19 outbreak back in 2020, the usage of face masks has become a routine in our lives. From traditional surgical masks to modern fabric masks, we have seen many different types of them being sold in shops. But did you know that the first-ever face mask was actually invented by a Malaysian doctor in 1910?

Dr Wu Lien-teh, a Penang-born epidemiologist, created the world's first surgical face mask when he was hired to assist in dealing with the Manchurian Plague in China.

Realising the disease was airborne, Wu created the surgical face mask out of cotton, gauze and layers of clothes to filter the air. It is thought that the mask Wu created was the inspiration behind the current-day N95 mask.

2. Half-boiled egg cooker

Malaysians love half-boiled eggs, especially for breakfast. But making a perfect one can be difficult.

To counter this problem, Datuk Hew Ah Kow came out with a groundbreaking solution with his automatic egg boiler. Hew’s inspiration behind the clever invention came about when he was working as a bulldozer operator in Kelantan back in 1973. Originally, he created the device using Ovaltine cans that had been punctured with nails and filled them up with eggs and hot water.

3. USB flash drive

Before cloud storage was a thing, many of us used USB flash drives to store our files. This storage device was invented by a Malaysian named Pua Khein Seng back in 2003. With a brand named Pendrive, it cost Pua RM300 to create the storage device with a capacity of 128MB.

Pua came up with the idea while he was researching flash memory technology during his third year at university. The founder of Phison Electronics studied electrical and control engineering at National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan before he made the breakthrough invention.

4. Passport with biometrics

In 1998, Malaysia became the first country to issue a biometric passport. IRIS Corporation, a Malaysian technology firm, was responsible for upgrading this essential document for increased security.

This innovation marked the start of facial recognition data as a standardised machine-readable format for travel documents. By 2004, several countries had also begun implementing biometric passports.

5. Nehemiah walls

If you are an avid traveller in Malaysia, chances are you might have encountered these honeycomb-shaped walls every day on highways.

Invented by a Malaysian named Dr Nehemiah Lee, this wall with the same name is built to withstand varying soil conditions over a single stretch of wall. Lee came out with the idea in the 1980s when he was working at the Reinforced Earth Company.

These concrete hexagon-shaped walls were such a popular design that they're being used not only in their birth country but also in Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong.

6. Flipper toothbrush holder

Did you know that the little plastic container that kept our toothbrushes clean is actually an invention by a Malaysian?

Goo Yock Tee invented this device to ensure the hygiene of our toothbrushes in the bathroom. This invention has won various local and international awards like the Singapore Design Award, Malaysia Good Design Award and Red Dot Design Award. Goo's invention is now being sold under a world-famous brand, Flipper, in over 40 countries.

7. Waterpod

While many of us were blessed with safe access to drinking water, one in three people globally, including Bajau people, or sea nomads, are not so fortunate.

But thanks to the Malaysian trio Bennie Beh Hue May, Loo Xin Yang and Yap Chun Yoon from the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), their invention named WaterPod can now help the sea nomads to obtain clean drinking water.