BRIEF INTRODUCTION & HISTORY
To know Malaysia is to love Malaysia. A bubbling, bustling melting pot of races and religions where
Malays, Indians, Chinese and other ethnic groups live together in peace and harmony.
Multiculturalism has not only made Malaysia a gastronomical paradise, it has also made Malaysia home to hundreds of colourful festivals. It's no wonder that we love celebrating and socialising. As a people, Malaysians are very laid back, warm and friendly.
Geographically, Malaysia is as diverse as its culture.
Malaysia's history starts generally around the establishment of
the Malacca sultanate. During the 13th century, it was renowned as
a major port for traders from both east and west.
Following this time, events developing in China and the Roman Empire
motivated Indian traders to seek a new port for their rich trade.
Malacca was chosen, based mainly on its advantageous location -- it
was sheltered from strong monsoon winds, thus the port was able to
operate year-round. Spices and other precious goods were the main
commodities traded at this new port, which flourished as the world's
new major maritime trade point, especially for Indian, Arab and Chinese
traders.
Malacca's profitable position was envied by many and resulted in the
Portuguese invasion in 1511. Later, in 1641, the Dutch defeated the
Portuguese and reigned until 1815 when the British Empire took over.
In 1826, the British ruled and consolidated Penang, Singapore and
Malacca under one administration unit called the Colony of the Straits
Settlement. After World War II, there was a resurgence of Malayan
nationalism leading to the Declaration of Independence for the Federation
of Malaya from the British Empire on August 31, 1957.
This movement was led by Tunku Abdul Rahman, who later became Malaysia's
first Prime Minister. Malaysia, at the time, comprised 13 states (including
Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak) and two federal territories were formed
in 1963.
Tunku Abdul Rahman who is the Father of Independence, has a famous quote: Let us all as one be reminded that all Malaysians would live together as members of one big family.
COUNTRY DESCRIPTION
Malaysia is a federation which consists of thirteen states (Negeri) and three federal territories (Wilayah Persekutuan). Eleven states and two federal territories are located on the Malay Peninsula while the remaining two states and one federal territory are on the island of Borneo.
Malaysia's capital city is Kuala Lumpur. The new administrative center
is in Putrajaya, which is approximately a 30-minutes drive from the
capital.
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION Malaysia lies at 7° North of the Equator and consists of West
and East Malaysia. West Malaysia is bordered by Thailand to the north,
Singapore to the south, South China Sea to the east, and Straits of
Malacca to the west. East Malaysia shares its southern border with
Indonesia, and is cradled by the South China Sea to the west and north,
and the Sulu Sea to the northeast. Although Malaysia is not an large
country in terms of actual land area (roughly 127,316 sq miles), but
it has an enormously great deal to offer.
CLIMATE Malaysia is pampered with a warm tropical climate, with general
temperatures ranging from 70° F to 90° F. The weather is very
strongly influenced by the Northeast and the Southwest Monsoon. The
period of May to September is usually a drier period. The East Coast
of West Malaysia and the states in East Malaysia normally have their
rainy seasons between November and February.
POPULATION AND DEMOGRAPHIC Malaysia is a land of ready smiles and incredible variety. The
rich diversity of experiences and contrasts beckons the worldly traveler,
from city-lovers to adventure-seekers and much, much more. Here, in
this land of friendly and fascinating people, you can get a taste
of all of Asia in a single destination.
Come mingle with the country's population of more than 25 million
people, which consists of Malays (the nation's biggest ethnicity)
and other indigenous groups including the Orang Asli, Dayaks, Kadazan
Dusun, Melanau, Murut and more. Joining them are the large Chinese
and Indian populations, and groups of mixed descent, such as the Baba-Nyonyas
and Eurasians of Portuguese and other European ancestry, as well as
other immigrant Asian ethnicities.
The Malays and the native tribal groups make up approximately 60%
of the total population. Chinese 30%, Indians 8% and the balance a
melting pot of other races and cultures. Four-fifths of the population
resides in West Malaysia .
LANGUAGE Although Bahasa Malaysia is the official language, English is
widely spoken. Other prominent languages spoken - Mandarin, other
Chinese dialects, Tamil, Punjabi.
RELIGION Although the official religion of Malaysia is Islam, each person
is free to practice his or her own faith. The abundance of temples,
mosques, churches and other places of worship bears testament to this.
Islam in Malaysia is rather tolerant and does not comply with the
fundamental belief of extremists.
ECONOMY Malaysia remains one of the world's largest producers of rubber,
palm oil, timber and tin. In recent years, the manufacturing and service
(notably the tourism sector) industries have become main contributors
to the economy. Exports of electronic products are one of the main
contributors of the nation's economic growth. In fact, Malaysia is
one of the few Asian countries that has its own car manufacturing
industry. The stability of the economy and its political scenario
has managed to attract tremendous foreign investment into the country.
The country's major trading partners are Japan, the United States,
Singapore, the United Kingdom and Germany.
CURRENCY
The Malaysian unit of currency is the Ringgit Malaysia (RM), which
is divided into 100 sen. Currency comes in notes of RM1, RM5, RM10,
RM50 and RM100. Coins are issued in 1 sen, 5 sen, 10 sen, 20 sen,
50 sen and RM1 denominations. MYR3.7.
All currencies brought into and out of the country must be declared
by a Travelers Declaration Form, which can be obtained at Malaysia's
entry and exit points. Due to government regulations, non-residents
are not allowed to bring in and out of the country more than RM1000.00
at any given time, but foreign currencies are not regulated.
All commercial banks are authorized foreign exchange dealers. Major
hotels, however, are only licensed to buy or accept foreign currencies
in the form of notes and travelers' checks.
TIME ZONE Malaysia is eight hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Meridian Time),
16 hours ahead of US Pacific Standard Time and 13 hours ahead of Eastern
Standard Time. Daylight Saving Time is not applicable to the country.
ELECTRICITY AND VOLTAGE Malaysia's electric supply is on a 240-volt 50-cycle system. Visitors
from countries using different electricity voltage systems are advised
to bring their converters and adapters.
WATER Water is generally safe to be consumed from the tap, though boiling
prior to consumption is advisable.
States and Federal Territories of Malaysia
States: Johor | Kedah | Kelantan | Malacca | Negeri Sembilan | Pahang | Perak | Perlis | Penang | Sabah | Sarawak | Selangor | Terengganu
Federal Territories: Kuala Lumpur | Labuan | Putrajaya