Selamat Datang

TO
MALAYSIA
HISTORY
Introduction

Malaysia has a rich history dating back to

the 13th century. It was a busy seaport for
European and Far East traders for many
hundreds of years.
 Malaya (Malacca 1400 - 1511)

Malacca was founded in the 13th

century by a Sumatran prince.
It became the most influential
port city in Southeast Asia.
The early Arab traders brought
Islam to Malacca.
The local chiefs became the
sultans whose main purpose
was to facilitate trade.
Colonial Malaya (1511 - 1957)

In 1511, Portuguese sailed into

Malacca.
ln 1641, the Dutch captured the
city.
In 1819, the British replaced the
Dutch.
The Britishers lasted 138 years
until independence in 1957.
Independence in 1957

The British granted

independence to Malaya in
1957 in Kuala Lumpur's
Merdeka Square.
Tunku Abdul Rahman
became the first prime
minister of Malaya. It has a
secular and democratic
government.
 Present Day

Malaysia has undergone

tremendous growth and
prosperity since 1957.
Today, Malaysia has one of
the best airports, highways
and telecommunication
systems in Asia.
 Present Day

The literacy rate is above

90%.
With a highly educated
workforce and modern
infrastructure, it attracts large
foreign investments.
GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
 Geography

The country is made up of two regions,

Peninsula Malaysia and East Malaysia
Peninsula Malaysia

across the South China Sea.

The Peninsula Malaysia is divided into the East Malaysia (Borneo)

'east coast' and the 'west coast.

A series of mountain ranges run through
both Sabah and Sarawak. The Crocker
Range in Sabah is the site of Mt Kinabalu,
the highest peak in South East Asia.
Geography
Map of Malaysia
Climate

Malaysia is generally warm throughout the

year with temperatures ranging from 21
to 32 C in the lowlands. This can however
be as low as 16 C in the hills and
highlands.
Seasons

Malaysia has two seasons. The

dry season and the rainy
season.
Rainfall is heavy at 2,500mm.
Thunder and lightning often
accompany the heavy
downpour. The humidity level
is high at 80% throughout the
year.
ART AND CULTURE
 Arts and Culture

Many traditional arts,

culture and handicrafts
are there, which are
performed during
religious festivals.
Communities get together
to celebrate public events
like the Chingay in
Penang and Merdeka Day.
Arts and Culture

The harvest season is

celebrated with the giant
kites, top spinning and
traditional puppet shows.
 Arts and Culture

Joget Traditional barn-

dance
Wayang Kulit Puppet Show
Giant Kite The Wau
Top Spinning Gasing
Rattan Football Sepak
Tekraw
Martial Art Silat
PEOPLE AND CULTURE
People & Culture

Malaysia has a combined

population of over 26
million people.
The multi-cultural and
multi-racial population
consists of Malays,
Chinese, Indians and
numerous natives.
 People & Culture

Malay is the official

language but English is
widely spoken, especially
in business.
Official religion is Islam
but it is common to see
temples and churches
located in close
proximity.
 People & Culture
Ethnic Groups: 59% Malay and
other indigenous, 32% Chinese
and 9% Indian.
Languages: Malay, English,
Chinese, Tamil and other tribal
languages.
Religion: Muslim (primarily
Malays), Buddhism (Chinese),
Hindu (Indian), Christianity.
LOCAL CUSTOMS
 Local Customs
Muslim ladies greet with a nod of
her head and smile.
Greeting of "salam" resembles a
handshake whereby the man
offers both hands, lightly touches
the visitors outstretched hands,
and then brings his hands to his
chest to mean, I greet you from
my heart".
 Local Customs

Greeting, by hugging and

kissing, is not generally
practiced in Malaysia.
Shoes must be removed when
entering a Mosque or an Indian
temple and Malaysian homes.
Pointing is normally done using
the thumb as using the
forefinger is considered rude.
FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
 Festivals
Many Malaysian festivals are
celebrated based on the
religious calendar of the multi-
cultural and multi-racial
society.
It also means house
decoration, new clothes,
visiting friends, relatives and
enjoying the public holiday.
 Festivals
Hari Raya End of Ramadan
Chinese New Year Lunar
Calendar (Feb)
Deepavali Indian festival
Wesak Day Buddhas
birthday
Mooncake Festival (Sept)
Christmas Day (Dec)
Merdeka Day Independence
 Events
International Kite Festival
Rice harvesting (May)
Le Tour DeLangkawi
Bicycle Race (Feb)
Sarawak Regatta Sailing
competition
Mt Kinabalu International
Climbathon (Oct)
 Events

Rainforest World Music Fest

(July)
Colours of Malaysia (May-June)
Labuan Sea Challenge (May)
Langkawi International
Maritime and Aerospace
(December)
Formula 1 Grand prix (March)
LOCAL CUISINES
AND FRUITS
 Local Cuisines
The unique cooking styles
and flavors of the Malays,
Chinese and Indians cuisine
are enjoyed. Dinning out is
inexpensive, and the choice
of food is massive.
The fusion of races, cultures
and religion has provided
the interesting cuisines.
 Local Cuisines
Satays - Skewers of marinated
beef or chicken grilled over a
slow charcoal fire. The dipping
sauce is made from a spicy mix
and crushed peanut.
Nasi Lemak - Rice steamed with
coconut milk and served with
curry chicken or beef, fried
anchovies and sambal.
 Local Cuisines
Hainan Chicken Rice - Steamed
fragrant rice together with
chicken stock.
Wantan Mee - Egg noodle and
soya sauce served with barbeque
pork, prawns and dumplings.
Roti Canai -Layered pan cake
made with flour and water
cooked on a very hot iron plate.
 Local Cuisines
Nasi Briyani - Rice steamed
with goat butter, spices and
nuts. The cooked rice is served
with meat or vegetable curries.
Mee Siam - Rice noodle with
fresh tamarind juice and soya
sauce. Sliced chicken, prawns
and fried eggs are normally
served with the noodles.
Local Fruits

Malaysia has a huge

variety of tropical fruits.
Some are seasonal but
most are available
throughout the year.
 Local Fruits

Durians - The locals call this

the king of fruits. The creamy
yellowish flesh which tastes
bitter-sweet is covered by a
hard thorny pod with a strong
pungent smell.
Rambutan - A red coloured
fruit with a hairy soft shell.
The flesh is white and sweet.
A local favourite and available
twice a year.
 Local Fruits
Langsat A white, large
berry-like fruit with a thick
golden skin.
Ciku The flesh has grainy
texture and is very sweet.
Mangosteen - Like a cricket
ball with a yellow stalk. The
thick pulp conceals the white
flesh which is sweet and juicy.
GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE
AND
ECONOMY
Governmental Structure

The nine states have a

hereditary Ruler as Head of state
and an elected Chief Minister
(Menteri Besar) as politically
responsible Head of government.
The rulers of Johor, Kedah,
Kelantan, Pahang, Perak,
Selangor and Terengganu are
called Sultans.
 Governmental Structure
Negeri Sembilan's elective ruler holds the
title of Yang di-Pertuan Besar, whereas the
Ruler of Perlis is titled Raja.
Former British colonies of Penang and
Malacca (both peninsular) and Sabah and
Sarawak (both on Borneo) each have a
federally appointed Governor (Yang di-
Pertua Negeri) and a Chief Minister.
 Economy
An upper middle-income
country with GNI per
capita reaching 3,780.
Modestly populated and
endowed with abundant
natural resources.
Largest producer of
rubber, palm oil and tin,
recently started
extracting its reserves of
oil and timber.
 Economy
A moderate growth was
marked in the year 2005
and 2006. The real
growth was increased by
7.1% in 2004 from a
relatively lower rate of
5.3% in 2003.
In the year 2004 GNI was
at $ 117.1 billion. GNI
percapita was at $
4650.0.
ATTRACTIONS
Petronas Twin Towers

The Petronas
Twin Towers
in Kuala
Lumpur, were
the world's
tallest twin
buildings from
1998 to 2004.
 Palace of Golden Horses
Located on the
shores of a
magnificent 150-
acre lake, in The
Mines Resort City.
Asia's most
extraordinary hotel,
voted Best New City
Hotel in Asia-Pacific.
 Redang Island
Redang Island in
Terengganu is one of
the finest coral and
marine ecosystems in
Malaysia.
Massive coral formation,
white sand and good
visibility make it a great
family holiday and diving
site.
 The Beaches
It is paradise with sun-drenched beaches,
enchanting islands, diverse flora and fauna and
magnificent mountains.
 Sports
Golf is growing in
popularity. Excellent
courses are being
built.
The F1 Grand Prix is
raced in Sepang
each year; attracts
huge number of
visitors from
overseas.