[1] Born in Roodepoort, South Africa on 23 May 1947, Malan studied at Jeppe High School in Johannesburg, graduating in 1964 and was awarded cadet of the year at The Star afternoon newspaper there.

Malan migrated to Australia in 1968, arriving at Fremantle Passenger Terminal at 6 am and commenced employment with The West Australian at 2 pm the same day.

[2] In 1980 he won the Arthur Lovekin Journalism Prize for his expose of fugitive financier Christo Moll.

In the 1990s he established and wrote for the "Asia Desk" supplement of The West Australian, travelling and reporting extensively on South East Asian affairs.

[6] Malan died suddenly on 26 September 2014 from a pulmonary embolism due to recent surgery.