| Conventional long name | Malaysia |
|---|
| Image coat | Coat of arms of Malaysia.png |
|---|
| Symbol type | Flag |
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| Map caption | Malaysia in ASEAN |
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| National motto | "Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu"
"Unity Is Strength" |
|---|
| National anthem | Negaraku (My Country) |
|---|
| Capital | Kuala Lumpur
Putrajaya (administrative centre) |
|---|
| Largest city | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|
| Official languages | Bahasa Malaysia |
|---|
| Official for some purposes | English |
| Languages type | Official script |
|---|
| Languages | Malay alphabet |
|---|
| Official religion | Islam |
|---|
| Demonym | Malaysian |
|---|
| Gdp ppp per capita | $14,275.371 |
|---|
| Hdi rank | 57th |
|---|
| Hdi category | |
|---|
| Currency | Ringgit (RM) |
|---|
| Currency code | MYR |
|---|
| Date format | dd-mm-yyyy |
|---|
| Time zone | MST |
|---|
| Utc offset | +8 |
|---|
| Time zone dst | Not observed |
|---|
| Utc offset dst | +8 |
|---|
| Drives on | Left |
|---|
| Cctld | .my |
|---|
| Calling code | +60 |
|---|
| Iso 3166-1 alpha2 | MY |
|---|
| Iso 3166-1 alpha3 | MYS |
|---|
| Iso 3166-1 numeric | 458 |
|---|
| Sport code | IOC/FIFA: MAS
ISO: MYS |
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| Vehicle code | MAL |
|---|
Malaysia ( or ) is a federal constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia. It consists of thirteen states and three federal territories and has a total landmass of . It is separated by the South China Sea into two regions, Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo (also known as West and East Malaysia respectively).
Malaysia has its origins in the Malay Kingdoms present in the area which, from the 18th century, became subject to the British Empire. The first British territories were known as the Straits Settlements, with the other states forming protectorates. The states on Peninsular Malaysia, then known as Malaya, was first unified as the Malayan Union in 1946. Malaya was restructured as the Federation of Malaya in 1948, and achieved independence on 31 August 1957. Malaya united with Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore to form Malaysia on 16 September 1963. However, less than two years later in 1965, Singapore withdrew from the federation, and became an independent city state. Since independence, Malaysia has had one of the best economic records in Asia, with GDP growing an average 6.5% for the first 50 years. The government system is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system and the legal system is based on English Common Law. The country is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural, factors that influence its culture and play a large role in politics.
Malaysia contains the southernmost point of continental Eurasia, Tanjung Piai, and is located near the equator and has a tropical climate. It is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, and a member of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the Non-Aligned Movement.
History
fortress in
Malacca was built by the Portuguese in the 16th century]]
Evidence of human habitation in Malaysia dates back 40,000 years. The first inhabitants of the
Malay Peninsula were most probably
Negritos. The Malay Peninsula was known to ancient Indians as
Suvarnadvipa or the "Golden Peninsula", and was shown on
Ptolemy's
map as the "
Golden Khersonese". Traders and settlers from India and China arrived as early as the 1st century of the common era, establishing trading ports and towns in the area in the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE. Both had a strong influence on the local culture. In the early centuries of the first millennium, the people of the Malay Peninsula adopted the Indian religions of
Hinduism and
Buddhism. The
Sanskrit writing system was used as early as the 4th century. Between the 7th and the 13th century, much of the Malay Peninsula was under the
Srivijaya empire, which was centered in
Palembang on the island of
Sumatra. After the fall of Srivijaya, the Java-based
Majapahit empire had influence over most of Peninsular Malaysia and the Malay Archipelago. Parameswara became a Muslim, and due to the fact that Malacca was under a Muslim Prince, the conversion of Malays to Islam accelerated in the 15th century. which was followed by the occupation of
Singapore. In 1824, the British took control of Malacca following the
Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 which divided the Malay Archipelago between Britain and the Netherlands, with Malaya in the British zone. By 1826 the British controlled Penang, Malacca, Singapore and the island of
Labuan, which they established as the
crown colony of the
Straits Settlements. By the turn of the 20th century, the states of
Pahang,
Selangor,
Perak, and
Negeri Sembilan, known together as the
Federated Malay States, had British
Residents appointed to advise the Malay rulers, whom the rulers were bound by treaty to defer to. The remaining five states in the peninsula, known as the
Unfederated Malay States, while not directly under rule from London, also accepted British advisers around the turn of the 20th century. Development on the Peninsula and Borneo were generally separate until the 19th century. Sabah was governed as the crown colony of
British North Borneo. In 1842, Sarawak was ceded by the
Sultan of Brunei to
James Brooke, whose successors ruled as the
White Rajahs over an independent
kingdom until 1946, when it became a British colony.
During World War II, the Japanese army invaded and subsequently occupied Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore for over three years. During this time, ethnic tensions were raised and nationalism grew. After Malaya was reconquered by Allied Forces, popular support for independence grew. Post-war British plans to unite the administration of Malaya under a single crown colony called the Malayan Union met with strong opposition from the Malays, who opposed the weakening 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 the Malay peninsula 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 Malayan Communist Party 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. In 1963, Malaya along with the then British crown colonies of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore, federated to form Malaysia. The proposed date of federation was 31 August 1963, however, the date was delayed until 16 September 1963 due to opposition from Sukarno and the Sarawak United Peoples' Party.
(Independence Square) in Kuala Lumpur, where Independence Day is celebrated on 31 August each year]]
In its initial period, independence brought heightened tensions including a conflict with Indonesia (Konfrontasi) over the formation of Malaysia, Singapore's eventual exit in 1965, and racial strife in the form of the 13 May race riots in 1969. After the riots, the controversial New Economic Policy was launched by Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak, trying to increase the share of the economy held by the bumiputra. The country 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 promote equitable participation of all races.
Under the premiership of Mahathir bin Mohamad, there was a period of rapid economic growth and urbanization beginning in the 1980s. The period saw a shift from an agriculture-based economy to one based on manufacturing and industry in areas such as computers and consumer electronics. It was during this period too, that the physical landscape of the country changed with the emergence of numerous mega-projects. Notable amongst these were the construction of the Petronas Towers (at the time, the tallest building in the world, and still the world's tallest twin building), Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), the North-South Expressway, the Sepang International Circuit, the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), the Bakun hydroelectric dam, and Putrajaya, the new federal administrative capital. In the late 1990s, Malaysia was shaken by the Asian financial crisis as well as political unrest caused by the sacking of the deputy prime minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim. In November 2007, the country was rocked by two anti-government rallies. They were precipitated by allegations of corruption and discrepancies in the election system that heavily favoured the ruling political party, Barisan Nasional, which had been in power since Malaysia achieved its independence in 1957.
Etymology
on a 1914 map from a United States atlas.]]
The word Melayu derives from the Sanskrit term Malaiur or Malayadvipa which can be translated as "land of mountains", the word used by ancient Indian traders when referring to the Malay Peninsula. The term was later used as the name of the Melayu Kingdom, which existed between the 7th and the 13th centuries on Sumatra.
In 1850, the English ethnologist George Samuel Windsor Earl, writing in the Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia, proposed naming the islands of Southeast Asia as Melayunesia or Indunesia. He favoured the former for the colonial reference. Following his 1826 expedition in Oceania, the French Navigator Jules Dumont d'Urville invented the terms Malaysia, Micronesia and Melanesia, distinguishing these Pacific cultures and island groups from the already existing term Polynesia. In 1831, he proposed these terms to The Société de Géographie. Dumont d'Urville described Malaysia as "an area commonly known as the East Indies".
At that time, it was thought that the inhabitants of this region could be designated by the encompassing term "Malay" in line with that era's concept of a Malay race, which contrasts with contemporary definitions in which "Malay" refers to an ethnic group of similar culture who speak the Malay language and live on the east coast of Sumatra, the Riau Islands, the Malay Peninsula and the coastline of the island of Borneo. The related term "Malay world" is used to refer to this extended geographical area.
In 1957, the Federation of Malaya was declared as an independent federation of the Malay states on the Malay peninsula. The name "Malaysia" was adopted in 1963 when the existing states of the Federation of Malaya, plus Singapore, North Borneo and Sarawak formed a new federation. Prior to that, the name itself had been used to refer to the whole Malay Archipelago. Politicians in the Philippines once contemplated naming their state "Malaysia", but in 1963 Malaysia adopted the name first. At the time of the 1963 federation, other names were considered: among them was Langkasuka, after the historic kingdom located at the upper section of the Malay Peninsula in the first millennium of the common era.
Geography
. ]]
Malaysia is the
43rd most populated country and the
66th largest country by total land area in the world, with a population of about 28 million and a land area of around . and the Philippines. The land borders are now well established and defined in large part by geological features such as the
Perlis River, Golok River and the Pagalayan Canal, whilst some of the maritime boundaries are the subject of ongoing contention. The
Strait of Malacca, lying between
Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia, is arguably the most important shipping lane in the world.
The two distinct parts of Malaysia, separated from each other by the South China Sea, share a largely similar landscape in that both West (Peninsula) and East Malaysia feature coastal plains rising to hills and mountains. It is divided between its east and west coasts by the Titiwangsa Mountains, part of a series of mountain ranges running down the centre of the peninsula. The coastal plains surrounding the peninsula reach a maximum width of , and the peninsula's coastline is nearly long, although harbours are only available on the western side. Mount Kinabalu, at , is the tallest mountain in Malaysia and is protected as Kinabalu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The highest mountain ranges form the border between Malaysia and Indonesia. Sarawak contains the Mulu Caves, the largest cave system in the world. The local climate is equatorial and characterised by the annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons. Putrajaya is the federal administrative capital. Although many executive and judicial branches of the federal government have moved there (to ease growing congestion within Kuala Lumpur), Kuala Lumpur is still recognised as the country's legislative capital since it houses the seat of the Parliament of Malaysia. It is also the main commercial and financial centre of the country.
Biota
can grow up to in diameter, making them the largest flowers in the world]]
Malaysia is a
megadiverse country with a high number of species and high levels of endemism. and it being a
Megadiverse country,
and the country includes some of the most biodiverse areas on the planet. It is estimated to contain 20% of the world's animal species. There are about 210 mammal species in the country. and some of its waters are in the
Coral Triangle, a biodiversity hotspot. The waters around
Sipadan island are the most biodiverse in the world. along with 20 species of
Sea snake.
About two thirds of Malaysia is covered in forest which is believed to be 130 million years old. It is composed of a variety of types, although they are mainly dipterocarp forests. Lowland forest occurs below , The forests of East Malaysia are estimated to be the habitat of around 2,000 tree species, and are one of the most biodiverse areas in the world, with 240 different species of trees every hectare. mostly for Palm oil and other cash crops. Habitat destruction has proved a threat for marine life. Leatherback Turtle numbers have dropped 98% since the 1950's. The Malaysian government aims to balance economic growth with environmental protection, but has been accused of favouring big business over the environment.
Governance
is the building where the Malaysian Parliament assembles.]]
Malaysia is a
federal constitutional elective monarchy. The federal head of state is the
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, commonly referred to as the "King". The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is elected to a five-year term by and from amongst the nine hereditary
rulers of the
Malay states; the other four states, which have titular Governors, do not participate in the selection. The position has to date been, by informal agreement, systematically rotated between the nine; the order was originally based on seniority. The system of government is closely modelled on that of the
Westminster parliamentary system, a legacy of
British colonial rule.
Besides the Parliament at the federal level, each state has a unicameral State Legislative Assembly () whose members are elected from single-member constituencies. State governments are led by Chief Ministers Parliamentary elections are held at least once every five years, with the last general election being in March 2008.
.]]
Executive power is vested in the Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister; the Constitution stipulates that the prime minister must be a member of the lower house of parliament who, in the opinion of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, commands a majority in parliament. The cabinet is chosen from among members of both houses of Parliament and is responsible to that body.
Race is a significant force in Malaysian politics, and many of the political parties are ethnically based. These policies provide preferential treatment to Malays over non-Malays in employment, education, scholarships, business, and access to cheaper housing and assisted savings. While it improved the economic position of Bumiputras, it is a source of resentment amongst others.
Law
The
judiciary is theoretically independent of the executive and the legislature, although supporters of the government hold many judicial positions. The highest court in the judicial system is the
Federal Court, followed by the
Court of Appeal, and two
High Courts, one for
Peninsular Malaysia, and one for
East Malaysia. The subordinate courts in each of these jurisdictions include Sessions Courts, Magistrates' Courts, and Courts for Children. Malaysia also has a Special Court to hear cases brought by or against all Royalty.
Malaysia's legal system is based on
English Common Law. These courts run parallel to the normal court system, and are undergoing reforms that include the first ever appointment of female judges. Debate exists in Malaysia over whether the country should be secular or islamic. Some state governments controlled by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, including that of Terengganu, have passed Islamic laws, but these have not gone into effect due to opposition from the federal government.
Foreign relations and military
state-of-art
Sukhoi Su-30 MKM MRCA]]
Malaysia's foreign policy is based on the principle of neutrality and maintaining peaceful relations with all countries, regardless of their political system, and to further develop relations with other countries in the region. It attaches a high priority to the security and stability of
Southeast Asia, and has tried to strengthen relations with other islamic states.
Malaysia is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. The country participates in many international organisations such as the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Developing 8 Countries and the Non-Aligned Movement. As a former British colony, it is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Kuala Lumpur was the site of the first East Asia Summit in 2005. This is in support of the struggle of the people of Palestine to achieve nationhood and not due to any form of anti-semitism.
The policy towards territorial disputes by the government is one of pragmatism, solving disputes in a number of ways, including some resolved in the International Court of Justice. The Spratly Islands are disputed by many states in the area, although tensions have eased since the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. Brunei and Malaysia in 2008 announced an end to land claims, and to resolve issues related to their maritime borders. The Philippines has a dormant claim to Sabah. Singapore's land reclamation has caused tensions between the two countries, and maritime border disputes exist with Indonesia.
's first Scorpène class submarine]]
Malaysian defence requirements are assigned to the Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia – ATM). The armed forces has three branches, the Royal Malaysian Navy (Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia – TLDM), the Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia – TD), and the Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia – TUDM). There is no conscription, and the required age for voluntary military service is 18. 1.9% of the country's GDP is spent on the military, which hires 1.23% of Malaysia's manpower. Dr Kogila Balakrishnan is the head of the Defence Industry.
The Five Power Defence Arrangements between Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, is a regional security initiative which has been in place for almost 40 years. It involves joint military exercises held between the five countries. Joint exercises and war games have been held with Indonesia for years. Malaysia and the Philippines have agreed to host joint exercises between their security forces, in order to secure their maritime border and tackle issues such as illegal immigration. There are fears that unrest in the Muslim areas of the southern Philippines and southern Thailand could spill over into Malaysia.
Subdivisions
Malaysia is divided into 13 states (
Negeri) and 3 federal territories (
Wilayah Persekutuan). These are divided between two regions, with 11 states and 2 federal territories on
Peninsular Malaysia and the other 2 states and 1 federal territory in
East Malaysia. As Malaysia is a
federation, the governance of the states is divided between the federal and the state governments, while the Federal government has direct administration of the federal territories.
The 13 states are based on historical Malay Kingdoms, and 9 of the 13 states, known as the Malay states, retain their royal families. The head of state (titled Yang di-Pertuan Agong) is elected by and from amongst the nine rulers to serve a five-year term. Visas are required for travel between these two states or between either state and peninsular Malaysia. For some, the other areas of Malaysia are considered foreign countries under immigration laws. Each state is further divided into districts, which are then divided into mukim. In Sabah and Sarawak districts are grouped into "Divisions".
The federal parliament is permitted to legislate on issues of land, the Islamic religion and local government, in order to provide for a uniform law between different states, or on the request of the state assembly concerned. The law in question must also be passed by the state assembly as well, except in the case of certain land law-related subjects. Non-Islamic issues that fall under the purview of the state may also be legislated at the federal level for the purpose of conforming with Malaysian treaty obligations.
Economy
Malaysia is a relatively
open state-oriented and
newly industrialised market economy. The state plays a significant but declining role in guiding economic activity through macroeconomic plans. In 2007, the economy of Malaysia was the 3rd largest economy in
Southeast Asia and
29th largest economy in the world by
purchasing power parity with gross domestic product for 2008 of $222 billion, with a growth rate of 5% to 7% since 2007. In 2009,
GDP per capita (PPP) of Malaysia stands at US$14,900.
In the 1970s, the predominantly mining and agricultural-based Malaysian economy began a transition towards a more multi-sector economy. Since the 1980s the industrial sector has led Malaysia's growth. High levels of investment played a significant role in this. Inequalities exist between different ethnic groups, with a major issue being that the Chinese minority accounts for 70% of the country's market capitalization, even though it only makes up about one-third of it.
plantations make Malaysia one of the largest producers of palm oil in the world]]
International trade, facilitated by the adjacent
Strait of Malacca shipping route and manufacturing are both key sectors of the country's economy. Malaysia is an exporter of natural and agricultural resources, the most valuable exported resource being petroleum.
rubber and
palm oil in the world. Manufacturing has a large influence in the country's economy, although Malaysia’s economic structure has been moving away from it. In an effort to diversify the economy and make Malaysia’s economy less dependent on exported goods, the government has pushed to increase
tourism in Malaysia. As a result, tourism has become Malaysia’s third largest source of income from foreign exchange, although it is threatened by the negative effects of the growing industrial economy, with large amounts of air and water pollution along with deforestation affecting tourism. The country has developed itself into a centre of
Islamic banking, and is the country with the highest numbers of female workers in Islamic banking. Knowledge-based services are also expanding.
In an effort to create a self-reliant defensive ability and support national development, Malaysia privatised some of its military facilities in the 1970s. This has created a defence industry, which in 1999 was brought under the Malaysia Defence Industry Council. The government continues to try and promote this sector and its competitiveness, actively marketing the defence industry. Malaysia has 118 airports, of which 38 are paved.
Traditionally, energy production in Malaysia has been based around oil and natural gas. The country currently has 13GW of electrical generation capacity. However, the country only has 33 years of natural gas reserves, and 19 years of oil reserves, whilst the demand for energy is increasing. Due to this, the government is expanding into renewable energy sources. and the energy sector as a whole is regulated by the Energy Commission of Malaysia, a statutory commission who governs the energy in the peninsula and Sabah, under the terms of the Electricity Commission Act of 2001.
Demographics
Malaysia's population comprises many ethnic groups.
Malays make up the majority of the population at 50.4%; and other
bumiputra 11% Laws over who gets Bumiputra status vary between states.
Various other minorities who lack Bumiputra status have established themselves in Malaysia, for a variety of reasons. 23.7% of the population are of Chinese descent, while those of Indian descent comprise 7.1% of the population. The majority of the Indian community are Tamils. Many Europeans and Middle Easterners assimilated through inter-marriage into the Christian and Muslim communities respectively. Most Eurasian Malaysians trace their ancestry to British, Dutch or Portuguese colonists.
Citizenship is usually granted by lex soli. Citizenship in the states of Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo are distinct from citizenship in Peninsular Malaysia for immigration purposes. Every citizen is issued a biometric smart chip identity card known as MyKad at the age of 12, and must carry the card at all times.
The population distribution is highly uneven, due to the population concentrated in Peninsular Malaysia. About 20 million residents of the approximately 28 million live on the peninsula. The country is estimated to have over 3 million migrant workers, which is about 10% of the population. Sabah-based NGOs estimate that out of the 3 million population, 2 million are illegal immigrants.
Additionally, according to the World Refugee Survey 2008, published by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, Malaysia hosts a population of refugees and asylum seekers numbering approximately 155,700. Of this population, approximately 70,500 refugees and asylum seekers are from the Philippines, 69,700 from Burma, and 21,800 from Indonesia. The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants named Malaysia as one of the Ten Worst Places for Refugees on account of the country's discriminatory practices toward refugees. Malaysian officials are reported to have turned deportees directly over to human smugglers in 2007, and Malaysia employs RELA, a volunteer militia, to enforce its immigration law.
| city_type = City
| subdivision_type = State/Territory
| image1 = KL-Skyline Night HDR.JPG
| image1 caption = Kuala Lumpur
| image2 = Subang-night-view.jpg
| image2 caption = Subang Jaya
| city1 = Subang Jaya
| city1_div = Selangor
| city1_pop = 1,553,589
| city2 = Kuala Lumpur
| city2_div = Kuala Lumpur
| city2_pop = 1,475,337
| city3 = Klang
| city3_div = Selangor
| city3_pop = 1,113,851
| city4 = Johor Bahru
| city4_div = Johor
| city4_pop = 916,409
| city5 = Ampang Jaya
| city5_div = Selangor
| city5_pop = 804,901
| city6 = Ipoh
| city6_div = Perak
| city6_pop = 704,572
| city7 = Shah Alam
| city7_div = Selangor
| city7_pop = 671,282
| city8 = Kuching
| city8_div = Sarawak
| city8_pop = 658,549
| city9 = Petaling Jaya
| city9_div = Selangor
| city9_pop = 638,516
| city10 = Kota Kinabalu
| city10_div = Sabah
| city10_pop = 604,078
| city11 = Batu Sembilan Cheras
| city11_div = Selangor
| city11_pop = 601,534
| city12 = Sandakan
| city12_div = Sabah
| city12_pop = 501,195
| city13 = Kajang-Sungai Chua
| city13_div = Selangor
| city13_pop = 448,243
| city14 = Seremban
| city14_div = Negeri Sembilan
| city14_pop = 439,296
}}
Religion
in Tumpat is one of the oldest mosques in Malaysia, dating to early 18th century]]
The Malaysian constitution guarantees
freedom of religion and makes
Islam the official religion. According to the Population and Housing Census 2000 figures, approximately 60.4% of the population practiced
Islam of which only the Sunni branch is allowed; 19.2%
Buddhism; 9.1%
Christianity; 6.3%
Hinduism; and 2.6% practice
Confucianism,
Taoism and other traditional
Chinese religions. The remainder was accounted for by other faiths, including
animism,
folk religion, and
Sikhism while 0.8% either reported having no religion or did not provide any information.
All ethnic Malays are considered Muslim by Article 160 of the Constitution. Statistics from the 2000 Census indicate that 75.9% of the Chinese population identify as Buddhist, with significant numbers of adherents following Taoism (10.6%) and Christianity (9.6%), along with small Hui-Muslim populations in areas like Penang. The jurisdiction of Shariah courts is limited only to Muslims in matters such as marriage, inheritance, divorce, apostasy, religious conversion, and custody among others. No other criminal or civil offences are under the jurisdiction of the Shariah courts, which have a similar hierarchy to the Civil Courts. Despite being the supreme courts of the land, the Civil Courts (including the Federal Court) do not hear matters related to Islamic practices.
Language
The official language of Malaysia is known as
Bahasa Malaysia, a standardised form of the
Malay language. English was for a protracted period the de facto administrative language, although Malay became predominant after the 1969 race riots. English remains an active
second language in many areas of Malaysian society and is compulsory, serving as the medium of instruction for Maths and Sciences in all public schools.
Malaysian English, also known as Malaysian Standard English (MySE), is a form of
English derived from
British English, although there is little official use of the term, except with relation to education. Malaysian English also sees wide use in business, along with
Manglish, which is a colloquial form of English with heavy
Malay,
Chinese dialect and
Tamil influences. Most Malaysians are conversant in English, although some are only fluent in the Manglish form. The government officially discourages the use of Manglish.
Many other languages exist in Malaysia, which contains speakers of 137 living languages. Peninsular Malaysia contains speakers of 41 of these languages. The native tribes of East Malaysia have their own languages which are related to, but easily distinguishable from, Malay. The Iban is the main tribal language in Sarawak while Dusunic languages are spoken by the natives in Sabah. Chinese Malaysians mostly speak Chinese dialects from the southern provinces of China, with the more common dialects being Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainanese, and Fuzhou. Tamil is used predominantly by Tamils, who form a majority of Malaysian Indians. Malaysian Tamil is a significant dialect which is different from Tamil spoken in India, with many loan words from Malay entering into its vocabulary. Other south Asian languages are also widely spoken in Malaysia, as well as Thai and the Spanish based Chavacano language.
Education
(MCKK) is one of the earliest boarding schools, established in
British Malaya.]]
Education in Malaysia is monitored by the federal government Ministry of Education. The education system features a non-compulsive
kindergarten education, followed by six years of compulsory primary education, Schools in the primary education system is divided into two categories, the national primary school and the vernacular school. Vernacular schools (
Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan) use either Chinese or Tamil as the medium of instruction, whereas national primary schools (
Sekolah Kebangsaan) use Bahasa Malaysia as the medium of instruction for all subjects except English, Science and Mathematics. Before progressing to the secondary level of education, pupils in Year Six are required to sit for the Primary School Achievement Test (
Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah, UPSR).
Secondary education is conducted in secondary schools (Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan) for five years. National secondary schools use Bahasa Malaysia as the main language of instruction. The only exceptions are Mathematics and Science and languages other than Bahasa Malaysia. At the end of Form Three, which is the third year, students are evaluated in the Lower Secondary Assessment (Penilaian Menengah Rendah, PMR). However, PMR is to be abolished by 2016, after which Secondary students directly sit for SPM in Form Five. In the final year of secondary education (Form Five), students sit for the Malaysian Certificate of Education (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, SPM) examination, which is equivalent to the former British Ordinary or 'O' Levels. The government has decided to abandon the use of English in teaching maths and science and revert to Bahasa Malaysia, starting in 2012. Before the introduction of the matriculation system, students aiming to enter public universities had to complete an additional 18 months of secondary schooling in Form Six and sit the Malaysian Higher School Certificate (Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia, STPM); equivalent to the British Advanced or 'A' levels. Since the introduction of the matriculation programme as an alternative to STPM in 1999, students who completed the 12-month programme in matriculation colleges (kolej matrikulasi) can enrol in local universities. However, in the matriculation system, only 10% of places are open to non-Bumiputra students.
Healthcare
The Malaysian government places importance on the expansion and development of public
health care, with 5% of the government social sector development budget spent in this area. Over the last couple of years, the Malaysian Health Ministry has increased its efforts to overhaul the system and attract more foreign investment. The Government has also been trying to promote the country as a health care destination, regionally and internationally. The government implements a
universal health care system, which co-exists with the private healthcare system. The country's health care system requires doctors to perform a compulsory three years service with public hospitals to ensure that manpower in these hospitals are maintained. Another issue is the over-perscription of drugs, although this has decreased in recent years.
Culture
, a type of pancake mixed with eggs, small pieces of meat and onions, in Kuala Lumpur.]]
Malaysia is a multi-ethnic, multicultural and multilingual society. The original culture of the area stemmed from indigenous tribes that lived there, along with the
Malays who later moved there. Substantial influence exists from
Chinese and
Indian culture, dating back to when foreign trade began in the area. Other cultures that heavily influenced the culture of Malaysia include
Persian,
Arabic, and
British culture. Due to the political structure of the government, coupled with the
social contract theory, there has been minimal
cultural assimilation of ethnic minorities.
In 1971, the government created a "National Cultural Policy". This policy defined Malaysian culture, stating that it must be based off the culture of the indigenous peoples of Malaysia, it may incorporate suitable elements from other cultures, and that Islam must play a part in Malaysian culture. It also promoted the Malay language above others. This government intervention into culture has caused resentment among non-Malays who feel their cultural freedom was lessened. Both Chinese and Indian associations have submitted memorandums to the government, accusing it of formulating an undemocratic culture policy. The Malaysian government and the Indonesian government have met to diffuse some of the tensions resulting from the overlaps in culture. Feelings are not as strong in Malaysia, where most recognise that many cultural values are shared. Traditional art ranges from handwoven baskets from rural areas to the silverwork of the Malay courts. Common artworks included ornamental kris, beetle nut sets, and woven batik fabrics. Indigenous East Malaysians are known for their wooden masks.
Traditional Malay music and performing arts appear to have originated in the Kelantan-Pattani region with influences from India, China, Thailand and Indonesia. The music is based around percussion instruments, Drums and other traditional percussion instruments and are often made from natural materials. These ensembles are also common in neighbouring regions such as in the southern Philippines, Kalimantan in Indonesia and Brunei.
Literature
Malaysia has a strong oral tradition that has existed since before the arrival of writing, and continues today. Each of the Malay Sultanates created their own literary tradition, influenced by pre-existing oral stories and by the stories that came with Islam. Chinese and Indian literature became common as the numbers of speakers increased in Malaysia, and locally produced works based in languages from those areas began to be produced in the 19th century. English has also become a common literary language. The arrival of the printing press was key in allowing literature to be accessed by more than those rich enough to afford handwritten manuscripts. However, there was still a division between the royal Malays, who knew English, and the lower classes, who only read Malay. Many cultures have greatly influenced the cuisine, from within the country and surrounding regions. Much of the influence comes from Malay, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Javanese and Sumatran culture, largely due to the country being part of the ancient
spice route. The cuisine is very similar to that of Singapore and Brunei, and also bears resemblance to Filipino cuisine. Food from one culture is sometimes also cooked using styles taken from another culture, Other festivals are observed by particular ethnic or religion groups, but are not public holidays. The most observed holiday is
Hari Kebangsaan (Independence Day), otherwise known as
Merdeka (Independence), on 31 August, commemorating the independence of the
Federation of Malaya in 1957.
Malaysia Day on 16 September commemorates federation in 1963. Other notable national holidays are
Labour Day (1 May), and the King's birthday (first Saturday of June).
Muslim holidays are prominent in Malaysia, the most celebrated being Hari Raya Puasa (also called Hari Raya Aidilfitri), (Malay for Eid al-Fitr). Hari Raya Haji (also called Hari Raya Aidiladha, the translation of Eid ul-Adha), Awal Muharram (Islamic New Year) and Maulidur Rasul (birthday of the Prophet) are also observed. Malaysian Chinese typically celebrate the same festivals observed by Chinese around the world, with Chinese New Year the most important. Hindus in Malaysia celebrate Diwali/Deepavali, the festival of light, while Thaipusam is a religious rite which sees pilgrims from all over the country converge at Batu Caves. Malaysia's Christian community celebrates most of the holidays observed by Christians elsewhere, most notably Christmas and Easter. East Malaysians also celebrate a harvest festival known as Gawai. Many other smaller communities existing in Malaysia also have their own holidays. Despite most of the festivals being identified with a particular ethnic or religious group, joint festivals are promoted to increase unity. Examples of this are the celebration of Kongsi Raya which is used when Hari Raya Puasa and Chinese New Year coincide. Similarly, the portmanteau Deepa Raya was coined when Hari Raya Puasa and Deepavali coincide.
Sports
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Popular sports in Malaysia include
badminton,
bowling,
football,
squash and
field hockey. Badminton matches attract thousands of spectators, and Malaysia, along with Indonesia, China, and the USA, has consistently held the
Thomas Cup since 1948. The Malaysian Lawn Bowl's Federation (PLBM) was registered in 1997, and since then Malaysians have made progress on the international stage. Squash was brought to the country by members of the British army, with the first competition being held in 1939. The Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) was created on 25 June 1972, and has had great success in Asian Squash. Malaysia has proposed a Southeast Asian football league. Hockey is famous in the country, with the men's
national team ranked 15th in the world as of August 2010. The 3rd
Hockey World Cup was hosted at
Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, as well as the 10th cup. The country also has its own
Formula One track–the
Sepang International Circuit. It runs for , and held its first
Grand Prix in 1999.
The Federation of Malaya Olympic Council was formed in 1953, and received recognition by the IOC in 1954. It first participated in the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. The council was renamed the Olympic Council of Malaysia in 1964, and has participated in all but one Olympic games since its inception. The largest number of athletes ever sent to the Olympics was 57 to the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Malaysian athletes have won a total of four Olympic medals, all of which are in badminton. The country has competed at the Commonwealth Games since 1950 as Malaya, and 1966 as Malaysia. It has been dominant in badminton, and the games were hosted in Kuala Lumpur in 1998. The 1998 Commonwealth Games were the first time the torch relay went through more nations than just England and the host.
Media
Malaysia's main newspapers are owned by the government and political parties in the ruling coalition. The major opposition parties also have their own newspapers. In addition, there is a divide between the media in the two halves of the country. Peninsular-based media gives low priority to news from the East, and often treats them as colonies of the Peninsula. The government has previously tried to crack down on opposition papers before elections when they were unsure of their political situation. In 2007, a government agency issued a directive to all private television and radio stations to refrain from broadcasting speeches made by opposition leaders, a move condemned by politicians from the opposition
Democratic Action Party. Sabah, where only one tabloid is not independent of government control, has the freest press in Malaysia. Legislation such as the
Printing Presses and Publications Act have also been cited as curtailing freedom of expression.
See also
Outline of Malaysia
International rankings of Malaysia
Environment of Malaysia
Wildlife of Malaysia
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
Royal Malaysian Custom
Royal Malaysian Police
References
External links
; Government
myGovernment Portal – Malaysian Government Portal
Office of the Prime Minister of Malaysia
Department of Statistics Malaysia
Chief of State and Cabinet Members
; General information
Malaysia at Encyclopedia Britannica
Malaysia from UCB Libraries GovPubs
; Travel
The Official E-Tourism Portal for Ministry Of Tourism, Malaysia
Malaysia Tourism Board
Category:Southeast Asian countries
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Category:Countries bordering the South China Sea
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Category:English-speaking countries and territories
Category:Malay-speaking countries and territories
Category:Former British colonies
Category:Organisation of the Islamic Conference members
Category:Constitutional monarchies
Category:Developing 8 Countries member states
Category:Federal countries
Category:G15 nations
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Category:States and territories established in 1963
