History of Malaysia

Malaysia is a Southeast Asian country located on strategic sea-lane that exposes it to

global trade and foreign culture. Hinduism from India and Buddhism and Taoism from
China dominated early regional history, reaching their peak during the reign of the
Sumatra-based Srivijaya civilisation, whose influence extended through Sumatra, Java,
the Malay Peninsula and much of Borneo from the 7th to the 13th centuries.

Although Muslims had passed through the Malay Peninsula as early as the 10th century,
it was not until the 14th century that Islam first firmly established itself. The adoption of
Islam in the 14th century saw the rise of a number of sultanates, the most prominent of
which was the Sultanate of Malacca. Islam had a profound influence on the Malay
people, but has also been influenced by them. The Portuguese were the first European
colonial powers to establish themselves on the Malay Peninsula and Southeast Asia,
capturing Malacca in 1511, followed by the Dutch in 1641. However, it was the British
who, after initially establishing bases at Jesselton, Kuching, Penang and Singapore,
ultimately secured their hegemony across the territory that is now Malaysia. The Anglo-
Dutch Treaty of 1824 defined the boundaries between British Malaya and the
Netherlands East Indies (which became Indonesia). A fourth phase of foreign influence
was immigration of Chinese and Indian workers to meet the needs of the colonial
economy created by the British in the Malay Peninsula and Borneo.[1]

Japanese invasion during World War II ended British domination in Malaysia. The
subsequent occupation of Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak from 1942 to 1945
unleashed nationalism. In the Peninsula, the Malayan Communist Party took up arms
against the British. A tough military response was needed to end the insurgency and
bring about the establishment of an independent, multi-racial Federation of Malaya on 31
August 1957. On 22 July 1963, Sarawak was granted a self-governance. The following
month on 31 August 1963, both North Borneo and Singapore were also granted self-
governance and all states began to formed Malaysia on 16 September 1963.
Approximately two years later, the Malaysian parliament passed a bill without the
consent of signatory of Malaysia Agreement 1963 to separate Singapore from the
Federation.[2] A confrontation with Indonesia occurred in the early-1960s. Race riots in
1969 led to the imposition of emergency rule, and a curtailment of political life and civil
liberties which has never been fully reversed. Since 1970 the "National Front coalition"
headed by United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) has governed Malaysia.
Economic growth dramatically increased living standards by the 1990s. This growing
prosperity helped minimise political discontent.

Geography of Malaysia
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The geography of Malaysia deals with the physical and human geography of Malaysia, a
Southeast Asian country. There are two major parts to this country, Peninsular Malaysia
to the west and East Malaysia to the east, in additional numerous smaller islands
surrounding both landmasses. Peninsular Malaysia is situated on the southernmost
section of the Malay Peninsula, south of Thailand, north of Singapore and east of the
Indonesian island of Sumatra; East Malaysia comprises most of the northern part of
Borneo island, with land borders shared with Brunei to the north and Indonesian Borneo
to the south.

Located near the equator, Malaysia's climate is categorised as equatorial, being hot and
humid throughout the year.Malaysia faces two monsoon winds seasons, the Southwest
Monsoon from late May to September, and the Northeast Monsoon from October to
March.

Malaysia is a megadiverse country, with a high number of species and high levels of
endemism. These forests contain the Rafflesia, the largest flower in the world. The
clearing of the Borneo lowland rain forests has caused wildlife to retreat into the upland
rain forests inland.

International borders between Malaysia and Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Brunei
are defined mostly by geological features such as the Perlis River and Golok River
between Malaysia and Thailand; Straits of Johor between Malaysia and Singapore; and
Pagalayan Canal between Malaysia and Brunei. However, borders that extends to the
seas are defined by agreements such as Straits Settlement and Johore Territorial Waters
Agreement of 1927 which defines Malaysia and Singapore water borders.

Economy of Malaysia

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The economy of Malaysia is the 3rd largest in Southeast Asia, and is the 35th largest
economy in the world. Malaysian labour productivity is significantly higher than
neighbouring Indonesia, Philippines or Vietnam due to high intensity of knowlegede
based industries and adoption of cutting edge technology for manufacturing and digital
economy. Based on Global Competitiveness Report 2017, the Malaysian economy is the
6th most competitive national economy on the Asian continent (after Singapore, Qatar,
Israel, United Arab Emirates and Japan). Malaysia is also the 23rd most competitive
country in the world in the period of 2017-2018.

Malaysian citizens on average have a very affluent lifestyle relative to their peers in
upper-middle income countries like Mexico, Turkey, and Brazil, with income per capita
of 28,681 PPP Dollar (2017 World Bank) or 10,620 nominal US Dollars. This makes it
the third wealthiest in Southeast Asia after the smaller city-states of Singapore and
Brunei. Malaysia has a newly industrialised market economy, which is relatively open
and state-oriented. The Malaysian economy is highly robust and diversified with the
export value of high-tech products in 2015 standing at 57.258 billion USD, the second
highest after Singapore in ASEAN. Malaysia exports the second largest volume and
value of palm oil products globally after Indonesia.

Despite government policies to increase income per capita in order to hasten the progress
towards high income country by 2020, Malaysia growth in wages has been very slow,
lagging behind by OECD standard. Academic research by the IMF and World Bank have
repeatedly called for structural reform and endogenous innovation to move the country
up the value chain of manufacturing into allowing Malaysia to escape the current middle
income trap. Due to a heavy reliance on oil exports for central government revenue, the
currency fluctuations has been very volatile, noticeably during the supply glut and oil
price collapse in 2015. However the government stepped up measures to increase
revenue by introducing the Government Service Tax at 6% rate to reduce deficits and
meet federal debt obligation.

Politic of Malaysia

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Politics of Malaysia takes place in the framework of a federal representative democratic
constitutional monarchy, in which the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is head of state and the
Prime Minister of Malaysia is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by
the federal government and the 13 state governments. Federal legislative power is vested
in the federal parliament and the 13 state assemblies. The judiciary is independent of the
executive and the legislature, though the executive maintains a certain level of influence
in the appointment of judges to the courts.

The Constitution of Malaysia is codified and the system of government is based on the
Westminster system. The hierarchy of authority in Malaysia, in accordance to the Federal
Constitution, stipulates the three branches (administrative components) of the Malaysian
government as consisting of the Executive, Judiciary and Legislative branch. Whereas,
the Parliament consists of the Dewan Negara (Upper House / House of Senate) and
Dewan Rakyat (Lower House / House of Representatives).

Malaysia has had a multi-party system since the first direct election of the Federal
Legislative Council of the Malaya in 1955 on a first-past-the-post basis. The ruling party
since then had always been the Alliance Party (Malay: Parti Perikatan) coalition and
from 1973 onwards, its successor, the Barisan Nasional (National Front) coalition.

The Barisan Nasional coalition currently consists of the United Malays National
Organisation (UMNO), Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), Malaysian Indian
Congress (MIC) and 10 other component parties. The opposition are made up of the
newly formed pact, the Coalition of Hope (Pakatan Harapan), the Pan-Malaysian Islamic
Party (PAS), the Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) and other smaller parties.

Although Malaysian politics has been relatively stable, critics allege that "the
government, ruling party, and administration are intertwined with few countervailing
forces".However, since the 8 March 2008 General Election, the media's coverage on the
country's politics has noticeably increased.

Malaysian Social and Culture

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The culture of Malaysia draws on the varied cultures of the different people of Malaysia.
The first people to live in the area were indigenous tribes that still remain; they were
followed by the Malays, who moved there from mainland Asia in ancient times. Chinese
and Indian cultural influences made their mark when trade began with those countries,
and increased with immigration to Malaysia. Other cultures that heavily influenced that
of Malaysia include Persian, Arabic, and British. The many different ethnicities that
currently exist in Malaysia have their own unique and distinctive cultural identities, with
some crossover.

A. Original Malaysian Art

1. Mak yong

is a traditional form of dance-drama from northern Malaysia, particularly the state of

Kelantan. It was banned by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party in 1991 because of its
animist and Hindu-Buddhist roots which pre-date Islam in the Asian region by far. In
2005 UNESCO declared mak yong a "Masterpiece Of The Oral And Intangible Heritage
Of Humanity". The late Cik Ning was a leading mak yong performer in the 1980s.

2. Zapin

is a Malay traditional dance form that is popular in Malaysia (especially in the state of
Johor, Pahang and Selangor), in Indonesia, especially in Malay-populated provinces in
Sumatera (Riau Province, Jambi province, Riau Islands Province, North Sumatera, and
Bangka-Belitung Islands) and West Kalimantan, and in other Malay populated countries
like Brunei Darussalam and Singapore.

3. Dikir Barat

is a musical form, native to the Malay Peninsula, that involves singing in groups—often
in a competitive setting. Dikir barat may be performed either with a percussion
instrumental accompaniment, or with no instruments at all. The dance is partially similar
in movement to Endang except that actions of hand clapping are further incorporated to
produce rhythm.

4. Joget Melayu

is a traditional Malay dance that originated in Malacca. It was influenced by the

Portuguese dance of Branyo which is believed to have been spread to Malacca during the
spice trade. In Malacca, it is better known as Chakunchak.

B. Malaysian Cultural Outfits

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1. Baju Melayu

is a traditional Malay outfit for men. It literally translates as 'Malay shirt' and consists of
two main parts. The first being the baju (long sleeved shirt) itself which has a raised stiff
collar known as the cekak musang collar (literally fox's lease). The second part is the
trousers called "seluar". A dark coloured headgear called the songkok can also worn to
complete the attire.

2. Baju Kurung

The baju kurung is a traditional Malay costume which loosely translated as "enclosed
dress". This type of costume is the national dress of Malaysia.

C. Original Malaysian Cuisine

1. Nasi Lemak

Simply rice cooked in coconut milk (knotted pandanus leaves and even ginger or a stalk
of lemon grass may be tossed into the pot to add fragrance), imparting a creamy texture
to the grains, nasi lemak is available on almost every street corner and in almost every
local-themed restaurant, served with everything from chicken to beef to cuttlefish.

2. Laksa

Laksa is a popular spicy noodle soup in the Peranakan cuisine. Laksa consists of rice
noodles or rice with chicken, fish, served in spicy soup.

3. Teh Tarik (Pulled Tea)

is a hot milk tea beverage which can be commonly found in restaurants, outdoor stalls
and kopi tiams within the Southeast Asian countries of Malaysia and Singapore. Its name
is derived from the pouring process of "pulling" the drink during preparation. It is made
from black tea, condensed milk or evaporated milk. Malaysia has considered the drink as
the country's national drink.

4. Roti Canai

Is a flatbread with flour as the main ingridient. It serves on hot temperature and usually
served with variety of toppings and fillings.

Tourism in Malaysia

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Malaysia is ranked 9th in the world for tourist arrivals. The Travel and Tourism
Competitiveness Report 2017 ranks Malaysia 25th out of 141 countries overall, which
was the fifth best in Asia. However, most of arrival tourists are Singaporeans who daily
cross the border to Malaysia for work and go back at night time.

In an effort to diversify the economy and make Malaysia's economy less dependent on
exports, the government pushed to increase tourism in Malaysia. As a result, tourism has
become Malaysia's third largest source of foreign exchange income, and accounted for
7% of Malaysia's economy as of 2005.

In 1999, Malaysia launched a worldwide marketing campaign called "Malaysia, Truly

Asia" which was largely successful and brought in over 7.4 million tourists. The extra
revenue generated by tourism helped the country's economy during the economic crisis
of 2008

In 2016, Malaysia recorded 26,757,392 tourist arrivals;[8] a growth of 4.0% compared to

25,721,251 in 2015.

Here are some tourist attractions in Malaysia

1. Petronas Towers

The Petronas Towers, also known as the Petronas Twin Towers (Malay: Menara
Petronas, or Menara Berkembar Petronas), are twin skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia. According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH)'s
official definition and ranking, they were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to
2004 and remain the tallest twin towers in the world. The buildings are a landmark of
Kuala Lumpur, along with nearby Kuala Lumpur Tower.

2. Genting Highlands

Genting Highlands (Malay: Tanah Tinggi Genting), otherwise known as Resorts World
Genting, is a hill resort located in Bentong, Pahang, Malaysia developed by Genting
Group.

3. Bukit Bintang

stylised as Bintang Walk or Starhill, the latter being a translation of the Malay name) is
the shopping and entertainment district of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It encompasses Jalan
Bukit Bintang and its immediate surrounding areas. The area has long been Kuala
Lumpur's most prominent retail belt that is home to many landmark shopping centres, al-
fresco cafés, bars, night markets, as well as hawker-type eateries. This area is popular
among tourists and locals, especially among the youths. A part of Bintang Walk is
designated as an "Arab Street".

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4. Gurney Drive

Gurney Drive is a popular seafront promenade within George Town, Penang, Malaysia.
The road is also one of Penang's most popular tourist destinations, famous for the street
cuisine at the seafront's hawker centre, and has been listed as one of the 25 best streets
worldwide to visit by the Australian travel magazine.

5. Legoland Malaysia

Legoland Malaysia is Malaysia's first international theme park that has opened in
Iskandar Puteri, Johor, Malaysia on 15 September 2012 with over 40 interactive rides,
shows and attractions. It is the first Legoland theme park in Asia and sixth in the world
upon its establishment.

6. Cameron Highlands District

The Cameron Highlands is one of Malaysia’s most extensive hill stations. It covers an
area of 712km², about the size of Singapore, At an elevation from 1135m to 1829m
above sea level, it is also the highest point in Malaysia accessible by road with Gunung
Brinchang 2031m above the sea. During the day, the temperature seldom rises above
25°C; at night, it can drop to as low as 12°C.

7. Mount Kinabalu

is a mountain in Sabah, Malaysia. It is protected as Kinabalu Park, a World Heritage Site.

Kinabalu is the highest peak in Borneo's Crocker Range and is the highest mountain in
the Malay Archipelago as well as the highest mountain in Malaysia.[

8. Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre

The centre attracts tourists and researches alike, giving them the opportunity to watch the
orang utan up close in their natural habitat

9. Mulu Caves

Is a UNESCO world heritage site and home to some of the most diverse species of birds,
plants, and animals.

10. George Town City Penang

Georgetown is a pedestrian-friendly city, with a well-planned series of roads and paths

connecting one end of Penang’s capital to the other.

11. Taman Negara

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Taman Negara is the oldest primary rainforest in the world. There are many activities to
do in the park, like hiking, night walks, rapid shooting and fishing. Because of its
location you can easily combine a visit to Taman Negara with a trip to Cameron
Highlands or even Perhentian Island.

12. Melaka

This charming city is a UNESCO world heritage site, with a rich trading history and
multicultural heritage. Melaka is a rewarding town to explore and is about two hours
from Kuala Lumpur.

13. Malaysian Beaches

Malaysia has some popular beaches such as in Tioman Island, Langkawi Island, and
Perhentian Island.