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MALAYSIA COUNTRY REPORT

History of Malaysia :

The original in inhabitants of Malaya, the "Orang Asli" were actually refugees from the south-western provinces of Yunan in China, fleeing conflicts in that area some 10,000 years ago. It then came under the rule of several different regional empires including the Hindu Sri Vijaya and Majapahit from the Indonesian Archipelago.

By the middle of the 14th century Islam arrived in Malaya via traders and merchants from India and began to spread rapidly as the local nobles embraced it, the influence of the Hindu Javanese Majapahit Empire was also waning at the time.

Early in the 15th century the island of Temasik (Singapore), was being attacked by the Majapahit Empire, a Temasik prince called Parameswara fled his country and founded a small fishing village that would one day be the nucleus of the Melaka empire. Embracing Islam and taking the title Iskandar Shah, the Melaka Sultanate was thereby formed and proceeded to experience exponential growth under the leadership of a dynasty of Malay Muslim rulers.

By the middle of the 15th century Melaka's wealth and power had grown to a point where it was considered the center for trade in the south-east Asian region, this was mainly due to its strategic positioning on the Straits of Melaka, right in the middle of the spice trade route and the successful persecution and subjugation of the numerous pirate clans in the region, merchant ships from all over Asia including India, the Middle East and China regularly crowded its harbor. It was also during this time that Malay culture and folklore reached its azimuth. These were the heyday of such historical figures as Tun Perak, Tun Teja, Hang Jebat and of course Hang Tuah.

Ironically its wealth and power, the source of its fame and fortune would also be the reason for its downfall. The first European visitors to Melaka, a small flotilla of Portuguese ships under the command of Diego Lopez de Sequira landed at Melaka in the year 1509. These ships were driven away but in 1511 a much greater fleet arrived and under the command of Alfonso de Albuquerque opened fire on the city and conquered Melaka. Drawn by the lure of the lucrative spice trade and the opportunity to strike a blow to the Islamic presence in the area, the Portuguese came with the aim of achieving three objectives, "For God, Glory and Gold", they would control a heavily fortified Melaka for the next thirty years.

The deposed Melaka Sultanate now based at its holdings in Johor launched constant attacks on the Portuguese fort throughout the years with little success, but with the coming of the Dutch in the late 1520's the Portuguese rule of Melaka was coming to an end. The allied forces of the Dutch East India Company and the deposed Malays defeated the Portuguese in 1531, but again the Malay rulers found themselves at the mercy of a foreign power, as the Dutch, their erstwhile allies turned on them and took Melaka for their own.

The less autocratic and generally more tolerant Dutch were considerably more successful than the Portuguese, mainly due to the fact that many of the regional powers were embroiled in conflicts of their own, the former Melaka Sultanate for example was embroiled in a bitter war with the state of Jambi a war from which it would never fully recover, and a major regional power, the northern Sumatran kingdom of Aceh was weakening quickly due to the unsuccessful wars they had waged against the Dutch power base at Batavia.

The Dutch succeeded not only in controlling Melaka, they also acquired holdings and fortifications in various other states on the peninsula. Relations with local Malay powers though never really cordial were at least mostly non-violent. This however took a turn for the worse in the beginning of the 1700's with the emergence of another Malay power in the form of the Bugis islanders, a group of fierce warrior seafarers from Sulawesi who had migrated to the peninsula.

Bugis holdings sprang up all across the west coast of the peninsula and the seat of power of the Bugis in the Riau and Lingga Islands off the Johor coast became a major competitor to the Dutch influence in the region. After some fifty years of tension, sporadic conflict and a failed military expedition in the 1750's, the Dutch finally waged a full scale campaign against the Bugis in the year 1782, after three years of brutal and bloody conflict, the Bugis were finally defeated and driven from their strongholds.

The Dutch East India Company's days were numbered for after the establishment of Penang by Sir Francis Light in 1786 and Singapore by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles in 1819 the influence of England began to overshadow the Dutch. The Anglo Dutch Treaty of 1824 finally formalized the succession of English rule.

The British Straits Settlements born in 1826, consisted of the three states of Penang, Singapore and Melaka with the capital moving from Penang to Singapore in 1832, all matters of policy though initially referred to the British administration in India were later centralized at the Colonial Office in London. At about this time an English adventurer by the name of James Brooke arrived in Singapore in 1839 from India on his way to North Borneo. He was to deliver a message from the Governor on Singapore to Raja Muda Hashim, a ruler of Borneo.

When he arrived he found the Raja Muda fighting a war against rebel tribesmen in the Sarawak region of Borneo, for his aid in the suppression of this rebellion Brooke was granted the title of "Raja" and declared the ruler of a portion of Sarawak by the grateful Raja Muda. From this power base, Brooke prospered and using a combination of diplomacy, coercion and military action was able to found a dynasty of "White Rajahs" in Sarawak that would last a hundred years until the Japanese invasion in 1941.

The Brunei Sultanate was to lose more of its holdings to western interests at around the time of the Brooke's expansion in Sarawak. Sabah, a state under the nominal control of the Brunei Sultanate and the Sulu Sultan would be leased to an American businessman and would eventually come into the possession of an Englishman by the name of Alfred Dent in 1881, Dent negotiated a treaty which formalized the secession of Sabah from its rulers and established the British North Borneo Company to oversee his holdings.
The British government meanwhile had acquired Labuan, an island off the coast of Sabah from the Brunei Sultanate with the intention of turning it into a trade center for the region but plans fell through and the Colonial Office in London turned over the administration of the island to the British North Borneo Company. Fourteen years later in 1905 Labuan was returned to the Colonial Office and two years later was added to the British Straits Settlements until the Japanese occupation in 1941.

Meanwhile on the peninsula, Britain's policy of non-intervention came to an end in 1874 when a bloody feud between two Chinese secret societies in Perak threatened to interrupt the lucrative tin mining operations in the state, factional conflicts within the Kedah ruling class further aggravated the situation and Sir Andrew Clarke, the British Governor of Singapore was called in to arbitrate. The Treaty of Pangkor was the end result and peace was restored in Perak. The Kedah Sultan agreed among other concessions to have a British "Resident", an officer appointed by the Governor to oversee and advice on the administration of the state on matters other than Malay culture, religion and the ruling class.

Other acts of intervention were enacted along similar lines when state conflicts flared up and British interests were threatened. A succession war in Selangor, piracy in Melaka, the murder of a British resident in Perak and open revolt in Negeri Sembilan and Pahang were all quashed by British security forces who then effectively wrested control from local rulers.

By 1896 local rulers wielded only token influence and The Federated Malay States consisting of Perak, Selangor, Pahang and Negeri Sembilan was formed under direct control of the Resident General's office in Kuala Lumpur. Their influence further waned when despite protestations; a council was formed in 1909 which comprised of the Straits Settlements of Singapore, Penang and Melaka, the Federated Malay States of Selangor, Perak, Pahang and Negeri Sembilan, all under the control of the British High Commissioner. In the same year the Treaty of Bangkok was signed and the kingdom of Siam relinquished the states of Kelantan, Kedah, Terengganu and Perlis to British rule, thus the Unfederated Malay States were formed.

Malaya underwent a period of rapid growth and development with the construction of transport and communication infrastructure such as the building of roads, a railway and a telegraph system, natural resources were heavily exploited with the construction of tin, gold and coal mines, reforms were also made in the agricultural sector with the introduction of modern agricultural methods and the extensive farming of cash crops such as rubber and sugar cane.
The population of Malaya would see a massive influx of laborers from China and India at this time, an event which caused a racial mix which has persisted to the present day. Though the more rural Malays were somewhat marginalized, employment opportunities were good, all the more so in the regions where British interests lay, the growing economy of Malaya had much to offer any who were willing to work for it. It was also during this period that nationalism among the Malay intelligentsia began to grow. Prominent Malay leaders at the time included men such as Za'aba, Ibrahim Yaacob and Burhanuddin Helmi these men would play a prominent part in the shaping of Malay politics in the post war years. Peace under colonial rule reigned from then till the coming of the Japanese in 1941 and the outbreak of World War 2.

On December 8th, 1941 the town of Kota Baru on the north-east coast of Peninsula Malaya was attacked by a Japanese invasion force composed of elements of the Japanese Imperial Army fresh from their conquest of French Indo-China. Moving quickly down the Peninsula and eliminating small pockets of resistance from the retreating British and Malay forces along the way, they took Kuala Lumpur on January 11th the following year. British forces had planned on a gradual retreat while mustering a counter-offensive in Singapore but the speed of the Japanese advance took them by surprise, this was mainly due to the co-operation of the populace who at the time believed in the Japanese propaganda of "Asia for Asians" and saw the invaders as liberators. Lessons from the three previous conquerors were apparently lost.

By the beginning of February the British presence in Malaya was reduced to their final "impregnable" stronghold of Singapore. Two weeks after the Japanese laid siege to the island the British forces under the command of General Percival surrendered to a numerically inferior Japanese force on February 15th 1942.

Meanwhile the Japanese also launched attacks in Sabah and Sarawak, due to a much smaller military presence in these states and the fact that all the major towns were coastal ones they fell in just over three weeks. By January 1942 the Japanese had firmly occupied both states. The conquest of Malaya had taken just over two months.

Japanese occupation could best be described as hellish in comparison to British rule; those who had supported the Japanese Army in its campaign found that the Japanese were indeed poor guests. The harsh militancy of Japanese policy enforced by its officers was a reflection of the rigid, highly regimented, and often draconian customs that all Japanese observed in their home country. It did not however sit well with the local populace.

A dazzling array of torture and execution methods was brought to bear to instill loyalty in the populace, a policy which caused widespread fear and eventually hatred in the locals. The insistence of the Japanese to forcefully turn Malaya into another Japan while the economy was turned upside down to fuel its war efforts further alienated them. The national infrastructure already ruined in the war was left unattended and industry as a whole suffered accordingly. Poverty, famine and disease resulted; it was also at this time that thousands were sent to build the infamous Death Railway in Thailand.

Inevitably rebellion followed. The Malayan People's Anti Japanese Army or the MPAJA was formed by the Malayan Communist Party, a political group composed primarily of Malayan Chinese communists who waged a guerrilla war against the Japanese. Support was also very strong from all the other races in Malaya, in response the Japanese planted spies and secret police among the populace, the Kampeitai and Tekikan agents were largely local Japanese sympathizers. The horrors inflicted upon those found guilty of sedition or rebellion by these two agencies made these times the worst of the three and a half years of Japanese rule.

Following the defeat of the Japanese and their surrender on August 12th 1945, Malaya reverted to English rule. The long road to rebuilding the economy began again. The Malay population marginalized and neglected for so long, was now coming into political prominence.
In early January 1946, the English Government unveiled plans for a "Malayan Union" which involved the joining of the pre-war Federated Malay States, Unfederated Malay States as well as Penang and Melaka under a single administrative body and under the direct control of a duly selected Governor. Singapore was exempt from this plan due to its strategic importance in the region and was to remain a British Colony. Unfortunately the plan would also completely undermine what little authority remained with the Malay royalty. Though an envoy had been sent to gain the approval of the Malay Sultans, the assignment was carried out in a heavy handed and abrupt manner, the Sultans may have agreed but their subjects certainly did not.

After witnessing first hand an Asian country soundly defeating a supposedly invincible western nation, nationalistic fervor was running high and the masses believed that they no longer needed the dubious "protection" of the west which invariably led to the removal of their sovereign rights. The most vocal proponent of self-rule was Dato' Onn bin Jaafar the founder of a political party called the United Malay Nationalists Organisationor or UMNO, he ignited nationalistic pride and fervor to such a degree that the Malayan union plan was scrapped altogether. In its place a new arrangement called the Federation of Malaya Agreement was introduced in 1948, the new agreement involved the election of a British High Commissioner by the Malay Sultans, three councils would be formed, an Executive Council, a Legislative Council and a Conference of Rulers, with more rights accorded to the Malay rulers and the Malay people as a whole. The new agreement sat well with all parties and was instituted in February. The still powerful Malayan Communist Party however had other ideas.

Beginning March 1948, Malayan communists began a campaign of unrest and dismay throughout the country. Armed revolt and escalating violence forced the government into action and a "State of Emergency" was declared on June 18th 1948. Death and destruction at the hands of the communist guerrillas escalated further with the massacre at the Bukit Kepong police station in Johor in 1950 and the assassination of the British High Commissioner Sir Henry Gurney in 1951. Devised by General Harold Briggs, a "Briggs Plan" was implemented. The plan involved the relocation of isolated villages and communities into designated areas called "New Villages" where their residents could be more easily protected and also where communist sympathizers would be isolated and be unable to provide provisions, weapons or information to the rebels in the countryside. Areas formerly populated by these civilians became free-fire zones where government troops would be able to engage the enemy more effectively.

The Emergency would last some ten years and while trade and industry were disrupted, it did serve to focus the attention and efforts of all the various races in Malaya on a common enemy. If nothing else nationalism would be further escalated with the enhancement of racial unity. The introduction of a federal election in 1955 further weakened the position of the Communist Party whose main slogan had been the liberation of Malaya and the formation of a country of the people for the people. The near total victory of UMNO and its allied parties the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA) and the Malayan Indian Congress (MIC) under the leadership of Tunku Abdul Rahman Putera Al-Haj, now the Chief Minister of the Federation of Malaya, was a clear indication that the people had chosen its leaders.

After a failed ceasefire conference in the small town of Baling in 1955, Tunku Abdul Rahman then lead a gathering of Malayan rulers and political leaders to London and successfully negotiated the independence of Malaya at the London Conference. He was accorded a hero's welcome on his return and he himself proclaimed the independence of Malaya on August 31st 1957 in the nation's new capital Kuala Lumpur.

The formation of the present day Federation of Malaysia began in 1961 when Tunku Abdul Rahman announced his plan for the formation of closer economic and political ties between the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak. While generally well accepted by the majority some opposition was voiced by opposition parties within the Federation as well as those from Singapore who had their own agendas to pursue. Problems also arose when Sabah send Sarawak requested for special concessions for joining Malaysia. Nevertheless in November 1961 Tunku Abdul Rahman and Singaporean premier signed an agreement on the merging of The Federation of Malaya and Singapore. Sabah and Sarawak would require further effort and the assistance of the British Government and the setting up of an Enquiries Commission to gather the opinions of the peoples of these two states.

Further difficulties were not far away and they came in the form of vigorous protests from Indonesia and the Philippines both countries were opposed to the changes proposed by Malaysia. Indonesia who had plans to unite all three countries into a state called Maphilindo, under its control of course, was particularly vehement in its arguments, calling the formation of Malaysia a plot by Britain to install a puppet regime to re-exert colonial rule in the region. Consequently its President, Achmed Sukarno decided to "Ganyang Malaysia", or "Crush Malaysia", and began waging a limited cross border war with Malaysia.
Covert and overt military action escalated in the jungles of Borneo between Indonesia and Malaysia-Commonwealth forces until a meeting was held in Manila in 1963 where it was decided that a United Nations mission would be sent to gather the opinion of the Sabah and Sarawakian people, the findings were in favor of Malaysia but was ignored by Indonesia and the Philippines. Malaysia however was officially recognized by the UN on the 16th of September 1963.

Cross border tension and conflicts continued to plague the young nation and in 1965 Singapore seceded from Malaysia to form the Republic of Singapore. Finally in 1966 a ceasefire was negotiated in Bangkok and hostilities ceased between the three countries. However, to this day the conflict with Indonesia has never been officially declared over.

Tunku Abdul Rahman the father of Malaysia's independence stepped down in 1970 and succeeded by Tun Abdul Razak bin Dato' Hussein. Tun Abdul Razak implemented many new development policies to stabilize the economy and to better the lot of the still largely poor and undeveloped rural Malay population by providing better infrastructure, education and healthcare.

The NEP or New Economic Policy was introduced in 1971 to reduce the economic divide between the Malays and the other races in the country by according them special rights, privileges and preferences in order to aid them in bettering themselves. A main contributing factor was the infamous "May 13" incident in 1969 when a riot flared between the Malays and the Chinese. The NEP remains in effect till the present day.
Tun Abdul Razak also consolidated more political parties into the Alliance Party, renaming it the National Front or "Barisan Nasional" the party has remained firmly the people's choice and the driving force of progress in Malaysia to the present day. For his contributions to the country Tun Abdul Razak will is remembered as the Father of Development.

With the untimely passing away of Tun Abdul Razak in 1976, the third Malaysian prime minister, Tun Hussein Onn, later to be known as The Father of Unity took over the task of guiding Malaysia's fortunes. From his background as a soldier, a police commandant in Johor and later a district officer in Selangor, Tun Hussein Onn was instilled with a deep concern for the welfare of the people. Thusly his policies were directed along similar lines as Tun Abdul Razak's with a deep emphasis on public order and unity of the races, public security and safety was also greatly emphasized and Malaysia's harsh anti drug laws were vigorously enforced.

Tun Hussein Onn's was also responsible for the implementation of the National Unit Trust Scheme, implemented in 1981 and before that the Rukun Tetangga, a neighborhood watch / militia plan to curb rising crime. Poor health and a heart surgery in 1981 caused Tun Hussein to step down as Prime Minister in the same year. The next Prime Minister would be a visionary who would put Malaysia firmly in the spotlight of the international community.
Dato' Sri Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, the fourth Malaysian Prime Minister began an aggressive campaign to turn Malaysia's economy from being primarily agricultural based to one concentrated towards manufacturing and electronics. To attract foreign investors and to rally the support of the people to his plans, he began the construction, not of monuments (though that is the generally perceived notion) but a sense of identity and strength.

By building the first national car, the third longest suspension bridge in the world, the tallest building in the world, the Multimedia Super Corridor, the most modern and high tech airport, and a host of other high profile projects, Dr. Mahathir planned to unite the people behind these achievements from such a small and young country, to forge a sense of pride and nationalism that Malaysians need not be timid, submissive and insignificant in the eyes of the international community. Vision 2020, Dr. Mahathir's plans to transform Malaysia into a fully developed and industrialized nation in 25 years is perhaps the most ambitious of all.

Through his visionary leadership Malaysia experienced an economic boom with double digit GDP growth rates throughout the early and mid nineties. However the Malaysian economy was badly affected during the 1997 Asian currency crisis in which many regional economies were ruined as rampant speculation caused currency values into an uncontrolled downward spiral. A year later further problems occurred when Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the Deputy Prime Minister was sacked by the Dr. Mahathir, this brought on several street protests from Anwar's supporters which in turn further aggravated the already weak economic situation.

Throughout his term Dr. Mahathir has been a strident voice for the rights of smaller, less developed nations as well as for the limiting of the sweeping political clout of the world's superpowers. Although at times drawing criticism for his very vocal championing of certain sensitive issues in a plain forthright style, Dr. Mahathir has however maintained the approval and support of the vast majority of Malaysians as evident in Barisan Nasional's decisive victories in every national election during his term.
Malaysia is now well on the road to economic recovery and facing new challenges in globalization and an increasingly smaller and more competitive world.

Malaysian culture :

Composed primarily of Malays, Chinese and Indians, Malaysian culture is best described as cosmopolitan. Racial unity and interaction has formed a diverse and vibrant society that is exceptionally unique. Nowhere else in the world can one find three major races, various smaller indigenous tribes and a vast assortment of foreigners and expatriates sharing such an excellent relationship, for not only do these races tolerate each other, they actually actively share in one other's cultural richness. This has been the main catalyst for Malaysia's political stability and growth.

The shamanistic cultures and beliefs still practiced by the Malaysian aborigine's date back over 10 millennia. The presence of Hinduism in the Malay Peninsula has been documented as far back as the 3rd and 4th century AD, in Lembah Bujang (Bujang Valley) in the state Kedah. With the arrival of Arab traders during the rise of the Melaka Empire, Islam came to Malaysia. At about the same time the arrival of Chinese traders and the marriage of the Melaka Sultan and a Chinese princess added to the potpourri of cultures. The arrival of Portuguese, Dutch and English conquerors over the next 400 years also left their indelible mark on the Malaysian cultural makeup. All these influences have culminated in the Malaysian culture of today.

Many elements of Indian Hindu culture have insinuated themselves into the Malay adat the most obvious being the Malay marriage ceremony, vice versa the Indian Muslim community in the country share a common religion and hence a similar culture and religious observances as the Muslim Malays as do the Baba-Nyonya Muslim Chinese from Melaka that date back to the aforementioned Chinese princess in ancient times. The Malays have also very recently adopted an age old Chinese custom, the giving of "Ang Pows", or money gifts wrapped in colored envelopes. The Chinese use red, the Malays green.

Malaysians are usually at least bi-lingual, Bahasa Malaysia or the Malay language is the official language and English is the second most widely spoken. The Chinese and Indians are generally tri-lingual, speaking Malay, English and their mother tongue.
Following are brief descriptions on the various peoples and their ways of life in Malaysia.

The Malays
The modern Malaysian Malay can probably trace their ancestry to the myriad seafaring islander tribes in the region, from Indonesia, Phillipines and Borneo, they are widely believed to be the first civilization to take root in Malaysia and can be said, with the exception of the "Orang Asli" indigenous tribes, to be the original settlers to populate the Malay Peninsula.

Currently comprising roughly half the 22 million Malaysian population, the Malay people can be found virtually everywhere in the country though they are less concentrated in East Malaysia. In urban centers they are pervasive in all industries and businesses. The government in Malaysia is staffed predominantly by Malays and the Malays have held great political power ever since the country's independence. In the countryside the Malay population is even more omnipresent, their villages or "kampungs" are scattered far and wide all across the Peninsula.

The Malay Kampung is a reflection of the Malay people, easy-going, warm and accommodating. The kampong is usually a homely and serene setting where everybody knows everybody and all members pitch in and contribute to their community. Traditionally farmers and fishermen, the Malay culture has always been intrinsically linked by a love of the land and a strongly devout belief in Islam. Thusly social norms or the "adat" of the Malay peoples emphasize good manners, family ties, tolerance and goodwill. The development of the nation has taken into consideration the somewhat deficient modern education level of the rural Malays and for the past few decades great changes have been made to remedy this with aid in the form of new schools, new infrastructure and subsidies for the lower income population.

Malays, no matter how well educated and urbanized to suit the breakneck speed of modern day life have always retained the traditions and beliefs of their forefathers. During any holiday, especially any of religious significance we still see a mass exodus called "Balik Kampung" or "Return to the Kampung", when Malays working in the urban centers all return to their hometowns to reunite with their families and friends there. This phenomenon has now extended to all the races in Malaysia and during the main holidays, the huge celebrations of Hari Raya Puasa, Chinese New Year, Deepavali and Christmas, the cities, normally teeming with throngs of people turn into veritable ghost towns.

Being Muslim, the Malays strictly do not eat pork and only eat Halal (Food prepared in accordance to Islamic methods) food. They also observe daily prayers and more importantly the Friday prayers. During the month of Ramadan all Muslim observe a half day fast for the month leading to the celebrations of Hari Raya Puasa on the month of Syawal. All Muslims are expected, if at all possible, to conduct a pilgrimage called the "Hadj" to the holy city of Mecca at least once in their lives.

Traditional garments for the Malay male compose the "Baju Melayu" and "Songket", and on formal occasions "Batik" a colorful, silk garment with a brilliant floral motif is usually worn. "Songkok" a hat, which somewhat resembles a Turkish Tarbush is also sometimes worn. For the female the "Baju Kurung" and the more formal "Baju Kebaya" are commonly worn, many Malay women also wear a "Tudung" a religious headdress that covers the hair, neck and shoulders but leaves the face visible. As with everybody else in Malaysia western attire is just as commonly worn.

It should be noted that a dress code for Malaysia, though not a strict rule should be adhered to in any public place, being an Islamic nation, a "decent" appearance is highly desirable, provisions are made for the tropical weather but being too scantily clad is generally frowned upon, especially if one is visiting a mosque or any other place of worship. A tee shirt with jeans or Bermudas is quite acceptable.

Traditionally Malay celebrations are community affairs where the people of the village gather together with the womenfolk responsible for the cooking, the men for the preparation of the venue and decorations, and the children for having a good time. Celebrations that are not strictly religious; such as the harvest festival, are still accompanied by prayers conducted by the local religious leader. Typically, depending on which state one is in, the celebration may consist of dances such as the "Joget" or the "Kuda Kepang", "Mak Yong" opera, "Dikir Barat" performances, "Gasing" or top spinning spectacles or the most famous, "Wau" or giant kite flying competitions, accompanied without fail by large amounts of food and drink. In the cities the celebrations are usually conducted by organizations, companies or government bodies and held at select venues where the public at large is invited for a huge party.

In a nutshell the Malay culture is a blend of traditional values, religious adherences and a modern outlook that has served to instill the Malays with integrity and piety while at the same time preparing them to face a new world and new challenges.

The Chinese
One of the oldest civilizations in the world the Chinese were said to have been the original inhabitants of Malaysia, some findings point that the indigenous peoples or "orang asli" originated from south western China many millennia ago. But it was continuous presence of the Chinese traders during the Melaka Sultanate in the 14th and 15th centuries that the Chinese left a lasting presence in the country.

In the late 15th century, the Ming Dynasty princess Hang Li-Po was sent to the Melaka Sultan to be wed in order to forge an alliance between China and Melaka, and thusly was the rich cultural legacy of the Baba-Nyonya born. Chinese continued to ply the trade route for hundreds of years after the fall of Melaka but few stayed for any great length of time. However during the British rule of Malaysia, large numbers of Chinese labourers were brought in to do the difficult and back-breaking work of mining, construction and transportation.

It was during these times that a large community of Chinese came and called Malaysia home. Over the years the Chinese have made a very comfortable home for themselves in the country, adapting to the harmonious way of life with the other races while maintaining a very strong bond with their parent culture. Being traditionally merchants the Chinese are often regarded as the "towkays" or bosses and business owners, they comprise the majority of the moneyed in Malaysia.

The Chinese culture is strongly based on family ties, the community and entrepreneurship. As such they are in some ways more driven than the other races to provide a better life for themselves and their family. However as with everyone else they have fostered a symbiotic relationship that serves to help their fellow Malaysians to advance, a "prosper thy neighbor" approach. The main Chinese festival of Chinese New Year is always celebrated with much gaiety and goodwill throughout Malaysia, to attend the all important reunion dinner on new years eve, the Chinese (and just about everybody else) vacate the capital city en-masse and return to their hometowns. Once there everybody sits down to a feast and much reconciling. "Open Houses" or "Rumah Terbuka" is another Malaysian custom whereby all are welcome to visit and make merry regardless of race or creed.

Chinese communities tend to congregate in the towns and cities, and are far more common than the Malays or Indians in East Malaysia where they have thrived for many years in the lumber industry. The Chinese communities are somewhat less convivial when compared to the Malays, this may be due to the fact that the urban landscape tends to be less neighborhood oriented. Social norms such as the respect for elders and exchanging of pleasantries are very common and serves to strengthen ties. During special occasions such as weddings, the "Moon Yuet" ceremonies for newborn infants and of course the New Year open invitations are commonly extended to the neighbours.

The lion and dragon dances associated worldwide with the Chinese are a common sight during any celebration; other sights include Dragon Boat races, lantern parades during the Mid-Autumn Festival and the unique "Chingay" flag parade.

Other Chinese celebrations include the Mid-Autumn Festival better known as the "Moon Cake Festival", a celebration in honor of a mythical moon princess dating back for hundreds of years, the "Chap Goh Mei" which is basically a celebration on the 15th day of the Chinese New Year to mark the end of the festivities and being mostly Buddhists and Taoists the Chinese also observe various other religious celebrations in honor of the vast number of Buddhist deities and auspicious dates. A large number of Chinese have also converted to Christianity and a smaller number to Islam and Hinduism.

The average Chinese is typically never dressed in the traditional and elegant silk "Cheongsam" unless it's a very special occasion, mainly due to the pervasive influence of western culture and the aforementioned drive to obtain a better life. The average Malaysian Chinese professional will be identically dressed as his American or European expatriate colleague. Leisure wear is similarly orientated towards current western fashions. One item of note is that the older and more conservative generation will frown on the color black when one comes to visit them, especially if its head to toe black, as black along with white is associated with death and funerals. Wearing these colors to any celebration and Chinese New Year in particular is a MAJOR faux-pas.

In summary an urban lifestyle, high ambitions and a great dose of practicality have molded the Chinese into a driven and dynamic force in Malaysia's economy. Chinese culture and values have remained and often tempers the relentless pursuit of betterment with a deep concern for the community and a desire for the advancement of the country.

The Indians
India like China is a truly ancient civilization and Indians have played a pivotal role in Malaysia, another similarity is that they were also a merchant nation with caravans and trading ships that went far and wide across the world. Indians have been documented as having been in Malaysia for some 2000 years as traders and travelers. The Hindu religion has been documented in Malaysia as far back as the 4th and 5th century AD. By the time of the Melaka Sultanate in the 15th century, the Indians were already a political power with the Hindu faith and Indian traders an accepted part of everyday life.

During the English colonial period Indian laborers were brought in to work in rubber and other plantations. Indian, Sikh and Gurkha soldiers were also brought in to maintain peace and to quell rebellions. Over the years the Indians would carve a niche for themselves in Malaysia and would become an integral part of the nation. The Indian community constitutes fewer than 10 percent of the Malaysian population and is concentrated around the urban areas and rural and suburban rubber estates.

The Malaysian Indians are the smallest of the three main ethnic groups and are oftentimes regarded as a minority race, however their contributions to the culture is no less important or substantial than the other races. Although there is a general perception that most Indians in Malaysia today are either small business owners, professionals or labourers, the truth is Indians are found and excel in virtually every vocation and business in the country.
On a less positive note, there appears to be a divide in the Indian community with the an affluent, well educated, middle and upper middle class on one side and the less educated, lower income, blue collar workers on the other. This schism; although still a nagging problem in the country and more specifically in the Indian community; is slowly being addressed by the government and community leaders. Most middle class Indians are usually well educated professionals.

Indians in Malaysia are something of a middle ground socially between the Chinese and Malays, Indians are often as industrious and entrepreneurial as the Chinese and yet still retain much of their values and traditions and closeness and community awareness. To the Indians filial piety is of paramount importance and ties to the family and their community are extremely strong. Indians are also a deeply religious people, many are devout Hindus and others are Christians and Muslims.

The Indian Hindu community celebrates two main and a great many smaller religious events each year. The two main ones are called "Deepavali" and "Thaipusam", these celebrations are on a somewhat smaller scale than Hari Raya and Chinese New Year because of the smaller Indian community, but are still celebrated in the same spirit of togetherness and unity among all the races in Malaysia. Deepavali the "celebration of light", the literal translation "Deepam" and "Avali", actually means row or column of light. While there are several interpretations about the origins of Deepavali, the most popular one is that of a celebration commemorating the victory of the Hindu god Krishna over Narakasuran a demon who was terrorizing the people. Deepavali is therefore a celebration of light over darkness, good over evil.

Typically, as with everyone else in Malaysia, western culture has influenced Indian lifestyle. Many urban dwelling Indians have adapted their way of life to better reflect their surroundings and peers. As an example, fewer and fewer Indian women wear the "Saree", a simple, elegant and quite practical traditional dress, especially in view of Malaysia's generally hot and humid tropical climate. Among the three races, the use of the English language is perhaps the most widespread and ingrained amongst the Indian community. In general, Indians are also regarded as the most open in terms of cultural acceptance and adaptability among the races in Malaysia. These characteristics have aided immensely in their efforts to better themselves and the country.

In summary the Indians in Malaysia though smaller in number compared to the Malays and Chinese have nevertheless made enormous contributions to the resilient and prosperous socio-political and economic structure that is Malaysia. Economic disparities within the urban and rural Indian communities are slowly but surely being addressed. The Indian community represents an integral and vital component of Malaysian society and thusly they, along with all other Malaysians are justly proud of their accomplishments and their contributions to Malaysia's success.
Malaysian Cuisine

Malaysian cuisine is just like everything else Malaysian, a blend of different cultures which culminate into something unique, excellent and appealing to all. As with virtually every other country in the world, Malaysians tend to believe their food is the best. As it happens however, in Malaysia's case it may just be true. Food in Malaysia may lack the sophistication and elegance of western cuisine and the exotic simplicity of eastern dishes, but it does have an appeal that transcends the culinary requirements of most cultures, while many dishes and preparation methods here may not appeal to everyone, it is virtually guaranteed that everyone will find a Malaysian dish which appeals to them. Even in the distinctly remote exceptions to this statement, there is a vast variety of restaurants catering to the international traveler, everything from Italian to Japanese to Cuban to Arabian. The visitor to Malaysia will never, ever, lack in choices as far as the next meal is concerned.

Food in Malaysia tends to be spicy, savory and smooth. Rice is the staple food in Malaysia, eaten by practically everyone. Malays and Indians tend to prefer more heavily spiced food compared to the Chinese. In cities, particularly KL, everyone eats everything; it is as common to see an Indian family tucking in at a distinctly Chinese "Steamboat" diner as it is to see Chinese executives sharing Indian Tandoori Chicken and Naan bread at lunch. Each individual is restricted only by religious observances such as Halal foods for Muslims and abstinence from beef dishes for Hindus. Due to the fact that most major cities in Malaysia tend to be near the coast, fresh, bountiful and relatively inexpensive seafood are enjoyed by all.

One point of interest which holds true about the local cuisine in Malaysia is that price is not necessarily an indication of quality. While it is of course true that food at the more expensive eateries tend to be served in a more pleasant environment, are more agreeable to the taste and made from higher quality ingredients, lower priced restaurants and indeed the roadside stalls and "food courts" are often packed by patrons of all social levels. This is simply because the food is oftentimes equally delectable and costs a fraction of what one would pay at an upper class restaurant. However, finding these places may take some effort or help from a knowledgeable local.

Time is often a factor for dining out in many countries, but is less so in Malaysia. While most restaurants close before midnight, the ubiquitous "mamak" stalls oftentimes remain open around the clock, 24-7 all year round. Lately this has spread to some Chinese restaurants as well, you may be driving along the streets of KL at 3am on a Sunday morning and rounding a corner you may well see a packed stall with dozens of people quaffing their "teh tariks" and chewing their "roti canais". However some dishes may only be available at certain times of the day.

Two words of caution for the visitor to Malaysia: oil and spice. Much of the foods here tend to be oily and quite spicy. Flaming palates aside, this may cause digestive or intestinal discomfort if eaten in excess. While the locals have a highly developed immunity to this unfortunate phenomenon, visitors used to milder, plainer foods should take care.

Malaysian Cuisine

Below is a tiny sampling of the various foods one may come across in Malaysia:

Nasi Lemak :
A Malay dish consisting of rice cooked in "Santan" or coconut milk, this imparts a unique texture, taste and fragrance to the rice, properly prepared, it can be eaten on its own, but rarely is, the most basic version comes with a spicy onion "sambal" sauce, deep fried crispy anchovies, roasted peanuts, cucumber slices and a quartered hardboiled egg. Subject to your request and its availability, spicy beef, mutton, cuttlefish, shrimp, cockles, fried eggs and vegetables may be added.

Roti Canai :
Made from wheat flour dough Roti is kneaded and tossed into a roughly circular shape "pizza style" and cooked right in front of you on a hot plate sizzling with oil. Light and wholesome it is normally served with lightly spiced fish, chicken or "dhall" curry. Heavier versions of the Roti Canai include "Roti Telur", which adds an egg and onions into the dough, "Roti Sardin", with sardines, onions and egg and "Roti Planta" with margarine. Standard fare at Indian Muslim "mamak stalls".

Char Kway Teow :
Found at almost every "food court" and Chinese restaurant the name of this noodle dish in Chinese literally means "fried flat noodles", also called "Hor Fun". Consisting primarily of noodles, shrimp, cockles, bean sprouts, Chinese chives, garlic, beaten eggs and soy sauce, the ingredients are stir fried in wok over a roaring fire and served piping hot. Chili paste is optional. Variations include "Mai Fun" thin vermicelli rice noodles, and "Mien" thicker and tubular variant of the flat noodle.

Satay :
Marinated meat on a stick, Malay style. Satay is basically charbroiled in bite size chunks and skewered on bamboo strips. Typically a spicy peanut sauce dip is included. Satay is served with cucumber and onion slices and best eaten as soon as it is cooked. Beef, chicken or lamb variations of satay can be found virtually everywhere in Malaysia. Usually eaten as an accompaniment of other foods, a satay dinner can be made complete with the addition of "ketupat", a wholesome rice cake.

Rojak :
Also known to some as "Pasembor", Rojak consists of deep fried prawn fritters, coconut confection, boiled squid strips, cucumber and turnip shreds, tofu, hard-boiled eggs and drenched in a rich and mildly spicy hot peanut sauce. Like many other Malaysian delights this potpourri tastes much better than it sounds (or looks). Predominantly sold at Indian-Muslim food establishments, Rojak should not be confused with "Rojak Buah" which is primarily made from fruit and vegetables.

Bak Kut Teh :
Another Chinese dish. Literal translation: Pork bone soup. Somewhat "exotic" compared to the other dishes listed above, with its somewhat herbal tasting stock, it may be construed as an acquired taste. Basic ingredients include peppered, bite size chunks of pork and pork ribs, cabbage, garlic cloves, soy sauce, herbal mixes, mushrooms and depending on demand and availability, internal organs such as liver and intestines. Basically a soup, Bak Kut Teh is eaten with rice and crispy crullers, a type of fried confection.
These are just a tiny sampling of the huge variety of dishes available locally, be aware that variations in the ingredients and preparation methods could occur from state to state and indeed from vendor to vendor. The most important thing to remember is to be open-minded and at least try before judging based on appearance or presentation. Both these characteristics tend to be somewhat overlooked in Malaysian foods.

Malaysia geography :

Location: Southeastern Asia, peninsula and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates: 2 30 N, 112 30 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 329,750 sq km
land: 328,550 sq km
water: 1,200 sq km

Land boundaries: total: 2,669 km
border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Coastline: 4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)
Maritime claims: Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: Tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
Terrain: Coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Elevation Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0m
Extremes: Highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m
Natural resources: Tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Land use: arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 12%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 68%
Other: 17% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 2,941 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: Flooding, landslides
Environment - current issues: Air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: Strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea

Malaysia population :

Population: 22,229,040 (July 2001 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 34.5% (male 3,943,324; female 3,724,634)
15-64 years: 61.35% (male 6,828,670; female 6,808,623)
65 years and over: 4.15% (male 404,042; female 519,747) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.96% (2001 est.)
Birth rate: 24.75 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Death rate: Death rate: 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal immigrants from other countries in the region

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 20.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.11 years
male: 68.48 years
Female: 73.92 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.24 children born/woman (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.42% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 49,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,900 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Malaysian(s)
adjective: Malaysian

Ethnic groups: Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 27%, Indian 8%, others 7% (2000)
Religions: Islam, Buddhism, Daoism, Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism; note - in addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia
Languages: Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - in addition, in East Malaysia several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest of which are Iban and Kadazan
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.5%
male: 89.1%
Female: 78.1% (1995 est.)

Malaysian Government :

Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Malaysia
former: Federation of Malaysia

Government type constitutional monarchy
note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August 1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore) formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left the federation on 9 August 1965); nominally headed by the paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament consisting of a non elected upper house and an elected lower house; Peninsular Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka, Penang, Sabah, and Sarawak, where governors are appointed by the Malaysian Government; powers of state governments are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of the federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., the right to maintain their own immigration controls); Sabah - holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government; Sarawak - holds 28 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government

Capital: Kuala Lumpur
Administrative divisions: 13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) and 2 federal territories* (wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular - wilayah persekutuan); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan*
note: the city of Kuala Lumpur is located within the federal territory of Wilayah Persekutuan; the terms therefore are not interchangeable; there may be a new federal territory named Putrajaya

Independence: 31 August 1957 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)
Constitution: 31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963
Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Paramount Ruler Sultan TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah (since 26 April 1999)
Head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler
Elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 27 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister
Election results: Paramount Ruler Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, the Raja of Perlis (since 12 December 2001)

Legislative branch: Bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of non elected Senate or Dewan Negara (69 seats; 43 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26 appointed by the state legislatures) and the House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (193 seats; members elected by popular vote weighted toward the rural Malay population to serve five-year terms)
Elections: House of Representatives - last held 29 November 1999 (next must be held by 20 December 2004)
Election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NF 56%, other 44%; seats by party - NF 148, PAS 27, DAP 10, NJP 5, PBS 3

Judicial branch: Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister)
Political parties and leaders: Alternative Coalition or Barisan Alternatif-BA (includes the following parties: Party Islam Se-Malaysia or PAS [FADZIL Mohamad Noor], National Justice Party or NJP [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismail], Democratic Action Party or DAP [LIM Kit Siang], and Malaysian People's Party or PRM [SYED HUSIN]);
National Front or NF (ruling coalition dominated by the United Malays
National Organization or UMNO [MAHATHIR bin Mohammad], includes the following parties: Malaysian Indian Congress or MIC [S. Samy VELLU], Malaysian Chinese Association or MCA [LING Liong Sik], Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia or Gerakan [LIM Keng Yaik], Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu or PBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud], Parti Angkatan Keadilan Rakyat Bersatu or Akar [PANDIKAR Amin Mulia], Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak or PBDS [Leo MOGGIE], Sarawak United People's Party or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam], Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [CHONG Kah Kiat], Sabah Progressive Party or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee], People's Progressive Party or PPP [M. KAYVEAS], Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP], Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Amar James WONG], Parti Demokratik Sabah or PDS [leader NA], and United Pasok Momogun Kadazan Organization or UPKO (state level only) [Bernard DOMPOK]); Parti Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Bersekutu [HARRIS Salleh]; State Reform Party of Sarawak or STAR [PATAU Rubis]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador GHAZZALI bin Sheikh Abdul Khalid
chancery: 2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-2700
FAX: [1] (202) 483-7661
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Flag description: 14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US

Malaysia Economy :

Economy - overview: GDP grew at 8.6% in 2000, mainly on the strength of double-digit export growth and continued government fiscal stimulus. As an oil exporter, Malaysia also benefited from higher petroleum prices. Higher export revenues allowed the country to register a current account surplus, but foreign exchange reserves have been declining - from a peak of $34.5 billion in April 2000 to $29.7 billion by December - as foreign investors pulled money out of the country. Despite this development, Kuala Lumpur is unlikely to abandon its currency peg soon. An economic slowdown in key Western markets, especially the United States, and lower world demand for electronics products will slow GDP growth to 3%-6% in 2001, according to private forecasters. Over the longer term, Malaysia's failure to make substantial progress on key reforms of the corporate and financial sectors clouds prospects for sustained growth and the return of critical foreign investment.
GDP: Purchasing power parity - $223.7 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 8.6% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita: Purchasing power parity - $10,300 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14%
industry: 44%
services: 42% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 6.8% (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4%
Highest 10%: 20.4% (1997 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (2000)
Labor force: 9.6 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: Local trade and tourism 28%, manufacturing 27%, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries 16%, services 10%, government 10%, construction 9% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2.8% (2000 est.)
Budget: revenues: $16.4 billion
Expenditures: $17.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $43 billion (2000 est.)

Industries: Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging and processing timber; Sabah - logging, petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging
Industrial production growth rate: 12.1% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production: 59.044 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 91.61%
hydro: 8.39%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption:: Electricity - consumption: 54.872 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports: 50 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports: 11 million kWh (1999)
Agriculture - products: Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah - subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak - rubber, pepper; timber
Exports: $97.9 billion (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities: electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, chemicals, palm oil, wood and wood products, rubber, textiles
Exports - partners: US 21%, Singapore 18%, Japan 13%, Hong Kong 5%, Netherlands 4%, Taiwan 4%, Thailand 3% (2000 est.)
Imports: $82.6 billion (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food, fuel and lubricants
Imports - partners: Japan 21%, US 17%, Singapore 14%, Taiwan 6%, South Korea 5%, Thailand 4%, China 4% (2000 est.)
Debt - external: $41.8 billion (2000 est.)
Currency: ringgit (MYR)
Currency code: MYR
Exchange rates: ringgits per US dollar - 3.8000 (January 2001), 3.8000 (2000), 3.8000 (1999), 3.9244 (1998), 2.8133 (1997), 2.5159 (1996)
Fiscal year: calendar year

Malaysia communication :

Telephones - main lines in use: 4.5 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.698 million (1999)
Telephone system: general assessment: modern system; international service excellent
domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations

international: submarine cables to India, Hong Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 56, FM 31 (plus 13 repeater stations), shortwave 5 (1999)
Radios: 10.9 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations 27 (plus 15 high-power repeaters) (1999)
Televisions: 10.8 million (1999)
Internet country code: .my
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 7 (2000)
Internet users: 1.5 million (2000)

Malaysia Transports :

Railways: total: 1,801 km
narrow gauge: 1,801 km 1.000-m gauge (148 km electrified) (2001)

Highways: total: 64,672 km
paved: 48,707 km (including 1,192 km of expressways)
unpaved: 15,965 km
note: in addition to these national and main regional roads, Malaysia has thousands of kilometers of local roads that are maintained by local jurisdictions (1999)

Waterways: 7,296 km
note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,209 km, Sabah 1,569 km, Sarawak 2,518 km

Pipelines: crude oil 1,307 km; natural gas 379 km
Ports and harbors: Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, Penang, Port Dickson, Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjung Berhala, Tanjung Kidurong, Tawau
Merchant marine: total: 362 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,103,657 GRT/7,574,999 DWT
ships by type: bulk 62, cargo 110, chemical tanker 35, container 60, liquefied gas 20, livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 58, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 6 (2000 est.)

Airports: 115 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 33
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 7 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 82
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 8
Under 914 m: 73 (2000 est.)
Heliports: 1 (2000 est.)

Malaysia Military :

Military branches: Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal Malaysian Police Force, Marine Police, Sarawak Border Scouts
Military manpower - military age: 21 years of age
Military manpower - availability: Males age 15-49: 5,800,456 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: Males age 15-49: 3,514,023 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: Males: 196,042 (2001 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.69 billion (FY00 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.03% (FY00)

Malaysia transnational issues

Disputes - international: involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Philippines have not fully revoked claim to Sabah State; Pulau Batu Putih (Pedra

KualaLumpurian · Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 6:35 am Post subject:

KualaLumpurian · Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 6:36 am Post subject:

http://allmalaysia.info/services/printerfriendly.asp?file=/2003/10/4/state/6340195

KualaLumpurian · Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 6:46 am Post subject:

The Malay people or Orang Melayu were ealier immigrants, thousands of years ago, from many locations but the Yunnan one was by far most reliable.

The Indians arrived later at 2000+ years ago.

The early-Chinese at 600-1000 year ago.

The later-Chinese & later-Indian arrived at 1800-1950

KualaLumpurian · Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 6:54 am Post subject:

penny · Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 9:57 am Post subject:

[quote="KualaLumpurian"] The Malay people or Orang Melayu were ealier immigrants, thousands of years ago, from many locations but the Yunnan one was by far most reliable.

The Indians arrived later at 2000+ years ago.

The early-Chinese at 600-1000 year ago.

The later-Chinese & later-Indian arrived at 1800-1950 [/quote]

I remember reading in the M'sian history book a long time ago, that there was another wave of immigrants that came from the south in the Celebes. These darker complexion people were seamen and fishermen and they occupied the coastal areas of the peninsular and thus were called "orang laut".
Whereas, the wave from Yunan whose complexion was lighter than those from the south were mountain people and hunters and thus occupied the inland regions becoming hunters and farmers.