A retrospective review of all stool samples obtained from children aged <16 years with diarrhoea from University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), Kuala Lumpur, from 1978 to 1997 was undertaken to ascertain the pattern of bacterial pathogens causing diarrhoea in children in an urban area in Malaysia. Of 26444 stool samples processed, 2989 (11%) were positive. The five most common bacterial pathogens isolated were non-typhoidal $Salmonella$ (57%), enteropathogenic $E. coli$ (EPEC) (14%), $Shigella$ spp. (11%), $Campylobacter$ spp. (5%) and $Aeromonas$ spp. (4%). There was a significant reduction in the average percentage of positive isolation during the last 5 years of the study period as compared to the first 5 years (15.0% vs. 7.2%; r=-0.92, p=0.0001). EPEC and $Shigella$ spp. were less commonly isolated in the last five years compared with the first five years of the study (6% vs 21%, p<0.001 for $E. coli$; 7% vs 22%, p<0.001 for $Shigella$ spp.). This information is important for public health education in reducing the incidence of childhood diarrhoea further, and in the selection of appropriate antimicrobials in the management of extra- intestinal complications of childhood diarrhoea.