The Guli-Guli cartoon strips that ran regularly in the New Sunday Times from 1982 to 1987 are presented in an exhibition at Pavilion Shopping Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

The cartoon strips, were created more than three decades ago, by Tan Sri Dr Lim Kok Wing, founding president of Limkokwing University of Creative Technology Worldwide.

The strips were social commentaries made through the humorous interaction of the cartoon characters, Bakar, Ah Boo and Muthu, created to represent the three main races of Malaysia.

In a press statement recently, Limkokwing University of Creative University said the strips were designed to dispel racial distrust and encourage racial goodwill amongst Malaysia’s multi-racial community.

“The cartoon character were often depicted in disagreement with each other but never in disharmony, never disavowing the bonds that bound them as one people,” the university said.

The comic was published more than 30 years ago and yet the political and the social messages are still relevant to Malaysia’s situation today, it added. 

The cartoon strips impressed Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, when he began his tenure as the fourth prime minister, that he invited Lim to feature the strips on billboards nationwide in 1983 to foster racial harmony.

“Guli-Guli has chosen to explore the diversity that gives tapestry of Malaysia life its colour,” stated Dr Mahathir.

“It is skillfully highlighting the shades and nuances that make Malaysia one.

“It is the very portrayal of unity within the Malaysian context and in an original non-cliché style that gives the strips its particular flavour.”