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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[3]

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-|native_name              = Malaysia<br /><span style="line-height:1.33em;">مليسيا</span>
+|conventional_long_name  = Malaysia
-|conventional_long_name  =
 |common_name              = Malaysia
 |image_flag              = Flag of Malaysia.svg
@@ Line 8: / Line 7: @@
 |symbol_type              = Emblem
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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
+| languages              = [[English language|English]]{{Ref label|English|b|}}
+|official_religion        = [[Islam]]
+|demonym                  = Malaysian
+|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
+|government_type          = [[Federal monarchy|Federal]] [[Constitutional monarchy|constitutional]] [[elective monarchy]] and [[Federation|Federal]] [[parliamentary democracy]]
+|leader_title1            = [[Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King)]]
+|leader_name1            = [[Ibrahim Iskandar]]
 |leader_title2            = [[Prime Minister of Malaysia|Prime Minister]]
-|leader_name1             = [[Mizan Zainal Abidin|Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin]]
+|leader_name2             = [[Anwar Ibrahim]]
-|leader_name2            = [[Abdullah Ahmad Badawi]]
+|sovereignty_type        = [[Independence]]
+|established_event1      = From the [[United Kingdom]] ([[Federation of Malaya|Malaya]] only)
+|established_date1        = August 31, 1957
+|established_event2      = Federation of [[Federation of Malaya|Malaya]], [[Sabah]], [[Sarawak]], and [[Singapore]]{{Ref label|Singapore|c|}}
+|established_date2        = September 16, 1963
 |area_rank                = 67th
-|area_magnitude          = 1_E8
+|area_magnitude          = 1_E+11
-|area                    = 329,847
+|area_km2                = 329,847
-|areami²                  = 127,355 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]—>
+|area_sq_mi              = 127,355
 |percent_water            = 0.3
-|population_estimate     = 26,888,000
+| 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>
-|population_estimate_year = Dec. 2006
+| population_estimate_year = 2023
-|population_estimate_rank = 44th
+| population_estimate_rank = 43rd
-|population_census_year   = 2000
+| population_census_year = 2020
-|population_census       = 23,953,136
+| population_census     = 32,447,385
-|population_density      = 82
+| population_density_km2 = 101
-|population_densitymi²    = 211 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]—>
+| population_density_sq_mi = 263
-|population_density_rank  = 115th
+| population_density_rank = 116th
-|GDP_PPP_year             = 2006 <!--2006—NOT 2005—>
+| GDP_PPP_year           = 2024
-|GDP_PPP                 = $290.7 billion
+| 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>
-|GDP_PPP_rank             = 33rd
+| GDP_PPP_rank           = 31st
-|GDP_PPP_per_capita       = $12,100
+| GDP_PPP_per_capita     = {{increase}} $39,069<ref name="IMFWEO.MY" />
-|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank  = 54th
+| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 55th
-|HDI_year                = 2006
+| GDP_nominal_year      = 2024
-|HDI                      = 0.805
+| GDP_nominal            = {{increase}} $465.541 billion<ref name="IMFWEO.MY" />
-|HDI_rank                = 61st
+| GDP_nominal_rank      = 36th
-|HDI_category            = <font color="green">high</font>
+| GDP_nominal_per_capita = {{increase}} $13,913<ref name="IMFWEO.MY" />
-|sovereignty_type        = [[Independence]]
+| GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 67th
-|established_event1      = from the [[United Kingdom|UK]] ([[Federation of Malaya|Malaya]] only)
+| Gini_year              = 2018
-|established_event2      = Federation (with [[Sabah]], [[Sarawak]] and [[Singapore]]<sup>[[#Infobox footnotes|2]]</sup>)
+| Gini_change            = increase<!--increase/decrease/steady—>
-|established_date1        = August 31 1957
+| 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—>
-|established_date2        = September 16 1963
+| Gini_ref              =
-|currency                = [[Malaysian ringgit|Ringgit]] (RM)
+| Gini_rank              = |currency                = [[Malaysian ringgit|Ringgit]] (RM)
 |currency_code            = MYR
+|date_format              = dd-mm-yyyy
 |time_zone                = [[Malaysian Standard Time|MST]]
 |utc_offset              = +8
-|time_zone_DST            = ''not observed''
+|time_zone_DST            = Not observed
 |utc_offset_DST          = +8
+|drives_on                = Left
 |cctld                    = [[.my]]
-|calling_code            = 60
+|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
+|sport_code              = [[IOC]]/[[FIFA]]: MAS<br/>[[ISO]]: MYS
 |vehicle_code            = MAL
-|footnotes                = <cite id="Infobox_footnotes"> </cite> <sup>1</sup> [[Putrajaya]] is the primary seat of government. </br> <cite id="Infobox_footnotes"> </cite> <sup>2</sup> Singapore became an independent country on [[9 August]] 1965.
+|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.
+{{note|English}}b. English may be used for some purposes under the National Language Act 1967.
+{{note|Singapore}}c. Singapore became an independent country on August 9, 1965.
 }}
 '''Malaysia''' is a federation of 13 states in [[Southeast Asia]].
-There are two distinct parts to Malaysia being peninsular Malaysia and east Malaysia.
+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 country.
+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 politically dominated by the Malay people, modern Malaysian society is heterogeneous, with substantial Chinese and Indian minorities.
+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.
 ==Geography==
-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]].
+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.
-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).
+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 328,550 square kilometres, Malaysia is about the same size as New Mexico.
+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]].
-They share a largely similar landscape in that both feature coastal plains rising to often densely forested hills and mountains, the highest of which is Mount Kinabalu at 13,435.7 feet (4095.2 meters) on the island of [[Borneo]].
+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 local climate is equatorial and characterised by the annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons.
+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).
-Tanjung Piai, located in the southern state of Johor, is the southernmost tip of continental [[Asia]]. The Strait of Malacca, lying between [[Sumatra]] and Peninsular Malaysia, is arguably the most important shipping lane in the world.
+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.
-Malaysia is well endowed with natural resources 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 sawn logs and sawn timber, cocoa, black pepper, pineapple and tobacco dominate the growth of the sector. Palm oil is also a major foreign exchange earner.
+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.
-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, degraded forest areas are being replanted with rattan and fast-growing species such as ''meranti tembaga'', ''merawan'' and ''sesenduk.''
+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.
-[[Rubber]], once the mainstay of the Malaysian economy, has been largely replaced by [[oil palm]] as Malaysia's leading agricultural export.
+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.
-Environment issues include air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions, water pollution from raw sewage, deforestation, and smoke haze from Indonesian forest fires.
+==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.
-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, which remains the seat of parliament, as well as the commercial of the country. Other major cities include Georgetown, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Alor Star and Malacca Town.
+[[Image:My-map.png|thumb|right|400px|Map of Peninsular and East Malaysia]]
-[[Image:My-map.png|thumb|right|450px|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.
-==History==
+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]].
-The history of Malaysia is a relatively recent offshoot of the history of the wider Malay-Indonesian world. The Malay Peninsula has thrived from its central position in the maritime trade routes between [[China]] and the [[Middle East]].
+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.
-The history of the Malaysian area can be seen as four successive phases of outside influence, followed by the final assertion of Malay independence.
+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 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.
+[[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]].]]
-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]].
+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.
-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.
+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.
-From the tenth century the power of Srivijaya began to decline, weakened by a series of wars with the Javanese, which disrupted trade. In the eleventh century a rival power centre arose at Melayu, a port further up the Sumatran coast. The name is the origin of the word “Malay.”
+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 second phase began with the arrival of [[Islam]], which began 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, the most prominent of which was the [[Sultanate of Malacca|Melaka]] (Malacca). 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.  Islamic culture has had a profound influence on the Malay peoples, but has also been influenced by them.
+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.
+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 [[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.
-The third phase was the intrusion into the area 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 [[Penang]] and [[Singapore]]. European domination led to the most fateful event in Malay history &ndash; the Anglo-Dutch treaty of 1824, which drew a frontier between British Malaya and the [[Netherlands East Indies]], which became Indonesia. 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.
+[[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.]]
+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.
-In the early fifteenth 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). The sultanate controlled the areas that are now Peninsula Malaysia, southern [[Thailand]] (Patani), and the eastern coast of [[Sumatra]], and existed for more than a century. Malacca was the foremost trading port at the time in Southeast Asia.
+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.
-In 1511, [[Portugal]] conquered Malacca and established a colony there. The sons of the last sultan of Malacca established the Sultanate of Perak to the north, and the Sultanate of Johor  to the south. After the fall of Malacca, three nations struggled for the control of Malacca Strait: the Portuguese (in Malacca), the Sultanate of Johor, and the Sultanate of Aceh. This conflict went on till 1641, when the Dutch (allied to the Sultanate of Johor) gained control of Malacca.
-[[Image:KualaLumpurAbdulSamadBldg.jpg|thumb|300px|[[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.]]
-[[Image:Malaysia.JPG|thumb|300px|[[Kuala Lumpur]], the capital and largest city of Malaysia]]
-[[United Kingdom|Britain]] established its first colony in the Malay peninsular in 1786, when the Sultan of Kedah leased the island of Penang to the British East India Company. 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.
-During the late nineteenth 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 twentieth 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 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.
-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 twentieth century. Of these, the four northern states of Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu had previously been under Siamese control.
-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.
-Following the 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 Malays, who opposed the emasculation of the Malay rulers and the granting of citizenship to the 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.
-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 troops in Malaya. Against this backdrop, independence for the Federation within the Commonwealth was granted on 31 August, 1957.
-[[Image:Mmsia1.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Malaysia Day celebration in 1963. Majulah Malaysia means Forward Malaysia in Malay.]]
-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]], 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 and the status of the Sultan in the planned merger.
-The addition of the Borneo territories, with their substantial indigenous populations, was a means of exceeding the great number of Chinese and Indians in the country.
-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 May 13 racial riots in 1969. 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.
-After the May 13 racial riots, Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak launched the controversial New Economic Policy, which was intended to improve the economic position of the “Bumiputras” ("indigenous people", which included the majority Malays, but not all indigenous populations) as opposed to other ethnic groups. 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 Bumiputras.
-Between the 1980s and the mid 1990s, Malaysia experienced significant economic growth under the premiership of Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad. A shift from an agriculture-based economy to one based on manufacturing of computers and consumer electronics occurred. The emergence of numerous mega-projects, during this period, changed the physical landscape. 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.
+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 political unrest caused by the sacking of the deputy prime minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim shook Malaysia. In 2003, Dr Mahathir, Malaysia's longest serving prime minister, retired in favour of his deputy, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, commonly known as ''Pak Lah''.
+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==
-[[Image:MalaysianParliament.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Malaysian House of Parliament|The Parliament building]]]]
+[[Image:MalaysianParliament.jpg|thumb|400px|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.
-Malaysia is a federal, constitutional, elective monarchy. The system of government is closely modelled on that of the Westminster parliamentary system, a legacy of British colonial rule. In practice however, more power is vested in the executive branch of government than in the legislature, and the judiciary has been weakened by sustained attacks by the government 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 federal head of state is the ''Yang di-Pertuan Agong'', commonly referred to as the King of Malaysia, 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 leader of the party that wins a plurality of seats in the House of Representatives in legislative elections becomes prime minister.
+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)
-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.
+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.
-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)
+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.
-The 219 members of the House of Representatives are elected from single-member constituencies that are drawn based on population for a maximum term of five years. 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.
+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.
-Registered voters of age 21 and above may vote for the members of the House of Representatives and in most of the states, the state legislative chamber as well. Voting is not compulsory.
+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.
-Since independence in 1957, Malaysia has been governed by a multi-party coalition known as the Barisan Nasional (formerly known as the Alliance), comprising a broadly representative group of 13 parties. There are five opposition parties.
+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.
-Each state has a unicameral state legislative chamber or ''Dewan Undangan Negeri'') 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.
+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.
-The national holiday is Malaysia Day, 31 August, which marks independence attained in 1957. All Malaysians can celebrate Muslim, Chinese, Indian and Christian religious festivals.
+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.
-[[Image:MOFputrajaya.JPG|thumb|right|250px|The Ministry of Finance building in [[Putrajaya]]]]
-The paramount ruler appoints judges to the Federal Court on the advice of the prime minister. The legal system is based on English common law. Legislative acts may be subject to judicial review in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation. Malaysia has not accepted compulsory International Court of Justice jurisdiction. 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, comprising army, navy and airforce, is voluntary from age 18. About two percent of GDP is spent on the military.
-Malaysia is involved in a sovereignty dispute over the Spratly Islands together 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 in dispute.
-Separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts 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 problem in the Malacca Strait
 ==Economy==
-[[Image:KLCC_PetronasTowers.JPG|thumb|right|250px|[[Kuala Lumpur]]'s landmark, the [[Petronas Twin Towers]], the tallest twin towers in the world]]
+[[File:KLCC twin towers1.JPG|thumb|right|300px|[[Kuala Lumpur]]'s landmark, the [[Petronas Twin Towers]], the tallest ''twin'' towers in the world]]
-Malaysia, a middle-income country, transformed itself from 1971 through the late 1990s from a producer of raw materials (Malaysia was once the world’s largest producer of tin) into an emerging multi-sector economy. Growth was almost exclusively driven by exports — particularly of electronics.
-As a result, Malaysia was hard hit by the global economic downturn and the slump in the information technology sector in 2001 and 2002. GDP in 2001 grew only 0.5 percent because of an estimated 11 percent contraction in exports, but a substantial fiscal stimulus package equal to US$1.9-billion mitigated the worst of the recession, and the economy rebounded in 2002 with a 4.1 percent increase. The economy grew 4.9 percent in 2003, notwithstanding a difficult first half, when external pressures from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the Iraq War led to caution in the business community. Growth topped 7 percent in 2004 and 5 percent per year in 2005-06.
+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.
+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]].
-Malaysia "unpegged" the ringgit from the US dollar in 2005 and the currency appreciated 6 percent against the dollar in 2006. Healthy foreign exchange reserves and a small external debt greatly reduce the risk that Malaysia will experience a financial crisis over the near term similar to the one in 1997. The economy remains dependent on continued growth in the US, China, and Japan - top export destinations and key sources of foreign investment.
+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.
-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.
+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.
-[[Image:KualaLumpurTower.jpg|thumb|250px|The [[Kuala Lumpur Tower]] enhances communication quality within Kuala Lumpur and the [[Klang Valley]].]]
+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.
-[[Image:SprintHway1.JPG|thumb|250px|The Damansara Link section of Klang Valley's [[Sprint Expressway]].]]
-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. 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.
+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.
-Malayan Railways has an extensive rail system connecting all cities and towns on the peninsular, including [[Singapore]]. There is also a short railway in Sabah operated by North Borneo Railway that mainly carries freight.
+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]].
-There are sea ports in Tanjong Kidurong, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Kuantan, Pasir Gudang, Tanjung Pelepas, Penang, Port Klang, Sandakan and Tawau. There are also world-class airports, such as Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Bayan Lepas International Airport in Penang, Kuching International Airport and Langkawi International Airport that provide international and domestic destinations.
-Exports totalled US$158.7-billion in 2006. Export commodities included electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, and chemicals. Export partners were the United States 19.7 percent, Singapore 15.6 percent, Japan 9.3 percent, China 6.6 percent, Hong Kong 5.8 percent, and Thailand 5.4 percent.
+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]].
-Imports totalled US$127.3-billion in 2006. Import commodities comprised electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel products, and chemicals. Import partners were Japan 14.6 percent, the United States 13 percent, Singapore 11.8 percent, China 11.6 percent, Taiwan 5.6 percent, Thailand 5.3 percent, South Korea 5 percent, and Germany 4.5 percent.
-Per capita GDP was US$12,700 in 2006.
 ==Demographics==
-Malaysia's population of 26.8 million is comprised of many ethnic groups, with the politically dominant Malays making up the majority, 60 percent of the population. About 30 percent are Malaysians of Chinese descent, who have historically played an important role in trade and business. Indian Malaysians comprise about eight percent of the population, and 90 percent of these are Tamil people from southern India, living mainly in the larger towns on the west coast of the peninsula.
+[[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]].]]
-The largest non-Malay indigenous tribe is the Iban of Sarawak, who number over 600,000. Some Iban still live in traditional jungle villages in longhouses along the Rajang and Lupar rivers and their tributaries, although many have moved to the cities. 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 partly absorbed into modern Malaysia. They remain the poorest group in the country.
-Other Malaysians also include those 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]], and most of the Middle Easterners are [[Arab]]s. A small number of Kampucheans and Vietnamese settled in Malaysia as Vietnam War refugees.
-Due to the rise in labour-intensive industries, Malaysia has 10 percent to 20 percent foreign workers with the uncertainty due to the large number of illegal workers, mostly [[Indonesia]]n.
+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.
-[[Image:MosqueJamek.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[Masjid Jamek]] is one of the most recognizable mosques in Malaysia.]]
+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.
-[[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 percent of the population), [[Buddhism]] (19 percent), [[Christianity]] (9.1 percent, mostly in Sabah and Sarawak), and [[Hinduism]] (6.3 percent), according to the 2004 census. The Chinese population is mostly [[Buddhist]] (of [[Mahayana]] sect), [[Taoist]] or [[Christianity|Christian]].  Until the twentieth century, most practiced [[animism|traditional beliefs]], which still linger on. All Malay persons are officially regarded and treated as Muslim, regardless of private belief.
+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.
-Although the Malaysian constitution theoretically guarantees religious freedom, in practice the situation is not so simple. Non-Muslims often experience restrictions in the construction of religious buildings and the celebration of religious events. 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 1980s). 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 Sharia Court, but the court will not grant one.
+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.
-All Malaysians are federal citizens except for those living in [[East Malaysia]] where state citizenship 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.
+[[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.
-Industrialisation has resulted in legions of women workers on assembly lines. At home, cooking and cleaning is still deemed to be female responsibilities. Wealthier families hire domestic servants, mainly female foreign maids.
+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.
-Marriage practices reveal Malaysia's religious fault lines. In that country, 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.
+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 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.
+[[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.
-Land ownership is a controversial issue. After the rubber boom the British colonial government, to placate Malays, 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 that they are “bumiputera” (sons of the soil).
+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.
-Malay became Malaysia's sole national language in 1967. The Austronesian language has been a lingua franca throughout the region, though English is also widely spoken because it was the administrative language of the British colonizers, and Rapid industrialization has sustained its importance and solidified it as the language of business. Chinese speak a variety of Chinese dialects including Mandarin Chinese, Hokkien/Fujian, Cantonese, Hakka and Teochew. Most Indian Malaysians speak Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi.
+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.
-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]].
+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."
-Television news is broadcast in Malay, English, Mandarin, and Tamil. Malaysians are adept at learning languages, and knowing multiple languages is common.
+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.
-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 dominance as Malaysia's middle class expands. A mobile phone, 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.
+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.
+[[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==
+[[File:4SeasonsDurians22102009-02 (4034657521).jpg|thumb|400px|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.
-Within Malaysia there is a Malay culture, a Chinese culture, an Indian culture, a Eurasian culture, along with the cultures of the indigenous groups of the peninsula and north Borneo.
+[[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]].
-Malaysia has one of the most exquisite cuisines in the world. Elements of Malay, Chinese, and Indian cooking are both distinct and blended together. 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 that is favoured by the Chinese population; Hindus do not eat beef, while some Buddhists are vegetarian.
-In the past, Malay was written widely in Jawi script, 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 that taught children in romanized writing.
-[[Image:Overfloor and Big Tree, Malay College.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Malay College Kuala Kangsar]] is one of the earliest boarding schools to be established in [[British Malaya]].]]
-[[Image:Nottinghamunimalaysia.JPG|thumb|300px|[[University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus|University of Nottingham of Malaysia]].]]
-Most Malaysian children start schooling between the ages of three to six, in kindergarten. Most kindergartens run privately, as well as some government-operated kindergartens.
-Children begin primary schooling at age of seven for six years. There are two major types of state primary schools: national schools (''Sekolah Kebangsaan'') which use Malay as medium of instruction, and national-type schools (''Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan'') which 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. 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 in government primary and secondary schools such as biology, physics, chemistry are taught in English, so that students would not be hindered by any language barrier during tertiary education.
+[[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]].]]
-There are also 60 Chinese Independent High Schools in Malaysia, where most subjects are instructed 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 standardised test known as the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) in junior middle (equivalent to PMR) and senior middle (equivalent to AO level).
+Most Malaysian children start kindergarten between the ages of three to six. Most kindergartens are privately run; there are also some government-operated kindergartens.
-Students wishing to enter public universities must complete a further 18 months of secondary schooling in form six and sit for the Malaysia Higher Certificate of Education; equivalent to the British Advanced or “A” levels.
+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.
-As for tertiary education, there are public universities such as [[University of Malaya]] and [[Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia]]. In addition, five international reputable universities have set up their branch campuses in Malaysia since 1998.
+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.
-Students can also opt to go to private colleges after secondary studies. Most colleges 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]].
+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.
-Malaysia has many international schools that offer students the opportunity to study the curriculum of another country. These include the Australian International School, Malaysia (Australian curriculum), and The International School of Kuala Lumpur (International Baccalaureate and American curriculum).
+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).
-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 stylised martial art) and crafts such as batik, weaving, and silver and brasswork.
+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.
-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 and other [[United Kingdom|British]] [[rock and roll]] bands. "Kugiran" six-piece bands, that comprise a vocalist, one lead-guitarist, one bassist, one rhythm-guitarist, one organist (keyboardist)and a drummer, in the 1960s, encouraged the establishment and existence of various recording companies in Singapore in the 1960s.
+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.
-Between the late 1970s and mid 1980s, the market for local recordings and artists was in big demand, bands and musicians performing in clubs and pubs were contracted to record. This was the time when non-Malay artistes, bands and business man ventured into the Malay music industry. By the mid 1980s, rock, heavy metal, hard rock and the blues bands appeared influenced by western bands Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Def Leppard.
+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).
+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.
-Between the late 80s and early 90s, R&B and Pop music became the focus of the urban youngsters. This music was cosmopolitan and catered to a professional and educated crowd. In the mid 1990s, KRU a vocal group comprised of three brothers developed Malay rap and hip-hop. Islam-influenced pop appeared in 1991. Guitar-driven bands with inclination towards heavy metal, thrash metal, speed metal and death metal, along with hip-hop, electronica and dance music, populate the Malaysian alternative music scene.
+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.
-The encouragement from the Malaysian government towards privatization of broadcasting stations led to an array of new radio and TV stations to cover entertainment, news, movies and information. Reality shows such as Akademi Fantasia and Malaysian Idol allowed the public to choose their own stars by sending votes through hand phones or computers.
+==Notes==
+<references/>
 ==References==
-<div style="font-size: 85%;">
-*[[1911 Encyclopædia Britannica]]. ''Malay States.''
-*Zainal Abidin bin Abdul Wahid; [[Khoo Kay Kim|Khoo, Kay Kim]]; Muhd Yusof bin Ibrahim; Singh, D.S. Ranjit (1994). ''Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Menengah Sejarah Tingkatan 2.'' [[Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka]]. ISBN 983-62-1009-1
-* Adam, Ramlah binti, Samuri, Abdul Hakim bin & Fadzil, Muslimin bin (2004). ''Sejarah Tingkatan 3''. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. ISBN 983-62-8285-8.
-*[[Milton Osborne|Osborne, Milton]] (2000). ''Southeast Asia: An Introductory History.'' Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-390-9</div>
-[[Farish Noor]] (2005). Page 158. Kafir R' Us. Why do we need to think beyond the Muslim-Kafir divide (Part 1). ''From Majapahit to Putrajaya''. Silverfish Books. ISBN 983-3221-05-X</ref>
-<ref>M.C. Ricklefs. pp. 19. ''A History of Modern Indonesia.'' [[Indiana University Press]]. 1981. ISBN 0804721955</ref>
-"Race war">[[Time Magazine]]. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,900859,00.html Race War in Malaysia]. May 23 1969. Retrieved December 17 2006.</ref>
-<ref>Time Magazine. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,816440,00.html Token Citizenship]. May 19 1953.</ref>
-<ref>[[Time Magazine]]. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,826360,00.html Siege's End]. May 2 1960.</ref>
-<ref>[[Time Magazine]]. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,893616,00.html A New Nation]. September 9 1957.</ref>
-<ref>[[Time Magazine]]. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,870532,00.html Hurray for Harry]. December 20 1963</ref><ref>[[Time Magazine]]. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,940146,00.html Fighting the Federation]. December 21 1962</ref>
-<ref name="Race war" /><ref>[[Time Magazine]]. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,828327,00.html The Art of Dispelling Anxiety]. August 27 1965.</ref>
-<ref>Anthony Spaeth. [[Time Magazine]]. ''[http://www.time.com/time/asia/2003/mahathir/mahathir961209.html Bound for Glory]''. December 9 1996.</ref>
-<ref>Anthony Spaeth. [[Time Magazine]]. [http://www.time.com/time/asia/asia/magazine/1998/980914/cover1.html He's the Boss]. September 14 1998. </ref>
-<ref name="SabahImmigrants">{{
-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>
+*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==
-{{portalpar|Malaysia}}
+All links retrieved March 9, 2024.
-{{sisterlinks|Malaysia}}
-* [http://www.statistics.gov.my Malaysian Department of Statistics]
-* [http://www.wp.icu.gov.my/ State Development Office] - State Development Office Wilayah Persekutuan
-* [http://www.gov.my/ myGovernment Portal] - Malaysian Government Portal
-* [http://www.bernama.com.my/ Bernama] - Malaysian national news agency
-* [http://www.tourism.gov.my/ Tourism Malaysia] - Malaysian tourism portal
-* {{wikitravel}}
-* [http://www.guide2malaysia.com/ Malaysia Travel Guide] - Malaysia travel guide
-* [http://www.virtualmalaysia.com/ Virtual Malaysia] - The Official Portal of the Ministry of Tourism, Malaysia
+*[https://www.malaysia.travel/ Malaysia Travel] ''Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB)''
+*[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/malaysia/ Malaysia] ''The World Factbook''
+*[https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/malaysia/ Malaysia] ''US Department of State''
-* [http://www.pmo.gov.my/ Office of the Prime Minister of Malaysia]
+{{credit|99441445}}
-* [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]
-<ref>[[Mahathir Mohamad]]. [http://www.time.com/time/asia/asia/magazine/1999/990531/mahathir1.html Our Region, Ourselves]. [[Time Asia]]. May 31 1999.</ref>
-<ref>Republic of the Philippines. Department of Foreign Affairs. [http://www.dfa.gov.ph/archive/speech/usec/faq.htm FAQs on the ICJ Decision]. Retrieved December 23 2006.</ref>
-<ref>[[Jomo Kwame Sundaram]]. [[UNRISD]] [http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BCCF9/(httpPublications)/A20E9AD6E5BA919780256B6D0057896B?OpenDocument&panel=seriespapers The New Economic Policy and Interethnic Relations in Malaysia]. Retrieved December 23 2006.</ref>
-<ref>Office of the Prime Minister of Malaysia. [http://www.pmo.gov.my/WebNotesApp/PMMain.nsf/314edc1f96172e0a48256f240017b913/d63c3c4e562a452548256eb000304eb7?OpenDocument YAB Prime Minister's interview with CNN Talk Asia]. June 5 2004. Retrieved December 23 2006.</ref>
-<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>
+[[Category:Geography]]
+[[Category:Countries]]
- <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>.
+[[Category:Asia]]
-<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>
-—THOMAS WILLIAMSON, Malaysia, Countries and Their Cultures, www.everyculture.com
-{{credit|99441445}}