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Welcome To Malaysia

Brief History
In the early Christian era, Malaya was known as far away as Europe. Ptolemy showed it on his early map with the label �Golden Chersonese�. It spelt gold not only to the Romans but to others as well. It wasn�t long before Indian and Chinese traders arrived in search of that most valuable metals, and Hindu mini states sprang up along the great Malay rivers.

Little is known about prehistoric Malaysia, but around 10,000 years ago the aboriginal Malays � the Orang Asli began to move down from a probable starting point in South Western China. The Malay people were ethnically similar to the people of Sumatra, Java, and even the Philippines, and from time to time various South East Asian empires exerted control over all parts of the Malay Peninsula.

In 1405 the Chinese admiral Cheng Ho arrived in Melaka with greetings from the Son of Heaven (Emperor) and more importantly, the promise of protection from the encroaching Siamese from the north. With this support from China, the power of Melaka extended to include most of the Malay Peninsula. At about the same time, Islam arrived in Melaka and soon spread through Malaya.

Melaka�s wealth and prosperity soon attracted European interest, which came in search of spices. It was the Portuguese who first took over in 1511, followed by the Dutch in 1641 and the British in 1795.

For years the British were only interested in Malaya for its seaports and to protect their trade routes, but the discovery of tin prompted them to move inland and eventually govern the entire Peninsula. Meanwhile, James Brooke, the �white raja�, and the North Borneo Company made British inroads into Sarawak and Sabah respectively. The British brought in the Chinese to work in the tin mines and the Indians to work in the rubber plantations and to build the railways.

Malaya achieved Merdeka (Independence) in 1957, but there followed a period of instability due to an internal communist uprising and the external �Confrontation� with Indonesia. In 1963 the north Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak together with Singapore, joined Malaya to create Malaysia.

Relations with Singapore soured almost immediately and, only two years later, Singapore was forced to withdraw from the Malaysian confederation.  The demise of Indonesia�s leader Sokarno ended the disputes with Indonesia and the communist threat has, as elsewhere, withered away.

In1969 violent intra-communal riots broke out particularly in Kuala Lumpur and hundreds of people were killed.  The government moved to dissipate the tensions, which existed mainly between the Malays and the Chinese.  Moves to give Malays a larger share of the economic pie have led to some resentment among the other racial groups but, overall, present day Malaysian society is relatively peaceful and cooperative. 

The Malay are Malaysia's largest ethnic group, accounting for over half the population and the national language. With the oldest indigenous peoples they form a group called bumiputera, which translates as "sons" or "princes of the soil." Almost all Malays are Muslims, though Islam here is less extreme than in the Middle East. Traditional Malay culture centers around the kampung, or village, though today one is just as likely to find Malays in the cities.  

Culture
Malaysia's cultural mosaic is marked by many different cultures, but several in particular have had especially lasting influence on the country. Chief among these is the ancient Malay culture, and the cultures of Malaysia's two most prominent trading partners throughout history--the Chinese, and the Indians. These three groups are joined by a dizzying array of indigenous tribes, many of which live in the forests and coastal areas of Borneo. Although each of these cultures has vigorously maintained its traditions and community structures, they have also blended together to create contemporary Malaysia's uniquely diverse heritage. 

Government: Constitutional Parliamentary Monarchy
Capital city: Kuala Lumpur (pop 1.4 million)
Prime Minister: Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

GDP: US$210 billion (2003)
World GDP ranking: 37th
GDP per capita: US$9,000 (2003est)
Annual growth: 5.2% (2003)
Inflation: 1.1% (2003)

Major products/industries: Tin, rubber, palm oil, timber, oil, textiles and electronics
Major trading partners: Singapore, Japan, USA

Population: 26 million(2005 est), (growth rate 1.83%)
Area: 329,750 sq km
People: 58% Malay & other indigenious, 24% Chinese, 8% Indian, 10% others (2000).
Language: Bahasa Malaysia, English, Chinese dialects, Tamil and indigenous languages
Religion: 60% Muslim, 19% Buddhist, 9% Christian, 6% Hindu, 2.6% Taoist & Confucianist.
Internet Users: 8.7 million (2003)

Time: GMT plus eight hours
Electricity: 240V, 50 Hz

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