Malaysia

Full country name: Federation of Malaysia
Area: 329,750 sq km (204,445 sq mi)
Population: 22 million
Capital city: Kuala Lumpur (pop 1.2 million)
People: 50% Malay, 33% Chinese, 9% Indian, plus indigenous tribes such as Orang Asli and Iban
Language: Bahasa Malaysia, English, Chinese dialects, Tamil, indigenous dialects
Religion: 52% Muslim, 17% Buddhist, 12% Taoist, 8% Christian, 8% Hindu, 2% tribal
Government: Parliamentary monarchy
Head of state: King: Tuanku Salehuddin Abdul Aziz Shah ibni al-Marhum Hisamuddin Alam Shah
Prime Minister: Dr Mahathir Mohamad

GDP: US$99 billion
GDP per head: US$4530
Annual growth: 2%
Inflation: 4%
Major products/industries: Tin, rubber, palm oil, timber, oil, textiles, electronics
Major trading partners: Singapore, Japan, USA

History

Tension rose in 1963 during the 'Confrontation' with Indonesia. Indonesian troops crossed Malaysia's borders but were repelled by Malaysian and Commonwealth forces. Singapore separated from the union in 1965. In 1969, violent riots broke out between Malays and Chinese, though the country's racial groups have since lived in relative peace together. The United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) has been in power since 1974. Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is keen to exert his influence on the world stage as a pan-Asian leader, presided over a booming economy until 1997, when tumbling Asian currencies dragged the ringgit down with them.

In September 1998 the country hosted the Commonwealth Games, but the public relations aspect of the competition came apart when students and citizens protested against the unfair sacking and later imprisonment of deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim. Continuing street protests,calling for the resignation of Dr Matahir Mohamad, have unsettled Malayasia's reputation as one of the most politically stable of South-East Asian countries. By the time the 21st century rolled around, social upheavals had faded to a distant rumble and the Malaysian economy had clawed its way back into the game.

Economy

GDP grew at 8.6% in 2000, mainly on the strength of double-digit export growth and continued government fiscal stimulus. As an oil exporter, Malaysia also benefited from higher petroleum prices. Higher export revenues allowed the country to register a current account surplus, but foreign exchange reserves have been declining - from a peak of $34.5 billion in April 2000 to $29.7 billion by December - as foreign investors pulled money out of the country. Despite this development, Kuala Lumpur is unlikely to abandon its currency peg soon. An economic slowdown in key Western markets, especially the United States, and lower world demand for electronics products will slow GDP growth to 3%-6% in 2001, according to private forecasters. Over the longer term, Malaysia's failure to make substantial progress on key reforms of the corporate and financial sectors clouds prospects for sustained growth and the return of critical foreign investment.

Border Issues

Malaysia is currently involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Philippines have not fully revoked claim to Sabah State; Pulau Batu Putih (Pedra Branca Island) disputed with Singapore; Sipadan and Ligitan Islands in dispute with Indonesia.

Culture

Malaysia is a multicultural society, with Malays, Chinese and Indians living side by side. The Malays are the largest community. They are Muslims, speak Bahasa and are largely responsible for the political fortunes of the country. The Chinese comprise about a third of the population. They are Buddhists and Taoists, speak Hokkein, Hakka and Cantonese, and are dominant in the business community. The Indians account for about 10% of the population. They are mainly Hindu Tamils from southern India, they speak Tamil, Malayalam, and some Hindi, and live mainly in the larger towns on the west coast of the peninsula. There is also a sizeable Sikh community. Eurasians and indigenous tribes make up the remaining population. Despite Bahasa Malaysia being the official language, when members of these different communities talk to each other, they generally speak English, which was recently reinstated as the language of instruction in higher education.

The main indigenous tribe is the Iban of Sarawak, who number 395,000. They are largely longhouse dwellers and live along the Rejang and Baram rivers. The Bidayuh (107,000) are concentrated on Sarawak's Skrang River. The Orang Asli (80,000) live in small scattered groups in Peninsular Malaysia. Traditionally nomadic agriculturalists, many have been absorbed into modern Malaysia.

Malaysian music is heavily influenced by Chinese and Islamic forms. The music is based largely around the gendang (drum), but includes percussion instruments (some made of shells), flutes, trumpets and gongs. The country has a strong tradition of dance and dance dramas, some of Thai, Indian and Portuguese origin. Other artistic forms include wayang kulit (shadow-puppets), silat (a stylised martial art) and crafts such as batik, weaving and silver and brasswork.

Authors

Shirley Geok-lin Lim


Shirley Geok-lin Lim is an award-winning writer of fiction, poetry, and criticism who strives to bring together, rather than separate, the multiplicities in the different threads of her cultural identity. Born in 1944 in Malacca, Malaysia, a small town on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula, she endured a childhood powerfully shaped by deprivation, poverty, parental violence and abandonment. Abandoned by her mother, and growing up with five brothers in a culture that rarely recognized girls as individuals, she tried desperately to fit in.

Finding her own voice meant coming to an understanding of her native Chinese-Malaysian familial culture vis-a-vis the conflicting values her Westernized parents modeled. She was scorned by teachers for her love of English over her "native" tongue and was looked down upon for wishing to pursue her love of English literature.

Works:

Novels

Joss and Gold (2001)

Poetry

What the Fortune Teller Didn't Say (1998)
Monsoon History: Selected Poems (1994)
Modern Secrets (1989)
No Man's Grove (1985)
Crossing the Peninsula and Other Poems (1980)
Collections of Short Stories
Two Dreams: New and Selected Stories (1997)
Life's Mysteries: The Best of Shirley Geok-lin Lim (1985)
Another Country and Other Stories (1982)

Memoir

Among the White Moon Faces: An Asian-American Memoir of Homelands (1996)

John Ling

He was born on the 8th of September 1983 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. John Ling writes fast-paced action fiction with Christian & Chinese undertones. He self-publishes, markets & promotes his work through an American POD company. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels at Taylors College Malaysia.

Works:

Seven Bullets - An Anthology Of Action

Brotherhood: Infinity To Zero

Travel Tips

Visas: Commonwealth citizens and most European nationals do not need visas for visits of less than three months. Visitors are usually issued an extendable 30 or 60-day visa on arrival.
Health risks: Dengue fever, hepatitis, malaria, rabies

Malaysia is hot and humid all year so you're going to have sunshine and sweat pretty much whenever you visit. It is, however, best to avoid the November to January rainy season on Peninsula Malaysia's east coast if you want to enjoy the beaches. The time to see turtles on the east coast is between May and September.

In Peninsula Malaysia, long-distance taxis are twice the price of buses but they're a comparatively luxurious and efficient way to travel. If you want to get around by car, all major car-rental firms have KL offices. There are no boat services between Peninsula and East Malaysia, but fast boats ply the rivers of both Sabah and Sarawak.

Local taxis in Malaysia are metered. Rickshaws have all but disappeared in KL, but they are still a viable form of local transport in provincial areas. KL has a notoriously bad public transport system, and peak-hour travel in the city should be avoided at all cost.