Malaysia Page 1 Page 2

1. Malaysia constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia on the South China Sea. Malaysia is divided into two regions, known as West Malaysia and East Malaysia. West Malaysia, also known as Peninsular Malaysia, consists of the southern portion of the Malay Peninsula and nearby islands. Thailand borders West Malaysia on the north, and Singapore lies off the southern coastal tip. East Malaysia occupies the northern section of Borneo Island, as well as offshore islands. East Malaysia shares Borneo with Brunei, which lies on a small section of the northern coast, and with the Kalimantan region of Indonesia, which lies to the south. Malaysia is a federation of 13 states (Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Pinang, Perlis, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, and Terengganu) and 2 federal territories (Kuala Lumpur and Labuan). Kuala Lumpur, coextensive with the federal territory, is the capital and largest city.

From the late 18th to the early 19th centuries, Britain gradually gained control of Peninsular Malaysia, and most of northern Borneo fell into private British hands. During the same period, the largely Malay population became diversified, as ethnic Chinese and Indians immigrated to work in Malaysia’s tin and rubber industries. Since independence in 1957, ethnic tensions, especially between Chinese and Malays, have dominated political and economic issues. Despite the tensions, however, Malaysia has experienced rapid economic growth, particularly in the manufacturing sector, and economists include the country among Asia’s "newly industrialized economies" (NIEs).

2. LAND AND RESOURCES  
East and West Malaysia are separated by about 640 km (about 400 mi) of the South China Sea, and together comprise an area of 329,758 sq km (127,320 sq mi), with West Malaysia accounting for about 60 percent of this total. Peninsular Malaysia extends more than 800 km (500 mi) from north to south and spans 330 km (205 mi) at its widest point. In the north lies the Main Range, a mountainous spine that separates the east and west coastal plains. The Main Range rises to a maximum elevation of 2187 m (7175 ft) at Mount Tahan, West Malaysia’s highest point. The southern portion of the peninsula is relatively flat. Numerous small islands lie off the coast, including Langkawi and Pinang off the northwest coast, and Tioman, a popular tourist destination off the southeast coast.The states of Sarawak and Sabah (on Borneo), and the federal territory of Labuan (an island off the coast of Sabah) make up East Malaysia. On Borneo, East Malaysia has a maximum width of 275 km (171 mi) and extends about 1130 km (about 700 mi) in length. Its jagged coastline is about 2250 km (about 1400 mi) long. Sarawak, occupying the southwestern section of East Malaysia, consists of swampy lowlands along the coast rising to high mountains in the interior, especially in the east. Sabah, in the northeast, has extensive lowlands in its eastern section. Along Borneo’s northern coast in Sabah is the Crocker Range, which rises to a maximum elevation of 4101 m (13,455 ft) at Mount Kinabalu, the highest peak in Malaysia. Several small islands, most notably Labuan and Banggi, lie off the coast of Sabah.

A Rivers and Lakes  
East Malaysia contains the country’s two longest rivers: the Rajang in Sarawak and the Kinabatangan in Sabah. They are each about 560 km (about 350 mi) long and navigable for part of their courses. Also important is the 400-km (250-mi) long Baram River in Sarawak. Peninsular Malaysia’s longest rivers include the Pahang (about 460 km/about 290 mi long), the Kelantan (about 400 km/about 250 mi long), and the Perak (about 240 km/about 150 mi long), all of which are navigable for most of their courses. Most of Malaysia’s rivers have steep descents, especially those in Sarawak. Consequently, these rivers have immense hydroelectric potential, which the country is in the process of developing. Most of Malaysia’s lakes were created by dam projects. The largest of these lakes are Temengor in the state of Perak, and Kenyir in the state of Terengganu; Lake Kenyir, which is surrounded by dense vegetation and borders on a national park, is being developed for ecotourism. The country’s largest natural lake is the Bera in West Malaysia.

B Plant and Animal Life  
Malaysia has abundant plant life in its coastal mangrove forests; in lowland tropical forests; and, at elevations over 1200 m (3900 ft), in mossy or montane oak forests. The country harbors an estimated 8000 species of flowering plants, including 2500 species of trees. The lowland forests contain some of the most important commercial timber species, including mahogany and teak. These trees often attain heights of more than 50 m (160 ft) and grow to about 3 m (about 10 ft) in circumference. Where forested areas are cleared, the ground is rapidly taken over by a coarse grass called Imperata cylindrica, an invasive weed that displaces other vegetation. The world’s largest flower, the rafflesia, grows in East Malaysia. Sabah contains the largest of the pitcher plants, the Nepenthes rajah, which can hold up to 2 liters (1/2 gallons) of water. Approximately one-quarter of the land in Malaysia is cultivated or used for plantation agriculture.

Like other tropical forests, Malaysia’s forests include an enormous variety of animal life. Large mammals include Asian elephants; tigers; sun bears; tapirs; several species of deer; and rhinoceroses, which are endangered. Malaysia’s primates include the endangered orangutans and three species of protected gibbons. Other animals include numerous birds (about 650 species of birds exist in Peninsular Malaysia alone); more than 100 species of snakes, including king cobras and pythons; and many amphibians, including crocodiles and 80 species of lizards. Malaysia is renowned for its huge insect population, including many species of butterflies and moths. Some insects, including mosquitoes, hornets, red ants, scorpions, and certain spiders, can be harmful to people.

C Natural Resources  
Malaysia has several important natural resources. Forests cover nearly 50 percent of the land; Sabah and Sarawak are especially known for their tropical forests. Logging and the construction of hydroelectric projects caused rapid deforestation, however, and the government has taken steps to conserve the forests by such means as the establishment of protected national parks. West Malaysia has large deposits of tin and numerous rubber trees. Other minerals include copper and uranium. However, the country’s most important natural resources—and its most valuable exports—are oil and natural gas, found in offshore deposits. Petroleum reserves were estimated at 4.3 million barrels in the early 1990s, and natural gas reserves were about 2.2 billion cu m (77.7 billion cu ft).

D Climate  
Except in the highlands, Malaysia’s climate is hot and humid year round. Average daily temperatures vary from about 20° to 30° C (about 70° to 90° F). Average annual rainfall for the peninsula is about 2500 mm (about 100 in). The exposed northern slopes of Sarawak and Sabah receive as much as 5080 mm (200 in) of rain per year.

3.THE PEOPLE OF MALAYSIA  
In 1991 Malaysia’s total population was 17,566,982. The country’s estimated 1997 population was 20,491,201, yielding an overall population density of 62 persons per sq km (161 per sq mi). The population is unevenly distributed, however, and West Malaysia is about seven times more densely populated than East Malaysia. Some 55 percent of Malaysia’s population is urban; like most developing nations, Malaysia has experienced high rural-to-urban migration rates since the 1950s. Urban unemployment is very low in Malaysia, and this contributes to the growth.

The labor shortage for low-skill jobs attracts many immigrants, particularly from Indonesia, the Philippines, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. In addition to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s large cities include Ipoh, Johor Baharu, Petaling Jaya, Kelang, Kuala Terengganu, and George Town (formerly Pinang). Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, and Kelang are part of the Kelang Valley conurbation, Malaysia’s largest urban region. A new administrative capital, Putrajaya, is being constructed about 40 km (about 25 mi) south of Kuala Lampur; it will be part of the greater Kuala Lumpur metropolitan area when completed in the early 21st century.

Nearly one-half of Kuala Lumpur’s metropolitan area population resides in the surrounding state of Selangor, where Petaling Jaya, Kelang, and Shah Alam are located. Between 1980 and 1991 Selangor grew by 60.5 percent, compared with only 27.8 percent for Kuala Lumpur and about 26 percent for the nation as a whole. Only one state, Sabah, had a higher growth rate (87 percent) during the same period. Johor Baharu, located across from Singapore at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, is also growing rapidly. George Town, a major seaport and tourist destination, is on the island of Pinang.

A Ethnic Groups and Languages  
Ethnic Malays and other indigenous peoples, sometimes known as Malayan peoples, comprise 59 percent of Malaysia’s population. In Malaysia they are called bumiputera (sons of the soil). Other groups include ethnic Chinese, who constitute 32 percent of the population, and ethnic Indians, who make up about 9 percent. Small numbers of Indonesians, Thai, Europeans, and Australians also live in Malaysia. In West Malaysia nearly three-fifths of the population are ethnic Malays.

Fifteen percent of the population in Sabah and 40 percent of the population in Sarawak belong to one of the numerous Dayak ethnic groups inhabiting the island of Borneo. Chinese constitute a sizable population throughout Malaysia, especially in Sarawak. The national language is Bahasa Malaysia, a Malay language of the Austronesian language family. English, Chinese, and Tamil (a Dravidian language of southern India) are also widely spoken.

B Religion  Islam is the country’s official religion, although the constitution guarantees freedom of religion. More than half the people of Malaysia are Muslims, including nearly all ethnic Malays. Most Chinese are Buddhists, although Confucianism and Daoism (Taoism) are also important. Most Indians practice Hinduism. In Sabah and Sarawak many of the indigenous peoples are Christians, although traditional beliefsare also widely practiced.

C Education  
In Malaysia education is free and compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 16, and an additional two years of free education are optional. In 1995, 91 percent of Malaysian children attended primary school. Parents may choose between Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese, or Tamil as the language of instruction for their primary school children. Bahasa Malaysia is the primary language of instruction in all secondary schools, although continued learning in Chinese and Tamil is available and English is a compulsory second language. Enrollment in secondary education was 57 percent in 1995. Malaysia has a number of institutions of higher education, including nine universities. Universities include the National University, in Bangi; the University of Technology, in Johor Baharu; and the University of Malaya, in Kuala Lumpur.

D Way of Life  
The people of Malaysia have a variety of lifestyles. Important among ethnic Malays are respect and obedience toward parents and elders, community self-help, and, in rural areas, the maintenance of law and order through cooperation and respect for the village headman. Marriages, burial customs, and other aspects of Malay life conform to Islamic law. In general, religion plays a major role in each group’s way of life. Wedding ceremonies of ethnic Indians, for example, follow Hindu traditions, whereby the wedding takes place on a day and hour prescribed by a Hindu astrologer. Traditional Chinese family structure is patrilineal and patriarchal; as in China, sons are preferred over daughters in order to maintain the family surname through descent. Kinship ties among the extended Chinese family are very strong and carry into the business environment. Because ethnic Chinese own many Malaysian businesses, these ties hinder occupational mobility among Malays.

Rural ways of life differ significantly from urban lifestyles. In East Malaysia, about three-quarters of the population is rural. Many indigenous ethnic groups, including the Iban (Sea Dayaks), Bidayuh (Land Dayaks), and Kadazan, practice shifting cultivation (also known as slash-and-burn agriculture). In this type of agriculture, trees and grasses are burned from an area so a crop may be planted; after several seasons, the land is abandoned and a new area is burned for planting. These groups live mostly in single-family housing units, but many indigenous people in East Malaysia live in longhouses, a traditional dwelling of Borneo.

E Social Issues  
Poverty remains fairly widespread in Malaysia, and the distribution of income is uneven, especially in rural areas. Ethnic Chinese and Indians typically predominate in estate agriculture, which brings higher incomes than the activity of most bumiputras, who generally work as laborers on estate farms, raise crops on small plots, or practice subsistence agriculture (farming to meet family or village needs rather than for profit). In general, ethnic Chinese play the major role in both the rural and urban sectors of the economy, and this is an issue of contention for many bumiputras. In 1970 the government introduced the New Economic Policy (NEP) to try to redress these economic differences and eliminate the relationship between ethnicity and income. The 20-year period of the NEP produced some improvements, including a reduction of people living at or below poverty level, from 52 percent in 1970 to 17 percent in 1990. However, economic and social differences among groups, especially those between Malay and Chinese, remain a major problem for Malaysia. In 1991 the government introduced a successor to the NEP, the New Development Policy (NDP).

4. CULTURE  
Malaysia reflects different cultural traditions, including those of China, India, the Middle East, Europe, and the entire Malay Archipelago. Early Malay empires absorbed Indian influences, such as Hindu epics and the Sanskrit language. The kingdom of Malacca, centered in the present-day state of Melaka, developed as an Islamic state, or sultanate, in the 1400s. Later, new cultural influences from Europe and China mixed with Hindu and Islamic traditions. A collective but distinctively Malay cultural pattern has emerged out of all these influences, with artistic expressions in literature, music, dance, and art forms.

A Literature  
Malaysia’s most important literary work is the Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals). Written in the 1500s, this work presents a somewhat romanticized account of the Malacca sultanate. European colonizers on Peninsular Malaysia (the Portuguese in 1511, the Dutch in 1641, and finally the English in the 18th century) greatly affected the local literary style. In print, the vernacular, or spoken, language replaced the classical literary style of Malay, and in 1876 the first Malaysian newspaper used the vernacular.

B Art and Architecture  
Malaysian decorative art forms include colorful batik cloth, silverware, pewter items, and woodcarvings. Like other elements of Malaysian culture, its architecture reflects influences from India, China, and Islam. These influences are most pronounced in religious structures. The British introduced colonial architecture and, in buildings such as the old post office and railway station in Kuala Lumpur, the Moorish style.

C Music, Dance, and Drama  
Hindu, Islamic, and Indonesian forms influenced music in Malaysia. For example, wayang kulit (shadow-puppet theater), was introduced from Java in the 13th century, and today is most commonly found in the state of Kelantan. Malaysian musical instruments include distinctive drums (gendang), of which there are at least 14 types; gongs and other percussion instruments made from native materials such as bamboo (kertuk and pertuang) and coconut shells (raurau); and a variety of wind instruments, including flutes. Ensembles (nobat) and orchestras (gamelan) play these instruments at special occasions. Chinese musical forms, including Chinese opera, were more recently introduced into Malaysia; however, today’s young Malaysians of Chinese descent have little interest in such forms of music.

D Libraries and Museums  
Three of Malaysia’s major museums—the National Museum of Malaysia, in Kuala Lumpur; the Sabah Museum, in Kota Kinabalu; and the Sarawak Museum, in Kuching—exhibit collections of regional ethnographic and archaeological materials. The National Library of Malaysia and the National Archives are in Kuala Lumpur. Each state (except the smallest, Perlis) has its own museum exhibiting local items.

5. ECONOMY  
The economy of Malaysia once relied principally on the production of raw materials for export, most importantly petroleum, natural rubber, tin, palm oil, and timber. Recently, however, the manufacturing sector has grown in importance, helping the nation’s economy expand 8.7 percent annually in the period 1990-1996. Tourism has also become an important sector in Malaysia’s economy. In 1995 Malaysia’s annual budget included revenues of about $21.6 billion and expenditures of about $20 billion. The value of gross domestic product (GDP) was $99.2 billion in 1996. Services accounted for 41 percent of GDP; industry, including mining and construction, 46 percent; and agriculture, forestry, and fishing, 13 percent.

A Labor  
In 1996 Malaysia had an labor force of 8.3 million workers. Some 27 percent were employed in agriculture, forestry, fishing; 23 percent in industry; and 50 percent in services. Unemployment was comparatively low, with only 2.8 percent of the workforce unable to find work in 1995.

B Agriculture
Forestry, and Fishing  Some 6 percent of Malaysia’s land is under cultivation for field crops and 18 percent is used for plantation agriculture. Malaysia ranks as the world’s leading producer and exporter of palm oil, which accounted for 5 percent of export earnings in the early 1990s. The country was also once the leading producer of natural rubber, though in the early 1990s Thailand and Indonesia surpassed Malaysia after Malaysia began shifting to more profitable crops such as palm oil. Other important cash crops are cacao, sugarcane, pepper, coconuts, and pineapples. The principal subsistence crop is rice, though cassava and bananas are also important. The country is a leading world supplier of tropical hardwoods. Most of the exported raw timber comes from Sabah and Sarawak, while West Malaysia provides finished goods such as plywood. In 1995 Malaysia’s annual fish catch was 1.2 million metric tons, nearly all of it from ocean waters.

C Mining  
Production of petroleum and natural gas has increased greatly since offshore drilling began in the 1970s, and the refining of crude oil is a major industry. In 1995 mineral fuels provided 7 percent of Malaysia’s export revenues. Malaysia’s tin reserves rank among the largest in the world, although production has declined sharply, from about 70,000 metric tons of concentrates in the early 1970s to about 5174 in 1996. Much of the decline is due to a sharp fall in the world commodity price for the metal. Mining activity also yields bauxite, copper, iron ore, silver, and gold.

D Manufacturing  
During the 1980s and early 1990s manufacturing production increased by nearly 10 percent annually; in 1995 manufactured items accounted for 75 percent of exports by value. Malaysia is becoming a leading exporter of semiconductors, in part because of rising production costs in other Asian countries. Principal industrial activities are the processing of rubber, palm oil, timber, tin, and petroleum; and the production of electrical and electronic equipment, processed food, textiles, chemicals, building materials, and handicrafts. In addition, Malaysia produces its own automobile, the Proton.

E Services  
Among the most important of the service industries is tourism, which has grown rapidly since the government sponsored the Visit Malaysia Year campaign in 1990. In 1993 Malaysia had more tourist arrivals than any other Southeast Asian nation. Many tourists came for short visits from nearby Singapore or other Southeast Asian countries, although a large number arrived from more distant places, including Japan and Taiwan.

F Energy  
Malaysia is self-sufficient in energy. In 1996 annual production was 48 billion kilowatt-hours. Some 83 percent of the country’s production came from thermal plants burning fossil fuels (petroleum and natural gas), and 17 percent was from hydroelectric sources.

G Transportation and Communications  
The framework of West Malaysia’s system of roads and railroads was laid down during the British colonial period. A main highway in western Peninsular Malaysia extends over 800 km (500 mi) from Singapore to the Thai border in the north. The road system in Sabah and Sarawak is much less developed; a main road runs along Borneo’s northern coast but there are few good interior roads. The state-owned railroad system consists of 1798 km (1117 mi) of track, most of which is in West Malaysia and with a short stretch in Sabah. Malaysia Airlines, founded in 1971, offers both domestic and international flights. Two additional national carriers also offer domestic and regional flights. Malaysia has five international airports, including those at Kuala Lumpur, George Town, and Kota Kinabalu. A new international airport, located about 70 km (about 40 mi) south of Kuala Lumpur in Sepang, was due to open in mid-1998. Major seaports in West Malaysia are Port Kelang, George Town, and Melaka. Kuching and Labuan are the major seaports serving Sarawak and Sabah, respectively.

Malaysia has a vigorous press, with 44 daily newspapers publishing in four languages. The state-run Radio Malaysia operates six radio networks, and Television Malaysia operates two television networks; two private television networks also exist.

H Foreign Trade  
Export trade totaled $74 billion in 1995. Major exports include semiconductors and electronic equipment, petroleum and petroleum products, palm oil, wood and wood products, rubber, and textiles. The chief buyers of exports are Japan, the United States, Singapore, Taiwan, Germany, the United Kingdom, and South Korea. Trade with China has expanded significantly. Imports were valued at $78 billion in 1995. The major imports were machinery and transportation equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, mineral fuels, and food. The leading suppliers of imported goods are Singapore, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Hong Kong. Malaysia is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and is a full participant in the ASEAN Free Trade Association (AFTA), established in 1992 with the goal of nearly free trade among member nations in 15 years. The country is also part of the Southern Growth Triangle (SGT), which includes Singapore, Johor Baharu, and Indonesia’s Riau Archipelago; and part of the Northern Growth Triangle (NGT), which includes Pinang, southern Thailand, and northern Sumatra in Indonesia. The SGT and NGT are cooperative associations focused on increasing the economic development of their respective regions.

I Currency and Banking  
The Malaysian unit of currency is the ringgit, consisting of 100 sen (2.52 ringgits equal U.S.$1; 1996). Malaysia’s central bank and bank of issue is the Bank Negara Malaysia, in Kuala Lumpur. There is a stock exchange in Kuala Lumpur.

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