Malaysia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the country. For the biogeographical region, see
Malesia.
| Malaysia |
|
|
Motto: "Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu"[1]
"Unity Is Strength" |
Anthem: Negaraku
My Country |
|
|
Capital
and largest city |
Kuala Lumpur
Putrajaya (administrative)
 3°08′N 101°42′E |
| Official languages |
Malaysian |
| Official script |
Malay (Latin) alphabet |
| Recognised |
English |
| Ethnic groups ([2]) |
|
| Demonym |
Malaysian[3] |
| Government |
Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| - |
King |
Abdul Halim |
| - |
Prime Minister |
Najib Tun Razak (BN) |
| - |
Deputy Prime Minister |
Muhyiddin Yassin (BN) |
| Legislature |
Parliament |
| - |
Upper house |
Dewan Negara |
| - |
Lower house |
Dewan Rakyat |
| Independence from the United Kingdom |
| - |
Independence of the Federation of Malaya |
31 August 1957[4] |
| - |
Independence of Sarawak |
22 July 1963[5] |
| - |
Self-government of North Borneo |
31 August 1963[6] |
| - |
Federation of
Malaya, North Borneo,
Sarawak, Singapore |
16 September 1963 |
| Area |
| - |
Total |
329,847 km2 (67th)
127,355 sq mi |
| - |
Water (%) |
0.3 |
| Population |
| - |
2014 estimate |
30,018,242[7] (42nd) |
| - |
2010 census |
28,334,135[8] |
| - |
Density |
86/km2 (114th)
216.45/sq mi |
| GDP (PPP) |
2014 estimate |
| - |
Total |
$555.912 billion[9] |
| - |
Per capita |
$18,509[9] |
| GDP (nominal) |
2014 estimate |
| - |
Total |
$367.712 billion[9] |
| - |
Per capita |
$12,243[9] |
| Gini (2009) |
46.2[10]
high · 36th |
| HDI (2013) |
 0.769[11]
high · 64th |
| Currency |
Ringgit (RM) (MYR) |
| Time zone |
MST (UTC+8) |
| - |
Summer (DST) |
not observed (UTC+8) |
| Date format |
dd-mm-yyyy |
| Drives on the |
left |
| Calling code |
+60 |
| ISO 3166 code |
MY |
| Internet TLD |
.my, مليسيا.[12] |
Malaysia (
i// mə-LAY-zhə or
i// mə-LAY-see-ə) (
Malaysian pronunciation: [malajsiə]) is a
federal constitutional monarchy in
Asia. It consists of
thirteen states and three federal territories and has a total landmass of 329,847 square kilometres (127,350 sq mi) separated by the
South China Sea into two similarly sized regions,
Peninsular Malaysia and
East Malaysia (Malaysian Borneo). Peninsular Malaysia shares a land and maritime border with
Thailand and maritime borders with
Singapore,
Vietnam, and
Indonesia. East Malaysia shares land and maritime borders with
Brunei and Indonesia and a maritime border with the
Philippines. The capital city is
Kuala Lumpur, while
Putrajaya
is the seat of the federal government. In 2010 the population was
28.33 million, with 22.6 million living in Peninsular Malaysia. The
southernmost point of continental
Eurasia,
Tanjung Piai, is in Malaysia, located in the
tropics. It is one of 17
megadiverse countries on earth, with large numbers of
endemic species.
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,
whose establishment was followed by the Malay kingdoms becoming British
protectorates. The territories on Peninsular Malaysia were 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
North Borneo,
Sarawak, and Singapore on 16 September 1963, with
si
being added to give the new country the name Malaysia. Less than two
years later in 1965, Singapore was expelled from the federation.
The country is
multi-ethnic and
multi-cultural, which plays a large role in politics. The
constitution declares
Islam the
state religion while protecting
freedom of religion. The government system is closely modelled on the
Westminster parliamentary system and the legal system is based on
common law. The
head of state is the king, known as the
Yang di-Pertuan Agong. He is an
elected monarch chosen from the hereditary
rulers of the nine
Malay states every five years. The head of government is the
Prime Minister.
Since independence, Malaysia has had one of the best economic records in Asia, with
GDP
growing at an average 6.5% per annum for almost 50 years. The economy
has traditionally been fueled by its natural resources, but is expanding
in the sectors of science, tourism, commerce and
medical tourism. Today, Malaysia has a
newly industrialised market economy, ranked third largest in Southeast Asia and
29th largest in the world. It is a founding member of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the
East Asia Summit and the
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and a member of
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the
Commonwealth of Nations, and the
Non-Aligned Movement.
Etymology
Main article:
Malay people
"Malaysia" used as a label for the
Malay Archipelago on a 1914 map from a United States atlas
The name "Malaysia" is a combination of the word "Malay" and the Latin/Greek suffix -sia/-σία.
[13] The word
Melayu in the
Malay may derive from the
Tamil words
Malai and
ur meaning "mountain" and "city, land", respectively.
[14][15][16] Malayadvipa was the word used by ancient Indian traders when referring to the
Malay Peninsula.
[17][18][19][20][21] Whether or not it originated from these roots, it the word "melayu" or "mlayu" may have been used in early
Malay/
Javanese to mean to steadily accelerate or run. This term was applied to describe the strong current of the river Melayu in
Sumatra.
[22] The name was later possibly adopted by the
Melayu Kingdom that existed in the 7th century on Sumatra.
[23] "Melayu" was later used as the name of the 7-13th cenutry
Melayu Kingdom, formed on Sumatra.
[24]
Before the onset of European colonization, the
Malay peninsula was known natively as
Tanah Melayu ('Malay Land').
[25][26] Under the racial classification created by European scholars the natives of
Maritime Southeast Asia were grouped into a single category, the
Malay race.
[citation needed] Following his 1826 expedition in
Oceania, French navigator
Jules Dumont d'Urville proposed the terms
Malaysia,
Micronesia and
Melanesia to the
Société de Géographie in 1831, distinguishing these Pacific cultures and island groups from the existing term
Polynesia. Dumont d'Urville described Malaysia as "an area commonly known as the
East Indies".
[27] 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, favouring the former.
[28] In modern terminology, "Malay" remains the name of an
ethnoreligious group of
Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the
Malay peninsula and portions of adjacent islands of
Southeast Asia, including the east coast of
Sumatra, the coast of
Borneo, and smaller islands that lie between these areas.
[29]
The state that gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1957 took the name the
Federation of Malaya, chosen in preference to other potential names such as
Langkasuka, after the historic kingdom located at the upper section of the Malay Peninsula in the 1st millennium CE.
[30][31]
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.
[32]
One theory suggests the name was chosen due to the addition of "si" to
"Malaya", representing the inclusion of Singapore, North Borneo, and
Sarawak, in Malaya in 1963.
[32] Politicians in the Philippines contemplated renaming their state "Malaysia" before the modern country took the name.
[33]
History
A Famosa fortress in
Malacca was built by the Portuguese in the 16th century.
Evidence of modern human habitation in Malaysia dates back 40,000 years.
[34] In the Malay Peninsular, the first inhabitants are thought to be
Negritos.
[35]
Traders and settlers from India and China arrived as early as the 1st
century AD, establishing trading ports and coastal towns in the 2nd and
3rd centuries. Their presence resulted in strong Indian and Chinese
influence on the local cultures, and the people of the Malay Peninsula
adopted the religions of
Hinduism and
Buddhism.
Sanskrit inscriptions appear as early as the 4th or 5th century.
[36] The Kingdom of
Langkasuka arose around the 2nd century in the northern area of the Malay Peninsula, lasting until about the 15th century.
[30] Between the 7th and 13th centuries, much of the southern Malay Peninsula was part of the maritime
Srivijaya empire. After the fall of Srivijaya, the
Majapahit empire had influence over most of Peninsular Malaysia and the Malay Archipelago.
[37] Islam began to spread among Malays in the 14th century.
[3] In the early 15th century,
Parameswara, a prince of the former Srivijayan empire, founded the
Malacca Sultanate, commonly considered the first independent state in the peninsula area.
[38] Malacca was an important commercial centre during this time, attracting trade from around the region.
In 1511 Malacca was conquered by
Portugal,
[3] after which it was taken by the
Dutch in 1641. In 1786 the
British Empire established a presence in Malaya, when the Sultan of Kedah leased
Penang to the British
East India Company. The British obtained the town of
Singapore in 1819,
[39] and in 1824 took control of Malacca following the
Anglo-Dutch Treaty. By 1826 the British directly controlled Penang, Malacca, Singapore, and the island of
Labuan, which they established as the crown colony of the
Straits Settlements. By 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, to whom the rulers were bound to defer by treaty.
[40] The remaining five states in the peninsula, known as the
Unfederated Malay States,
while not directly under British rule, also accepted British advisers
around the turn of the 20th century. Development on the Peninsula and
Borneo were generally separate until the 19th century. Under British
rule the immigration of Chinese and Indians to serve as labourers was
encouraged.
[41] The area that is now
Sabah came under British control as
North Borneo when both the
Sultan of Brunei and the
Sultan of Sulu transferred their respective territorial rights of ownership, between 1877 and 1878.
[42] 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
Crown colony.
[43]
In the Second World War the Japanese army
invaded and occupied
Malaya,
North Borneo, Sarawak, and
Singapore for over three years. During this time, ethnic tensions were raised and nationalism grew.
[44] Popular support for independence increased after Malaya was reconquered by Allied Forces.
[45] 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 quickly dissolved and replaced by the
Federation of Malaya, which restored the autonomy of the rulers of the Malay states under British protection.
[46] During this time, mostly Chinese rebels under the leadership of the
Malayan Communist Party launched guerrilla operations designed to force the British out of Malaya. The
Malayan Emergency lasted from 1948 to 1960, and involved a long anti-insurgency campaign by
Commonwealth troops in Malaya.
[47]
After this a plan was put in place to federate Malaya with the crown
colonies of North Borneo (which joined as Sabah), Sarawak, and
Singapore. The proposed date of federation was 31 August 1963, however,
the date was delayed until 16 September 1963 due to opposition from
Indonesia's
Sukarno and the
Sarawak United Peoples' Party.
[48]
Federation brought heightened tensions including a
conflict with Indonesia, Singapore's
eventual exit in 1965,
[49][50] and racial strife. This strife culminated in the
13 May race riots in 1969.
[51] 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
bumiputera.
[52] Under Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad
there was a period of rapid economic growth and urbanisation beginning
in the 1980s. The economy shifted from being agriculturally based to one
based on manufacturing and industry. Numerous mega-projects were
completed, such as the
Petronas Towers, the
North-South Expressway, the
Multimedia Super Corridor, and the new federal administrative capital of
Putrajaya.
[32] However, in the late 1990s the
Asian financial crisis almost caused the collapse of the currency and the stock and property markets.
[53]
Government and politics
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.
[54] The head of state is the
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, commonly referred to as the King. The King is elected to a five-year term by and from among the nine hereditary
rulers of the
Malay states; the other four states, which have titular
Governors, do not participate in the selection. By informal agreement the position is systematically rotated among the nine,
[54] and has been held by
Abdul Halim of Kedah since December 2011.
[55] The King's role has been largely ceremonial since changes to the
constitution in 1994, picking ministers and members of the upper house.
[56]
Legislative power is divided between federal and state legislatures. The bicameral federal
parliament consists of the
lower house, the
House of Representatives and the
upper house, the
Senate.
[57]
The 222-member House of Representatives is elected for a maximum term
of five years from single-member constituencies. All 70 senators sit for
three-year terms; 26 are elected by the 13 state assemblies, and the
remaining 44 are appointed by the King upon the Prime Minister's
recommendation.
[3] The parliament follows a multi-party system and the government is elected through a
first-past-the-post system. Since independence Malaysia has been governed by a multi-party coalition known as the
Barisan Nasional.
[3]
Each state has a unicameral
State Legislative Assembly whose members are elected from single-member constituencies. State governments are led by
Chief Ministers,
[3]
who are state assembly members from the majority party in the assembly.
In each of the states with a hereditary ruler, the Chief Minister is
normally required to be a
Malay, appointed by the ruler upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister.
[58] Parliamentary
elections are held at least once every five years, the most recent of which took place in March 2008.
[3]
Registered voters of age 21 and above may vote for the members of the
House of Representatives and, in most of the states, for the state
legislative chamber. Voting is not mandatory.
[59] Except for state elections in Sarawak, by
convention state elections are held concurrently with the federal election.
[56]
Executive power is vested in the
Cabinet, led by the
Prime Minister.
The prime minister must be a member of the house of representatives,
who in the opinion of the King, commands a majority in parliament. The
cabinet is chosen from members of both houses of Parliament.
[3] The Prime Minister is both the head of cabinet and the head of government.
[56] The incumbent,
Najib Razak, appointed in 2009, is the sixth prime minister.
[60]
Malaysia's legal system is based on
English Common Law.
[3] Although
the judiciary
is theoretically independent, its independence has been called into
question and the appointment of judges lacks accountability and
transparency.
[61] 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. Malaysia also
has a special court to hear cases brought by or against Royalty.
[62] Separate from the civil courts are the
Syariah Courts, which apply
Shariah law to cases which involve Malaysian Muslims
[63] and run parallel to the secular court system.
[64] The
Internal Security Act allows detention without trial, and the
death penalty is in use for crimes such as
drug trafficking.
[65]
Race is a significant force in politics, and many political parties are ethnically based.
[3] Affirmative actions such as the
New Economic Policy[52] and the
National Development Policy which superseded it, were implemented to advance the standing of the
bumiputera, consisting of Malays and the indigenous tribes who are considered the original inhabitants of Malaysia, over non-
bumiputera such as Malaysian Chinese and Malaysian Indians.
[66] These policies provide preferential treatment to
bumiputera
in employment, education, scholarships, business, and access to cheaper
housing and assisted savings. However, it has generated greater
interethnic resentment.
[67] There is ongoing
debate over whether the laws and society of Malaysia should reflect secular or Islamic principles.
[68] Islamic laws passed by the
Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party in state legislative assemblies have been blocked by the federal government.
[69]
Foreign relations and military
A founding member of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
[70] and the
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC),
[71] the country participates in many international organisations such as the
United Nations,
[72] the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation,
[73] the
Developing 8 Countries,
[74] and the
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
[75] It has chaired ASEAN, the OIC, and the NAM in the past.
[3] A former British colony, it is also a member of the
Commonwealth of Nations.
[76] Kuala Lumpur was the site of the first
East Asia Summit in 2005.
[77]
Malaysia's foreign policy is officially based on the principle of
neutrality and maintaining peaceful relations with all countries,
regardless of their political system.
[78] The government attaches a high priority to the security and stability of
Southeast Asia,
[77]
and seeks to further develop relations with other countries in the
region. Historically the government has tried to portray Malaysia as a
progressive Islamic nation
[78] while strengthening relations with other Islamic states.
[77] A strong tenet of Malaysia's policy is national sovereignty and the right of a country to control its domestic affairs.
[56]
The policy towards territorial disputes by the government is one of
pragmatism, with the government solving disputes in a number of ways,
such as bringing the case to the
International Court of Justice.
[79] 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 claims of each
other's land, and to resolve issues related to their maritime borders.
The Philippines has a dormant
claim to Sabah. Singapore's land reclamation has caused tensions, and maritime border disputes exist with Indonesia.
[80]
Malaysia has never recognised
Israel and has no diplomatic ties with it.
[81] It has remained a strong supporter of the
State of Palestine,
[82] and has called for Israel to be taken to the
International Criminal Court over the
Gaza flotilla raid.
[83] Malaysian peacekeeping forces are present in
Lebanon[84] and have contributed to many other UN peacekeeping missions.
[3][85]
The
Malaysian Armed Forces have three branches, the
Royal Malaysian Navy, the
Malaysian Army, and the
Royal Malaysian Air Force.
There is no conscription, and the required age for voluntary military
service is 18. The military uses 1.9 per cent of the country's GDP, and
employs 1.23 per cent of Malaysia's manpower.
[86] Currently, Malaysia is undergoing major program to expand and modernize all three branches of its armed forces.
The
Five Power Defence Arrangements
is a regional security initiative which has been in place for almost 40
years. It involves joint military exercises held among Malaysia,
Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
[87] Joint exercises and war games have been held with Indonesia for years.
[88]
Malaysia and the Philippines have agreed to host joint security force
exercises in order to secure their maritime border and tackle issues
such as illegal immigration.
[89] There are fears that unrest in the Muslim areas of the
Mindanao, Philippines
[90] and southern
Thailand[91] could spill over into Malaysia.
Subdivisions
Malaysia is a
federation
of 13 states and three federal territories. These are divided between
two regions, with 11 states and two federal territories on
Peninsular Malaysia and the other two states and one federal territory in
East Malaysia. Each state is divided into
districts, which are then divided into
mukim. In
Sabah and
Sarawak districts are grouped into divisions.
[92]
Governance of the states is divided between the federal and the state
governments, with different powers reserved for each, and the Federal
government has direct administration of the federal territories.
[93]
Lower-level administration is carried out by local authorities, which
include city councils, district councils, and municipal councils,
although autonomous statutory bodies can be created by the federal and
state governments to deal with certain tasks.
[94]
The federal constitution puts local authorities outside of the federal
territories under the exclusive jurisdictions of the state government,
[95] although in practice the federal government has intervened in the affairs of state local governments.
[96] There are 144 local authorities, consisting of 11 city councils, 33 municipal councils, and 97 district councils.
[97]
The 13 states are based on historical Malay kingdoms, and 9 of the 11 Peninsular states, known as the
Malay states, retain their royal families. The King is elected by and from
the nine rulers to serve a five-year term.
[3]
This King appoints governors serving a four year term for the states
without monarchies, after consultations with the chief minister of that
state. Each state has a unicameral legislature known as the
State Legislative Assembly, and its own written constitution.
[98]
Sabah and Sarawak have considerably more autonomy than the other
states, most notably having separate immigration policies and controls,
and a unique residency status.
[99]
Geography
Malaysia is the
67th largest country by total land area, with a land area of 329,847 km
2 (127,355 sq mi). It has land
borders with Thailand in West Malaysia, and
Indonesia and
Brunei in East Malaysia.
[2] It is linked to
Singapore by a narrow causeway and a bridge. The country also has
maritime boundaries with
Vietnam[100] and the Philippines.
[101] The land borders are defined in large part by geological features such as the
Perlis River, the
Golok River and the Pagalayan Canal, whilst some of the maritime boundaries are the subject of ongoing contention.
[2] Brunei forms what is almost an enclave in Malaysia,
[102]
with the state of Sarawak dividing it into two parts. Malaysia is the
only country with territory on both the Asian mainland and the Malay
archipelago.
[103] Tanjung Piai, located in the southern state of
Johor, is the southernmost tip of continental Asia.
[104] The
Strait of Malacca, lying between
Sumatra
and Peninsular Malaysia, is one of the most important thoroughfares in
global commerce, carrying 40 per cent of the world's trade.
[105]
The two parts of Malaysia, separated from each other by the
South China Sea,
share a largely similar landscape in that both Peninsular and East
Malaysia feature coastal plains rising to hills and mountains.
[2] Peninsular Malaysia, containing 40 per cent of Malaysia's land area,
[103] extends 740 km (460 mi) from north to south, and its maximum width is 322 km (200 mi).
[106] It is divided between its east and west coasts by the
Titiwangsa Mountains,
[107] rising to a peak elevation of 2,183 metres (7,162 ft) at
Mount Korbu,
[108] part of a series of mountain ranges running down the centre of the peninsula.
[103] These mountains are heavily forested,
[109] and mainly composed of
granite and other igneous rocks. Much of it has been eroded, creating a
karst landscape.
[103] The range is the origin of some of Peninsular Malaysia's river systems.
[109]
The coastal plains surrounding the peninsula reach a maximum width of
50 kilometres (31 mi), and the peninsula's coastline is nearly 1,931 km
(1,200 mi) long, although harbours are only available on the western
side.
[106]
East Malaysia, on the island of
Borneo, has a coastline of 2,607 km (1,620 mi).
[2] It is divided between coastal regions, hills and valleys, and a mountainous interior.
[103] The
Crocker Range extends northwards from Sarawak,
[103] dividing the state of Sabah. It is the location of the 4,095 m (13,435 ft) high
Mount Kinabalu,
[110][111] the tallest mountain in Malaysia. Mount Kinabalu is protected as the
Kinabalu National Park, a UNESCO
World Heritage Site.
[112] The highest mountain ranges form the border between Malaysia and Indonesia. Sarawak contains the
Mulu Caves, the largest cave system in the world.
[103]
Around these two halves of Malaysia are
numerous islands, the largest of which is
Banggi.
[113] The local climate is
equatorial and characterised by the annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February)
monsoons.
[106] The temperature is moderated by the presence of the surrounding oceans.
[103] Humidity is usually high, and the average annual rainfall is 250 cm (98 in).
[106]
The climates of the Peninsula and the East differ, as the climate on
the peninsula is directly affected by wind from the mainland, as opposed
to the more maritime weather of the East. Local climates can be divided
into three regions, highland, lowland, and coastal.
Climate change is likely to affect sea levels and rainfall, increasing flood risks and leading to droughts.
[103]
Biodiversity
Malaysia signed the Rio
Convention on Biological Diversity on 12 June 1993, and became a party to the convention on 24 June 1994.
[115] It has subsequently produced a
National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, which was received by the convention on 16 April 1998.
[116] The country is
megadiverse with a high number of species and high levels of
endemism.
[117] It is estimated to contain 20 per cent of the world's animal species.
[118]
High levels of endemism are found on the diverse forests of Borneo's
mountains, as species are isolated from each other by lowland forest.
[103]
Animals
There are about 210 mammal species in the country.
[119] Over 620 species of birds have been recorded in Peninsular Malaysia,
[118] with many endemic to the mountains there. A high number of endemic bird species are also found in Malaysian Borneo.
[103] 250 reptile species have been recorded in the country, with about 150 species of snakes
[120] and 80 species of lizards.
[119] There are about 150 species of frogs,
[119] and thousands of insect species.
[119] Malaysia's
exclusive economic zone is 1.5 times larger than its land area,
[121] and some of its waters are in the
Coral Triangle, a biodiversity hotspot.
[122] The waters around
Sipadan island are the most biodiverse in the world.
[118] Bordering East Malaysia, the
Sulu Sea is a biodiversity hotspot, with around 600 coral species and 1200 fish species.
[123]
Fungi
Nearly 4000 species of fungi, including lichen-forming species have
been recorded from Malaysia. Of the two fungal groups with the largest
number of species in Malaysia, the
Ascomycota
and their asexual states have been surveyed in some habitats (decaying
wood, marine and freshwater ecosystems, as parasites of some plants, and
as agents of biodegradation), but have not been or have been only
poorly surveyed in other habitats (as endobionts, in soils, on dung, as
human and animal pathogens); the
Basidiomycota
are only partly surveyed: bracket fungi, and mushrooms and toadstools
have been studied, but Malaysian rust and smut fungi remain very poorly
known. Without doubt, many more fungal species in Malaysia have not yet
been recorded, and it is likely that many of those, when found, will be
new to science.
[124]
Some species of
Rafflesia can grow up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in diameter, making them the largest flowers in the world.
Plants
About two thirds of Malaysia is covered in forest,
[106] with some forests believed to be 130 million years old.
[119] The forests are dominated by
dipterocarps.
[125] Lowland forest covers areas below 760 m (2,490 ft),
[106] and formerly East Malaysia was covered in
such rainforest,
[125] which is supported by its hot wet climate.
[103] There are around 14,500 species of flowering plants and trees.
[119] Besides rainforests, there are over 1,425 km
2 (550 sq mi) of
mangroves in Malaysia,
[106] and a large amount of peat forest. At higher altitudes, oaks, chestnuts, and rhododendrons replace dipterocarps.
[103] There are an estimated 8,500 species of
vascular plants in Peninsular Malaysia, with another 15,000 in the East.
[126]
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.
[103] These forests host many members of the
Rafflesia genus, the largest flowers in the world,
[125] with a maximum diameter of 1 m (3 ft 3 in).
[119]
Conservation issues
Logging, along with cultivation practices has devastated tree cover,
causing severe environmental degradation in the country. Over
80 per cent of Sarawak's rainforest has been cleared.
[103]
Floods in East Malaysia have been worsened by the loss of trees, and
over 60 per cent of the Peninsular's forest have been cleared.
[119] With current rates of deforestation, the forests are predicted to be extinct by 2020.
[103] Deforestation is a major problem for animals, fungi and plants, as the forest is cut to make room for plantations.
[127] Most remaining forest is found inside national parks.
[119] Habitat destruction has proved a threat for marine life.
[123] Illegal fishing is another major threat,
[123] with fishing methods such as
dynamite fishing and poisoning depleting marine ecosystems.
[128] Leatherback turtle numbers have dropped 98 per cent since the 1950s.
[120] Hunting has also been an issue for some animals,
[119] with overconsumption and the use of animal parts for profit endangering many animals, from marine life
[123] to tigers.
[127] Marine life is also detrimentally affected by uncontrolled tourism.
[129]
The Malaysian government aims to balance economic growth with
environmental protection, but has been accused of favouring big business
over the environment.
[119] Some state governments are now trying to counter the environmental impact and pollution created by deforestation;
[125] and the federal government is trying to cut logging by 10 per cent each year.
28 national parks have been established; 23 in East Malaysia and five in the Peninsular.
[119] Tourism has been limited in biodiverse areas such as Sipadan island.
[129]
Animal trafficking is a large issue, and the Malaysian government is
holding talks with the governments of Brunei and Indonesia to
standardise anti-trafficking laws.
[130]
Economy
A
Proton car. Malaysia is the only country in
Southeast Asia which manufactures indigenously designed automobiles.
Malaysia is a relatively
open state-oriented and
newly industrialised market economy.
[131][132]
The state plays a significant but declining role in guiding economic
activity through macroeconomic plans. Malaysia has had one of the best
economic records in Asia, with GDP growing an average 6.5 per cent
annually from 1957 to 2005.
[3] In 2011, the GDP (PPP) was about $450 billion, the third largest economy in ASEAN and the
29th largest in the world.
[133] In 1991, former Prime Minister of Malaysia,
Mahathir bin Mohamad outlined his ideal in
Vision 2020, in which Malaysia would become a self-sufficient industrialized nation by 2020.
[134] Najib Razak
said Malaysia could attain developed country status in 2018 much
earlier from the actual target in 2020, he added the country has two
program concept such as
Government Transformation Programme and the
Economic Transformation Programme.
[135] Viktor Shvets, the managing director of
Credit Suisse, has said "Malaysia has all the right ingredients to become a developed nation."
[136]
The
Petronas Towers house the headquarters of the national oil company
Petronas and are the tallest twin-towers in the world.
In the 1970s, the predominantly mining and agricultural-based economy
began a transition towards a more multi-sector economy. Since the
1980s, the industrial sector, with a high level of investment, has led
the country's growth.
[3][137] The economy recovered from the
1997 Asian financial crisis
earlier than neighbouring countries did, and has since recovered to the
levels of the pre-crisis era with a GDP per capita of $14,800.
[138][139]
Economic inequalities exist between different ethnic groups. The
Chinese make up about one-third of the population, but accounts for 70
per cent of the country's market capitalisation.
[140] Chinese businesses in Malaysia are part of the larger
bamboo network, a network of
overseas Chinese businesses in the Southeast Asian market sharing common family and cultural ties.
[141]
International trade, facilitated by the shipping route in adjacent
Strait of Malacca, and manufacturing are the key sectors.
[142][143][144] Malaysia is an exporter of natural and agricultural resources, and petroleum is a major export.
[3] Malaysia has once been the largest producer of
tin,
[145] rubber and
palm oil in the world. Manufacturing has a large influence in the country's economy,
[146] although Malaysia's economic structure has been moving away from it.
[147] Malaysia remains one of the world's largest producers of palm oil.
[148]
In an effort to diversify the economy and make it less dependent on export goods, the government has pushed to increase
tourism to Malaysia.
As a result, tourism has become Malaysia's third largest source of
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.
[149]
Between 2013 and 2014, Malaysia has been listed as one of the best
place to retire in the world with the country stand at the third
position on the Global Retirement Index. This as one of the result of
the
Malaysia My Second Home programme to allow foreigners to live in the country on a long-stay
visa for up to 10 years.
[150]
The country has developed into a centre of
Islamic banking, and is the country with the highest numbers of female workers in that industry.
[151] Knowledge-based services are also expanding.
[147]
To create a self-reliant defensive ability and support national
development, Malaysia privatised some of its military facilities in the
1970s. The privatization has created defence industry, which in 1999 was
brought under the
Malaysia Defence Industry Council. The government continues to promote this sector and its competitiveness, actively marketing the defence industry.
[152]
Science policies in Malaysia
are regulated by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation.
The country is one of the world's largest exporters of semiconductor
devices, electrical devices, and IT and communication products.
[3] Malaysia began developing
its own space programme in 2002,
[153][154] and in 2006, Russia agreed to transport
one Malaysian to the
International Space Station as part of a multi-billion dollar purchase of 18 Russian Sukhoi Su-30MKM fighter jets by the
Royal Malaysian Air Force.
[155] The government has invested in building satellites in through the
RazakSAT programme.
[156]
Infrastructure
The infrastructure of Malaysia is one of the most developed in Asia.
[157] Its
telecommunications
network is second only to Singapore's in Southeast Asia, with
4.7 million fixed-line subscribers and more than 30 million cellular
subscribers.
[158][159] The country has seven international ports, the major one being the
Port Klang. There are 200
industrial parks along with specialised parks such as
Technology Park Malaysia and
Kulim Hi-Tech Park.
[160]
Fresh water is available to over 95 per cent of the population. During
the colonial period, development was mainly concentrated in economically
powerful cities and in areas forming security concerns. Although rural
areas have been the focus of great development, they still lag behind
areas such as the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
[161] The telecommunication network, although strong in urban areas, is less available to the rural population.
[158]
Malaysia's road network covers 144,403 kilometres (89,728 mi) and includes 1,821 kilometres (1,132 mi) of expressways.
[2] The longest highway of the country, the
North-South Expressway,
extends over 800 kilometres (497 mi) between the Thai border and
Singapore. The road systems in East Malaysia are less developed and of
lower quality in comparison to that of Peninsular Malaysia.
[162] Malaysia has 118 airports, of which 38 are paved. The country's official airline is
Malaysia Airlines,
providing international and domestic air service alongside two other
carriers. The railway system is state-run, and covers a total of 1,849
kilometres (1,149 mi).
[2] Relatively inexpensive elevated
Light Rail Transit systems are used in some cities, such as Kuala Lumpur.
[163] The
Asean Rail Express is a railway service that connects Kuala Lumpur to
Bangkok, and is intended to eventually stretch from Singapore to China.
[157]
Traditionally, energy production in Malaysia has been based on oil and natural gas.
[164] The country has 13 GW of electrical generation capacity.
[165]
However, the country only has 33 years of natural gas reserves, and 19
years of oil reserves, while the demand for energy is increasing. In
response, the government is expanding into renewable energy sources.
[164] Sixteen per cent of electricity generation is hydroelectric, the remaining 84 per cent being thermal.
[165] The oil and gas industry is dominated by state owned
Petronas,
[166] and the energy sector as a whole is regulated by the
Energy Commission of Malaysia,
a statutory commission that governs the energy in the peninsula and
Sabah, under the terms of the Electricity Commission Act of 2001.
[167]
Demographics
The percentage distribution of Malaysian population by ethnic group based on 2010 census.
As of the 2010 census, the population of Malaysia was 28,334,135,
[8] making it the
42nd most populated country. The population of Malaysia consists of many ethnic groups. In 2010, Malaysian citizens, of which
bumiputera were 67.4%, made up 91.8% of the population.
[168] According to constitutional definition, Malays are
Muslims who practice Malay customs and culture. They play a dominant role politically.
[169] Bumiputera status is also accorded to certain non-Malay
indigenous peoples, including ethnic
Thais,
Khmers,
Chams and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak. Non-Malay
bumiputera make up more than half of Sarawak's population and over two thirds of Sabah's population.
[2] There also exist
aboriginal groups in much smaller numbers on the peninsula, where they are collectively known as the
Orang Asli.
[170] Laws over who gets
bumiputera status vary between states.
[171]
Other minorities who lack
bumiputera status make up a large amount of the population. 24.6 per cent of the population are
of Chinese descent, while
those of Indian descent comprise 7.3 per cent of the population.
[168] The Chinese have historically been dominant in the business and commerce community, and form a plurality of the population of
Penang. Immigrants from India, the majority of them
Tamils, began arriving in Malaysia early in the 19th century.
[172][173]
Malaysian citizenship
is not automatically granted to those born in Malaysia, but is granted
to a child born of two Malaysian parents outside Malaysia. Dual
citizenship is not permitted.
[174]
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.
[175]
Population density (person per km
2)
The
education system
features a non-compulsory kindergarten education followed by six years
of compulsory primary education, and five years of optional secondary
education.
[176]
Schools in the primary education system are divided into two
categories: national primary schools, which teach in Malay, and
vernacular schools, which teach in Chinese or Tamil.
[177] Secondary education is conducted for five years. In the final year of secondary education, students sit for the
Malaysian Certificate of Education examination.
[178] Since the introduction of the
matriculation programme
in 1999, students who completed the 12-month programme in matriculation
colleges can enroll in local universities. However, in the
matriculation system, only 10 per cent of places are open to non-
bumiputera students.
[179]
The
infant mortality rate in 2009 was 6 deaths per 1000 births, and life expectancy at birth in 2009 was 75 years.
[180]
With the aim of developing Malaysia into a medical tourism destination,
5 per cent of the government social sector development budget is spent
on
health care.
[181] The population in concentrated on Peninsular Malaysia
[182] where 20 million of approximately 28 million Malaysians live.
[3] 70 per cent of the population is urban.
[2] Kuala Lumpur is the capital
[2] and the largest city in Malaysia,
[183] as well as its main commercial and financial centre.
[184] Putrajaya, a purpose-built city constructed from 1999, is the seat of government,
[185]
as many executive and judicial branches of the federal government were
moved there to ease growing congestion within Kuala Lumpur.
[186]
Due to the rise in labour-intensive industries,
[187] the country is estimated to have over 3 million migrant workers; about 10 per cent of the population.
[188] Sabah-based NGOs estimate that out of the 3 million that make up the population of Sabah, 2 million are illegal immigrants.
[189]
Malaysia hosts a population of refugees and asylum seekers numbering
approximately 171,500. Of this population, approximately 79,000 are from
Burma, 72,400 from the Philippines, and 17,700 from Indonesia.
Malaysian officials are reported to have turned deportees directly over
to human smugglers in 2007, and Malaysia employs
RELA, a volunteer militia with a history of controversies, to enforce its immigration law.
[190]
| Largest cities of Malaysia[191] |
Kuala Lumpur
Johor Bahru
|
Rank |
City |
State |
Population |
Ipoh
Shah Alam
|
| 1 |
Kuala Lumpur |
 Federal Territory |
1,475,337 |
| 2 |
Johor Bahru |
 Johor |
916,409 |
| 3 |
Ipoh |
 Perak |
704,572 |
| 4 |
Shah Alam |
 Selangor |
671,282 |
| 5 |
Petaling Jaya |
Selangor |
638,516 |
| 6 |
Kuching |
 Sarawak |
617,887 |
| 7 |
Kota Kinabalu |
 Sabah |
462,963 |
| 8 |
Kuala Terengganu |
 Terengganu |
343,284 |
| 9 |
Malacca City |
 Malacca |
331,790 |
| 10 |
Alor Setar |
 Kedah |
295,624 |
| 11 |
Miri |
Sarawak |
280,518 |
| 12 |
George Town |
 Penang |
227,972 |
Religion
The percentage distribution of Malaysian population by religion based on 2010 census.
The Malaysian constitution guarantees
freedom of religion while making
Islam the state religion.
[192]
According to the Population and Housing Census 2010 figures, ethnicity
and religious beliefs correlate highly. Approximately 61.3% of the
population practice
Islam, 19.8% practice
Buddhism, 9.2%
Christianity, 6.3%
Hinduism and 1.3% practice
Confucianism,
Taoism and other traditional
Chinese religions. 0.7% declared no religion and the remaining 1.4% practised other religions or did not provide any information.
[8] Sunnis make up at least 75% of Malaysian Muslims, with
non-denominational Muslims being the second largest group of Muslims at 18%.
[193]
The Malaysian constitution strictly defines what makes a "Malay",
considering Malays those who are Muslim, speak Malay regularly, practise
Malay customs, and lived in or has ancestors from Malaysia and
Singapore.
[194]
Statistics from the 2010 Census indicate that 83.6% of the Chinese
population identify as Buddhist, with significant numbers of adherents
following Taoism (3.4%) and Christianity (11.1%), along with small
Hui-Muslim
populations in areas like Penang. The majority of the Indian population
follow Hinduism (86.2%), with a significant minority identifying as
Christians (6.0%) or Muslims (4.1%). Christianity is the predominant
religion of the non-Malay
bumiputera community (46.5%) with an additional 40.4% identifying as Muslims.
[8]
Muslims are obliged to follow the decisions of
Syariah courts in matters concerning their religion. The Islamic judges are expected to follow the
Shafi'i legal school of Islam, which is the main
madh'hab of Malaysia.
[195] The jurisdiction of
Shariah courts is limited 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 do not hear matters related to Islamic practices.
[196]
Language
The distribution of language families of Malaysia shown by colours:
(click image to enlarge)
Areas with multiple languages
The official language of Malaysia is
Malaysian,
[2] a standardised form of the
Malay language.
[197] The terminology as per government policy is
Bahasa Malaysia (literally "Malaysian language")
[198] but legislation continues to refer to the official language as
Bahasa Melayu (literally "Malay language").
[199] Historically English was the de facto administrative language, with Malay becoming predominant after the 1969 race riots.
[200]
Under the National Language Act 1967, "The script of the national
language shall be the Rumi [Latin] script: provided that this shall not
prohibit the use of the Malay script, more commonly known as the
Jawi script, of the national language."
[201]
English remains an active
second language, with its use allowed for some official purposes under the National Language Act of 1967,
[201] and serves as the medium of instruction for maths and sciences in all public schools.
[202][203] Malaysian English, also known as Malaysian Standard English, is a form of English derived from
British English. Malaysian English is widely used in business, along with
Manglish, which is a colloquial form of English with heavy
Malay, Chinese, and
Tamil
influences. The government discourages the use of non-standard Malay
but has no power to issue compounds or fines to those who use improper
Malay on their advertisements.
[204][205]
Many other languages are used in Malaysia, which contains speakers of 137 living languages.
[206] Peninsular Malaysia contains speakers of 41 of these languages.
[207] The native tribes of East Malaysia have their own languages which are related to, but easily distinguishable from, Malay.
Iban is the main tribal language in Sarawak while
Dusunic languages are spoken by the natives in Sabah.
[208]
Chinese Malaysians predominately speak Chinese dialects from the
southern provinces of China. The more common dialects in the country are
Cantonese,
Mandarin,
Hokkien,
Hakka,
Hainanese, and
Fuzhou.
Tamil
is used predominantly by Tamils, who form a majority of Malaysian
Indians. Other south Asian languages are also widely spoken in Malaysia,
as well as
Thai[2] A small number of Malaysians have
Caucasian ancestry and speak
creole languages, such as the Portuguese based
Malaccan Creoles,
[209] and the Spanish based
Chavacano language.
[210]
Culture
A cook making
murtabak, a type of pancake mixed with eggs, small pieces of meat and onions, in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia has a multi-ethnic, multicultural, and multilingual society.
The original culture of the area stemmed from indigenous tribes that
inhabited it, along with the
Malays who later moved there. Substantial influence exists from
Chinese and
Indian culture, dating back to when foreign trade began. Other cultural influences include the
Persian,
Arabic, and
British cultures. Due to the structure of the government, coupled with the
social contract theory, there has been minimal
cultural assimilation of ethnic minorities.
[211]
In 1971, the government created a "National Cultural Policy",
defining Malaysian culture. It stated that Malaysian culture must be
based on the culture of the indigenous peoples of Malaysia, that it may
incorporate suitable elements from other cultures, and that Islam must
play a part in it.
[212] It also promoted the Malay language above others.
[213]
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.
[212]
Some cultural disputes exist between Malaysia and neighbouring
countries, notably Indonesia. The two countries have a similar cultural
heritage, sharing many traditions and items. However, disputes have
arisen over things ranging from culinary dishes to Malaysia's national
anthem. Strong feelings exist in Indonesia about protecting their
national heritage.
[214]
The Malaysian government and the Indonesian government have met to
defuse some of the tensions resulting from the overlaps in culture.
[215] Feelings are not as strong in Malaysia, where most recognise that many cultural values are shared.
[214]
Fine arts
Traditional Malaysian art was mainly centred around the areas of carving, weaving, and silversmithing.
[216]
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 and
songket fabrics. Indigenous East Malaysians are known for their wooden masks.
[103]
Each ethnic group have distinct performing arts, with little overlap
between them. However, Malay art does show some North Indian influence
due to the historical influence of India.
[217]
A batik craftsman making
batik,
Malaysian batik are usually patterned with floral motifs with light colouring.
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,
[217] the most important of which is the
gendang (drum). There are at least 14 types of traditional drums.
[218] Drums and other traditional percussion instruments and are often made from natural materials.
[218] Music is traditionally used for storytelling, celebrating life-cycle events, and occasions such as a harvest.
[217] It was once used as a form of long-distance communication.
[218] In East Malaysia,
gong-based musical ensembles such as
agung and
kulintang are commonly used in ceremonies such as funerals and weddings.
[219] These ensembles are also common in neighbouring regions such as in
Mindanao in the Philippines,
Kalimantan in Indonesia, and Brunei.
[219]
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.
[220] The first Malay literature was in the Arabic script. The earliest known Malay writing is on the
Terengganu stone, made in 1303.
[103]
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.
[220] English has also become a common literary language.
[103]
In 1971, the government took the step of defining the literature of
different languages. Literature written in Malay was called "the
national literature of Malaysia", literature in other
bumiputera languages was called "regional literature", while literature in other languages was called "sectional literature".
[213] Malay poetry is highly developed, and uses many forms. The
Hikayat form is popular, and the
pantun has spread from Malay to other languages.
[220]
Cuisine
Malaysia's cuisine reflects the multi-ethnic makeup of its population.
[223]
Many cultures from within the country and from surrounding regions have
greatly influenced the cuisine. Much of the influence comes from the
Malay, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Javanese, and Sumatran cultures,
[103] largely due to the country being part of the ancient
spice route.
[224] The cuisine is very similar to that of Singapore and Brunei,
[119] and also bears resemblance to Filipino cuisine.
[103] The different states have varied dishes,
[119] and often the food in Malaysia is different from the original dishes.
[173]
Sometimes food not found in its original culture is assimilated into
another; for example, Chinese restaurants in Malaysia often serve Malay
dishes.
[225] Food from one culture is sometimes also cooked using styles taken from another culture,
[119] This means that although much of Malaysian food can be traced back to a certain culture, they have their own identity.
[224] Rice is popular in many dishes. Chili is commonly found in local cuisine, although this does not necessarily make them spicy.
[223]
Media
Malaysia's main newspapers are owned by the government and political parties in the ruling coalition,
[226][227]
although some major opposition parties also have their own, which are
openly sold alongside regular newspapers. A divide exists between the
media in the two halves of the country. Peninsular-based media gives low
priority to news from the East, and often treats the eastern states as
colonies of the Peninsula.
[228]
The media have been blamed for increasing tension between Indonesia and
Malaysia, and giving Malaysians a bad image of Indonesians.
[229] The country has Malay, English, Chinese, and Tamil dailies.
[228]
Freedom of the press is limited, with numerous restrictions on publishing rights and information dissemination.
[230] The government has previously tried to crack down on opposition papers before elections.
[227]
In 2007, a government agency issued a directive to all private
television and radio stations to refrain from broadcasting speeches made
by opposition leaders,
[231] a move condemned by politicians from the opposition
Democratic Action Party.
[232] Sabah, where all tabloids but one are independent of government control, has the freest press in Malaysia.
[228] Laws such as the
Printing Presses and Publications Act have also been cited as curtailing freedom of expression.
[233]
Holidays and festivals
Malaysians observe a number of holidays and festivities throughout the year. Some are federally gazetted
public holidays
and some are observed by individual states. Other festivals are
observed by particular ethnic or religion groups, and the main holiday
of each major group has been declared a public holiday. The most
observed national holiday is
Hari Merdeka (Independence Day) on 31 August, commemorating the independence of the
Federation of Malaya in 1957.
[103] Malaysia Day on 16 September commemorates federation in 1963.
[234] Other notable national holidays are
Labour Day (1 May) and the King's birthday (first week of June).
[103]
Muslim holidays are prominent as Islam is the state religion;
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),
Maulidur Rasul (birthday of the Prophet), and others being observed.
[103] Malaysian Chinese celebrate festivals such as
Chinese New Year and others relating to traditional Chinese beliefs. Hindus in Malaysia celebrate
Deepavali, the festival of lights,
[192] while
Thaipusam is a religious rite which sees pilgrims from all over the country converge at the
Batu Caves.
[235]
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.
[236]
Despite most festivals being identified with a particular ethnic or
religious group, celebrations are universal. In a custom known as "open
house" Malaysians participate in the celebrations of others, often
visiting the houses of those who identify with the festival.
[160]
Sports
Popular sports in Malaysia include
football,
badminton,
field hockey,
bowls,
tennis,
squash,
martial arts,
horse riding,
sailing, and
skate boarding.
[160]
Football is the most popular sport in Malaysia and the country is
currently studying the possibility of bidding as a joint host for 2034
FIFA World Cup.
[237] Badminton matches attract thousands of spectators, and since 1948 Malaysia has been one of three countries to hold the
Thomas Cup.
[238] The Malaysian Lawn Bowls Federation was registered in 1997.
[239] Squash was brought to the country by members of the British army, with the first competition being held in 1939.
[240] The
Squash Racquets Association Of Malaysia was created on 25 June 1972.
[241] Malaysia has proposed a Southeast Asian football league.
[242] The men's
national field hockey team ranked 13th in the world as of November 2013.
[243] The 3rd
Hockey World Cup was hosted at
Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, as well as the 10th cup.
[244] The country also has its own
Formula One track–the
Sepang International Circuit. It runs for 310.408 kilometres (192.88 mi), and held its first
Grand Prix in 1999.
[245]
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.
[246] Malaysian athletes have won a total of six Olympic medals, five in Badminton, one in Platform diving.
[247] The country has competed at the
Commonwealth Games since 1950 as Malaya, and 1966 as Malaysia, and the games were hosted in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.
[248][249] The most common indigenous martial arts are
silat and kickboxing or
tomoi.
See also
References
- "Malaysian Flag and Coat of Arms". Malaysian Government. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
- "Malaysia". CIA. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
- "Malaysia". United States State Department. 14 July 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
- Derek Mackay (11 June 2005). Eastern Customs: The Customs Service in British Malaya and the Opium Trade. The Radcliffe Press. pp. 240–. ISBN 978-1-85043-844-1. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
- Frans Welman. Borneo Trilogy Sarawak: Volume 2. Booksmango. pp. 134–. ISBN 978-616-245-089-1. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
- Frans Welman. Borneo Trilogy Volume 1: Sabah. Booksmango. pp. 159–. ISBN 978-616-245-078-5. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
- "Malaysia Population Clock". Department of Statistics (Malaysia). Retrieved 16 March 2014.
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- "Opposition muzzled – here's black and white proof". Malaysiakini. 29 June 2007.
- Vikneswary, G (28 June 2007). "TV station denies censoring opposition news". Malaysiakini.
- McAdams, Mindy. "How Press Censorship Works". Mindy McAdams. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
- Yeng Ai Chun (19 October 2009). "Malaysia Day now a public holiday, says PM". Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- "Batu Caves, Selangor". Tourism Malaysia. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
- Hutton, Wendy (1997). East Malaysia and Brunei. Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd. p. 169. ISBN 962-593-180-5.
- "'Asean to bid for 2034 FIFA World Cup'". The Brunei Times. 16 May 2013. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
- "History of Badminton". SportsKnowHow.com. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
- "Malaysia Lawn Bowls Federation". 88DB.com. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
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- "History of SRAM". Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
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External links
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Malaysia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the country. For the biogeographical region, see
Malesia.
| Malaysia |
|
|
Motto: "Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu"[1]
"Unity Is Strength" |
Anthem: Negaraku
My Country |
|
|
Capital
and largest city |
Kuala Lumpur
Putrajaya (administrative)
3°08′N 101°42′E |
| Official languages |
Malaysian |
| Official script |
Malay (Latin) alphabet |
| Recognised |
English |
| Ethnic groups ([2]) |
|
| Demonym |
Malaysian[3] |
| Government |
Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| - |
King |
Abdul Halim |
| - |
Prime Minister |
Najib Tun Razak (BN) |
| - |
Deputy Prime Minister |
Muhyiddin Yassin (BN) |
| Legislature |
Parliament |
| - |
Upper house |
Dewan Negara |
| - |
Lower house |
Dewan Rakyat |
| Independence from the United Kingdom |
| - |
Independence of the Federation of Malaya |
31 August 1957[4] |
| - |
Independence of Sarawak |
22 July 1963[5] |
| - |
Self-government of North Borneo |
31 August 1963[6] |
| - |
Federation of
Malaya, North Borneo,
Sarawak, Singapore |
16 September 1963 |
| Area |
| - |
Total |
329,847 km2 (67th)
127,355 sq mi |
| - |
Water (%) |
0.3 |
| Population |
| - |
2014 estimate |
30,018,242[7] (42nd) |
| - |
2010 census |
28,334,135[8] |
| - |
Density |
86/km2 (114th)
216.45/sq mi |
| GDP (PPP) |
2014 estimate |
| - |
Total |
$555.912 billion[9] |
| - |
Per capita |
$18,509[9] |
| GDP (nominal) |
2014 estimate |
| - |
Total |
$367.712 billion[9] |
| - |
Per capita |
$12,243[9] |
| Gini (2009) |
46.2[10]
high · 36th |
| HDI (2013) |
0.769[11]
high · 64th |
| Currency |
Ringgit (RM) (MYR) |
| Time zone |
MST (UTC+8) |
| - |
Summer (DST) |
not observed (UTC+8) |
| Date format |
dd-mm-yyyy |
| Drives on the |
left |
| Calling code |
+60 |
| ISO 3166 code |
MY |
| Internet TLD |
.my, مليسيا.[12] |
Malaysia (
i// mə-LAY-zhə or
i// mə-LAY-see-ə) (
Malaysian pronunciation: [malajsiə]) is a
federal constitutional monarchy in
Asia. It consists of
thirteen states and three federal territories and has a total landmass of 329,847 square kilometres (127,350 sq mi) separated by the
South China Sea into two similarly sized regions,
Peninsular Malaysia and
East Malaysia (Malaysian Borneo). Peninsular Malaysia shares a land and maritime border with
Thailand and maritime borders with
Singapore,
Vietnam, and
Indonesia. East Malaysia shares land and maritime borders with
Brunei and Indonesia and a maritime border with the
Philippines. The capital city is
Kuala Lumpur, while
Putrajaya
is the seat of the federal government. In 2010 the population was
28.33 million, with 22.6 million living in Peninsular Malaysia. The
southernmost point of continental
Eurasia,
Tanjung Piai, is in Malaysia, located in the
tropics. It is one of 17
megadiverse countries on earth, with large numbers of
endemic species.
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,
whose establishment was followed by the Malay kingdoms becoming British
protectorates. The territories on Peninsular Malaysia were 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
North Borneo,
Sarawak, and Singapore on 16 September 1963, with
si
being added to give the new country the name Malaysia. Less than two
years later in 1965, Singapore was expelled from the federation.
Indonesia
