Yo-Yo History in Malaysia:

Early Beginnings (1970s – 1980s)

Early Yo-Yo Promotion and the Jack Russell Campaigns

In the early development of modern yo-yo promotion, Alfonso Trujillo played an important leadership role as Vice President within the Jack Russell Yo-Yo Company. At the time, Jack Russell operated alongside competitors such as the Duncan Toys Company and Russell Yo-Yo, which were among the major yo-yo brands active in the United States.

By the late 1960s, Russell became one of the first yo-yo brands to expand its promotional campaigns beyond the United States. However, Jack Russell only conducted two major international campaigns in partnership with Coca-Cola, marking a significant milestone in global yo-yo promotion.

During this early period, a major international initiative brought approximately 30 world champions into Malaysia to help promote and develop yo-yoing at a state level.

These champions were deployed across different states to conduct demonstrations, workshops, and competitions. The overall program was led by Alfonso Trujillo from Colombia, who played a key role in guiding and structuring these nationwide efforts.

Among them, Cesar Perez conducted competitions and development activities in Perak, contributing directly to the growth of the scene at the state level.

In addition to representatives from Colombia, international players from countries such as Mexico, Spain, Portugal, and Australia also took part in this initiative, further enriching Malaysia’s yo-yo ecosystem through shared knowledge and global exposure. Some of these pioneers have since passed on, but their contributions remain an important part of Malaysia’s yo-yo history and legacy.

During this period, yo-yos were largely introduced through promotional campaigns and imported toys. Brands like Brylcreem were also sighted in Malaysia, reflecting how yo-yos were often tied to marketing activations rather than organized sport or hobby communities.

Malaysia Early Yo-Yo Days Campaigns

Jack Russell organized two major campaigns in Malaysia:

1973 Campaign

1976 Campaign

These events were among the earliest large-scale yo-yo competitions in the country and were heavily supported by Coca-Cola.

In the 1973 campaign, the grand prize was a car—an extraordinary reward at the time. The competition drew international participation, and the winner was a 14-year-old boy from Europe. The grand finals were held at the Coca-Cola headquarters in Sungai Besi Coca-Cola HQ.

During this era, judging criteria were simple yet demanding. Champions were determined based on:

The highest number of continuous loops (“loop the loop”)

Execution of basic tricks

One of the earliest recorded milestones was in 1976, when Fraser & Neave organized a yo-yo contest in Kuala Lumpur. The winner, Selvanayagam, remains a significant figure from this era, and ongoing efforts are being made to document his experiences and contributions to Malaysian yo-yo history.

In the 1976 campaign, Nik Rauf Daud won the grand finals by achieving nearly 1,000 continuous loops—an impressive feat that defined competitive standards at the time.

Around this period, Vernon Low was part of Team Russell and played a role in expanding the team. He later introduced his brother, Robert Low, to the yo-yo scene.

Robert Low officially joined Team Russell under Jack Russell in 1981 and became actively involved in international promotional tours. These roadshows helped spread yo-yo culture globally, with appearances in:  1982 – Bogotá, 1983 – Rio de Janeiro , 1984 – Madrid, 1985 – Malaysi, 1986 – Valencia, 1987 – Malaysia & Singapore , 1984 – Nagoya (notably marking expansion into Asia)

Later 1980s Malaysia Yo-Yo Campaigns

In the mid-1980s, additional campaigns were conducted in collaboration with Five Star, under the leadership of Camelo López, who served as President during that period.

The Modern Yo-Yo Boom (Late 1990s – Early 2000s)

Malaysia’s modern yo-yo scene began to take shape around 1999–2000, driven by strong commercial activity and grassroots engagement.

One of the biggest influences was ProYo, which gained widespread popularity by being sold extensively at BP petrol stations nationwide. ProYo didn’t just sell products—they actively built the scene through school tours and live demonstrations, introducing yo-yoing to a new generation of Malaysians. At the same time, Yomega yo-yos were distributed through major fast-food chains such as KFC and McDonald’s, further amplifying the reach of yo-yo culture among children and families.

In 1999, World Champion Yohans toured Malaysia as part of a major yo-yo campaign under Playmaxx ProYo. His presence helped spark a nationwide craze—at the height of the movement, it seemed like every kid was playing yo-yo. Competitions were held across shopping malls throughout the country, building momentum and community engagement at every level.

The campaign culminated in a grand final competition, where Aisamudin emerged as champion, followed by Paul Low in second place and Robert Low in third, marking one of the earliest milestones in Malaysia’s competitive yo-yo scene.

In 2000, the ProYo campaign continued to expand across Malaysia, further strengthening the country’s growing yo-yo culture. A key milestone was the launch of a dedicated yo-yo retail space, Toyzbar, at Atria Shopping Mall—one of the earliest specialty outlets focused on yo-yo products and community engagement.

The nationwide momentum carried into another series of competitions held across major shopping malls, culminating in a grand finale at Subang Parade. The event crowned Ilyas as champion, with Wan from Johor securing second place.

During this period, Malaysia’s yo-yo scene was further energized by an active touring team that included returning World Champion Yohans, alongside Kate Miller and John Higby. They were joined by prominent local players Aisamudin, Paul Low, and Robert Low, who played key roles in demonstrations, competitions, and grassroots outreach—helping to sustain and grow the nationwide yo-yo movement.

Following this wave, SuperYoYo, distributed and promoted by RbZicon, expanded the reach further by targeting hypermarkets and schools. These campaigns made yo-yos highly visible and accessible, contributing to a surge in participation among youths.

Shortly after, Auldey’s Blazing Team era emerged, powered by the popularity of the Blazing Teens cartoon series. This phase combined television influence with on-ground promotions, including school programs and supermarket activations, creating another major spike in interest across Malaysia.

Formation of the Community (2004)

As interest matured, players began organizing themselves into a more structured community. This led to the formation of the Malaysian Yo-Yo Club in December 2004.

The club brought together enthusiasts who had been active since the late 1990s and established regular meetups, knowledge sharing, and skill development sessions. This marked a key transition from a trend-driven activity into a community-led movement.

M-Yo Crew was formed in 2006

Competitive Scene and National Yo-Yo Recognition (2005 onwards)

In 2005, Malaysia hosted its first Malaysia Yo-Yo Championship (MYYC), establishing a formal competitive platform for players nationwide.

Since then, MYYC has grown into an annual event, held in major venues such as:

• Sunway Pyramid
• Berjaya Times Square
• One Utama
• Publika

These competitions helped standardize performance levels and connected Malaysia to the global yo-yo community.

That era was a major turning point for the Malaysian yo-yo scene.

In 2010, Superyoyo together with RBzicon created one of the biggest grassroots yo-yo movements in the Klang Valley. The campaign toured schools and shopping malls across Malaysia, introducing modern competitive yo-yoing to a new generation of players and helping revive interest in the hobby locally.

The movement gained even more visibility through appearances on NTV7, along with mini yo-yo competitions held at various malls. For many players, this was their first exposure to performance-style yo-yoing, advanced tricks, and competitive play. The Superyoyo Masters during that era were Ewin, Alif Izwan, Dimi, Adam Hamzan, Jazli Iqbal, Wong KJ, Shakeel, Raymond, Petra, WooiMing,Hassan and Nichy.

Many current Malaysian yo-yo players and organizers trace their interest back to those mall tours and school demonstrations. It was one of the few periods where yo-yoing had mainstream visibility in Malaysia and helped lay the foundation for later national competitions and community-driven events.

• Initial Launch (2007): The Auldey Blazing Teens campaign officially kicked off in the region around 2007. This followed the 2006 release of the television drama, which was designed by Alpha Group (Auldey) to revitalize the yoyo market after the earlier "Super Yo-Yo" craze had subsided.
• Peak Popularity (2008–2010): During this time, the show aired on local Malaysian channels (such as TV3 or 8TV), leading to a significant "yoyo boom." Promoted by local distributors, this era saw frequent:
  • In-store demonstrations at department stores like AEON (formerly JUSCO) and Parkson.
  • National and regional trick contests where fans competed using official Auldey yoyos from the series.

Rise of Malaysian Yo-Yo Talent, Yo-Yo Shops and Brands

YoYoskeel in 2010

Muhammad Shakeel Mohd Rose, a seven-time Malaysian national yo-yo champion, became one of the key figures who elevated Malaysia’s presence in the global yo-yo industry. Around 2010, he founded YoYoSkeel and introduced the YoYoSkeel Stalker, widely recognized as one of the first yo-yos designed and made in Malaysia. The Stalker gained international attention for its unique shape, performance, and competitive capability, marking a significant milestone for Malaysian yo-yo manufacturing.

As the brand expanded, Shakeel teamed up with Ewin Ee to further grow the Malaysian yo-yo scene through retail, community building, and player development. Together, they helped strengthen Malaysia’s reputation not only for producing skilled players, but also for creating original yo-yo designs and contributing innovations to the international yo-yo community.

28Spin 28DC Era in 2012

Raymond Thian is a cornerstone of the Malaysian yo-yo community, best known for founding 28spin, one of the country’s earliest and most influential specialty yo-yo stores and lifestyle brands. Established in the mid-2000s, 28spin played a major role in transforming yo-yoing from a casual hobby into a more professional and competitive scene by providing high-end equipment, sponsoring talented local players, and organizing important community events that connected Malaysian throwers to the global yo-yo community.

In 2013, 28DC Store expanded the brand’s presence with the opening of its retail outlet at Sunway Pyramid within the Asian Avenue precinct. The store specialized in yo-yos, accessories, and maintenance products for players of all skill levels, while also serving as a central gathering place for the Klang Valley yo-yo community. Through in-store meetups, trick-sharing sessions, mini contests, and a growing online presence, 28DC Store further strengthened and expanded Malaysia’s modern yo-yo culture.

In 2013, Shakeel established a retail presence at Sungei Wang Plaza, creating an important physical hub for the growing Malaysian yo-yo community. Through regular gatherings, demonstrations, and competitions held at the mall, he played a major role in strengthening the Kuala Lumpur yo-yo scene.

Shakeel organized numerous yo-yo contests at Sungei Wang Plaza and successfully built one of the strongest yo-yo teams in Kuala Lumpur. He later formed the YoYoSkeel team, which quickly became popular within the Malaysian competitive scene, with many of its members eventually becoming Malaysian yo-yo champions and well-known players in the regional community.

Building on that momentum, Shakeel later partnered with Ewin Ee to establish Kedaiyoyo. The collaboration expanded beyond YoYoSkeel-branded products and evolved into a broader platform offering a wide range of international and local yo-yo brands, helping further grow accessibility and interest in modern yo-yoing throughout Malaysia.

Over time, Shakeel gradually stepped away from the business, and in 2020, Ewin Ee assumed full leadership of Kedaiyoyo, continuing to grow it as a central platform for Malaysia’s yo-yo scene.

This period marked Malaysia’s transition from being a consumer market to a recognized contributor in the global yo-yo industry.

Duncan Crew Malaysia

Yo-Blitz yo-yo era in Sarawak 2007

Ryan Han, a yo-yo enthusiast established the Yo-Blitz yo-yo community in Kuching, Sarawak, around 2007 to transform the hobby into a recognized "new generation sport". As the founding leader, Ryan built a dedicated team that focused on both competitive skill development and high-energy stage performances. The community significantly grew the Sarawak scene by hosting regular training sessions at Kuching Sentral and organizing the Sarawak Regional Yo-Yo Contest, establishing Kuching as a major hub for the sport in East Malaysia

Singwon yo-yo era in Sabah 2016

SINGWON yoyo was officially launched in Malaysia on 23 April 2016 during the Sabah Open YoYo Championship as the first professional yoyo brand from Sabah, East Malaysia.  Established by founder and yoyo enthusiast Timothy Wong Sing Won to promote the hobby within Borneo and beyond, the brand debuted with its flagship model, the South Peak

TRYO and YOYORANGER

Hassan Marialis is a celebrated figure in the Malaysian yo-yo scene, widely regarded as one of the most creative and innovative players. A five-time National Champion, his competitive career began in earnest in 2008, and he became a pioneer of the 3A style (two unresponsive yo-yos) in Malaysia, being the first to win that category at the Malaysia Yo-Yo Championship. Beyond his 16th-place finish at the World Yo-Yo Contest in Japan. Today, he continues to support the community through his specialty store, Gaming Culture & Collectibles (GCC), in Klang and remains a prominent brand ambassador for Malaysian yo-yoing

Present Day - Kedaiyoyo and Alternative

Today, yo-yoing in Malaysia continues to thrive as both a dedicated hobby and a competitive discipline, supported by strong community networks and consistent event organization. Present day, Ewin Ee, the founder of Kedaiyoyo, plays a central role in running the yo-yo community and organizing the national yo-yo contest. As the nation’s premier competition, the Malaysia Yo-Yo Championship (MYYC) is held annually through the collaboration of the Malaysia YoYo Association and Kedaiyoyo, remaining the pinnacle of competitive play and bringing together top players from across the country.

At the grassroots level, independent initiatives continue to energize the scene.

The brand Alternatives, founded by Ho Swee Jim, plays a significant role through both product development and event organization. He organizes the Stronger Yo-Yo Cup, a series of smaller competitions often held in bar-style venues, which have gained recognition for attracting international competitors and fostering a close-knit competitive environment.

Together, these national and grassroots efforts continue to strengthen Malaysia’s presence in the global yo-yo community.

From early promotional contests in the 1970s to international development initiatives, followed by nationwide toy movements in the late 1990s and eventually a structured competitive scene, the history of yo-yo in Malaysia is one of continuous evolution.

It is a story shaped not only by brands and events, but by the players, organizers, and pioneers who have sustained and grown the community across generations—ensuring that the art of yo-yoing continues to thrive in Malaysia.