Difference between revisions of "Malaysia" - New World Encyclopedia

Malaysia
Malaysia
	Motto: "Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu"; "Unity Is Strength"
	Anthem: Negaraku (My Country);
Capital; (and largest city)	Kuala Lumpur[a]; ; Putrajaya (administrative centre); 3°08′N 101°42′E / 3.133, 101.7
Official language(s)	Malay
Recognized language	English[b]
Ethnic groups	68.8% Malay (Malay, Orang Asal, and indigenous groups of Sabah and Sarawak); 23.2% Chinese; 7.0% Indian; 1.0% Other
Demonym	Malaysian
Government	Federal constitutional elective monarchy and Federal parliamentary democracy
Independence
Area
Population
GDP (PPP)	2024 estimate
GDP (nominal)	2024 estimate
Gini (2018)	41.2
Currency	Ringgit (RM) (MYR)
Time zone	MST (UTC+8)
Date formats	dd-mm-yyyy
Drives on the	Left
Internet TLD	.my
Calling code	+60
	^ a. Kuala Lumpur is the capital city and is home to the legislative branch of the Federal government. Putrajaya is the primary seat of the federal government where the executive and judicial branches are located. ^ b. English may be used for some purposes under the National Language Act 1967. ^ c. Singapore became an independent country on August 9, 1965.

Latest revision as of 14:30, 29 March 2024

Malaysia is a federation of 13 states in Southeast Asia. There are two distinct parts to Malaysia: peninsular Malaysia and east Malaysia.

The name "Malaysia" was adopted in 1963 when the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak formed a 14-state federation. Singapore was expelled in 1965 and subsequently became an independent state.

An off-shoot of Malay-Indonesian history, Malaysia has a rich culture that dates back to the third century B.C.E.. Although politically dominated by the Malay people, modern Malaysian society is heterogeneous, with substantial Chinese and Indian minorities.

The Malay Peninsula has thrived from its central position in the maritime trade routes between China and the Middle East. Malaysia has transformed itself since 1971 from producing raw materials into an emerging multi-sector economy driven by exports of electronics.

Geography

Peninsular Malaysia is located south of Thailand, north of Singapore and east of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. East Malaysia is located on the island of Borneo and shares borders with Brunei and Indonesia.

Peninsular Malaysia consists of nine sultanates (Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Selangor, and Terengganu), two states headed by governors (Malacca and Penang), and two federal territories (Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur).

East Malaysia (or Malaysian Borneo) occupies the northern part of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia and surrounding the Sultanate of Brunei. It consists of the states of Sabah and Sarawak and the federal territory of Labuan.

At a total of about 126,850 square miles (328,550 square kilometers), Malaysia is about the same size as the U.S. state of New Mexico.

East and west Malaysia share a similar landscape in that both feature coastal plains rising to densely forested hills and mountains, the highest of which is Mount Kinabalu at 13,435 feet (4,095 meters) on the island of Borneo.

The climate is equatorial and characterized by the annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons. Rainfall averages 100 inches (250 cm) annually, with the eastern coastal region receiving an annual average of more than 120 inches (300 cm). Temperatures range between 73 F and 88 F (23 C to 31 C).

The Strait of Malacca, lying between Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia, is arguably the most important shipping lane in the world, especially given the rise of oil imports to China and East Asia as a whole.

Today, an estimated 59 percent of Malaysia remains forested. The rapid expansion of the timber industry since the 1960s has caused serious erosion. Subsequently, fewer trees are being felled and degraded forest areas are being replanted with rattan and fast-growing species.

Environment issues include air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions, water pollution from raw sewage, continued deforestation, and smoke haze from Indonesian forest fires.

Putrajaya is the newly created administrative capital for the federal government, constructed to ease growing congestion within Malaysia's capital city, Kuala Lumpur, which remains the seat of parliament, as well as the commercial center of the country.

History

The Malay Peninsula has thrived from its central position in the maritime trade routes between China and the Middle East; its history can be seen as four successive phases of outside influence, followed by the final assertion of Malay independence.

Map of Peninsular and East Malaysia

The first phase saw the domination of Hindu culture imported from India. In the third century B.C.E., Indian traders came to the archipelago both for its abundant forest and maritime products and to trade with merchants from China, who also discovered the Malay world at an early date. Both Hinduism and Buddhism were well established in the Malay Peninsula by the beginning of the first century C.E., and from there, spread across the archipelago.

Chinese chronicles of the fifth century C.E. speak of a great port in the south called Guantoli, which was probably in the Strait of Malacca. In the seventh century, a new port called Shilifoshi is mentioned, and this is believed to be a Chinese rendering of Srivijaya.

For 700 years, the Maharajahs of Srivijaya ruled a loose-knit maritime empire that controlled the coasts of Sumatra, Peninsular Malaya, and Borneo. Srivijaya lived by trade, welcoming annual trading fleets from China and India, and also traders from further afield. Its greatest enemies were the Siamese, in the north. To secure a powerful ally, the maharajahs paid tribute to the Chinese Emperors.

Starting with the tenth century, the power of Srivijaya began to decline, weakened by a series of wars with the Javanese that disrupted trade. In the eleventh century, a rival power center arose at Melayu, a port further up the Sumatran coast. "Melayu" is the origin of the word “Malay.”

The earliest record of a local law influenced by Islamic teaching and written in Jawi. The stone monument is found in Terengganu.

The second phase began with the arrival of Islam in the tenth century, and led to the conversion of most of the Malay-Indonesian world and the breakup of the Srivijayan empire into many smaller sultanates.

According to the Kedah Annals, the ninth Maharaja Derbar Raja (1136-1179 C.E.) of the Sultanate of Kedah converted to Islam and changed his name to Sultan Muzaffar Shah. Since then, Kedah has had 27 Sultans.

The port of Melaka (traditionally spelled Malacca), on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula, was founded around 1400 by Parameswara, a rebel prince of the Srivijaya royal line. Expelled from Sumatera for killing the ruler of Temasek (now known as Singapore), Parameswara established himself in Melaka. Melaka rapidly supplanted Srivijaya, established independent relations with China, and dominated the straits to control the China-India maritime trade, which became increasingly important when the Mongol conquests closed the overland route between China and the West. Within a few years of its establishment, Melaka officially adopted Islam, and the Raja became a Sultan.

The political power of the Malaccan Sultanate helped Islam spread rapidly through the Malay world, reaching as far as the Philippines and leaving Bali as an isolated outpost of Hinduism.

Melaka’s reign lasted little more than a century, but it was of great importance because it came to be seen as the golden age of Malay self-rule, and the Sultans of Melaka became the models for all subsequent Malay rulers. Melaka became a great cultural center, creating the matrix of the modern Malay culture—a blend of indigenous Malay and imported Indian and Islamic elements.

The third phase was the intrusion of the European colonial powers: first the Portuguese, who captured Melaka in 1511, then the Dutch, and finally the British who established bases at the island of Penang, leased to the British East India Company, and Singapore. European domination led to the most fateful event in Malay history—the Anglo-Dutch treaty of 1824, which drew a frontier between British Malaya and the Netherlands East Indies, which became Indonesia. At that time, the British took control of Malacca. This arbitrary division of the Malay world has proved permanent.

In 1826, Britain established the crown colony of the Straits Settlements, uniting its three possessions in Malaya: Penang, Malacca, and Singapore. The Straits Settlements were administered under the East India Company in Calcutta until 1867, when they were transferred to the Colonial Office in London. On the island of Borneo, Sabah was governed as the crown colony of British North Borneo, while Sarawak was acquired from Brunei as the personal kingdom of the Brooke family, who ruled as White Rajahs.

European domination also led to the fourth phase of foreign influence: the mass immigration of Chinese and Indian workers to meet the needs of the colonial economy created by the British in the Malay Peninsula and North Borneo. The Chinese and Indians posed a profound threat to the Malays, dominating economic life and the professions, and at one time threatening to make the Malays a minority in their own country.

Sultan Abdul Samad Building in Kuala Lumpur houses the High Court of Malaya and the Trade Court. Kuala Lumpur was the capital of the Federated Malay States and is the current Malaysian capital.

Following the Japanese occupation of Malaya during World War II (1942 to 1945), support for independence grew. Post-war British plans to unite the administration of Malaya under a single crown colony called the Malayan Union foundered on strong opposition from the ethnic Malays. The Malayan Union, established in 1946, was dissolved in 1948 and replaced by the Federation of Malaya, restoring the autonomy of the rulers of the Malay states under British protection.

Rebels under the leadership of the Communist Party of Malaya launched guerrilla operations designed to force the British out. The Malayan Emergency, as it was known, lasted from 1948 to 1960, and involved a long anti-insurgency campaign by Commonwealth troops in Malaya. Against this backdrop, independence for the Federation within the Commonwealth was granted on August 31, 1957.

In 1963, the federation was renamed Malaysia with the admission of the then-British crown colonies of Singapore, Sabah (British North Borneo), and Sarawak. The Sultanate of Brunei withdrew.

The early years of independence were marred by conflict with Indonesia over the formation of Malaysia, Singapore's eventual exit in 1965, and racial strife in the form of the May 13 race riots in 1969. The Philippines also made a claim on Sabah, which is still unresolved.

After the May 13 race riots, Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak launched the controversial New Economic Policy, intended to improve the economic position of the “Bumiputras” (indigenous people). Malaysia has since maintained a delicate ethno-political balance, attempting to combine economic development with policies that favor Bumiputras.

Between the 1980s and the mid-1990s, Malaysia experienced significant economic growth as it shifted from an agriculture-based economy to one based on manufacturing of computers and consumer electronics. The development of numerous mega-projects, including the Petronas Twin Towers, during this period changed the physical landscape.

In the late 1990s, the Asian financial crisis and the political unrest caused by the sacking of the deputy prime minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim shook Malaysia. In the 2020s, the country was gripped health and economic crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Politics

Malaysian Parliament building

Malaysia is a federal, constitutional, elective monarchy. The system of government is closely modeled on that of the Westminster parliamentary system, a legacy of British colonial rule. In practice, however, more power is vested in the executive branch than in the legislature, and the judiciary has been weakened by sustained government attacks during the Mahathir era.

The federal head of state is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, commonly referred to as the King of Malaysia or Paramount Ruler, who is elected to a five-year term from among the nine hereditary Sultans of the Malay states. The other four states, which have titular governors, do not participate in the selection.

The leader of the party with a plurality of seats in the House of Representatives becomes Prime Minister. Executive power is vested in the cabinet appointed and led by the Prime Minister with the consent of the head of state. The cabinet is chosen from among members of both houses of Parliament and is responsible to that body.

The bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate, or Dewan Negara (70 seats—44 appointed by the Paramount Ruler, 26 appointed by the state legislatures), and the House of Representatives, or Dewan Rakyat (219 seats—members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

All 70 senators sit for three-year terms; 26 are elected by the 13 state assemblies, two representing the federal territory of Kuala Lumpur, one each from federal territories of Labuan and Putrajaya, and 40 are appointed by the king.

Registered voters, 21 and older, elect the members of the House of Representatives and, in most of the states, the state legislative chamber as well. Voting is not compulsory.

Each state has a unicameral state legislative chamber whose members are elected from single-member constituencies. Chief ministers selected by the state assemblies lead the state governments and advise their respective sultans or governors.

The national holiday is Malaysia Day, August 31, which marks independence attained in 1957. All Malaysians can celebrate Muslim, Chinese, Indian, and Christian religious festivals.

The Ministry of Finance building in Putrajaya

The Malaysian legal system is based on English common law. The Paramount Ruler, or King, appoints judges to the Federal Court on the advice of the Prime Minister. Legislative acts may be subject to judicial review in the Supreme Court at the request of the Paramount Ruler. Islamic law is applied to Muslims in matters of family law. Caning is a standard punishment for more than 40 crimes in Malaysia, ranging from sexual abuse to drug use. Administered with a thick rattan stick, it splits the skin and leaves scars.

Service in the Malaysian Armed Forces (army, navy, and air force) is voluntary from age 18. About two percent of GDP is spent on the military.

Malaysia is in a dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei. The dispute revolves around oil prospecting. There are disputes over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries. There are also disputes over the maritime boundary of Ligitan and Sipadan islands, in the hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea.

Separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces has prompted measures to close and monitor the border with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities. Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in dispute. Piracy remains a serious problem in the vital shipping lane of the Malacca Strait.

Economy

Kuala Lumpur's landmark, the Petronas Twin Towers, the tallest twin towers in the world

Malaysia, a middle-income country, transformed itself since 1971 from a raw materials (mostly tin) exporter into an emerging multi-sector economy. Exports of electronics drive growth.

As an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has profited from higher world energy prices, although the rising cost of domestic gasoline and diesel fuel forced Kuala Lumpur to reduce government subsidies, contributing to higher inflation.

Malaysian currency, the ringgit, was "unpegged" from the U.S. dollar in 2005; the ringgit appreciated 6 percent against the dollar in 2006. The economy remains dependent on continued growth in the United States, China, and Japan—top export destinations and key sources of foreign investment.

Extensive roads connect all major cities and towns on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, while roads in the East Malaysia and the eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia are still relatively undeveloped. Rivers are the main mode of transportation for interior residents.

An extensive rail system connects all cities and towns on the peninsula, including Singapore. There is also a short railway in Sabah operated by North Borneo Railway that carries freight.

There are seaports in Tanjong Kidurong, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Kuantan, Pasir Gudang, Tanjung Pelepas, Penang, Port Klang, Sandakan, and Tawau, and world-class airports, such as Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Bayan Lepas International Airport in Penang, Kuching International Airport and Langkawi International Airport.

Export commodities include electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, and chemicals. Export partners include the United States, Singapore, Japan, China, Hong Kong, and Thailand.

Import commodities include electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel products, and chemicals. Import partners include Japan, the United States, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, and Germany.

Demographics

Masjid Jamek is one of the most recognizable mosques in Malaysia.

Masjid Ubudiah is a well-known historical mosque in Kuala Kangsar.

The politically dominant Malays make up over half of the population. A substantial number of Malaysians are of Chinese descent, who have played an important role in trade and business. Indian Malaysians, Tamil people from southern India, live in the larger towns on the west coast of the peninsula.

The largest non-Malay indigenous tribe is the Iban of Sarawak. Some Iban still live in longhouses in jungle villages along the Rajang and Lupar rivers. Bidayuh live in the southwestern part of Sarawak. The Kadazan of Sabah are largely Christian subsistence farmers. The Orang Asli live in a number of different ethnic communities in Peninsular Malaysia. Traditionally nomadic hunter-gatherers and agriculturists, many have been partly absorbed into modern Malaysia. They remain the poorest group in the country.

There are Malaysians of European, Middle Eastern, Cambodian, and Vietnamese descent. Europeans and Eurasians include British who colonized and settled in Malaysia and some Portuguese. Most of the Middle Easterners are Arabs. A small number of Kampucheans and Vietnamese settled there as Vietnam War refugees.

Due to the rise in labor-intensive industries, Malaysia has a substantial number of foreign workers; the total number is unclear due to the large percentage of illegal workers, mostly Indonesian.

Islam is the official religion. The four main religions are Islam, Buddhism, Christianity (mostly in Sabah and Sarawak), and Hinduism. The Chinese population is mostly Buddhist (of the Mahayana sect), Taoist or Christian. Animism persists.

The Malaysian constitution guarantees religious freedom, but non-Muslims face restrictions in constructing religious buildings and celebrating religious events. Muslims are obliged to follow the decisions of sharia courts. It is not clear whether Muslims may freely leave Islam.

All Malaysians are federal citizens except for those living in East Malaysia where state citizenship is distinguishable from peninsular citizenship. Every citizen is issued with a biometric smart chip identity card, known as MyKad, at the age of 12, and must carry the card with them.

Industrialization has resulted in legions of women workers on assembly lines. At home, cooking and cleaning are still deemed to be female responsibilities. Wealthier families hire domestic servants, mainly female foreign maids.

Marriage practices reveal Malaysia's religious fault lines. Christians may marry Buddhists or Hindus, answering only to their families and beliefs. Muslims who marry non-Muslims risk government sanction unless their partner converts to Islam. Indians and Chinese turn to divination to establish compatibility and auspicious dates, while Malays have elaborate gift exchanges. Malay wedding feasts are often held in the home, and feature a large banquet with several dishes eaten over rice prepared in oil. Many Chinese weddings feature a multiple-course meal in a restaurant or public hall, and most Indian ceremonies include intricate rituals.

Industrialization has made it difficult for extended families to live together. But better telecommunications keep distant kin in contact, as does the efficient transportation network. Among the majority of Malays, siblings are more important than ancestors.

Land ownership is a controversial issue. To placate Malays after the rubber boom, the British colonial government designated areas as Malay reservations. This land could only be sold to other Malays, limiting planters and speculators. Land disputes could only be settled with a legal definition of who was considered Malay. These land tenure arrangements are still in effect. The Malay claim to political dominance is this connection to the land. They are termed “bumiputera” or "sons of the soil."

Malay, a lingua franca throughout the region, became Malaysia's sole national language in 1967. English is widely spoken because it was the administrative language of the British colonizers. Rapid industrialization has solidified it as the language of business. Chinese inhabitants speak Mandarin Chinese, Hokkien/Fujian, Cantonese, Hakka, and Teochew. Most Indian Malaysians speak Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi.

Numerous languages flourish among indigenous groups, especially in Sarawak and Sabah. A small number of Eurasians, of mixed Portuguese and Malay descent, speak a Portuguese-based creole, called Kristang language. Eurasians of mixed Malay and Spanish descent, mostly in Sabah, who descended from immigrants from the Philippines, speak Chavacano, the only Spanish-based creole language in Asia. Television news is broadcast in Malay, English, Mandarin, and Tamil. Malaysians are adept at learning languages, and knowing multiple languages is common.

Class position is based on political connections, specialized skills, ability in English, and family money. The Malaysian elite, trained in overseas universities, continues to grow in importance as Malaysia's middle class expands. Mobile phones, gold jewelry, and fashionable clothing all indicate high rank in the social order. One's vehicle marks class position more than home ownership. Skin color, indicating time working in the hot tropical sun, further marks class position. Knowledge of English is vital to elevated class status.

Culture

Musang King, the most popular variety of durian in Malaysia

Within Malaysia there is a Malay culture, a Chinese culture, an Indian culture, and a Eurasian culture, along with the cultures of the indigenous groups of the peninsula and north Borneo.

Rice and noodles are common to all cuisine; spicy dishes are also favorites. Tropical fruits are abundant, and a local favorite is the durian, known by its spiked shell and fermented flesh. Increasing amounts of meat and processed foods supplement the country's diet, prompting concerns about the health risks of their high-fat content. Increased affluence allows Malaysians to eat out more often—small hawker stalls offer prepared food 24-hours-a-day in urban areas. Muslims are forbidden to eat pork, favored by the Chinese population; Hindus do not eat beef, while some Buddhists are vegetarian.

Malay College Kuala Kangsar is one of the earliest boarding schools to be established in British Malaya.

Most Malaysian children start kindergarten between the ages of three to six. Most kindergartens are privately run; there are also some government-operated kindergartens.

Children begin primary school at age seven for six years. There are two major types of state primary schools: schools that teach in Malay, and those that use either Chinese or Tamil. Students in year six sit for the primary school assessment examination.

Education in government secondary schools lasts five years, and is conducted in Malay, apart from language, mathematics, and science subjects. At the end of the third year, or Form Three, students sit for the lower secondary assessment exam. In the last year (Form Five), students sit for the Malaysian Certificate of Education, which is equivalent to the British Ordinary or 'O' Levels, now referred to as GCSE.

Mathematics and science subjects such as biology, physics, and chemistry are taught in English in government primary and secondary schools so that students are not hindered by any language barrier in college.

There are also 60 Chinese Independent High Schools, where most subjects are taught in Chinese. Studying in independent schools takes six years to complete, divided into junior middle (three years) and senior middle (three years). Students sit for a standardized test known as the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) in junior middle (equivalent to PMR) and senior middle (equivalent to AO level).

Students wishing to enter public universities must complete a further 18 months of secondary school in Form Six and sit for the Malaysia Higher Certificate of Education; equivalent to the British Advanced or "A" levels.

As for higher education, there are public universities such as the University of Malaya and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. In addition, five international reputable universities have set up branch campuses in Malaysia since 1998.

Students can also opt to go to private colleges that have educational links with overseas universities, especially in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Malaysian students abroad study mostly in the UK, United States, Australia, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Canada, and New Zealand. There are also international schools that offer the opportunity to study the curriculum of another country, such as the Australian International School, Malaysia (Australian curriculum), and The International School of Kuala Lumpur (International Baccalaureate and American curriculum).

Malaysian traditional music is heavily influenced by Chinese and Islamic forms. The music is based largely around the gendang (drum), but includes other percussion instruments (some made of shells); the rebab, a bowed string instrument; the serunai, a double-reed oboe-like instrument; flutes, and trumpets. The country has a strong tradition of dance and dance dramas, some of Thai, Indian, and Portuguese origin. Other artistic forms include wayang kulit (shadow puppet theatre), silat (a stylized martial art) and crafts such as batik, weaving, and silver and brasswork.

Malaysia's pop music scene developed from traditional asli (pure) music popularized in the 1920s and 1930s by Bangsawan troupes. In the 1960s, western-influenced Pop Yeh-yeh musicians came to the forefront, following the music and fashion of The Beatles. "Kugiran" six-piece bands (usually a vocalist, one lead-guitarist, one bassist, one rhythm-guitarist, one keyboardist and a drummer) that appeared in the 1960s, encouraged the establishment of various recording companies. Since then, the Malaysian music industry has expanded to cover all genres.

Notes

↑ CIA, Malaysia The World Factbook. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 World Economic Outlook Database, October 2023 Edition. (Malaysia) International Monetary Fund. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
↑ Gini Index The World Bank. Retrieved March 9, 2024.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

Goh, Cheng Teik. Malaysia: Beyond Communal Politics. Pelanduk Publications, 1994. ISBN 9679784754
Musa, M. Bakri. The Malay Dilemma Revisited. Merantau Publishers. 1999. ISBN 1583483675
Noor, Farish. From Majapahit to Putrajaya. Silverfish Books, 2005. ISBN 983322105X
Osborne, Milton. Southeast Asia: An Introductory History. Allen & Unwin, 2000. ISBN 1865083909
Ricklefs, M.C. A History of Modern Indonesia. Indiana University Press, 1981. ISBN 0804721955
Ye, Lin-Sheng. The Chinese Dilemma. East West Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0975164619

External links

All links retrieved March 9, 2024.

Malaysia Travel Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB)
Malaysia The World Factbook
Malaysia US Department of State

Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

Malaysia ^history

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

History of "Malaysia"

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.

[1] CIA, Malaysia The World Factbook. Retrieved March 9, 2024.

[IMFWEO.MY-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 World Economic Outlook Database, October 2023 Edition. (Malaysia) International Monetary Fund. Retrieved March 9, 2024.

[wb-gini-3] Gini Index The World Bank. Retrieved March 9, 2024.

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-conventional_long_name = Malaysia <!-- Do not change - see section entitled The name of the Federation—>|
+{{Infobox country
-common_name = Malaysia |
+|conventional_long_name   = Malaysia
-native_name = مليسيا|
+|common_name             = Malaysia
-image_flag = Flag of Malaysia.svg |
+|image_flag               = Flag of Malaysia.svg
-image_coat = Msia-crest.jpg |
+|image_coat               = Msia-crest.jpg
-symbol_type = Emblem |
+|symbol_type             = Emblem
-image_map = LocationMalaysia.png  |
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-national_motto = ''Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu''<br />([[English language|English]]: Unity Is Strength)<ref>[http://www.gov.my/MyGov/BI/Directory/Government/AboutMsianGov/MsianFlagAndCrest/ Malaysian Flag and Crest]. myGovernment. Extracted September 13 2006.</ref> |
+|map_caption =
-national_anthem = "''[[Negaraku]]''"  |
+|national_motto           = ''"Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu"''<small><br/>"Unity Is Strength" </small>
-official_languages =[[Malay language|Malay]]|
+|national_anthem         = ''[[Negaraku]]'' (My Country)
-capital = [[Kuala Lumpur]]<sup>[[#Infobox footnotes|1]]</sup> |
+|capital                 = [[Kuala Lumpur]]{{Ref label|capital|a|}}<br><br>[[Putrajaya]] (administrative centre)
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-largest_city = Kuala Lumpur  |
+|largest_city            = capital
-government_type = [[Federal Constitutional Monarchy|Federal constitutional monarchy]] |
+|official_languages      = [[Malay]]
-leader_title1 =  [[Yang di-Pertuan Agong|Paramount Ruler]] |
+| languages_type        = Recognized language
-leader_title2 = [[Prime Minister of Malaysia|Prime Minister]]  |
+| languages              = [[English language|English]]{{Ref label|English|b|}}
-leader_name1 = [[Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin|Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail]] |
+|official_religion        = [[Islam]]
-leader_name2 = [[Abdullah Ahmad Badawi]] |
+|demonym                  = Malaysian
-area_rank = 67th |
+|ethnic_groups = 68.8% [[Malaysian Malay|Malay]] ([[Malays (ethnic group)|Malay]], [[Orang Asal]], and indigenous groups of Sabah and Sarawak)<br />23.2% [[Malaysian Chinese|Chinese]]<br />&nbsp;7.0% [[Malaysian Indian|Indian]]<br />&nbsp;1.0% Other
-area_magnitude = 1_E8 |
+|government_type         = [[Federal monarchy|Federal]] [[Constitutional monarchy|constitutional]] [[elective monarchy]] and [[Federation|Federal]] [[parliamentary democracy]]
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-areami²= 127,355 <!-- Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]] —> |
+|leader_name1            = [[Ibrahim Iskandar]]
-percent_water = 0.3 |
+|leader_title2           = [[Prime Minister of Malaysia|Prime Minister]]
-population_estimate = 26,857,600 |
+|leader_name2            = [[Anwar Ibrahim]]
-population_estimate_year = 2006 |
+|sovereignty_type        = [[Independence]]
-population_estimate_rank = 45th |
+|established_event1      = From the [[United Kingdom]] ([[Federation of Malaya|Malaya]] only)
-population_census_year = 2000 |
+|established_date1        = August 31, 1957
-population_census = 23,953,136 |
+|established_event2      = Federation of [[Federation of Malaya|Malaya]], [[Sabah]], [[Sarawak]], and [[Singapore]]{{Ref label|Singapore|c|}}
-population_density = 77 |
+|established_date2        = September 16, 1963
-population_densitymi² = 199 <!-- Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]] —> |
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+|area_sq_mi              = 127,355
-GDP_PPP_rank = 33rd  |
+|percent_water           = 0.3
-GDP_PPP_per_capita = $12,100  |
+| population_estimate   = 34,219,975<ref>CIA, [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/malaysia/ Malaysia] ''The World Factbook''. Retrieved March 9, 2024.</ref>
-GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 54th  |
+| population_estimate_year = 2023
-HDI_year = 2003  |
+| population_estimate_rank = 43rd
-HDI = 0.796  |
+| population_census_year = 2020
-HDI_rank = 61st |
+| population_census     = 32,447,385
-HDI_category = <font color="#FFCC00">medium</font>  |
+| population_density_km2 = 101
-sovereignty_type = [[Independence]] |
+| population_density_sq_mi = 263
-established_event1 = From the [[United Kingdom|UK]] (Malaya only) |
+| population_density_rank = 116th
-established_event2 = '''Formation'''  |
+| GDP_PPP_year          = 2024
-established_date1 = [[August 31]], [[1957]] |
+| GDP_PPP                = {{increase}} $1.307 trillion<ref name="IMFWEO.MY">[https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2023/October/weo-report?c=548,&s=NGDPD,PPPGDP,NGDPDPC,PPPPC,&sy=2020&ey=2028&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=country&ds=.&br=1 World Economic Outlook Database, October 2023 Edition. (Malaysia)] ''International Monetary Fund''. Retrieved March 9, 2024.</ref>
-established_date2 = With [[Sabah]], [[Sarawak]], [[Singapore]] [[September 16]], [[1963]]  |
+| GDP_PPP_rank           = 31st
-currency = [[Malaysian ringgit|Ringgit]] (RM) |
+| GDP_PPP_per_capita     = {{increase}} $39,069<ref name="IMFWEO.MY" />
-currency_code = MYR  |
+| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 55th
-time_zone = [[Malaysian Standard Time|MST]]  |
+| GDP_nominal_year      = 2024
-utc_offset = +8  |
+| GDP_nominal            = {{increase}} $465.541 billion<ref name="IMFWEO.MY" />
-time_zone_DST = Not observed  |
+| GDP_nominal_rank      = 36th
-utc_offset_DST = +8  |
+| GDP_nominal_per_capita = {{increase}} $13,913<ref name="IMFWEO.MY" />
-cctld= [[.my]] |
+| GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 67th
-calling_code = 60<sup>2</sup> |
+| Gini_year              = 2018
-ISO_3166-1_alpha2 = MY |
+| Gini_change            = increase<!--increase/decrease/steady—>
-ISO_3166-1_alpha3 = MYS |
+| Gini                  = 41.2<ref name="wb-gini">[https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI?locations=MY Gini Index] ''The World Bank''. Retrieved March 9, 2024.</ref> <!--number only—>
-ISO_3166-1_numeric = 458 |
+| Gini_ref              =
-sport_code = [[IOC]], [[FIFA]]:MAS [[ISO]]:MYS |
+| Gini_rank              = |currency                 = [[Malaysian ringgit|Ringgit]] (RM)
-vehicle_code = MAL |
+|currency_code           = MYR
-footnotes = <cite id="Infobox_footnotes"> </cite> 1. [[Putrajaya]] is the primary seat of government<br> 2. 020 from [[Singapore]]
+|date_format              = dd-mm-yyyy
-}}
+|time_zone               = [[Malaysian Standard Time|MST]]
+|utc_offset               = +8
+|time_zone_DST           = Not observed
+|utc_offset_DST           = +8
+|drives_on                = Left
+|cctld                   = [[.my]]
+|calling_code             = [[+60]]
+|ISO_3166-1_alpha2       = MY
+|ISO_3166-1_alpha3       = MYS
+|ISO_3166-1_numeric       = 458
+|sport_code               = [[IOC]]/[[FIFA]]: MAS<br/>[[ISO]]: MYS
+|vehicle_code             = MAL
+|footnotes               =
+{{note|capital}}a. [[Kuala Lumpur]] is the capital city and is home to the legislative branch of the Federal government. [[Putrajaya]] is the primary seat of the federal government where the executive and judicial branches are located.
-'''Malaysia''' is a [[federation]] of [[States of Malaysia|13 states]] in [[Southeast Asia]], formed in 1963.
+{{note|English}}b. English may be used for some purposes under the National Language Act 1967.
-The country consists of two geographical regions divided by the [[South China Sea]]:
-*[[Peninsular Malaysia]] (or West Malaysia) on the [[Malay Peninsula]] shares a land border on the north with [[Thailand]] and is connected by the [[Johor-Singapore Causeway]] and the [[Malaysia-Singapore Second Link]] to the south with [[Singapore]]. It consists of nine sultanates ([[Johor]], [[Kedah]], [[Kelantan]], [[Negeri Sembilan]], [[Pahang]], [[Perak]], [[Perlis]], [[Selangor]] and [[Terengganu]]), two states headed by governors ([[Melaka|Malacca]] and [[Penang]]), and two federal territories ([[Putrajaya]] and [[Kuala Lumpur]]).
-*[[Malaysian Borneo]] (or East Malaysia) occupies the northern part of the island of [[Borneo]], bordering [[Indonesia]] and surrounding the Sultanate of [[Brunei]]. It consists of the states of [[Sabah]] and [[Sarawak]] and the federal territory of [[Labuan]] island.
-As states of Malaysia were formerly British colonies, many Malaysian institutions are based on those of the British. For instance, the Malaysian system of government draws heavily on the British [[Westminster system]]. The [[head of state]] is the [[Yang di-Pertuan Agong]] (colloquially referred to as the King), who is elected from among the state sultans to a five-year term, making Malaysia one of two elective monarchies in the world (the other is [[Vatican City]]).
+{{note|Singapore}}c. Singapore became an independent country on August 9, 1965.
+}}
-As a [[constitutional monarchy]], executive power is vested in the [[Prime Minister of Malaysia|Prime Minister]], with the King serving as more of a figurehead. The legislative branch consists of [[Parliament of Malaysia|Parliament]], which is mostly based on the [[British Parliament]]. A [[Courts of Malaysia|judiciary]] has also been established under the [[Constitution of Malaysia|Constitution]]. The [[Barisan Nasional]] (National Front), a coalition of several political parties, has ruled Malaysia since Malaya's independence in 1957.
+'''Malaysia''' is a federation of 13 states in [[Southeast Asia]].
+There are two distinct parts to Malaysia: peninsular Malaysia and east Malaysia.
-Initially heavily dependent on [[agriculture|agricultural]] and [[mining]] activities, the Malaysian economy has since shifted its focus to [[manufacturing]] and [[tourism]] as its major sources of income. Despite the shift, Malaysia remains one of the top producers of rubber and palm oil. In the 1970s, the government implemented the controversial [[Malaysian New Economic Policy|New Economic Policy]] (NEP) to address an income disparity between the Malays and Chinese.
+The name "Malaysia" was adopted in 1963 when the [[Federation of Malaya]], [[Singapore]], [[Sabah]], and [[Sarawak]] formed a 14-state federation. Singapore was expelled in 1965 and subsequently became an independent state.
-Although historically dominated by the [[Malay people|Malays]], modern Malaysian society is heterogeneous, with substantial [[Chinese Malaysian|Chinese]] and [[Indian Malaysian|Indian]] minorities. Malaysian politics have been noted for their allegedly communal nature; the three major component parties of the Barisan Nasional each restrict membership to those of one ethnic group, and the only major violence the country has seen since independence was the [[May 13 Incident]] of racial rioting in the wake of an election campaign based on racial issues.
+An off-shoot of Malay-Indonesian history, Malaysia has a rich culture that dates back to the third century B.C.E.. Although politically dominated by the Malay people, modern Malaysian society is heterogeneous, with substantial Chinese and Indian minorities.
+{{toc}}
+The Malay Peninsula has thrived from its central position in the maritime trade routes between [[China]] and the [[Middle East]]. Malaysia has transformed itself since 1971 from producing raw materials into an emerging multi-sector economy driven by exports of electronics.
-==The name of the Federation==
+==Geography==
-Article 1(1) of the [[Constitution of Malaysia|Federal Constitution]] states that "The federation shall be known, in Malay and English, as Malaysia". The name "'''Federation of Malaysia'''" therefore has no official sanction.
+Peninsular Malaysia is located south of [[Thailand]], north of [[Singapore]] and east of the [[Indonesia]]n island of [[Sumatra]]. East Malaysia is located on the island of [[Borneo]] and shares borders with [[Brunei]] and Indonesia.
-The name Malaysia was adopted in 1962 when Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak joined the Federation of Malaya to form Malaysia. Prior to 1963, the [[Federation of Malaya]] was known as ''Persekutuan Tanah Melayu'' in Malay, and the official names were therefore different in the two languages.
+Peninsular Malaysia consists of nine sultanates (Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Selangor, and Terengganu), two states headed by governors (Malacca and Penang), and two federal territories (Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur).
-==History==
+East Malaysia (or Malaysian Borneo) occupies the northern part of the island of [[Borneo]], bordering [[Indonesia]] and surrounding the Sultanate of [[Brunei]]. It consists of the states of Sabah and Sarawak and the federal territory of Labuan.
-{{main|History of Malaysia}}
-The [[Malay Peninsula]] has long benefited from its central position in the maritime trade routes between [[China]] and the [[Middle East]]. [[Ptolemy]] showed it on his early map with a label that translates as "''Golden Chersonese''", the Straits of Malacca as "''Sinus Sabaricus''".
+At a total of about 126,850 square miles (328,550 square kilometers), Malaysia is about the same size as the U.S. state of [[New Mexico]].
+East and west Malaysia share a similar landscape in that both feature coastal plains rising to  densely forested hills and mountains, the highest of which is Mount Kinabalu at 13,435 feet (4,095 meters) on the island of [[Borneo]].
-The earliest recorded Malay kingdoms grew from coastal city-ports established in the 10th century AD. These include [[Langkasuka]] and [[Lembah Bujang]] in [[Kedah]], as well as [[Beruas]] and [[Gangga Negara]] in [[Perak]] and [[Pan Pan]] in [[Kelantan]]. It is thought that originally these were Hindu or Buddhist nations. The first evidence of [[Islam]] in the Malay peninsula dates from the 14th century in [[Terengganu]], but according to the [[Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa|Kedah Annals]], the 9th Maharaja Derbar Raja (1136-1179 C.E.) of [[Sultanate of Kedah]] converted to Islam and changed his name to Sultan Muzaffar Shah. Since then there have been 27 Sultans who ruled Kedah.
+The climate is equatorial and characterized by the annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons. Rainfall averages 100 inches (250 cm) annually, with the eastern coastal region receiving an annual average of more than 120 inches (300 cm). Temperatures range between 73 [[Fahrenheit|F]] and 88 F (23 [[Celsius|C]] to 31 C).
-There were numerous Malay kingdoms in the 2nd and 3rd century C.E., as many as 30 according to Chinese sources. Kedah – known as Kedaram or Kataha, in ancient [[Pallava]] or Sanskrit – was in the direct route of invasions of Indian traders and kings. Rajendra Chola, who is now thought to have laid Kota Gelanggi to waste, put Kedah to heel in 1025 but his successor, Vir Rajendra Chola, had to put down a Kedah rebellion to overthrow the invaders.
+The Strait of Malacca, lying between [[Sumatra]] and Peninsular Malaysia, is arguably the most important shipping lane in the world, especially given the rise of oil imports to China and East Asia as a whole.
-The Buddhist [[Nakhon Si Thammarat kingdom|kingdom of Ligor]] took control of Kedah shortly after, and its King Chandrabhanu used it as a base to attack Sri Lanka in the 11the century, an event noted in a stone inscription in Nagapattinum in Tamil Nadu and in the Sri Lankan epic, Mahavamsa. During the first millennium, the people of the Malay peninsula adopted Hinduism and Buddhism and the use of the Sanskrit language until they were eventually converted to Islam, but not before Hinduism, Buddhism and Sanskrit became embedded into the Malay worldview.
+Today, an estimated 59 percent of Malaysia remains [[forest]]ed. The rapid expansion of the timber industry since the 1960s has caused serious erosion. Subsequently, fewer trees are being felled and degraded forest areas are being replanted with [[rattan]] and fast-growing species.
-We can still see traces of this in political ideas, social structure, rituals, language, arts and cultural practices. To this day, when a Malay considers anything important, he looks for a Sanskrit word to describe it: It is the Sanskrit pradana mantri (the Malay perdana mentri) here while in another Malay land, it is Penghulu ng Pilipina for its president. The [[Proton (company)|Proton]] car model names are from Sanskrit whilst the [[Perodua]] resorts to Malay names.
+Environment issues include air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions, [[water pollution]] from raw sewage, continued deforestation, and smoke haze from [[Indonesia]]n forest fires.
-There are reports of other areas older than Kedah – the ancient kingdom of Ganganegara, around Bruas in Perak, for instance – that pushes Malaysian history even further into antiquity. If that is not enough, a Tamil poem, Pattinapillai, of the second century C.E., describes goods from Kadaram heaped in the broad streets of the Chola capital; a seventh century Sanskrit drama, Kaumudhimahotsva, refers to Kedah as Kataha-nagari. The Agnipurana also mentions a territory known Anda-Kataha with one of its boundaries delineated by a peak, which scholars believe is Gunong Jerai. Stories from the Katasaritasagaram describe the life of elegance of life in Kataha.
+Putrajaya is the newly created administrative capital for the federal government, constructed to ease growing congestion within Malaysia's capital city, Kuala Lumpur, which remains the seat of parliament, as well as the commercial center of the country.
-All this is revealed after earlier archaeological and historical inquiry. Kota Gelanggi does not, it would appear, reveal more than the details of that long India, Hindu, Buddhist, Chola presence, the fitting of a historical jig-saw of a land that has a rich and enviable history long before the advent of Islam. We have been constrained by a mental block of not wanting to look beyond the Sejarah Melayu for our historical past. Malaysia's first prime minister, and a scion of the Kedah royal family, wanted independent Malaya to be known as Langkasuka, a kingdom that a millennium ago dominated north Malaya and southern Thailand, but he gave up the idea when he discovered that its capital was in Thailand. And the present contretemps between Malaysia and Thailand over the southern Thai Malays is also caught in this cultural time-warp.
+==History==
+The Malay Peninsula has thrived from its central position in the maritime trade routes between [[China]] and the [[Middle East]]; its history can be seen as four successive phases of outside influence, followed by the final assertion of Malay independence.
+[[Image:My-map.png|thumb|right|400px|Map of Peninsular and East Malaysia]]
+The first phase saw the domination of [[Hindu]] culture imported from [[India]]. In the third century B.C.E.., Indian traders came to the [[archipelago]] both for its abundant forest and maritime products and to trade with merchants from China, who also discovered the Malay world at an early date. Both [[Hinduism]] and [[Buddhism]] were well established in the Malay Peninsula by the beginning of the first century C.E., and from there, spread across the archipelago.
-In the early 15th century, the [[Sultanate of Malacca]] was established under a dynasty founded by [[Parameswara]], a prince from [[Palembang]], who fled from the island Temasek (now Singapore). Parameswara decided to establish his kingdom in Malacca after witnessing an astonishing incident where a white mouse deer kicked one of his hunting dogs. With [[Melaka|Malacca]] as its capital, the sultanate controlled the areas which are now [[Peninsula Malaysia]], southern [[Thailand]] ([[Patani]]), and the eastern coast of [[Sumatra]]. It existed for more than a century, and within that time period [[Islam]] spread to most of the [[Malay Archipelago]]. [[Melaka|Malacca]] was the foremost trading port at the time in Southeast Asia.
+Chinese chronicles of the fifth century C.E. speak of a great port in the south called Guantoli, which was probably in the [[Strait of Malacca]]. In the seventh century, a new port called Shilifoshi is mentioned, and this is believed to be a Chinese rendering of [[Srivijaya]].
-In 1511, Malacca was conquered by [[Portugal]], which established a colony there. The sons of the last [[sultan]] of Malacca established two sultanates elsewhere in the peninsula - the Sultanate of Perak to the north, and the Sultanate of Johor (originally a continuation of the old [[Melaka|Malacca]] sultanate) to the south. After the fall of [[Melaka|Malacca]], three nations struggled for the control of [[Malacca Strait]]: the Portuguese (in Malacca), the Sultanate of Johor, and the [[Aceh|Sultanate of Aceh]]. This conflict went on till 1641, when the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] (allied to the Sultanate of Johor) gained control of Malacca.
+For 700 years, the Maharajahs of Srivijaya ruled a loose-knit maritime empire that controlled the coasts of Sumatra, Peninsular Malaya, and Borneo. Srivijaya lived by trade, welcoming annual trading fleets from China and India, and also traders from further afield. Its greatest enemies were the [[Siam|Siamese]], in the north. To secure a powerful ally, the maharajahs paid tribute to the Chinese Emperors.
-[[United Kingdom|Britain]] established its first colony in the Malay peninsula in 1786, with the granting of the island of Penang to the [[British East India Company]] by the Sultan of Kedah. In 1824, the [[United Kingdom|British]] took control of Malacca following the [[Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824]] which divided the Malaya archipelago between Britain and the Netherlands, with Malaya in the British zone. In 1826, Britain established the [[crown colony]] of the [[Straits Settlements]], uniting its three possessions in Malaya: Penang, Malacca and Singapore. The Straits Settlements were administered under the East India Company in [[Calcutta]] until 1867, when they were transferred to the [[Colonial Office]] in London.
+Starting with the tenth century, the power of Srivijaya began to decline, weakened by a series of wars with the Javanese that disrupted trade. In the eleventh century, a rival power center arose at Melayu, a port further up the Sumatran coast. "Melayu" is the origin of the word “Malay.”
-[[Image:KualaLumpurAbdulSamadBldg.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Sultan Abdul Samad Building]] in Kuala Lumpur houses the [[High Court of Malaya]] at Kuala Lumpur and the Trade Court. Kuala Lumpur was the capital of the Federated Malay States and is the current Malaysian capital.]]
+[[Image:KlMuseumBatuBersurat.jpg|thumb|300px|The earliest record of a local law influenced by Islamic teaching and written in [[Jawi (script)|Jawi]]. The [[Terengganu Stone Monument|stone monument]] is found in [[Terengganu]].]]
-[[Image:Malaysia.JPG|thumb|300px|[[Kuala Lumpur]], the capital and largest city of Malaysia]]
+The second phase began with the arrival of [[Islam]] in the tenth century, and led to the conversion of most of the Malay-Indonesian world and the breakup of the Srivijayan empire into many smaller sultanates.
-During the late 19th century, many Malay states decided to obtain British help in settling their internal conflicts. The commercial importance of [[tin]] mining in the Malay states to merchants in the Straits Settlements led to British government intervention in the tin-producing states in the Malay Peninsula. British [[gunboat diplomacy]] was employed to bring about a peaceful resolution to civil disturbances caused by Chinese gangsters, and the [[Pangkor Treaty of 1874]] paved the way for the expansion of British influence in Malaya. By the turn of the 20th century the states of [[Pahang]], [[Selangor]], [[Perak]], and [[Negeri Sembilan]], known together as the [[Federated Malay States]] (not to be confused with the [[Federation of Malaya]]), were under the ''de facto'' control of British [[resident (title)|Residents]] appointed to advise the Malay rulers. The British were "advisers" by name but in reality they were the puppet masters behind the Malay rulers.
+According to the Kedah Annals, the ninth Maharaja Derbar Raja (1136-1179 C.E.) of the Sultanate of Kedah converted to Islam and changed his name to Sultan Muzaffar Shah. Since then, Kedah has had 27 Sultans.
-The remaining five states in the peninsula, known as the [[Unfederated Malay States]], while not directly under rule from London, also accepted British advisors around the turn of the 20th century. Of these, the four northern states of Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu had previously been under [[Thailand|Siamese]] control.
+The port of [[Melaka]] (traditionally spelled Malacca), on the west coast of the [[Malay Peninsula]], was founded around 1400 by Parameswara, a rebel prince of the Srivijaya royal line. Expelled from Sumatera for killing the ruler of Temasek (now known as [[Singapore]]), Parameswara established himself in Melaka. Melaka rapidly supplanted Srivijaya, established independent relations with China, and dominated the straits to control the China-India maritime trade, which became increasingly important when the [[Mongol]] conquests closed the overland route between China and the West. Within a few years of its establishment, Melaka officially adopted [[Islam]], and the Raja became a Sultan.
-On the island of [[Borneo]], Sabah was governed as the crown colony of [[British North Borneo]], while Sarawak was acquired from [[Brunei]] as the personal kingdom of the Brooke family, who ruled as white rajahs. As part of its history, the [[Sultanate of Sulu]] was granted the territory as a prize for helping the Sultan of Brunei against his enemies, and from then on that part of Borneo is recognized as part of the Sultan of Sulu's sovereignty. In 1878, Baron Von Overbeck, an Austrian partner representing The British North Borneo Co. and his partner British Alfred Dent, leased the territory known as "[[Sabah]]" - roughly translated as "the land beneath the winds". In return the company provided arms to the Sultan to resist the Spaniards and 5,000 Malaysian ringgits annual rental based on the Mexican dollar's value at that time or its equivalent in gold. This lease was continued until the independence and formation of the Malaysian federation in 1963 together with [[Singapore]], [[Sarawak]] and Malaysia. Up to these days, the Malaysians have been continuing the rental payment of 5,300 Malaysian Ringgit - a 300 Ringgit increased from original rent.
+The political power of the [[Sultanate of Malacca|Malaccan Sultanate]] helped Islam spread rapidly through the Malay world, reaching as far as the [[Philippines]] and leaving [[Bali]] as an isolated outpost of Hinduism.
-Following the [[Japan|Japanese]] occupation of Malaya (1942-1945) during [[World War II]], popular support for independence grew. Post-war British plans to unite the administration of Malaya under a single crown colony called the [[Malayan Union]] foundered on strong opposition from the [[ethnic Malay|Malays]], who opposed the emasculation of the Malay rulers and the granting of citizenship to the [[Overseas Chinese|ethnic Chinese]]. The Malayan Union, established in 1946 and consisting of all the British possessions in Malaya with the exception of Singapore, was dissolved in 1948 and replaced by the [[Federation of Malaya]], which restored the autonomy of the rulers of the Malay states under British protection.
+Melaka’s reign lasted little more than a century, but it was of great importance because it came to be seen as the golden age of Malay self-rule, and the Sultans of Melaka became the models for all subsequent Malay rulers. Melaka became a great cultural center, creating the matrix of the modern Malay culture—a blend of indigenous Malay and imported Indian and Islamic elements.
-During this time, rebels under the leadership of the [[Communist Party of Malaya]] launched guerrilla operations designed to force the British out of Malaya. The [[Malayan Emergency]], as it was known, lasted from 1948 to 1960, and involved a long anti-insurgency campaign by [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] troops in Malaya. Against this backdrop, independence for the Federation within the Commonwealth was granted on [[31 August]] [[1957]] (see [[Hari Merdeka]]).
+The third phase was the intrusion of the European colonial powers: first the [[Portugal|Portuguese]], who captured Melaka in 1511, then the [[Netherlands|Dutch]], and finally the [[United Kingdom|British]] who established bases at the island of [[Penang]], leased to the [[British East India Company]], and [[Singapore]]. European domination led to the most fateful event in Malay history—the Anglo-Dutch treaty of 1824, which drew a frontier between British Malaya and the [[Netherlands East Indies]], which became Indonesia. At that time, the British took control of Malacca. This arbitrary division of the Malay world has proved permanent.
-In 1963 the Federation was expanded with the admission of the then-British crown colonies of Singapore, Sabah (British North Borneo) and Sarawak, and renamed Malaysia. The Sultanate of [[Brunei]], though initially expressing interest in joining the Federation, withdrew from the planned merger due to opposition from certain segments of the population as well as arguments over the payment of oil royalties.
+In 1826, Britain established the crown colony of the Straits Settlements, uniting its three possessions in Malaya: Penang, Malacca, and Singapore. The Straits Settlements were administered under the East India Company in Calcutta until 1867, when they were transferred to the Colonial Office in London. On the island of [[Borneo]], Sabah was governed as the crown colony of British North Borneo, while Sarawak was acquired from [[Brunei]] as the personal kingdom of the Brooke family, who ruled as White Rajahs.
-The early years of independence were marred by [[Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation|conflict with Indonesia]] (''Konfrontasi'') over the formation of Malaysia, Singapore's eventual exit in 1965, and racial strife in the form of [[1969 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Race Riots|racial riots]] in 1969 (popularly known as the "May 13" riots). The [[Philippines]] also made an active claim on Sabah in that period based upon the Sultanate of Brunei's cession of its north-east territories to the [[Sultanate of Sulu]] in 1704. The claim is still ongoing.
+European domination also led to the fourth phase of foreign influence: the mass immigration of Chinese and Indian workers to meet the needs of the colonial economy created by the British in the Malay Peninsula and North Borneo. The Chinese and Indians posed a profound threat to the Malays, dominating economic life and the professions, and at one time threatening to make the Malays a minority in their own country.
-After the [[May 13 Incident|May 13 racial riots]] of 1969, the controversial [[Malaysian New Economic Policy|New Economic Policy]] - intended to increase the share of the economic pie owned by the bumiputeras as opposed to other ethnic groups - was launched by Prime Minister [[Tun Abdul Razak]]. Malaysia has since maintained a delicate ethno-political balance, with a system of government that has attempted to combine overall economic development with political and economic policies that favour [[Bumiputra]]s, which includes the majority Malays, but not always the indigenous population.
+[[Image:KualaLumpurAbdulSamadBldg.jpg|thumb|400px|Sultan Abdul Samad Building in Kuala Lumpur houses the High Court of Malaya and the Trade Court. Kuala Lumpur was the capital of the Federated Malay States and is the current Malaysian capital.]]
-Between the 1980s and the early 1990s, Malaysia experienced significant economic growth under the premiership of Tun Dr [[Mahathir bin Mohamad]]. The period saw a shift from an agriculture-based economy to one based on manufacturing and industry in areas such as computers and consumer electronics. It was during this period, too, that the physical landscape of Malaysia has changed with the emergence of numerous mega-projects. The most notable of these projects are the [[Petronas Twin Towers]] (at the time the tallest building in the world), KL International Airport (KLIA), the Sepang F1 Circuit, the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), the Bakun hydroelectric dam and Putrajaya, a new federal administrative capital.
+Following the Japanese occupation of Malaya during [[World War II]] (1942 to 1945), support for independence grew. Post-war British plans to unite the administration of Malaya under a single crown colony called the Malayan Union foundered on strong opposition from the ethnic Malays. The Malayan Union, established in 1946, was dissolved in 1948 and replaced by the Federation of Malaya, restoring the autonomy of the rulers of the Malay states under British protection.
-In the late 1990s, Malaysia was shaken by the [[Asian financial crisis]] as well as political unrest caused by the sacking of the deputy prime minister Dato' Seri [[Anwar Ibrahim]]. In 2003, Dr Mahathir, Malaysia's longest serving prime minister, retired in favour of his deputy, [[Abdullah Ahmad Badawi]], commonly known as Pak Lah.
+Rebels under the leadership of the Communist Party of Malaya launched guerrilla operations designed to force the British out. The Malayan Emergency, as it was known, lasted from 1948 to 1960, and involved a long anti-insurgency campaign by Commonwealth troops in Malaya. Against this backdrop, independence for the Federation within the Commonwealth was granted on August 31, 1957.
-==Politics==
+In 1963, the federation was renamed Malaysia with the admission of the then-British crown colonies of [[Singapore]], [[Sabah]] (British North Borneo), and [[Sarawak]]. The Sultanate of [[Brunei]] withdrew.
-<!--Please add new information into relevant articles of the series-->
-{{morepolitics|country=Malaysia}}
-[[Image:MalaysianParliament.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Malaysian House of Parliament|The Parliament building]]]]
-Malaysia is a [[federation|federal]] [[constitutional monarchy|constitutional]] [[elective monarchy|elective]] monarchy. It is nominally headed by the Paramount Ruler or ''[[Yang di-Pertuan Agong]]'', commonly referred to as the King of Malaysia. Yang di-Pertuan Agong are selected for five-year terms from among the nine [[Malay Ruler|Sultan]]s of the [[Malay states]]; the other four states, which have titular Governors, do not participate in the selection.
-The system of government in Malaysia is closely modeled on that of [[Westminster System|Westminster]] [[parliamentary system]], a legacy of [[British Empire|British colonial rule]]. In practice however, more power is vested in the executive branch of government than in the legislative, and the judiciary has been weakened by sustained attacks by the government during the Mahathir era. [[Malaysian general election|Parliamentary elections]] are held at least once every five years, with the last general election being in March 2004. Since independence in 1957, Malaysia has been governed by a multi-racial coalition known as the [[Barisan Nasional]] (formerly the Alliance).
+The early years of independence were marred by conflict with Indonesia over the formation of Malaysia, Singapore's eventual exit in 1965, and racial strife in the form of the May 13 race riots in 1969. The [[Philippines]] also made a claim on Sabah, which is still unresolved.
-[[Executive branch|Executive power]] is vested in the [[Cabinet of Malaysia|cabinet]] led by the [[Prime Minister of Malaysia|prime minister]]; the Malaysian [[Constitution of Malaysia|constitution]] stipulates that the prime minister must be a member of the lower house of [[Parliament of Malaysia|parliament]] who, in the opinion of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, commands a majority in parliament. The cabinet is chosen from among members of both houses of Parliament and is responsible to that body.
+After the May 13 race riots, Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak launched the controversial New Economic Policy, intended to improve the economic position of the “Bumiputras” (indigenous people). Malaysia has since maintained a delicate ethno-political balance, attempting to combine economic development with policies that favor Bumiputras.
-The bicameral [[parliament]] consists of the [[upper house]], the Senate or ''Dewan Negara'' (literally the "Chamber of the Nation") and the [[lower house]], the House of Representatives or ''Dewan Rakyat'' (literally the "Chamber of the People"). All 69 Senators sit for 6-year terms; 26 are elected by the 13 state assemblies, and 43 are appointed by the king. The 219 members of the House of Representatives are elected from single-member constituencies by universal adult suffrage, for a maximum term of 5 years. [[Legislative power]] is divided between federal and state legislatures.
+Between the 1980s and the mid-1990s, Malaysia experienced significant economic growth as it shifted from an agriculture-based economy to one based on manufacturing of computers and consumer electronics. The development of numerous mega-projects, including the Petronas Twin Towers, during this period changed the physical landscape.
-The state governments are led by chief ministers (''Menteri Besar'' or ''Ketua Menteri'', the latter term being used in states without hereditary rulers), selected by the state assemblies (''Dewan Undangan Negeri'') advising their respective sultans or governors.
+In the late 1990s, the Asian financial crisis and the political unrest caused by the sacking of the deputy prime minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim shook Malaysia. In the 2020s, the country was gripped  health and economic crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
-The national media are largely controlled by the government and by political parties in the [[Barisan Nasional]]/National Front ruling coalition and the opposition has little access to the media. The print media are controlled by the Government through the requirement of obtaining annual publication licences under the [[Printing and Presses Act]].
+==Politics==
-==Geography==
+[[Image:MalaysianParliament.jpg|thumb|400px|Malaysian Parliament building]]
-[[Image:My-map.png|thumb|right|450px|Map of Peninsular and East Malaysia]]
+Malaysia is a federal, constitutional, elective monarchy. The system of government is closely modeled on that of the Westminster parliamentary system, a legacy of British colonial rule. In practice, however, more power is vested in the executive branch than in the legislature, and the judiciary has been weakened by sustained government attacks during the Mahathir era.
-{{main|Geography of Malaysia}}
-The two distinct parts of Malaysia, separated from each other by the [[South China Sea]], share a largely similar landscape in that both [[Peninsular Malaysia|West]] and [[East Malaysia]] feature coastal plains rising to often densely forested hills and mountains, the highest of which is [[Mount Kinabalu]] at 4,095.2 metres (13,435.7&nbsp;[[foot (unit of length)|ft]]) on the island of [[Borneo]]. The local [[climate]] is [[equatorial]] and characterised by the annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) [[monsoon]]s.
-[[Tanjung Piai]], located in the southern state of [[Johor]], is the southernmost tip of continental [[Asia]] &mdash; if [[Singapore]], an island connected to the continent by a man-made [[causeway]], is excluded.
+The federal head of state is the ''Yang di-Pertuan Agong'', commonly referred to as the King of Malaysia or Paramount Ruler, who is elected to a five-year term from among the nine hereditary Sultans of the Malay states. The other four states, which have titular governors, do not participate in the selection.
-The [[Strait of Malacca]], lying between [[Sumatra]] and [[West Malaysia]], is arguably the most important shipping lane in the world.
+The leader of the party with a plurality of seats in the House of Representatives becomes Prime Minister. Executive power is vested in the cabinet appointed and led by the Prime Minister with the consent of the head of state. The cabinet is chosen from among members of both houses of Parliament and is responsible to that body.
-[[Putrajaya]] is the newly created administrative capital for the federal government of Malaysia, aimed in part to ease growing congestion within Malaysia's capital city, [[Kuala Lumpur]]. The prime minister's office moved in 1999 and the move is expected to be completed in 2005. Kuala Lumpur remains the seat of parliament, as well as the commercial and financial capital of the country. Other major cities include [[George Town, Penang|George Town]], [[Ipoh]], [[Johor Bahru]], [[Kuching]],[[Kota Kinabalu]],  Alor Star and Petaling Jaya.
+The bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate, or Dewan Negara (70 seats—44 appointed by the Paramount Ruler, 26 appointed by the state legislatures), and the House of Representatives, or Dewan Rakyat (219 seats—members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
-==Economy==
+All 70 senators sit for three-year terms; 26 are elected by the 13 state assemblies, two representing the federal territory of Kuala Lumpur, one each from federal territories of [[Labuan]] and [[Putrajaya]], and 40 are appointed by the king.
-{{main|Economy of Malaysia}}
-[[Image:KLCC_PetronasTowers.JPG|thumb|right|250px|[[Kuala Lumpur]]'s landmark, the [[Petronas Twin Towers]], the tallest twin towers in the world]]
-The [[Malay Peninsula]] and indeed [[Southeast Asia]] has been a centre of trade for centuries. Various items such as [[porcelain]] and [[spice]] were actively traded even before [[Sultanate of Malacca|Malacca]] and Singapore rose to prominence.
+Registered voters, 21 and older, elect the members of the House of Representatives and, in most of the states, the state legislative chamber as well. Voting is not compulsory.
-In the 17th century, large deposits of [[tin]] were found in several [[Malay states]]. Later, as the [[British Empire|British]] started to take over as administrators of [[Malaya]], [[rubber]] and [[palm oil]] trees were introduced for commercial purposes. Over time, Malaya became the world's largest major producer of tin, rubber, and palm oil. These three commodities, along with other raw materials, firmly set Malaysia's economic tempo well into the mid-20th century.
+Each state has a unicameral state legislative chamber whose members are elected from single-member constituencies. Chief ministers selected by the state assemblies lead the state governments and advise their respective sultans or governors.
-Instead of relying on the local Malays as a source of labour, the British brought in Chinese and Indians to work on the mines and plantations. Although many of them returned to their respective home countries after their agreed tenure ended, some remained in Malaysia and settled permanently.
+The national holiday is Malaysia Day, August 31, which marks independence attained in 1957. All Malaysians can celebrate Muslim, Chinese, Indian, and Christian religious festivals.
+[[Image:MOFputrajaya.JPG|thumb|right|400px|The Ministry of Finance building in [[Putrajaya]]]]
+The Malaysian legal system is based on English [[common law]]. The Paramount Ruler, or King, appoints judges to the Federal Court on the advice of the Prime Minister. Legislative acts may be subject to judicial review in the Supreme Court at the request of the Paramount Ruler. [[Islam]]ic law is applied to Muslims in matters of family law. Caning is a standard punishment for more than 40 crimes in Malaysia, ranging from [[sexual abuse]] to drug use. Administered with a thick rattan stick, it splits the skin and leaves scars.
-As Malaya moved towards independence, the government began implementing economic [[five-year plan]]s, beginning with the [[First Malayan Five Year Plan]] in 1955. Upon the establishment of Malaysia, the plans were re-titled and renumbered, beginning with the [[First Malaysia Plan]] in 1965.
+Service in the Malaysian Armed Forces (army, navy, and air force) is voluntary from age 18. About two percent of GDP is spent on the military.
-In 1970s, Malaysia began to imitate the footsteps of the original four [[Asian Tigers]] and committed itself to a transition from being reliant on mining and agriculture to an economy that depends more on manufacturing. With [[Japan]]ese investment, heavy industries flourished and in a matter of years, Malaysian [[export]]s became the country's primary growth engine. Malaysia consistently achieved more than 7% [[GDP]] growth along with low [[inflation]] in the 1980s and the 1990s.
+Malaysia is in a dispute over the [[Spratly Islands]] with [[China]], [[Philippines]], [[Taiwan]], [[Vietnam]], and possibly [[Brunei]]. The dispute revolves around oil prospecting. There are disputes over deliveries of fresh water to [[Singapore]], Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries. There are also disputes over the maritime boundary of Ligitan and Sipadan islands, in the hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea.
-During the same period, the government tried to eradicate poverty with the controversial [[New Economic Policy (Malaysia)|New Economic Policy]] (NEP), in the wake of the [[May 13 Incident]] of racial rioting in 1969. Its main objective was the elimination of the association of race with economic function, and the first five-year plan to begin implementing the NEP was the [[Second Malaysia Plan]]. The success or failure of the NEP is the subject of much debate, although it was officially retired in 1990 and replaced by the [[National Development Policy]] (NDP).
+Separatist violence in [[Thailand]]'s predominantly Muslim southern provinces has prompted measures to close and monitor the border with Malaysia to stem [[terrorism|terrorist]] activities. Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in dispute. [[Piracy]] remains a serious problem in the vital shipping lane of the Malacca Strait.
-The rapid economic boom led to a variety of supply problems, however. Labour shortages soon resulted in an influx of millions of foreign workers, many illegal. Cash-rich [[PLC]]s and consortiums of banks eager to benefit from increased and rapid development began large infrastructure projects. This all ended when the [[Asian Financial Crisis]] hit in the fall of 1997, delivering a massive shock to Malaysia's economy.
+==Economy==
-As with other countries affected by the crisis, there was speculative short-selling of the Malaysian currency, the [[ringgit]]. [[Foreign direct investment]] fell at an alarming rate and, as capital flowed out of the country, the value of the ringgit dropped from MYR 2.50 per USD to, at one point, MYR 4.80 per USD. The [[Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange]]'s composite index plummeted from approximately 1300 points to nearly merely 400 points in a matter of weeks. After the sacking of finance minister [[Anwar Ibrahim]], a National Economic Action Council was formed to deal with the monetary crisis. [[Bank Negara]] imposed [[capital controls]] and [[fixed exchange rate|pegged]] the Malaysian ringgit at 3.80 to the US dollar. Malaysia refused economic aid packages from the [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF) and the World Bank, however, surprising many analysts.
+[[File:KLCC twin towers1.JPG|thumb|right|300px|[[Kuala Lumpur]]'s landmark, the [[Petronas Twin Towers]], the tallest ''twin'' towers in the world]]
-In March 2005, the [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development]] (UNCTAD) published a paper on the sources and pace of Malaysia's recovery, written by Jomo K.S. of the applied economics department, [[University of Malaya]], [[Kuala Lumpur]]. The paper concluded that the controls imposed by Malaysia's government neither hurt nor helped recovery. The chief factor was an increase in electronics components exports, which was caused by a large increase in the demand for components in the United States, which was caused, in turn, by a fear of the effects of the arrival of the year 2000 ([[Y2K]]) upon older computers and other digital devices.
+Malaysia, a middle-income country, transformed itself since 1971 from a raw materials (mostly tin) exporter into an emerging multi-sector economy. Exports of electronics drive growth.
-However, the post Y2K slump of 2001 did not affect Malaysia as much as other countries. This may have been clearer evidence that there are other causes and effects that can be more properly attributable for recovery. One possibility is that the currency speculators had run out of finance after failing in their attack on the [[Hong Kong]] dollar in August 1998 and after the [[Russian ruble]] collapsed. (See [[George Soros]])
+As an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has profited from higher world energy prices, although the rising cost of domestic gasoline and [[diesel fuel]] forced Kuala Lumpur to reduce government subsidies, contributing to higher [[inflation]].
-Regardless of cause/effect claims, rejuvenation of the economy also coincided with massive government spending and budget deficits in the years that followed the crisis. Later, Malaysia enjoyed faster economic recovery compared to its neighbours. In many ways, however, the country has yet to recover to the levels of the pre-crisis era.
+Malaysian currency, the ringgit, was "unpegged" from the U.S. dollar in 2005; the ringgit appreciated 6 percent against the dollar in 2006. The economy remains dependent on continued growth in the [[United States]], China, and [[Japan]]—top export destinations and key sources of foreign investment.
-While the pace of development today is not as rapid, it is seen to be more sustainable. Although the controls and economic housekeeping may not have been the principal reason for recovery, there is no doubt that the banking sector has become more resilient to external shocks. The current account has also settled into a structural surplus, providing a cushion to capital flight. Asset prices are now a fraction of their pre-crisis heights.
+Extensive roads connect all major cities and towns on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, while roads in the East Malaysia and the eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia are still relatively undeveloped. Rivers are the main mode of transportation for interior residents.
-The [[fixed exchange rate]] regime was abandoned in July 2005 in favour of a managed [[floating exchange rate|floating system]] within an hour of [[China]]'s announcing of the same move. In the same week, the ringgit strengthened a percent against various major currencies and was expected to appreciate further. As of December 2005, however, expectations of further appreciation were muted as [[capital flight]] exceeded USD 10 billion. [http://www.statistics.gov.my/english/bop/bopq405.htm]
+An extensive rail system connects all cities and towns on the peninsula, including [[Singapore]]. There is also a short railway in Sabah operated by North Borneo Railway that carries freight.
-In September 2005, Sir Howard J. Davies, director of the [[London School of Economics]], at a meeting [[Kuala Lumpur]], cautioned Malaysian officials that if they want a flexible capital market, they will have to lift the ban on short-selling put into effect during the crisis. On March 23 2006, Malaysia removed the ban on short selling. <ref>[[Financial Times]]. ''[http://news.ft.com/cms/s/3659eba2-ba91-11da-980d-0000779e2340.html Malaysia relaxes short-selling ban]''. Extracted March 28, 2006.</ref>
+There are seaports in Tanjong Kidurong, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Kuantan, Pasir Gudang, Tanjung Pelepas, Penang, Port Klang, Sandakan, and Tawau, and world-class airports, such as Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Bayan Lepas International Airport in Penang, Kuching International Airport and Langkawi International Airport.
-==Natural resources==
+Export commodities include electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, and chemicals. Export partners include the United States, [[Singapore]], [[Japan]], [[China]], [[Hong Kong]], and [[Thailand]].
-Malaysia is well-endowed with natural resources in areas such as agriculture, forestry as well as minerals. In terms of agriculture, Malaysia is the world's primary exporter of natural rubber and palm oil, which together with saw logs and sawn timber, [[cocoa]], [[black pepper|pepper]], [[pineapple]] and [[tobacco]] dominate the growth of the sector. Palm oil is also a major foreign exchange earner.
-Regarding forestry resources, it is noted that logging only began to make a substantial contribution to the economy during the nineteenth century. Today an estimated 59% of Malaysia remains forested. The rapid expansion of the timber industry, particularly after the 1960s, has brought about a serious erosion problem in the country's forest resources. However, in line with the Government's commitment to protect the environment and the ecological system, forestry resources are being managed on a sustainable basis and accordingly the rate of tree felling has been on the downtrend.
+Import commodities include electronics, machinery, [[petroleum]] products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel products, and chemicals. Import partners include Japan, the United States, Singapore, China, [[Taiwan]], Thailand, [[South Korea]], and [[Germany]].
-In addition, substantial areas are being silviculturally treated and reforestation of degraded forest land is also being carried out. The Malaysian government provide plans for the enrichment of some 312.30 square kilometres (120.5&nbsp;[[square mile|sq&nbsp;mi]]) of land with rattan under natural forest conditions and in rubber plantations as an intercrop. To further enrich forest resources, fast-growing timber species such as ''meranti tembaga'', ''merawan'' and ''sesenduk'' are also being planted. At the same time, the cultivation of high-value trees like teak and other trees for pulp and paper are also encouraged. [[Rubber]], once the mainstay of the Malaysian economy, has been largely replaced by [[oil palm]] as Malaysia's leading agricultural export.
+==Demographics==
-Tin and petroleum are the two main mineral resources that are of major significance in the Malaysian economy. Malaysia was once the world's largest producer of [[tin]] until the collapse of the tin market in the early 1980s. In the 19th and 20th century, tin played a predominant role in the Malaysian economy. It was only in 1972 that petroleum and natural gas took over from tin as the mainstay of the mining sector. Meanwhile, the contribution by tin has declined. Petroleum and natural gas which were discovered in oilfields offshore from Sabah, Sarawak and Terengganu have contributed much to the Malaysian economy particularly in those three states. Other minerals of some importance or significance include copper, gold, bauxite, iron-ore and coal together with industrial minerals like clay, kaolin, silica, limestone, barite, phosphates and dimension stones such as granite as well as marble blocks and slabs. Small quantities of [[gold]] are produced.
+[[Image:MosqueJamek.jpg|thumb|right|400px|[[Masjid Jamek]] is one of the most recognizable mosques in Malaysia.]]
+[[Image:UbudiahMosque.JPG|thumb|right|400px|[[Ubudiah Mosque|Masjid Ubudiah]] is a well-known historical mosque in [[Kuala Kangsar]].]]
-In 2004, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, [[Datuk Mustapa Mohamed]], revealed that Malaysia's oil reserves stood at 4.84 billion barrels while natural gas reserves increased to 89 trillion [[Cubic foot|cubic feet]] (2,500&nbsp;km³). This was an increase of 7.2%.
+The politically dominant Malays make up over half of the population. A substantial number of Malaysians are of Chinese descent, who have played an important role in trade and business. Indian Malaysians, Tamil people from southern India, live in the larger towns on the west coast of the peninsula.
-The government predicts that at current production rates Malaysia will be able to produce oil for 18 years and gas for 35 years. In 2004 Malaysia is ranked 24th in terms of world oil reserves and 13th for gas. 56% of the oil reserves exist in the Peninsula while 19% exist in East Malaysia. The government collects oil royalties of which 5% are passed to the states and the rest retained by the federal government. <!-—Every states maintain the right to control resources inside the states. However oil and gas are controlled by the federal government. The states where the resources are found will be given royalties.--->
+The largest non-Malay indigenous tribe is the Iban of Sarawak. Some Iban still live in [[longhouse]]s in jungle villages along the Rajang and Lupar rivers. Bidayuh live in the southwestern part of Sarawak. The Kadazan of Sabah are largely [[Christian]] subsistence farmers. The Orang Asli live in a number of different ethnic communities in Peninsular Malaysia. Traditionally nomadic hunter-gatherers and agriculturists, many have been partly absorbed into modern Malaysia. They remain the poorest group in the country.
-==Transport and communications==
+There are Malaysians of [[Europe]]an, [[Middle East]]ern, [[Cambodia]]n, and [[Vietnam]]ese descent. Europeans and [[Eurasian (mixed ancestry)|Eurasians]] include British who colonized and settled in Malaysia and some [[Portugal|Portuguese]]. Most of the Middle Easterners are [[Arab]]s. A small number of Kampucheans and Vietnamese settled there as [[Vietnam War]] refugees.
-{{main2|Transportation in Malaysia|Communications in Malaysia}}
-[[Image:KualaLumpurTower.jpg|thumb|250px|The [[Kuala Lumpur Tower]] enhances communication quality within Kuala Lumpur and the [[Klang Valley]].]] Malaysia has extensive railroads that connect all major cities and towns on the peninsular and east Malaysia itself. There is a train service in West Malaysia run by KTM and several LRTs in Kuala Lumpur such as the [[Ampang Line]], [[Sri Petaling Line]] (formerly called [[STAR LRT]]), [[Kelana Jaya Line]] (formerly called [[PUTRA LRT]]).
-The total length of the [[Malaysian expressway system|Malaysian expressway network]] is 1,192 [[kilometres]] (740 [[miles]]). The network connects all major cities and conurbations such as [[Klang Valley]], [[Johor Bahru]] and [[Penang]] to each other. The [[North-South Expressway]] as a part of Asian Highway Network that spans from the northern and the southern tips of Peninsular Malaysia at Bukit Kayu Hitam and Johor Baru respectively, which also connects into Thailand and Singapore.
+Due to the rise in labor-intensive industries, Malaysia has a substantial number of foreign workers; the total number is unclear due to the large percentage of illegal workers, mostly [[Indonesia]]n.
-There are sea ports in [[Tanjong Kidurong]], [[Kota Kinabalu]], [[Kuching]], [[Pasir Gudang]], Penang, [[Port Klang]], [[Sandakan]] and [[Tawau]]. There are also world class airports that provide international and domestic destinations.
+[[Islam]] is the official religion. The four main religions are Islam, [[Buddhism]], [[Christianity]] (mostly in Sabah and Sarawak), and [[Hinduism]]. The Chinese population is mostly [[Buddhist]] (of the [[Mahayana]] sect), [[Taoist]] or Christian. [[Animism]] persists.
-Roads in the East Malaysia and the eastern coast of West Malaysia are still relatively undeveloped. Those are highly curved roads passing through mountainous regions and many are still unsealed, gravel roads. This has resulted in the continued use of rivers as the main mode of transportation for interior residents.
+The Malaysian constitution guarantees religious freedom, but non-Muslims face restrictions in constructing religious buildings and celebrating religious events. Muslims are obliged to follow the decisions of [[sharia]] courts. It is not clear whether Muslims may freely leave Islam.
-Malaysia is also the home of the first low-cost carrier in the region, [[Air Asia]]. It retains Kuala Lumpur as its hub and maintains flights around Southeast Asia and now China as well.
+All Malaysians are federal citizens except for those living in [[East Malaysia]] where state citizenship is distinguishable from peninsular citizenship. Every citizen is issued with a biometric smart chip identity card, known as ''MyKad'', at the age of 12, and must carry the card with them.
-The intercity telecommunication service  is provided on Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay. International telecommunications are provided through submarine cables and satellite.
+[[Industrialization]] has resulted in legions of women workers on assembly lines. At home, cooking and cleaning are still deemed to be female responsibilities. Wealthier families hire domestic servants, mainly female foreign maids.
-In December 2004, Energy, Water and Communications Minister [[Lim Keng Yaik|Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik]] reported that only 0.85% or 218,004 people in Malaysia used broadband services. However these values are based on subscriber number, whilst household percentage can reflect the situation more accurately. This represented an increase from 0.45% in three quarters. He also stated that the government targeted usage of 5% by 2006 and doubling to 10% by 2008. Lim Keng Yaik had urged local telecommunication companies and service provider to open up the last mile and lower prices to benefit the users. One of the largest and most significant telecommunication companies of choice in Malaysia is Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), providing products and services from fixed line, mobile to Internet Service Provider.
+Marriage practices reveal Malaysia's religious fault lines. Christians may marry Buddhists or Hindus, answering only to their families and beliefs. Muslims who marry non-Muslims risk government sanction unless their partner converts to Islam. Indians and Chinese turn to divination to establish compatibility and auspicious dates, while Malays have elaborate gift exchanges. Malay wedding feasts are often held in the home, and feature a large banquet with several dishes eaten over rice prepared in oil. Many Chinese weddings feature a multiple-course meal in a restaurant or public hall, and most Indian ceremonies include intricate rituals.
-==Healthcare==
+Industrialization has made it difficult for extended families to live together. But better [[telecommunication]]s keep distant kin in contact, as does the efficient transportation network. Among the majority of Malays, siblings are more important than ancestors.
-{{see|List of hospitals in Malaysia}}
-Malaysian society places importance on the expansion and development of healthcare, putting 5% of the government social sector development budget into public healthcare &mdash; an increase of more than 47% over the previous figure. This has meant an overall increase of more than RM 2 billion. With a rising and aging population, the Government wishes to improve in many areas including the refurbishment of existing hospitals, building and equipping new hospitals, expansion of the number of polyclinics, and improvements in training and expansion of telehealth. Over the last couple of years they have increased their efforts to overhaul the systems and attract more foreign investment.
-The Malaysian healthcare system requires doctors to perform a compulsory 3 years service with public hospitals to ensure the manpower of these hospitals is maintained. Recently foreign doctors have also been encouraged to take up employment here. There is still, however, a compound shortage of medical workforce, especially that of highly trained specialists resulting in certain medical care and treatment only available in large cities. Recent efforts to bring many facilities to other towns have been hampered by lack of expertise to run the available equipment made ready by investments.
+Land ownership is a controversial issue. To placate Malays after the rubber boom, the British colonial government designated areas as Malay reservations. This land could only be sold to other Malays, limiting planters and speculators. Land disputes could only be settled with a legal definition of who was considered Malay. These land tenure arrangements are still in effect. The Malay claim to political dominance is this connection to the land. They are termed “bumiputera” or "sons of the soil."
-There are currently 114 government hospitals and healthcare centres with a total of 28,163 beds. There are also seven special medical institutions (including psychiatric institutions) with a total of 6,292 beds. As for private hospitals, there are 225 of them (including maternity and nursing homes) in Malaysia, and they provide 9,498 beds. The majority are in urban areas and, unlike many of the public hospitals, are equipped with the latest diagnostic and imaging facilities. Private hospitals have not generally been seen as an ideal investment - it has often taken up to 10 years before companies have seen any profits. However, the situation has now changed and companies are now looking into this area again, particularly in view of the increasing interest by foreigners in coming to Malaysia for medical care.
+Malay, a ''lingua franca'' throughout the region, became Malaysia's sole national language in 1967. English is widely spoken because it was the administrative language of the British colonizers. Rapid industrialization has solidified it as the language of business. Chinese inhabitants speak Mandarin Chinese, Hokkien/Fujian, Cantonese, Hakka, and Teochew. Most Indian Malaysians speak Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi.
-==Education==
+Numerous languages flourish among indigenous groups, especially in Sarawak and Sabah. A small number of Eurasians, of mixed Portuguese and Malay descent, speak a [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]-based creole, called Kristang language. [[Eurasia]]ns of mixed Malay and Spanish descent, mostly in [[Sabah]], who descended from immigrants from the [[Philippines]], speak Chavacano, the only Spanish-based creole language in [[Asia]]. Television news is broadcast in Malay, English, Mandarin, and Tamil. Malaysians are adept at learning languages, and knowing multiple languages is common.
-{{main|Education in Malaysia}}
-Malaysian children begin schooling from the age of 3, 4 or 5 in kindergarten. Year One begins the year a child turns 7. There is an exam taken when leaving Primary school, called 'Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah', or UPSR (Primary School Assessment Examination) which is taken by all Year Six students before going into secondary schools. The purpose of this examination is to assess the quality of the primary education in Malaysia. An exam called Penilaian Tahap Satu (PTS; First Level Assessment) was used to measure the ability of bright students, and to allow them to move from Year 3 to 5.  In 2001, this exam has been removed.
+[[Class]] position is based on political connections, specialized skills, ability in English, and family money. The Malaysian elite, trained in overseas universities, continues to grow in importance as Malaysia's middle class expands. Mobile phones, [[gold]] jewelry, and fashionable clothing all indicate high rank in the social order. One's vehicle marks class position more than home ownership. Skin color, indicating time working in the hot tropical sun, further marks class position. Knowledge of English is vital to elevated class status.
-Secondary education lasts five years. At the end of the third year or Form Three, students must sit for the 'Penilaian Menengah Rendah' (PMR; Lower Secondary Assessment), to guide them on what subjects to take in the next year. The combination of subjects available to Form 4 students vary from one school to another. In the last year (Form 5), students sit for 'Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia', or SPM (Malaysian Certificate of Education; equivalent to the British Ordinary or 'O' levels, now referred to as GCSEs).
+==Culture==
+[[File:4SeasonsDurians22102009-02 (4034657521).jpg|thumb|400px|Musang King, the most popular variety of [[durian]] in Malaysia]]
-Some Chinese choose to study in Independent High School, where most subjects are taught in Chinese. Independent high school takes 6 years to complete. Instead of sitting for PMR or SPM, student will sit for UEC in Junior Middle 3 (Form 3) and Senior Middle 3 (Form 6). Some independent high schools teach in Malay and Chinese, so that the students can sit for PMR, SPM and UEC.
+Within Malaysia there is a Malay culture, a Chinese culture, an Indian culture, and a Eurasian culture, along with the cultures of the indigenous groups of the peninsula and north Borneo.
-Students wishing to enter university must complete 2 more years of secondary schooling. They must take up either the school based Form Six and sit for Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia', or STPM (Malaysia Higher Certificate of Education; equivalent to the British Advanced or 'A' levels), matriculation (1 year only), or other pre-university courses before they may apply for entry into local universities. Independent High School students can enter some of the universities using their UEC result.
+[[Rice]] and [[noodle]]s are common to all cuisine; spicy dishes are also favorites. Tropical [[fruit]]s are abundant, and a local favorite is the [[durian]], known by its spiked shell and fermented flesh. Increasing amounts of meat and processed foods supplement the country's diet, prompting concerns about the health risks of their high-fat content. Increased affluence allows Malaysians to eat out more often—small hawker stalls offer prepared food 24-hours-a-day in urban areas. Muslims are forbidden to eat pork, favored by the Chinese population; Hindus do not eat beef, while some Buddhists are [[vegetarianism|vegetarian]].
-Students can opt to go to private colleges after secondary studies. Most colleges have education links with overseas universities especially in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. Malaysian students abroad study mostly in the [[United Kingdom|UK]], [[United States]], [[Australia]], [[Singapore]], [[Japan]], [[Canada]] and [[New Zealand]].
+[[Image:Overfloor and Big Tree, Malay College.jpg|thumb|400px|Malay College Kuala Kangsar is one of the earliest boarding schools to be established in [[British Malaya]].]]
-Until recently, all subjects except foreign languages ([[Malaysian English|English]], Mandarin and Tamil) were taught in [[Malay Language|Malay]]. The result was that while many Malaysian students were proficient with the Malay language, they later struggled with English based tertiary education, especially in overseas universities and colleges.
+Most Malaysian children start kindergarten between the ages of three to six. Most kindergartens are privately run; there are also some government-operated kindergartens.
-Currently [[Mathematics]] and [[Science]] subjects such as [[Biology]], [[Physics]], [[Chemistry]] are taught in English. The reasoning was that students would no longer be hindered by the language barrier during their tertiary education in fields such as [[medicine]] and [[engineering]]. All other subjects are taught in [[Malay Language|Malay]].
+Children begin primary school at age seven for six years. There are two major types of state primary schools: schools that teach in Malay, and those that use either Chinese or Tamil. Students in year six sit for the primary school assessment examination.
-In addition to the National Curriculum, Malaysia has many international schools. International schools offer students the opportunity to study the curriculum of another country. These schools mainly cater to the growing expatriate population in the country. International schools include - [[Australian International School, Malaysia]] (Australian curriculum), The Alice Smith School (British curriculum), [[The Garden International School]] (British curriculum), The [[International School of Kuala Lumpur]] (International Baccalaureate and American curriculum), The Japanese School of Kuala Lumpur (Japanese curriculum),The International School of Penang (International Baccalaureate and British curruculum) Lycée Français de Kuala Lumpur (French curriculum) amongst others.
+Education in government secondary schools lasts five years, and is conducted in Malay, apart from language, mathematics, and science subjects. At the end of the third year, or Form Three, students sit for the lower secondary assessment exam. In the last year (Form Five), students sit for the Malaysian Certificate of Education, which is equivalent to the British Ordinary or 'O' Levels, now referred to as GCSE.
-As for tertiary education, 5 international reputable universities have set up their branch campuses in Malaysia since 1998. A branch campus can be seen as an ‘off-shore’ of the foreign university, which offers the same courses and awards as at the ‘headquarters’. Both local and international students can acquire these identical foreign qualifications at a much lower education cost in Malaysia. The foreign university branch campuses in Malaysia are: [[Monash University]] (Sunway Campus), [[Curtin University of Technology]] (Sarawak Campus),  [[Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus]], [[University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus]] and FTMS-De Monfort University Campus of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur.
+Mathematics and science subjects such as [[biology]], [[physics]], and [[chemistry]] are taught in [[English language|English]] in government primary and secondary schools so that students are not hindered by any language barrier in college.
-==Demographics==
+There are also 60 Chinese Independent High Schools, where most subjects are taught in Chinese. Studying in independent schools takes six years to complete, divided into junior middle (three years) and senior middle (three years). Students sit for a standardized test known as the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) in junior middle (equivalent to PMR) and senior middle (equivalent to AO level).
-{{main|Demographics of Malaysia}}
-Malaysia's population is comprised of many ethnic groups, with the politically dominant [[Malay people|Malay]]s making up the majority. By constitutional definition, all Malays are [[Islam|Muslim]]. About a quarter of the population are [[overseas Chinese|Chinese]], who have historically played an important role in trade and business. [[Indian Malaysian|Malaysians of Indian]] descent comprise about 10% of the population and include [[Hinduism|Hindus]], [[Islam|Muslims]], [[Sikhism|Sikhs]], [[Christianity|Christians]], and [[Buddhism|Buddhists]]. About 90% of the Indian community is [[Tamil people|Tamil]] but various other groups are represented, including [[Kerala|Malayali]]s, [[Punjabi]]s and [[Telugu people|Telugus]].
+Students wishing to enter public universities must complete a further 18 months of secondary school in Form Six and sit for the Malaysia Higher Certificate of Education; equivalent to the British Advanced or "A" levels.
-Non-Malay indigenous groups make up more than half of the state of [[Sarawak]]'s population, constitute about 66% of [[Sabah]]'s population, and also exist in much smaller numbers on the Peninsula, where they are collectively called [[Orang Asli]]. The non-Malay indigenous population is divided into dozens of ethnic groups, but they share some general cultural similarities. Other Malaysians also include those of, inter alia, [[Europe]]an, [[Middle East]]ern, [[Cambodia]]n, and [[Vietnam]]ese descent. Europeans and [[Eurasian (mixed ancestry)|Eurasians]] include British who colonized and settled in Malaysia and some [[Portugal|Portuguese]], and most of the Middle Easterners are [[Arab]]s. A small number of Kampucheans and Vietnamese settled in Malaysia as Vietnam War refugees. Population distribution is uneven, with some 20 million residents concentrated on the [[Malay Peninsula]].
+As for higher education, there are public universities such as the University of Malaya and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. In addition, five international reputable universities have set up branch campuses in Malaysia since 1998.
-[[May 13]], [[1969]] saw an incident of civil unrest which was then thought to be largely due to the socio-economic imbalance of the country along racial lines, though in retrospect it may have been more motivated by political firebrands in both governing and opposition parties, as the violence involved only the areas in and around the capital, with much of the country remaining at peace. This incident led to the adoption of the [[Malaysian New Economic Policy|New Economic Policy]] as a two-pronged approach to address racial and economic inequality and to eradicate poverty in the country.
+Students can also opt to go to private colleges that have educational links with overseas universities, especially in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Malaysian students abroad study mostly in the [[United Kingdom|UK]], [[United States]], [[Australia]], [[Singapore]], [[South Korea]], [[Japan]], [[Canada]], and [[New Zealand]]. There are also international schools that offer the opportunity to study the curriculum of another country, such as the Australian International School, Malaysia (Australian curriculum), and The International School of Kuala Lumpur (International Baccalaureate and American curriculum).
-Due to the rise in labour intensive industries, Malaysia has 10 to 20% foreign workers with the uncertainty due in part to the large number of illegal workers; there are a million legal foreign workers and perhaps another million unauthorized foreigners. The state of Sabah alone has nearly 25% of its 3 million population listed as illegal foreign workers in the last census. However, this figure of 25% is thought to be less than half the figure speculated by NGOs.<ref name="SabahImmigrants">{{
+Malaysian traditional music is heavily influenced by Chinese and Islamic forms. The music is based largely around the gendang ([[drum]]), but includes other percussion instruments (some made of shells); the rebab, a bowed [[string instrument]]; the serunai, a double-reed [[oboe]]-like instrument; [[flute]]s, and [[trumpet]]s. The country has a strong tradition of dance and dance dramas, some of Thai, Indian, and Portuguese origin. Other artistic forms include wayang kulit (shadow puppet theatre), silat (a stylized [[martial art]]) and crafts such as [[batik]], [[weaving]], and silver and brasswork.
-cite web
-|url=http://www.malaysia-today.net/Blog_surat1/2006/08/all-sabahans-must-fight-bn-and-umno.html
-|title= All Sabahans must Fight BN and UMNO
-|publisher=Malaysia Today
-|date=August 15, 2006
-}}</ref> Unauthorized foreigners are subject to RM10,000 fines and two-year prison terms, while Malaysian employers face up to a year in jail and a fine of up to RM50,000 for each illegal worker hired, with those hiring more than five also liable to caning. [[Caning]] is a standard punishment for more than 40 crimes in Malaysia, ranging from sexual abuse to drug use. Administered with a thick rattan stick, it splits the skin and leaves scars.
-Some 380,000 unauthorized foreigners left during an "amnesty" that began in Fall 2004 and was extended several times. During amnesties, unauthorized foreigners can leave without paying fines for staying illegally in the country. On March 1, 2005, some 300,000 policemen as well as the 560,000-strong Peoples Volunteer Corp began searching for the remaining unauthorized foreigners under Operation Tegas; the volunteers receive RM100 for each foreigner arrested. ''Source: [http://migration.ucdavis.edu/mn/index.php Migration News, April 2005 Volume 12 Number 2]''
+Malaysia's pop music scene developed from traditional ''asli'' (pure) music popularized in the 1920s and 1930s by Bangsawan troupes. In the 1960s, western-influenced Pop Yeh-yeh musicians came to the forefront, following the music and fashion of [[The Beatles]]. "Kugiran" six-piece bands (usually a vocalist, one lead-guitarist, one bassist, one rhythm-guitarist, one keyboardist and a drummer) that appeared in the 1960s, encouraged the establishment of various recording companies. Since then, the Malaysian music industry has expanded to cover all genres.
-==Religion==
+==Notes==
-[[Image:MosqueJamek.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[Masjid Jamek]] is one of the most recognizable mosques in Malaysia.]]
+<references/>
-[[Image:UbudiahMosque.JPG|thumb|right|300px|[[Ubudiah Mosque|Masjid Ubudiah]] is a well-known historical mosque in [[Kuala Kangsar]].]]
-Malaysia is a multi-religious society, and [[Islam]] is the country's [[official religion]]. The four main religions are Islam (60.4% of the population), [[Buddhism]] (19.2%), [[Christianity]] (9.1%, mostly in East Malaysia, i.e., [[Borneo]]), and [[Hinduism]] (6.3%), according to government census figures in 2000. Until the 20th century, most practiced [[animism|traditional beliefs]], which arguably still linger on to a greater degree than Malaysian officialdom is prepared to acknowledge.  The aforementioned figures may be skewed as they do not take into account the fact that all Malay persons are officially regarded and treated as Muslim, regardless of private belief.
-Although the Malaysian constitution theoretically guarantees religious freedom, in practice the situation is not so simple (See [[Status of religious freedom in Malaysia]]). Non-Muslims often experience restrictions in activities such as construction of religious buildings <ref name="Non Muslim restrictions 1">Inter Press Service: [http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=33451 Temple Demolitions Spell Creeping Islamisation]. Retrieved [[4 June]] [[2006]].</ref> <ref name="Non Muslim restrictions 2">BBC : [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4965580.stm Pressure on multi-faith Malaysia]. Retrieved [[4 June]] [[2006]].</ref>. Meanwhile Muslims are obliged to follow the decisions of [[sharia]] courts. As a legal matter, it is not yet clear whether Muslims may freely leave Islam. In some situations, the Malaysian courts have denied one's right to freedom of religion even when one has renounced Islam (such as the Joshua Jamaluddin versus the Minister of Home Affairs case in the 1980's).<ref>For another 2006 case where conversion proved impossible see: {{cite news | first = Jane| last = Perlez| author = | coauthors = | title = Once Muslim, Now Christian and Caught in the Courts| url = http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/24/world/asia/24malaysia.html| format = | work = | publisher = [[New York Times]]| pages = | page = | date = August 24, 2006| accessdate = August 25, 2006| language = English}}</ref> Generally one who wishes to leave Islam makes a legal declaration, but this is still not recognised by the Malaysian civil courts. One is said to have to obtain a declaration of apostasy with a Syariah Court, but the court will not generally grant one.
+==References==
-Malaysians tend to personally respect one another's religious beliefs, with inter-religious problems arising mainly from the political sphere.
-* [[Buddhism in Malaysia]]
-* [[Islam in Malaysia]]
-* [[Christianity in Malaysia]]
-* [[Hinduism in Malaysia]]
-* [[Status of religious freedom in Malaysia]]
-==Culture==
+*Goh, Cheng Teik. ''Malaysia: Beyond Communal Politics.'' Pelanduk Publications, 1994. ISBN 9679784754
-{{main|Culture of Malaysia}}
+*Musa, M. Bakri. ''The Malay Dilemma Revisited.'' Merantau Publishers. 1999. ISBN 1583483675
+*Noor, Farish. ''From Majapahit to Putrajaya.'' Silverfish Books, 2005. ISBN 983322105X
-Malaysia is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multilingual society, consisting of 65% Malays and other indigenous tribes, 25% Chinese, 7% Indians. The Malays, which form the largest community, are all Muslims since one has to be Muslim to be legally Malay under Malaysian law. The Malays play a dominant role politically and are included in a grouping identified as  [[bumiputra]]. Their native language is [[Malay language|Malay]] (''Bahasa Melayu''). Bahasa Malaysia which is largely similar to Bahasa Melayu in most practical terms is the national language of the country.
+*Osborne, Milton. ''Southeast Asia: An Introductory History.'' Allen & Unwin, 2000. ISBN 1865083909
+*Ricklefs, M.C. ''A History of Modern Indonesia.'' Indiana University Press, 1981. ISBN 0804721955
-In the past, Malay was written widely in [[Jawi]], a script based on Arabic. Over time, [[romanized]] script overtook Jawi as the dominant script. This was largely due to the influence of the colonial education system which taught children in romanised writing rather than in Arabic script.
+*Ye, Lin-Sheng. ''The Chinese Dilemma.'' East West Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0975164619
-The largest indigenous tribe in terms of numbers is the [[Iban people|Iban]] of Sarawak, who number over 600,000. The Iban still live in traditional jungle villages in [[longhouse]]s along the Rajang and Lupar rivers and their tributaries. The [[Bidayuh]] (170,000) are concentrated in the south-western part of Sarawak. The largest indigenous tribe in Sabah is the [[Kadazan]]. They are largely Christian subsistence farmers. The [[Orang Asli]] (140,000), or aboriginal peoples, comprise a number of different ethnic communities living in Peninsular Malaysia. Traditionally nomadic hunter-gatherers and agriculturists, many have been sedentarised and partially absorbed into modern Malaysia. However, they remain the poorest group in the country.
-The Chinese population in Malaysia is mostly [[Buddhist]] (of [[Mahayana]] sect), [[Taoist]] or [[Christianity|Christian]].  Chinese in Malaysia speak a variety of Chinese dialects including [[Hokkien (dialect)|Hokkien]]/[[Fujian]], [[Cantonese language|Cantonese]], [[Hakka]] and [[Teochew]]. Many Chinese in Malaysia also speak [[English language|English]] as a first language. Chinese have historically been dominant in the Malaysian business community.
-The Indians in Malaysia are mainly Hindu [[Tamil people|Tamils]] from southern India, speaking [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Telugu people|Telugu]], [[Malayalam]], and [[Hindi]], living mainly in the larger towns on the west coast of the peninsula. Many middle to upper-middle class Indians in Malaysia also speak [[English language|English]] as a first language.
-There is also a sizeable [[Sikh]] community.
-[[Eurasian (mixed ancestry)|Eurasians]], Cambodians, Vietnamese, and indigenous tribes make up the remaining population. A small number of Eurasians, of mixed Portuguese and Malay descent, speak a [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]-based [[creole language|creole]], called [[Kristang language|Papiá Kristang]]. There are also Eurasians of mixed Malay and Spanish descent, mostly in [[Sabah]]. Descended from immigrants from the [[Philippines]], some speak [[Chavacano]], the only [[Spanish-based creole language]] in [[Asia]]. [[Cambodia]]ns and Vietnamese are mostly Buddhists (Cambodians of [[Theravada]] sect and Vietnamese, Mahayana sect).
-Malaysian traditional music is heavily influenced by Chinese and Islamic forms. The music is based largely around the gendang (drum), but includes other percussion instruments (some made of shells); the rebab, a bowed string instrument; the serunai, a double-reed oboe-like instrument; flutes, and trumpets. The country has a strong tradition of dance and dance dramas, some of Thai, Indian and Portuguese origin. Other artistic forms include [[wayang|wayang kulit]] (shadow puppet theatre), [[silat]] (a stylised martial art) and crafts such as [[batik]], weaving, and silver and brasswork.
-==Citizenship==
-{{main|Malaysian citizenship}}
-All Malaysians are Federal citizens with no formal citizenships within the individual states. Every citizen is issued with a biometric [[identity card]], known as ''[[MyKad]]'', at the age of 12, and must carry the card with them. A citizen is required to present his/her identity card to the police, or in the case of an emergency, to any military personnel, to be identified. If the card cannot be produced immediately, the person technically has 24 hours under the law to produce it at the nearest police station. Also the MyKad has the driving license incorporated in the chip. Mykad is always used in official activities in Malaysia.
-==Holidays==
-{{main|Holidays in Malaysia}}
-Malaysia and its states observe a number of holidays. Some are federally sanctioned while others are celebrated by some states only.
-==See also==
-{{Malaysian Topics}}
-==References==
-<div style="font-size: 85%;">
-<references/>
-</div>
 ==External links==
-{{portalpar|Malaysia}}
+All links retrieved March 9, 2024.
-{{sisterlinks|Malaysia}}
-===Official sites===
-* [http://www.gov.my/ myGovernment Portal] - Malaysian Government Portal
-* [http://www.bernama.com.my/ Bernama] - Malaysian national news agency
-* [http://www.statistics.gov.my Malaysian Department of Statistics]
-* [http://www.tourism.gov.my/ Tourism Malaysia] - Malaysian tourism portal
-* [http://www.pmo.gov.my/ Office of the Prime Minister of Malaysia]
-* [http://www.rtm.net.my/ Radio Televisyen Malaysia] - Government-owned television network
-* [http://www.matrade.gov.my/ Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation]
-* [http://www.smidec.gov.my/ Small Medium Industries Development Corporation]
-{{Asia}}
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-{{Malaysia}}
-[[Category:ASEAN member states]]
+*[https://www.malaysia.travel/ Malaysia Travel] ''Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB)''
-[[Category:Former British colonies]]
+*[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/malaysia/ Malaysia] ''The World Factbook''
-[[Category:Malaysia| A]]
+*[https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/malaysia/ Malaysia] ''US Department of State''
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-[[af:Maleisië]]
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+[[Category:Geography]]
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