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Wikipedia

Malaysia

January 07, 2023

Not to be confused with Malesia.

Malaysia (/məˈleɪziə, -ʒə/ (listen) mə-LAY-zee-ə, -⁠zhə; Malay: [məlejsiə]) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Malaysia. 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 and Vietnam. Kuala Lumpur is the national capital, the country's largest city, and the seat of the legislative branch of the federal government. The nearby planned capital of Putrajaya is the administrative capital, which represents the seat of both the executive branch (the Cabinet, federal ministries, and agencies) and the judicial branch of the federal government. With a population of over 32 million, Malaysia is the world's 45th-most populous country. The southernmost point of continental Eurasia is in Tanjung Piai. In the tropics, Malaysia is one of 17 megadiverse countries, home to numerous endemic species.

Malaysia
Motto: Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu[1]
"Unity is Strength"
Anthem: Negaraku
"My Country"
Location of Malaysia (dark green)

– in Asia (dark gray & white)
– in ASEAN (dark gray)

Capital
Largest cityKuala Lumpur
Official language
Malay[a][b][c]
Recognised languageEnglish[c]
Ethnic groups
(2021)[2][3]
Religion
(2020)[5]
Demonym(s)Malaysian
GovernmentFederal parliamentary constitutional elective monarchy
• Monarch
Abdullah
Anwar Ibrahim
LegislatureParliament
• Upper house
Dewan Negara (Senate)
• Lower house
Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives)
Independence 
from the United Kingdom
31 August 1957[6]
22 July 1963
31 August 1963[7]
16 September 1963
Area
• Total
330,803 km2 (127,724 sq mi) (67th)
• Water (%)
0.3
Population
• 2022 estimate
33,871,431[8] (43rd)
• 2020 census
32,447,385[9]
• Density
98/km2 (253.8/sq mi) (116th)
GDP (PPP)2022 estimate
• Total
 $1.089 trillion [10] (31st)
• Per capita
 $32,901[10] (54th)
GDP (nominal)2022 estimate
• Total
 $439.373 billion[10] (34th)
• Per capita
 $13,268[10] (66th)
Gini (2015) 41[11]
medium
HDI (2021) 0.803[12]
very high · 62nd
CurrencyRinggit (RM) (MYR)
Time zoneUTC+8 (MST)
Date formatdd-mm-yyyy
Driving sideleft
Calling code+60
ISO 3166 codeMY
Internet TLD.my

Malaysia has its origins in the Malay kingdoms, which, from the 18th century on, became subject to the British Empire, along with the British Straits Settlements protectorate. Peninsular Malaysia was unified as the Malayan Union in 1946. Malaya was restructured as the Federation of Malaya in 1948 and achieved independence on 31 August 1957. The independent Malaya united with the then British crown colonies of North Borneo, Sarawak, and Singapore on 16 September 1963 to become Malaysia. In August 1965, Singapore was expelled from the federation and became a separate independent country.[13]

The country is multiethnic and multicultural, which has a significant effect on its politics. About half the population is ethnically Malay, with minorities of Chinese, Indians, and indigenous peoples. The country's official language is Malaysian Malay, a standard form of the Malay language. English remains an active second language. While recognising Islam as the country's established religion, the constitution grants freedom of religion to non-Muslims. The government is modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system, and the legal system is based on common law. The head of state is an elected monarch, chosen from among the nine state sultans every five years. The head of government is the Prime Minister.

After independence, the Malaysian GDP grew at an average rate of 6.5% per annum for almost 50 years. The economy has traditionally been fuelled by its natural resources but is expanding in the sectors of science, tourism, commerce and medical tourism. Malaysia has a newly industrialised market economy, ranked third-largest in Southeast Asia and 36th-largest in the world.[14] It is a founding member of ASEAN, EAS, and OIC and a member of APEC, the Commonwealth, 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 "Malays" and the Latin-Greek suffix "-ia"/"-ία"[15] which can be translated as "land of the Malays".[16] The origin of the word 'Melayu' is subject to various theories. It may derive from the Sanskrit "Himalaya", referring to areas high in the mountains, or "Malaiyur-pura", meaning mountain town.[17] Another similar theory claims its origin lies in the Tamil words "malai" and "ur" meaning "mountain" and "city, land", respectively.[18][19][20] Another suggestion is that it derives from the Pamalayu campaign. A final suggestion is that it comes from a Javanese word meaning "to run", from which a river, the Sungai Melayu ('Melayu river'), was named due to its strong current.[17] Similar-sounding variants have also appeared in accounts older than the 11th century, as toponyms for areas in Sumatra or referring to a larger region around the Strait of Malacca.[21] The Sanskrit text Vayu Purana, thought to have been in existence since the first millennium CE, mentioned a land named 'Malayadvipa' which was identified by certain scholars as the modern Malay peninsula.[22][23][24][25][26] Other notable accounts are by the 2nd century Ptolemy's Geographia that used the name Malayu Kulon for the west coast of Golden Chersonese, and the 7th century Yijing's account of Malayu.[21]

At some point, the Melayu Kingdom took its name from the Sungai Melayu.[17][27] 'Melayu' then became associated with Srivijaya,[21] and remained associated with various parts of Sumatra, especially Palembang, where the founder of the Malacca Sultanate is thought to have come from.[28] It is only thought to have developed into an ethnonym as Malacca became a regional power in the 15th century. Islamisation established an ethnoreligious identity in Malacca, with the term 'Melayu' beginning to appear as interchangeable with 'Melakans'. It may have specifically referred to local Malays speakers thought loyal to the Malaccan Sultan. The initial Portuguese use of Malayos reflected this, referring only to the ruling people of Malacca. The prominence of traders from Malacca led 'Melayu' to be associated with Muslim traders, and from there became associated with the wider cultural and linguistic group.[21] Malacca and later Johor claimed they were the centre of Malay culture, a position supported by the British which led to the term 'Malay' becoming more usually linked to the Malay peninsula rather than Sumatra.[28]

Before the onset of European colonisation, the Malay Peninsula was known natively as "Tanah Melayu" ("Malay Land").[29] Under a racial classification created by a German scholar Johann Friedrich Blumenbach, the natives of maritime Southeast Asia were grouped into a single category, the Malay race.[30][31] Following the expedition of French navigator Jules Dumont d'Urville to Oceania in 1826, he later proposed the terms of "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".[32] 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.[33] The name Malaysia gained some use to label what is now the Malay Archipelago.[34] In modern terminology, "Malay" remains the name of an ethnoreligious group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula and portions of the adjacent islands of Southeast Asia, including the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo, and smaller islands that lie between these areas.[35]

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 first millennium CE.[36][37] 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.[38][d] One theory posits the name was chosen so that "si" represented the inclusion of Singapore, North Borneo, and Sarawak to Malaya in 1963.[38] Politicians in the Philippines contemplated renaming their state "Malaysia" before the modern country took the name.[40]

History

Main article: History of Malaysia
 
The Malacca Sultanate played a major role in spreading Islam throughout the Malay Archipelago.

Evidence of modern human habitation in Malaysia dates back 40,000 years.[41] In the Malay Peninsula, the first inhabitants are thought to be Negritos.[42] Traders and settlers from India and China arrived as early as the first century AD, establishing trading ports and coastal towns in the second and third centuries. Their presence resulted in strong Indian and Chinese influences 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 fourth or fifth century.[43] The Kingdom of Langkasuka arose around the second century in the northern area of the Malay Peninsula, lasting until about the 15th century.[36] Between the 7th and 13th centuries, much of the southern Malay Peninsula was part of the maritime Srivijayan empire. By the 13th and the 14th century, the Majapahit empire had successfully wrested control over most of the peninsula and the Malay Archipelago from Srivijaya.[44] In the early 15th century, Parameswara, a runaway king of the former Kingdom of Singapura linked to the old Srivijayan court, founded the Malacca Sultanate.[45] The spread of Islam increased following Parameswara's conversion to that religion. Malacca was an important commercial centre during this time, attracting trade from around the region.[46]

 
The Dutch fleet battling with the Portuguese armada as part of the Dutch–Portuguese War in 1606 to gain control of Malacca

In 1511, Malacca was conquered by Portugal,[46] 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 Island to the British East India Company. The British obtained the town of Singapore in 1819,[47] 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.[48] 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.[49] 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.[50] 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.[51]

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.[52] Popular support for independence increased after Malaya was reconquered by Allied forces.[53] 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 on 1 February 1948 by the Federation of Malaya, which restored the autonomy of the rulers of the Malay states under British protection.[54]

 
Leader of the Malayan Communist Party Lee Meng holding a rifle during the Malayan Emergency, 1951

During this time, the mostly ethnically Chinese rebels under the leadership of the Malayan Communist Party launched guerrilla operations designed to force the British out of Malaya. The Malayan Emergency (1948–1960) involved a long anti-insurgency campaign by Commonwealth troops in Malaya.[55] On 31 August 1957, Malaya became an independent member of the Commonwealth of Nations.[56] 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 date of federation was planned to be 31 August 1963 so as to coincide with the anniversary of Malayan independence; however, federation was delayed until 16 September 1963 in order for a United Nations survey of support for federation in Sabah and Sarawak, called for by parties opposed to federation including Indonesia's Sukarno and the Sarawak United Peoples' Party, to be completed.[57][58]

Federation brought heightened tensions including a conflict with Indonesia as well continuous conflicts against the Communists in Borneo and the Malayan Peninsula which escalates to the Sarawak Communist Insurgency and Second Malayan Emergency together with several other issues such as the cross border attacks into North Borneo by Moro pirates from the southern islands of the Philippines, Singapore being expelled from the Federation in 1965,[59][60] and racial strife. This strife culminated in the 13 May race riots in 1969.[61] 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.[62] Under Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad there was a period of rapid economic growth and urbanization 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.[38] However, in the late 1990s, the Asian financial crisis almost caused the collapse of the currency and the stock and property markets, although they later recovered.[63] The 1MDB scandal was a major global corruption scandal that implicated then-Prime Minister Najib Razak in 2015.[64] The scandal contributed to the first change in the ruling political party since independence in the 2018 general election.[65] In the 2020s, the country was gripped by a political crisis that coincided with health and economic crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[66] This was then followed by an earlier general election in November 2022, which resulted in the first hung parliament in the nation's history. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition won 82 seats and former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s Perikatan Nasional (PN) gained 73 seats. Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition was the biggest loser securing just 30 seats in the 222-member parliament.[67] On 24 November 2022, Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia.[68]

Government and politics

Main articles: Politics of Malaysia and Government of Malaysia
 
The Parliament of Malaysia, the building that houses the members of the Dewan Rakyat

Malaysia is a federal constitutional elective monarchy; the only federal country in Southeast Asia.[69] The system of government is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system, a legacy of British rule.[70] The head of state is the King, whose official title is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. 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 rotated among the nine,[70] and has been held by Abdullah of Pahang since 31 January 2019.[71] The King's role has been largely ceremonial since changes to the constitution in 1994, picking ministers and members of the upper house.[72]

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.[73] 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.[46] The parliament follows a multi-party system and the government is elected through a first-past-the-post system.[46][74] Parliamentary elections are held at least once every five years,[46] the most recent of which took place in May 2018.[65] Before 2018, registered voters aged 21 and above could vote for the members of the House of Representatives and, in most of the states, for the state legislative chamber. Voting is not mandatory.[75] In July 2019, a bill to lower the voting age to 18 years old was officially passed.[76]

 
The Perdana Putra houses the office of Malaysia's Prime Minister

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 His Majesty the King, commands the support of a majority of members. The Cabinet is chosen from members of both houses of Parliament.[46] The Prime Minister is both the head of cabinet and the head of government.[72] As a result of the 2018 general election Malaysia was governed by the Pakatan Harapan political alliance,[65] although Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned amid a political crisis in 2020. In March 2020, the Perikatan Nasional coalition formed under Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin,[77] before Muhyiddin lost majority support and was replaced by deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, a veteran politician from UMNO, in August 2021.[78][79]As a result of the 2022 Malaysian general election, a hung parliament was elected. Anwar Ibrahim of the PH coalition was appointed as the new Prime Minister to lead the coalition government of PH, BN, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and several other political parties and independents. Meanwhile PN, the only political coalition not in the coalition government became the Opposition. Malaysia's legal system is based on English Common Law.[46] Although the judiciary is theoretically independent, its independence has been called into question and the appointment of judges lacks accountability and transparency.[80] 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.[81]

Race is a significant force in politics.[46] Affirmative actions such as the New Economic Policy[62] 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.[82] 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.[83] There is ongoing debate over whether the laws and society of Malaysia should reflect Islamism or secularism.[84] Islamic criminal laws passed by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party with the support of United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) state assemblymen in the state legislative assembly of Kelantan have been blocked by the federal government on the basis that criminal laws are the responsibility of the federal government.[85][86][87]

After the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) lost power at the 2018 Malaysian general election, Malaysia's ranking increased by 9 places in the 2019 Democracy Index to 43th compared to the previous year, and is classified as a 'flawed democracy'.[88] Malaysia's ranking in the 2020 Press Freedom Index increased by 22 places to 101st compared to the previous year, making it one of two countries in Southeast Asia without a 'Difficult situation' or 'Very Serious situation' with regards to press freedom.[89] However, it fell 18 places the following year due to the policies of the Perikatan Nasional government.[90]

Malaysia is marked at 48 and 62nd place according to the 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index, indicating above average levels of corruption. Freedom House noted Malaysia as "partly free" in its 2018 survey.[91] A lawsuit filed by Department of Justice (DOJ), alleged that at least $3.5 billion involving former prime minister Najib Razak had been stolen from Malaysia's 1MDB state-owned fund, known as the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal.[92][93][94]

Administrative divisions

Main articles: States and federal territories of Malaysia, Divisions of Malaysia, and Districts of Malaysia

Malaysia is a federation of 13 states and three federal territories.[95] 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.[96]

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.[97] Each state has a unicameral State Legislative Assembly whose members are elected from single-member constituencies. State governments are led by Chief Ministers,[46] 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.[98] Except for state elections in Sarawak, by convention state elections are held concurrently with the federal election.[72]

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.[99] The federal constitution puts local authorities outside of the federal territories under the exclusive jurisdictions of the state government,[100] although in practice the federal government has intervened in the affairs of state local governments.[101] There are 154 local authorities, consisting of 14 city councils, 38 municipal councils and 97 district councils.

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.[46] 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 its own written constitution.[102] Sabah and Sarawak have considerably more autonomy than the other states, most notably having separate immigration policies and controls, and a unique residency status.[103][104][105] Federal intervention in state affairs, lack of development, and disputes over oil royalties have occasionally led to statements about secession from leaders in several states such as Penang, Johor, Kelantan, Sabah and Sarawak, although these have not been followed up and no serious independence movements exist.[106][107][108][109]

States

A list of thirteen states and each state capital (in brackets):

  1.   Johor (Johor Bahru)
  2.   Kedah (Alor Setar)
  3.   Kelantan (Kota Bharu)
  4.   Malacca (Malacca City)
  5.   Negeri Sembilan (Seremban)
  6.   Pahang (Kuantan)
  7.   Penang (George Town)
  8.   Perak (Ipoh)
  9.   Perlis (Kangar)
  10.   Selangor (Shah Alam)
  11.   Sabah (Kota Kinabalu)
  12.   Sarawak (Kuching)
  13.   Terengganu (Kuala Terengganu)
Federal territories
  1.   Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur
  2.   Federal Territory of Labuan
  3.   Federal Territory of Putrajaya

Foreign relations and military

Main articles: Foreign relations of Malaysia and Malaysian Armed Forces
 
Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the Prime Minister's Office in Putrajaya, 2018

A founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)[110] and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC),[111] the country participates in many international organisations such as the United Nations,[112] the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation,[113] the Developing 8 Countries,[114] and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).[115] It has chaired ASEAN, the OIC, and the NAM in the past.[46] A former British colony, it is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.[116] Kuala Lumpur was the site of the first East Asia Summit in 2005.[117]

Malaysia's foreign policy is officially based on the principle of neutrality and maintaining peaceful relations with all countries, regardless of their political system.[118] The government attaches a high priority to the security and stability of Southeast Asia,[117] 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[118] while strengthening relations with other Islamic states.[117] A strong tenet of Malaysia's policy is national sovereignty and the right of a country to control its domestic affairs.[72] Malaysia signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.[119][120]

The Spratly Islands are disputed by many states in the area, and a large portion of the South China Sea is claimed by China. Unlike its neighbours of Vietnam and the Philippines, Malaysia historically avoided conflicts with China.[121] However, after the encroachment of Chinese ships in Malaysian territorial waters,[122] and breach of airspace by their military aircraft, Malaysia has become active in condemning China.[123][124] Brunei and Malaysia in 2009 announced an end to claims of each other's land, and committed to resolve issues related to their maritime borders.[125] The Philippines has a dormant claim to the eastern part of Sabah.[126] Singapore's land reclamation has caused tensions,[127] and minor maritime and land border disputes exist with Indonesia.[126][128]

 
 
 
 
Clockwise from top right: Scorpène-class submarine, PT-91M MBT tank, Malaysian Army paratrooper with M4, and Su-30MKM fighter aircraft.

The Malaysian Armed Forces have three branches: the Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Air Force. There is no conscription, and the required age for voluntary military service is 18. The military uses 1.5% of the country's GDP, and employs 1.23% of Malaysia's manpower.[129] Malaysian peacekeeping forces have contributed to many UN peacekeeping missions, such as in Congo, Iran–Iraq, Namibia, Cambodia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Somalia, Kosovo, East Timor and Lebanon.[46][130]

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.[131] Joint exercises and war games have also been held with Brunei,[132] China,[133] India,[134] Indonesia,[135] Japan,[136] and the United States.[137] Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam have agreed to host joint security force exercises to secure their maritime border and tackle issues such as illegal immigration, piracy, and smuggling.[138][139][140] Previously there were fears that extremist militants activities in the Muslim areas of the southern Philippines[141] and southern Thailand[142] would spill over into Malaysia. Because of this, Malaysia began to increase its border security.[141]

Human rights

See also: Human rights in Malaysia and LGBT rights in Malaysia

Homosexuality is illegal in Malaysia,[143][144] and the authorities has imposed punishments such as caning and imprisonment.[145][146] Human trafficking and sex trafficking in Malaysia are significant problems.[147][148] There has also been cases of vigilante executions and beatings against LGBT individuals in Malaysia.[149][150] The illegality of homosexuality in Malaysia has also been the forefront of Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy trials, which Anwar has responded to it being politically motivated, a response supported by the United Nations' (UN) Working Group on Arbitrary Detention along with Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch.[151][152][153]

The death penalty is in use for serious crimes such as murder, terrorism, drug trafficking, and kidnapping,[154][155] but in June 2022, Malaysian law minister Wan Junaidi pledged to abolish the capital punishment and replace it with other punishments at the discretion of the court.[156]

Geography

Main article: Geography of Malaysia
 
Topographic map of Malaysia; Mount Kinabalu is the highest summit in the country.

Malaysia is the 66th largest country by total land area, with a land area of 329,613 km2 (127,264 sq mi). It has land borders with Thailand in West Malaysia, and Indonesia and Brunei in East Malaysia.[157] It is linked to Singapore by a narrow causeway and a bridge. The country also has maritime boundaries with Vietnam[158] and the Philippines.[159] 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.[157] Brunei forms what is almost an enclave in Malaysia,[160] 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.[161] 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.[162]

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.[157] Peninsular Malaysia, containing 40 per cent of Malaysia's land area,[161] extends 740 km (460 mi) from north to south, and its maximum width is 322 km (200 mi).[163] It is divided between its east and west coasts by the Titiwangsa Mountains,[164] rising to a peak elevation of 2,183 metres (7,162 ft) at Mount Korbu,[165] part of a series of mountain ranges running down the centre of the peninsula.[161] These mountains are heavily forested,[citation needed] and mainly composed of granite and other igneous rocks. Much of it has been eroded, creating a karst landscape.[161] The range is the origin of some of Peninsular Malaysia's river systems.[citation needed] 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.[163]

East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo, has a coastline of 2,607 km (1,620 mi).[157] It is divided between coastal regions, hills and valleys, and a mountainous interior.[161] The Crocker Range extends northwards from Sarawak,[161] dividing the state of Sabah. It is the location of the 4,095 m (13,435 ft) high Mount Kinabalu,[166][167] the tallest mountain in Malaysia. Mount Kinabalu is located in the Kinabalu National Park, which is protected as one of the four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Malaysia.[168] The highest mountain ranges form the border between Malaysia and Indonesia. Sarawak contains the Mulu Caves, the largest cave system in the world, in the Gunung Mulu National Park which is also a World Heritage Site.[161] The largest river in Malaysia is the Rajang.

Around these two halves of Malaysia are numerous islands, the largest of which is Banggi.[169] The local climate is equatorial and characterised by the annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons.[163] The temperature is moderated by the presence of the surrounding oceans.[161] Humidity is usually high, and the average annual rainfall is 250 cm (98 in).[163] 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.[161]

Biodiversity and conservation

Main articles: Wildlife of Malaysia, Environmental issues in Malaysia, and List of national parks in Malaysia
 
 
 
 
Native species in Malaysia, clockwise from top-right: oriental pied hornbills, hawksbill sea turtle, proboscis monkey, and Malayan tiger.

Malaysia signed the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity on 12 June 1993, and became a party to the convention on 24 June 1994.[170] It has subsequently produced a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, which was received by the convention on 16 April 1998.[171] The country is megadiverse with a high number of species and high levels of endemism.[172] It is estimated to contain 20 per cent of the world's animal species.[173] High levels of endemism are found on the diverse forests of Borneo's mountains, as species are isolated from each other by lowland forest.[161]

There are about 210 mammal species in the country.[166] Over 620 species of birds have been recorded in Peninsular Malaysia,[173] with many endemic to the mountains there. A high number of endemic bird species are also found in Malaysian Borneo.[161] 250 reptile species have been recorded in the country, with about 150 species of snakes[174] and 80 species of lizards.[166] There are about 150 species of frogs,[166] and thousands of insect species.[166] The Exclusive economic zone of Malaysia is 334,671 km2 (129,217 sq mi) and 1.5 times larger than its land area. It is mainly in the South China Sea.[175][176] Some of its waters are in the Coral Triangle, a biodiversity hotspot.[177] The waters around Sipadan island are the most biodiverse in the world.[173] Bordering East Malaysia, the Sulu Sea is a biodiversity hotspot, with around 600 coral species and 1200 fish species.[178] The unique biodiversity of Malaysian Caves always attracts lovers of ecotourism from all over the world.[179]

Nearly 4,000 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.[180]

 
Some species of Rafflesia can grow up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in diameter, making them the largest flowers in the world.

About two thirds of Malaysia was covered in forest as of 2007,[163] with some forests believed to be 130 million years old.[166] The forests are dominated by dipterocarps.[181] Lowland forest covers areas below 760 m (2,490 ft),[163] and formerly East Malaysia was covered in such rainforest,[181] which is supported by its hot wet climate.[161] There are around 14,500 species of flowering plants and trees.[166] Besides rainforests, there are over 1,425 km2 (550 sq mi) of mangroves in Malaysia,[163] and a large amount of peat forest. At higher altitudes, oaks, chestnuts, and rhododendrons replace dipterocarps.[161] There are an estimated 8,500 species of vascular plants in Peninsular Malaysia, with another 15,000 in the East.[182] 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.[161] These forests host many members of the Rafflesia genus, the largest flowers in the world,[181] with a maximum diameter of 1 m (3 ft 3 in).[183]

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 logged.[161] Floods in East Malaysia have been worsened by the loss of trees, and over 60 per cent of the Peninsula's forest have been cleared.[183] With current rates of deforestation, mainly for the palm oil industry, the forests are predicted to be extinct by 2020.[161][184] Deforestation is a major problem for animals, fungi and plants, having caused species such as Begonia eiromischa to go extinct.[185] Most remaining forest is found inside reserves and national parks.[183] Habitat destruction has proved a threat for marine life.[178] Illegal fishing is another major threat,[178] with fishing methods such as dynamite fishing and poisoning depleting marine ecosystems.[186] Leatherback turtle numbers have dropped 98 per cent since the 1950s.[174] Hunting has also been an issue for some animals,[183] with overconsumption and the use of animal parts for profit endangering many animals, from marine life[178] to tigers.[185] Marine life is also detrimentally affected by uncontrolled tourism.[187]

The Malaysian government aims to balance economic growth with environmental protection, but has been accused of favouring big business over the environment.[183] Some state governments are now trying to counter the environmental impact and pollution created by deforestation;[181] and the federal government is trying to cut logging by 10 per cent each year. A total of 28 national parks have been established, 23 in East Malaysia and five in the Peninsula.[183] Tourism has been limited in biodiverse areas such as Sipadan island.[187] Wildlife trafficking is a large issue, and the Malaysian government has held talks with the governments of Brunei and Indonesia to standardise anti-trafficking laws.[188]

Economy

Main article: Economy of Malaysia
 
Development of real GDP per capita, 1820 to 2018

Malaysia is a relatively open state-oriented and newly industrialised market economy.[189] It has the world's 36th-largest economy by nominal GDP and the 31st-largest by PPP. In 2017, the large service sector contributed to 53.6% of total GDP, the industrial sector 37.6%, and the small agricultural sector roughly 8.8%.[190] Malaysia has a low official unemployment rate of 3.9%.[191] Its foreign exchange reserves are the world's 24th-largest.[192] It has a labour force of about 15 million, which is the world's 34th-largest.[193] Malaysia's large automotive industry ranks as the world's 22nd-largest by production.[194]

Malaysia is the world's 23th-largest exporter and 25th-largest importer.[195][196] However, economic inequalities exist between different ethnic groups.[197] The Chinese make up about one-quarter of the population, but accounts for 70 per cent of the country's market capitalisation.[198] 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.[199]

International trade, facilitated by the shipping route in adjacent Strait of Malacca, and manufacturing are the key sectors.[200][201][202] Malaysia is an exporter of natural and agricultural resources, and petroleum is a major export.[46] Malaysia has once been the largest producer of tin,[203] rubber and palm oil in the world. Manufacturing has a large influence in the country's economy,[204] although Malaysia's economic structure has been moving away from it.[205] Malaysia remains one of the world's largest producers of palm oil.[206]

Tourism is the third-largest contributor to Malaysia's GDP, after the manufacturing and commodities sectors.[207] In 2019, the sector contributed about 15.9 per cent to the total GDP. According to the World Tourism Organization, Malaysia was the fourteenth-most visited country in the world, and the fourth-most visited country in Asia in 2019, with over 26.1 million visits.[208] Malaysia was ranked 38th in the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2019.[209] Its international tourism receipts in 2019 amounted to $19.8 billion.[208]

The country has developed into a centre of Islamic banking, and has the highest numbers of female workers in that industry.[210] Knowledge-based services are also expanding.[205] In 2020, Malaysian exported high-tech products worth $92.1 billion, the second-highest in the ASEAN, after Singapore.[211] Malaysia was ranked 36th in the Global Innovation Index in 2021, and 32nd in the Global Competitiveness Report in 2022.[212][213]

Infrastructure

See also: Transport in Malaysia
 
North–South Expressway
 
Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Railway transport in Malaysia is state-run, and spans some 2,783 kilometres (1,729 mi).[214] As of 2016, Malaysia has the world's 26th-largest road network, with some 238,823 kilometres (148,398 mi) of roads. Malaysia's inland waterways are the world's 22nd-longest, and total 7,200 km (4,474 mi).[215] Among Malaysia's 114 airports,[216] among which the busiest is Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Kuala Lumpur, which is also the twelfth-busiest airport in Asia. Among the 7 federal ports, the major one is Port Klang,[217] which is the thirteenth-busiest container port.[218] Malaysia's flag carrier is Malaysia Airlines, providing international and domestic air services.[219]

Malaysia's 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.[220][221] There are 200 industrial parks along with specialised parks such as Technology Park Malaysia and Kulim Hi-Tech Park.[222] Fresh water is available to over 95% of the population, with ground water accounting for 90% of the freshwater resources.[223][224] Although rural areas have been the focus of great development, they still lag behind areas such as the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.[225] The telecommunication network, although strong in urban areas, is less available to the rural population.[220]

Malaysia's energy infrastructure sector is largely dominated by Tenaga Nasional, the largest electric utility company in Southeast Asia. Customers are connected to electricity through the National Grid.[226] The other two electric utility companies in the country are Sarawak Energy and Sabah Electricity.[227] In 2013, Malaysia's total power generation capacity was over 29,728 megawatts. Total electricity generation was 140,985.01 GWh and total electricity consumption was 116,087.51 GWh.[228] Energy production in Malaysia is largely based on oil and natural gas, owing to Malaysia's oil reserves and natural gas reserves, which is the fourth largest in Asia-Pacific region.[229]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Malaysia
 
Population density (person per km2) in 2010
 
The percentage distribution of Malaysian population by ethnic group based on 2010 census

According to the Malaysian Department of Statistics, the country's population was 32,447,385 in 2020,[230] making it the 42nd most populated country. According to a 2012 estimate, the population is increasing by 1.54 percent per year. Malaysia has an average population density of 96 people per km2, ranking it 116th in the world for population density. People within the 15–64 age group constitute 69.5 percent of the total population; the 0–14 age group corresponds to 24.5 percent; while senior citizens aged 65 years or older make up 6.0 percent. In 1960, when the first official census was recorded in Malaysia, the population was 8.11 million. 91.8 per cent of the population are Malaysian citizens.[231]

Malaysian citizens are divided along local ethnic lines, with 69.7 per cent considered bumiputera.[232] The largest group of bumiputera are Malays, who are defined in the constitution as Muslims who practise Malay customs and culture. They play a dominant role politically.[233] Bumiputera status is also accorded to the non-Malay indigenous groups of Sabah and Sarawak: which includes Dayaks (Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu), Kadazan-Dusun, Melanau, Bajau and others. Non-Malay bumiputeras make up more than half of Sarawak's population and over two thirds of Sabah's population.[234][235] There are also indigenous or aboriginal groups in much smaller numbers on the peninsular, where they are collectively known as the Orang Asli.[236] Laws over who gets bumiputera status vary between states.[237]

There are also two other non-Bumiputera local ethnic groups. 22.5 per cent of the population are Malaysian Chinese, while 6.8 per cent are Malaysian Indian.[232] The local Chinese have historically been more dominant in the business community. Local Indians are mostly of Tamil descent.[238][239] 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.[240] 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.[241]

The population is concentrated on Peninsular Malaysia,[242] where 20 million out of approximately 28 million Malaysians live.[46] 70 per cent of the population is urban.[157] Due to the rise in labour-intensive industries,[243] the country is estimated to have over 3 million migrant workers; about 10 per cent of the population.[244] Sabah-based NGOs estimate that out of the 3 million that make up the population of Sabah, 2 million are illegal immigrants.[245] 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.[246]

 
Largest cities and municipalities in Malaysia
Department of Statistics, Malaysia (2020) [1]
Rank Name State Pop. Rank Name State Pop.
 
Kuala Lumpur
 
Kajang 		1 Kuala Lumpur Federal Territories 1,982,112 11 Ipoh Perak 759,952  
Seberang Perai
 
Subang Jaya
2 Kajang Selangor 1,047,356 12 Seremban Negeri Sembilan 681,541
3 Seberang Perai Penang 946,092 13 Iskandar Puteri Johor 575,977
4 Subang Jaya Selangor 902,086 14 Kuantan Pahang 548,014
5 Klang Selangor 902,025 15 Sungai Petani Kedah 545,053
6 Johor Bahru Johor 858,118 16 Ampang Jaya Selangor 531,904
7 Shah Alam Selangor 812,327 17 Kota Kinabalu Sabah 500,425
8 George Town Penang 794,313 18 Malacca City Malacca 453,904
9 Petaling Jaya Selangor 771,687 19 Sandakan Sabah 439,050
10 Selayang Selangor 764,327 20 Alor Setar Kedah 423,868

Religion

Main article: Religion in Malaysia
 
Dominant religious confessions in Malaysia according to 2020 census.[247]
Dark green: Muslim majority > 50%
Light green: Muslim plurality < 50%
Blue: Christian majority > 50%

The constitution grants freedom of religion and makes Malaysia an officially secular state, while establishing Islam as the "religion of the Federation".[248][249] According to the Population and Housing Census 2020 figures, ethnicity and religious beliefs correlate highly. Approximately 63.5% of the population practise Islam, 18.7% practise Buddhism, 9.1% Christianity, 6.1% Hinduism and 1.3% practise Confucianism, Taoism and other traditional Chinese religions. 2.7% declared no religion or practised other religions or did not provide any information.[230] The states of Sarawak, Penang and the federal territory of Kuala Lumpur have non-Muslim majorities.[250][251]

Sunni Islam of Shafi'i school of jurisprudence is the dominant branch of Islam in Malaysia,[252][253] while 18% are nondenominational Muslims.[254] 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 have ancestors from Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore.[161] 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 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.[230]

Muslims are obliged to follow the decisions of Syariah Courts (i.e. Shariah 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.[252] The jurisdiction of Syariah 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 Syariah courts, which have a similar hierarchy to the Civil Courts. The Civil Courts do not hear matters related to Islamic practices.[255]

Languages

Main article: Languages of Malaysia
 
The distribution of language families of Malaysia shown by colours:
  Malayic
  Bornean
  Aslian
  Land Dayak
  Sama–Bajaw
  Philippine
  Chinese
  Areas with multiple languages

The official and national language of Malaysia is Malaysian Malay,[157] a standardised form of the Malay language.[256] The previously terminology as per government policy is Bahasa Malaysia (lit. 'Malaysian language')[257][258][259] but now government policy uses "Bahasa Melayu" (Malay language) to refer the official language[260] and both terms remain in use.[261][262] The National Language Act 1967 specifies the Latin (Rumi) script as the official script of the national language, but does not prohibit the use of the traditional Jawi script.[263]

English remains an active second language, with its use allowed for some official purposes under the National Language Act of 1967.[263] In Sarawak, English is an official state language alongside Malaysian.[264][265][266] Historically, English was the de facto administrative language; Malay became predominant after the 1969 race riots (13 May incident).[267] 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 what is perceived as improper Malay on their advertisements.[268][269]

Many other languages are used in Malaysia, which contains speakers of 137 living languages.[270] Peninsular Malaysia contains speakers of 41 of these languages.[271] 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 and Kadazan languages are spoken by the natives in Sabah.[272] Chinese Malaysians predominantly speak Chinese dialects from the southern part of China. The more common Chinese varieties in the country are Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien, and so on.[273] The Tamil language is used predominantly by the majority of Malaysian Indians.[274] A small number of Malaysians have European ancestry and speak creole languages, such as the Portuguese-based Malaccan Creoles,[275] and the Spanish-based Chavacano language.[276]

Health

Main article: Health in Malaysia

Malaysia operates an efficient and widespread two-tier healthcare system, consisting of a universal healthcare system and a co-existing private healthcare system; provided by highly subsidized healthcare through its extensive network of public hospitals and clinics.[277] The Ministry of Health (MOH) is the main provider of healthcare services to the country's population.[278] Malaysia's healthcare system is considered to be among the most developed in Asia, which contributes to its thriving medical tourism industry.[279]

Malaysia spent 3.83% of its GDP on healthcare in 2019.[280] In 2020, the overall life expectancy in Malaysia at birth was 76 years (74 years for males and 78 years for females),[281] and it had an infant mortality rate of 7 deaths per 1000 births.[282] Malaysia had a total fertility rate of 2.0 in 2020, which is just below the replacement level of 2.1.[283] In 2020, the country's crude birth rate was 16 per 1000 people, and the crude death rate was 5 per 1000 people.[284][285]

In 2021, the principal cause of death among Malaysian adults was coronary artery disease, representing 17% of the medically certified deaths in 2020—being followed by pneumonia; which accounted for 11% of the deaths.[286] Transport accidents are considered a major health hazard, as Malaysia, relative to its population, has one of the highest traffic fatality rates in the world.[287] Smoking is also considered a major health issue across the country.[288]

Education

Main article: Education in Malaysia
 
Ministry of Education, Putrajaya

The education system of Malaysia features a non-compulsory kindergarten education followed by six years of compulsory primary education, and five years of optional secondary education.[289] 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.[290] Secondary education is conducted for five years. In the final year of secondary education, students sit for the Malaysian Certificate of Education examination.[291] 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[jargon] students.[292]

Culture

Main article: Culture of Malaysia
 
A traditional house being built in Sabah

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.[293] Some cultural disputes exist between Malaysia and neighbouring countries, notably Indonesia.[294]

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.[295] It also promoted the Malay language above others.[296] 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.[295]

Fine arts

Main article: Malaysian art
See also: Music of Malaysia and Malaysian literature
 
A craftsman making batik. Malaysian batik is usually patterned with floral motifs with light colouring.

Traditional Malaysian art was mainly centred on the areas of carving, weaving, and silversmithing.[297] 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.[161] 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.[298]

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,[298] the most important of which is the gendang (drum). There are at least 14 types of traditional drums.[299] Drums and other traditional percussion instruments and are often made from natural materials.[299] Music is traditionally used for storytelling, celebrating life-cycle events, and occasions such as a harvest.[298] It was once used as a form of long-distance communication.[299] In East Malaysia, gong-based musical ensembles such as agung and kulintang are commonly used in ceremonies such as funerals and weddings.[300] These ensembles are also common in neighbouring regions such as in Mindanao in the Philippines, Kalimantan in Indonesia, and Brunei.[300]

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.[301] The first Malay literature was in the Arabic script. The earliest known Malay writing is on the Terengganu stone, made in 1303.[161] 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.[301] English has also become a common literary language.[161] 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".[296] Malay poetry is highly developed, and uses many forms. The Hikayat form is popular, and the pantun has spread from Malay to other languages.[301]

Cuisine

Main article: Malaysian cuisine
 
Teh tarik
 
Nasi lemak
The national drink and dish of Malaysia[302][303]

Malaysia's cuisine reflects the multi-ethnic makeup of its population.[304] 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,[161] largely due to the country being part of the ancient spice route.[305] The cuisine is very similar to that of Singapore and Brunei,[183] and also bears resemblance to Filipino cuisine.[161] The different states have varied dishes,[183] and often the food in Malaysia is different from the original dishes.[239]

Sometimes food not found in its original culture is assimilated into another; for example, Chinese restaurants in Malaysia often serve Malay dishes.[306] Food from one culture is sometimes also cooked using styles taken from another culture,[183] For example, sambal belacan (shrimp paste) are commonly used as ingredients by Chinese restaurants to create the stir fried water spinach (kangkung belacan).[307] This means that although much of Malaysian food can be traced back to a certain culture, they have their own identity.[305] Rice is a staple food, and an important constituent of the country's culture.[308] Chili is commonly found in local cuisine, although this does not necessarily make them spicy.[304]

Media

Main article: Media of Malaysia

Malaysia's main newspapers are owned by the government and political parties in the ruling coalition,[309][310] 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.[311] As a result of this, East Malaysia region of Sarawak launched TV Sarawak as internet streaming beginning in 2014, and as TV station on 10 October 2020[312] to overcome the low priority and coverage of Peninsular-based media and to solidify the representation of East Malaysia.[313] The media have been blamed for increasing tension between Indonesia and Malaysia, and giving Malaysians a bad image of Indonesians.[314] The country has Malay, English, Chinese, and Tamil dailies.[311] Kadazandusun and Bajau news only available via TV broadcast Berita RTM.[315] Written Kadazan news was once included in publications such as The Borneo Post, the Borneo Mail, the Daily Express, and the New Sabah Times, but publication has ceased with the newspaper or as a section.[316][317]

Freedom of the press is limited, with numerous restrictions on publishing rights and information dissemination.[318] The government has previously tried to crack down on opposition papers before elections.[310] In 2007, a government agency issued a directive to all private television and radio stations to refrain from broadcasting speeches made by opposition leaders,[319] a move condemned by politicians from the opposition Democratic Action Party.[320] Sabah, where all tabloids but one are independent of government control, has the freest press in Malaysia.[311] Laws such as the Printing Presses and Publications Act have also been cited as curtailing freedom of expression.[321]

Holidays and festivals

Main article: Public holidays in Malaysia
 
Malaysia's largest Buddhist temple—Kek Lok Si in Penang—illuminated in preparation for the Chinese New Year

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.[161] Malaysia Day on 16 September commemorates federation in 1963.[322] Other notable national holidays are Labour Day (1 May) and the King's birthday (first week of June).[161]

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, Malay for Eid ul-Adha), Maulidur Rasul (birthday of the Prophet), and others being observed.[161] Malaysian Chinese celebrate festivals such as Chinese New Year and others relating to traditional Chinese beliefs. Wesak Day is observed and celebrated by Buddhists. Hindus in Malaysia celebrate Deepavali, the festival of lights,[323] while Thaipusam is a religious rite which sees pilgrims from all over the country converge at the Batu Caves.[324] Malaysia's Christian community celebrates most of the holidays observed by Christians elsewhere, most notably Christmas and Easter. In addition to this, the Dayak community in Sarawak celebrate a harvest festival known as Gawai,[325] and the Kadazandusun community celebrate Kaamatan.[326] 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.[222]

Sports

Main article: Sport in Malaysia
 
Traditional sports such as the martial art style Silat Melayu persist alongside modern sports.

Popular sports in Malaysia include association football, badminton, field hockey, bowls, tennis, squash, martial arts, horse riding, sailing, and skate boarding.[222] Football is the most popular sport in Malaysia.[327] Badminton matches also attract thousands of spectators, and since 1948 Malaysia has been one of four countries to hold the Thomas Cup, the world team championship trophy of men's badminton.[328] The Malaysian Lawn Bowls Federation was registered in 1997.[329] Squash was brought to the country by members of the British army, with the first competition being held in 1939.[330] The Squash Racquets Association Of Malaysia was created on 25 June 1972.[331] The men's national field hockey team ranked 10th in the world as of June 2022.[332] The 3rd Hockey World Cup was hosted at Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, as well as the 10th cup.[333] The country also has its own Formula One track – the Sepang International Circuit, with the first Malaysian Grand Prix held in 1999.[334] Traditional sports include Silat Melayu, the most common style of martial arts practised by ethnic Malays.[335]

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.[336] Besides the Olympic Games, Malaysia also participates in the Paralympic Games.[337] Malaysia has competed at the Commonwealth Games since 1950 as Malaya, and 1966 as Malaysia, and the games were hosted in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.[338][339]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Section 9 of the National Language Act 1963/67 states that "The script of the national language shall be the Rumi script: provided that this shall not prohibit the use of the Malay script, more commonly known as the Jawi script, of the national language".
  2. ^ Section 2 of the National Language Act 1963/67 states that "Save as provided in this Act and subject to the safeguards contained in Article 152(1) of the Constitution relating to any other language and the language of any other community in Malaysia the national language shall be used for official purposes".
  3. ^ a b See Article 152 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia and National Language Act 1963/67.
  4. ^ In English, the official name of the country is simply "Malaysia". In Malay, the name of the country as it appears on some official documents, including the oath of Yang di-Pertuan Agong is Persekutuan Malaysia, meaning "Federation of Malaysia". Despite this, the name Malaysia is mostly used officially, including the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the Federal Constitution.[39][better source needed]

References

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  2. ^ "Minister: Census shows Malaysia's oldest man and woman aged 120 and 118; preliminary census findings to be released in Feb 2022". Malaymail. 17 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  3. ^ Department of Statistics Malaysia 2021.
  4. ^ (PDF). Constitution of Malaysia. Judicial Appointments Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017. Islam is the religion of the Federation; but other religions may be practised in peace and harmony in any part of the Federation.
  5. ^ "Distribution and Basic Demographic Characteristic Report 2020". Department of Statistics, Malaysia. 14 February 2020.
  6. ^ Mackay, Derek (2005). Eastern Customs: The Customs Service in British Malaya and the Opium Trade. The Radcliffe Press. pp. 240–. ISBN 978-1-85043-844-1.
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January 07, 2023
malaysia, confused, with, malesia, listen, zhə, malay, məlejsiə, country, southeast, asia, federal, constitutional, monarchy, consists, thirteen, states, three, federal, territories, separated, south, china, into, regions, peninsular, borneo, east, peninsular,. Not to be confused with Malesia Malaysia m e ˈ l eɪ z i e ʒ e listen me LAY zee e zhe Malay melejsie is a country in Southeast Asia The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories separated by the South China Sea into two regions Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo s East Malaysia 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 and Vietnam Kuala Lumpur is the national capital the country s largest city and the seat of the legislative branch of the federal government The nearby planned capital of Putrajaya is the administrative capital which represents the seat of both the executive branch the Cabinet federal ministries and agencies and the judicial branch of the federal government With a population of over 32 million Malaysia is the world s 45th most populous country The southernmost point of continental Eurasia is in Tanjung Piai In the tropics Malaysia is one of 17 megadiverse countries home to numerous endemic species MalaysiaFlag Coat of armsMotto Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu 1 Unity is Strength Anthem Negaraku My Country source source track track track track track track track track track track track track track Show globeShow map of Southeast AsiaLocation of Malaysia dark green in Asia dark gray amp white in ASEAN dark gray CapitalPutrajaya administrative and judicial 2 56 N 101 42 E 2 933 N 101 700 E 2 933 101 700 Kuala Lumpur ceremonial and legislative 3 8 N 101 41 E 3 133 N 101 683 E 3 133 101 683Largest cityKuala LumpurOfficial languageMalay a b c Recognised languageEnglish c Ethnic groups 2021 2 3 69 7 Bumiputera 57 3 Malay 12 4 Indigenous groups of Sabah Sarawak and Orang Asli 22 9 Chinese 6 6 Indian 0 8 OthersReligion 2020 5 63 5 Islam official 4 18 7 Buddhism9 1 Christianity6 1 Hinduism0 9 Others1 8 UnknownDemonym s MalaysianGovernmentFederal parliamentary constitutional elective monarchy MonarchAbdullah Prime MinisterAnwar IbrahimLegislatureParliament Upper houseDewan Negara Senate Lower houseDewan Rakyat House of Representatives Independence from the United Kingdom Federation of Malaya31 August 1957 6 Sarawak self governance22 July 1963 North Borneo self governance31 August 1963 7 Proclamation of Malaysia16 September 1963Area Total330 803 km2 127 724 sq mi 67th Water 0 3Population 2022 estimate33 871 431 8 43rd 2020 census32 447 385 9 Density98 km2 253 8 sq mi 116th GDP PPP 2022 estimate Total 1 089 trillion 10 31st Per capita 32 901 10 54th GDP nominal 2022 estimate Total 439 373 billion 10 34th Per capita 13 268 10 66th Gini 2015 41 11 mediumHDI 2021 0 803 12 very high 62ndCurrencyRinggit RM MYR Time zoneUTC 8 MST Date formatdd mm yyyyDriving sideleftCalling code 60ISO 3166 codeMYInternet TLD myMalaysia has its origins in the Malay kingdoms which from the 18th century on became subject to the British Empire along with the British Straits Settlements protectorate Peninsular Malaysia was unified as the Malayan Union in 1946 Malaya was restructured as the Federation of Malaya in 1948 and achieved independence on 31 August 1957 The independent Malaya united with the then British crown colonies of North Borneo Sarawak and Singapore on 16 September 1963 to become Malaysia In August 1965 Singapore was expelled from the federation and became a separate independent country 13 The country is multiethnic and multicultural which has a significant effect on its politics About half the population is ethnically Malay with minorities of Chinese Indians and indigenous peoples The country s official language is Malaysian Malay a standard form of the Malay language English remains an active second language While recognising Islam as the country s established religion the constitution grants freedom of religion to non Muslims The government is modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system and the legal system is based on common law The head of state is an elected monarch chosen from among the nine state sultans every five years The head of government is the Prime Minister After independence the Malaysian GDP grew at an average rate of 6 5 per annum for almost 50 years The economy has traditionally been fuelled by its natural resources but is expanding in the sectors of science tourism commerce and medical tourism Malaysia has a newly industrialised market economy ranked third largest in Southeast Asia and 36th largest in the world 14 It is a founding member of ASEAN EAS and OIC and a member of APEC the Commonwealth and the Non Aligned Movement Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 3 Government and politics 3 1 Administrative divisions 3 2 Foreign relations and military 3 3 Human rights 4 Geography 4 1 Biodiversity and conservation 5 Economy 5 1 Infrastructure 6 Demographics 6 1 Religion 6 2 Languages 6 3 Health 6 4 Education 7 Culture 7 1 Fine arts 7 2 Cuisine 7 3 Media 7 4 Holidays and festivals 7 5 Sports 8 See also 9 Notes 10 References 11 External linksEtymologyMain 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 Malays and the Latin Greek suffix ia ia 15 which can be translated as land of the Malays 16 The origin of the word Melayu is subject to various theories It may derive from the Sanskrit Himalaya referring to areas high in the mountains or Malaiyur pura meaning mountain town 17 Another similar theory claims its origin lies in the Tamil words malai and ur meaning mountain and city land respectively 18 19 20 Another suggestion is that it derives from the Pamalayu campaign A final suggestion is that it comes from a Javanese word meaning to run from which a river the Sungai Melayu Melayu river was named due to its strong current 17 Similar sounding variants have also appeared in accounts older than the 11th century as toponyms for areas in Sumatra or referring to a larger region around the Strait of Malacca 21 The Sanskrit text Vayu Purana thought to have been in existence since the first millennium CE mentioned a land named Malayadvipa which was identified by certain scholars as the modern Malay peninsula 22 23 24 25 26 Other notable accounts are by the 2nd century Ptolemy s Geographia that used the name Malayu Kulon for the west coast of Golden Chersonese and the 7th century Yijing s account of Malayu 21 At some point the Melayu Kingdom took its name from the Sungai Melayu 17 27 Melayu then became associated with Srivijaya 21 and remained associated with various parts of Sumatra especially Palembang where the founder of the Malacca Sultanate is thought to have come from 28 It is only thought to have developed into an ethnonym as Malacca became a regional power in the 15th century Islamisation established an ethnoreligious identity in Malacca with the term Melayu beginning to appear as interchangeable with Melakans It may have specifically referred to local Malays speakers thought loyal to the Malaccan Sultan The initial Portuguese use of Malayos reflected this referring only to the ruling people of Malacca The prominence of traders from Malacca led Melayu to be associated with Muslim traders and from there became associated with the wider cultural and linguistic group 21 Malacca and later Johor claimed they were the centre of Malay culture a position supported by the British which led to the term Malay becoming more usually linked to the Malay peninsula rather than Sumatra 28 Before the onset of European colonisation the Malay Peninsula was known natively as Tanah Melayu Malay Land 29 Under a racial classification created by a German scholar Johann Friedrich Blumenbach the natives of maritime Southeast Asia were grouped into a single category the Malay race 30 31 Following the expedition of French navigator Jules Dumont d Urville to Oceania in 1826 he later proposed the terms of Malaysia Micronesia and Melanesia to the Societe de Geographie 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 32 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 33 The name Malaysia gained some use to label what is now the Malay Archipelago 34 In modern terminology Malay remains the name of an ethnoreligious group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula and portions of the adjacent islands of Southeast Asia including the east coast of Sumatra the coast of Borneo and smaller islands that lie between these areas 35 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 first millennium CE 36 37 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 38 d One theory posits the name was chosen so that si represented the inclusion of Singapore North Borneo and Sarawak to Malaya in 1963 38 Politicians in the Philippines contemplated renaming their state Malaysia before the modern country took the name 40 HistoryMain article History of Malaysia The Malacca Sultanate played a major role in spreading Islam throughout the Malay Archipelago Evidence of modern human habitation in Malaysia dates back 40 000 years 41 In the Malay Peninsula the first inhabitants are thought to be Negritos 42 Traders and settlers from India and China arrived as early as the first century AD establishing trading ports and coastal towns in the second and third centuries Their presence resulted in strong Indian and Chinese influences 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 fourth or fifth century 43 The Kingdom of Langkasuka arose around the second century in the northern area of the Malay Peninsula lasting until about the 15th century 36 Between the 7th and 13th centuries much of the southern Malay Peninsula was part of the maritime Srivijayan empire By the 13th and the 14th century the Majapahit empire had successfully wrested control over most of the peninsula and the Malay Archipelago from Srivijaya 44 In the early 15th century Parameswara a runaway king of the former Kingdom of Singapura linked to the old Srivijayan court founded the Malacca Sultanate 45 The spread of Islam increased following Parameswara s conversion to that religion Malacca was an important commercial centre during this time attracting trade from around the region 46 The Dutch fleet battling with the Portuguese armada as part of the Dutch Portuguese War in 1606 to gain control of Malacca In 1511 Malacca was conquered by Portugal 46 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 Island to the British East India Company The British obtained the town of Singapore in 1819 47 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 48 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 49 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 50 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 51 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 52 Popular support for independence increased after Malaya was reconquered by Allied forces 53 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 on 1 February 1948 by the Federation of Malaya which restored the autonomy of the rulers of the Malay states under British protection 54 Leader of the Malayan Communist Party Lee Meng holding a rifle during the Malayan Emergency 1951 During this time the mostly ethnically Chinese rebels under the leadership of the Malayan Communist Party launched guerrilla operations designed to force the British out of Malaya The Malayan Emergency 1948 1960 involved a long anti insurgency campaign by Commonwealth troops in Malaya 55 On 31 August 1957 Malaya became an independent member of the Commonwealth of Nations 56 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 date of federation was planned to be 31 August 1963 so as to coincide with the anniversary of Malayan independence however federation was delayed until 16 September 1963 in order for a United Nations survey of support for federation in Sabah and Sarawak called for by parties opposed to federation including Indonesia s Sukarno and the Sarawak United Peoples Party to be completed 57 58 Federation brought heightened tensions including a conflict with Indonesia as well continuous conflicts against the Communists in Borneo and the Malayan Peninsula which escalates to the Sarawak Communist Insurgency and Second Malayan Emergency together with several other issues such as the cross border attacks into North Borneo by Moro pirates from the southern islands of the Philippines Singapore being expelled from the Federation in 1965 59 60 and racial strife This strife culminated in the 13 May race riots in 1969 61 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 62 Under Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad there was a period of rapid economic growth and urbanization 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 38 However in the late 1990s the Asian financial crisis almost caused the collapse of the currency and the stock and property markets although they later recovered 63 The 1MDB scandal was a major global corruption scandal that implicated then Prime Minister Najib Razak in 2015 64 The scandal contributed to the first change in the ruling political party since independence in the 2018 general election 65 In the 2020s the country was gripped by a political crisis that coincided with health and economic crises caused by the COVID 19 pandemic 66 This was then followed by an earlier general election in November 2022 which resulted in the first hung parliament in the nation s history Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim s Pakatan Harapan PH coalition won 82 seats and former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin s Perikatan Nasional PN gained 73 seats Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob s ruling Barisan Nasional BN coalition was the biggest loser securing just 30 seats in the 222 member parliament 67 On 24 November 2022 Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia 68 Government and politicsMain articles Politics of Malaysia and Government of Malaysia The Parliament of Malaysia the building that houses the members of the Dewan Rakyat Malaysia is a federal constitutional elective monarchy the only federal country in Southeast Asia 69 The system of government is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system a legacy of British rule 70 The head of state is the King whose official title is the Yang di Pertuan Agong 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 rotated among the nine 70 and has been held by Abdullah of Pahang since 31 January 2019 71 The King s role has been largely ceremonial since changes to the constitution in 1994 picking ministers and members of the upper house 72 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 73 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 46 The parliament follows a multi party system and the government is elected through a first past the post system 46 74 Parliamentary elections are held at least once every five years 46 the most recent of which took place in May 2018 65 Before 2018 registered voters aged 21 and above could vote for the members of the House of Representatives and in most of the states for the state legislative chamber Voting is not mandatory 75 In July 2019 a bill to lower the voting age to 18 years old was officially passed 76 The Perdana Putra houses the office of Malaysia s Prime Minister 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 His Majesty the King commands the support of a majority of members The Cabinet is chosen from members of both houses of Parliament 46 The Prime Minister is both the head of cabinet and the head of government 72 As a result of the 2018 general election Malaysia was governed by the Pakatan Harapan political alliance 65 although Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned amid a political crisis in 2020 In March 2020 the Perikatan Nasional coalition formed under Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin 77 before Muhyiddin lost majority support and was replaced by deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob a veteran politician from UMNO in August 2021 78 79 As a result of the 2022 Malaysian general election a hung parliament was elected Anwar Ibrahim of the PH coalition was appointed as the new Prime Minister to lead the coalition government of PH BN Gabungan Parti Sarawak GPS Gabungan Rakyat Sabah GRS and several other political parties and independents Meanwhile PN the only political coalition not in the coalition government became the Opposition Malaysia s legal system is based on English Common Law 46 Although the judiciary is theoretically independent its independence has been called into question and the appointment of judges lacks accountability and transparency 80 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 81 Race is a significant force in politics 46 Affirmative actions such as the New Economic Policy 62 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 82 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 83 There is ongoing debate over whether the laws and society of Malaysia should reflect Islamism or secularism 84 Islamic criminal laws passed by the Pan Malaysian Islamic Party with the support of United Malays National Organisation UMNO state assemblymen in the state legislative assembly of Kelantan have been blocked by the federal government on the basis that criminal laws are the responsibility of the federal government 85 86 87 After the United Malays National Organisation UMNO lost power at the 2018 Malaysian general election Malaysia s ranking increased by 9 places in the 2019 Democracy Index to 43th compared to the previous year and is classified as a flawed democracy 88 Malaysia s ranking in the 2020 Press Freedom Index increased by 22 places to 101st compared to the previous year making it one of two countries in Southeast Asia without a Difficult situation or Very Serious situation with regards to press freedom 89 However it fell 18 places the following year due to the policies of the Perikatan Nasional government 90 Malaysia is marked at 48 and 62nd place according to the 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index indicating above average levels of corruption Freedom House noted Malaysia as partly free in its 2018 survey 91 A lawsuit filed by Department of Justice DOJ alleged that at least 3 5 billion involving former prime minister Najib Razak had been stolen from Malaysia s 1MDB state owned fund known as the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal 92 93 94 Administrative divisions Main articles States and federal territories of Malaysia Divisions of Malaysia and Districts of Malaysia Perlis Kedah Penang Kelantan Terengganu Perak Selangor Negeri Sembilan Malacca Johor Pahang Sarawak Sabah Labuan Kuala Lumpur Putrajaya West Malaysia East Malaysia Blue States Red Federal Territories South China Sea Strait of Malacca Gulf of Thailand Sulu Sea Celebes Sea Brunei Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia Philippines Singapore ThailandMalaysia is a federation of 13 states and three federal territories 95 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 96 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 97 Each state has a unicameral State Legislative Assembly whose members are elected from single member constituencies State governments are led by Chief Ministers 46 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 98 Except for state elections in Sarawak by convention state elections are held concurrently with the federal election 72 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 99 The federal constitution puts local authorities outside of the federal territories under the exclusive jurisdictions of the state government 100 although in practice the federal government has intervened in the affairs of state local governments 101 There are 154 local authorities consisting of 14 city councils 38 municipal councils and 97 district councils 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 46 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 its own written constitution 102 Sabah and Sarawak have considerably more autonomy than the other states most notably having separate immigration policies and controls and a unique residency status 103 104 105 Federal intervention in state affairs lack of development and disputes over oil royalties have occasionally led to statements about secession from leaders in several states such as Penang Johor Kelantan Sabah and Sarawak although these have not been followed up and no serious independence movements exist 106 107 108 109 StatesA list of thirteen states and each state capital in brackets Johor Johor Bahru Kedah Alor Setar Kelantan Kota Bharu Malacca Malacca City Negeri Sembilan Seremban Pahang Kuantan Penang George Town Perak Ipoh Perlis Kangar Selangor Shah Alam Sabah Kota Kinabalu Sarawak Kuching Terengganu Kuala Terengganu Federal territories Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory of Labuan Federal Territory of PutrajayaForeign relations and military Main articles Foreign relations of Malaysia and Malaysian Armed Forces Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the Prime Minister s Office in Putrajaya 2018 A founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN 110 and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation OIC 111 the country participates in many international organisations such as the United Nations 112 the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation 113 the Developing 8 Countries 114 and the Non Aligned Movement NAM 115 It has chaired ASEAN the OIC and the NAM in the past 46 A former British colony it is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations 116 Kuala Lumpur was the site of the first East Asia Summit in 2005 117 Malaysia s foreign policy is officially based on the principle of neutrality and maintaining peaceful relations with all countries regardless of their political system 118 The government attaches a high priority to the security and stability of Southeast Asia 117 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 118 while strengthening relations with other Islamic states 117 A strong tenet of Malaysia s policy is national sovereignty and the right of a country to control its domestic affairs 72 Malaysia signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons 119 120 The Spratly Islands are disputed by many states in the area and a large portion of the South China Sea is claimed by China Unlike its neighbours of Vietnam and the Philippines Malaysia historically avoided conflicts with China 121 However after the encroachment of Chinese ships in Malaysian territorial waters 122 and breach of airspace by their military aircraft Malaysia has become active in condemning China 123 124 Brunei and Malaysia in 2009 announced an end to claims of each other s land and committed to resolve issues related to their maritime borders 125 The Philippines has a dormant claim to the eastern part of Sabah 126 Singapore s land reclamation has caused tensions 127 and minor maritime and land border disputes exist with Indonesia 126 128 Clockwise from top right Scorpene class submarine PT 91M MBT tank Malaysian Army paratrooper with M4 and Su 30MKM fighter aircraft The Malaysian Armed Forces have three branches the Malaysian Army Royal Malaysian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Air Force There is no conscription and the required age for voluntary military service is 18 The military uses 1 5 of the country s GDP and employs 1 23 of Malaysia s manpower 129 Malaysian peacekeeping forces have contributed to many UN peacekeeping missions such as in Congo Iran Iraq Namibia Cambodia Bosnia and Herzegovina Somalia Kosovo East Timor and Lebanon 46 130 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 131 Joint exercises and war games have also been held with Brunei 132 China 133 India 134 Indonesia 135 Japan 136 and the United States 137 Malaysia Philippines Thailand and Vietnam have agreed to host joint security force exercises to secure their maritime border and tackle issues such as illegal immigration piracy and smuggling 138 139 140 Previously there were fears that extremist militants activities in the Muslim areas of the southern Philippines 141 and southern Thailand 142 would spill over into Malaysia Because of this Malaysia began to increase its border security 141 Human rights See also Human rights in Malaysia and LGBT rights in Malaysia Homosexuality is illegal in Malaysia 143 144 and the authorities has imposed punishments such as caning and imprisonment 145 146 Human trafficking and sex trafficking in Malaysia are significant problems 147 148 There has also been cases of vigilante executions and beatings against LGBT individuals in Malaysia 149 150 The illegality of homosexuality in Malaysia has also been the forefront of Anwar Ibrahim s sodomy trials which Anwar has responded to it being politically motivated a response supported by the United Nations UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention along with Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch 151 152 153 The death penalty is in use for serious crimes such as murder terrorism drug trafficking and kidnapping 154 155 but in June 2022 Malaysian law minister Wan Junaidi pledged to abolish the capital punishment and replace it with other punishments at the discretion of the court 156 GeographyMain article Geography of Malaysia Topographic map of Malaysia Mount Kinabalu is the highest summit in the country Malaysia is the 66th largest country by total land area with a land area of 329 613 km2 127 264 sq mi It has land borders with Thailand in West Malaysia and Indonesia and Brunei in East Malaysia 157 It is linked to Singapore by a narrow causeway and a bridge The country also has maritime boundaries with Vietnam 158 and the Philippines 159 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 157 Brunei forms what is almost an enclave in Malaysia 160 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 161 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 162 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 157 Peninsular Malaysia containing 40 per cent of Malaysia s land area 161 extends 740 km 460 mi from north to south and its maximum width is 322 km 200 mi 163 It is divided between its east and west coasts by the Titiwangsa Mountains 164 rising to a peak elevation of 2 183 metres 7 162 ft at Mount Korbu 165 part of a series of mountain ranges running down the centre of the peninsula 161 These mountains are heavily forested citation needed and mainly composed of granite and other igneous rocks Much of it has been eroded creating a karst landscape 161 The range is the origin of some of Peninsular Malaysia s river systems citation needed 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 163 East Malaysia on the island of Borneo has a coastline of 2 607 km 1 620 mi 157 It is divided between coastal regions hills and valleys and a mountainous interior 161 The Crocker Range extends northwards from Sarawak 161 dividing the state of Sabah It is the location of the 4 095 m 13 435 ft high Mount Kinabalu 166 167 the tallest mountain in Malaysia Mount Kinabalu is located in the Kinabalu National Park which is protected as one of the four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Malaysia 168 The highest mountain ranges form the border between Malaysia and Indonesia Sarawak contains the Mulu Caves the largest cave system in the world in the Gunung Mulu National Park which is also a World Heritage Site 161 The largest river in Malaysia is the Rajang Around these two halves of Malaysia are numerous islands the largest of which is Banggi 169 The local climate is equatorial and characterised by the annual southwest April to October and northeast October to February monsoons 163 The temperature is moderated by the presence of the surrounding oceans 161 Humidity is usually high and the average annual rainfall is 250 cm 98 in 163 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 161 Biodiversity and conservation Main articles Wildlife of Malaysia Environmental issues in Malaysia and List of national parks in Malaysia Native species in Malaysia clockwise from top right oriental pied hornbills hawksbill sea turtle proboscis monkey and Malayan tiger Malaysia signed the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity on 12 June 1993 and became a party to the convention on 24 June 1994 170 It has subsequently produced a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan which was received by the convention on 16 April 1998 171 The country is megadiverse with a high number of species and high levels of endemism 172 It is estimated to contain 20 per cent of the world s animal species 173 High levels of endemism are found on the diverse forests of Borneo s mountains as species are isolated from each other by lowland forest 161 There are about 210 mammal species in the country 166 Over 620 species of birds have been recorded in Peninsular Malaysia 173 with many endemic to the mountains there A high number of endemic bird species are also found in Malaysian Borneo 161 250 reptile species have been recorded in the country with about 150 species of snakes 174 and 80 species of lizards 166 There are about 150 species of frogs 166 and thousands of insect species 166 The Exclusive economic zone of Malaysia is 334 671 km2 129 217 sq mi and 1 5 times larger than its land area It is mainly in the South China Sea 175 176 Some of its waters are in the Coral Triangle a biodiversity hotspot 177 The waters around Sipadan island are the most biodiverse in the world 173 Bordering East Malaysia the Sulu Sea is a biodiversity hotspot with around 600 coral species and 1200 fish species 178 The unique biodiversity of Malaysian Caves always attracts lovers of ecotourism from all over the world 179 Nearly 4 000 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 180 Some species of Rafflesia can grow up to 1 m 3 ft 3 in in diameter making them the largest flowers in the world About two thirds of Malaysia was covered in forest as of 2007 163 with some forests believed to be 130 million years old 166 The forests are dominated by dipterocarps 181 Lowland forest covers areas below 760 m 2 490 ft 163 and formerly East Malaysia was covered in such rainforest 181 which is supported by its hot wet climate 161 There are around 14 500 species of flowering plants and trees 166 Besides rainforests there are over 1 425 km2 550 sq mi of mangroves in Malaysia 163 and a large amount of peat forest At higher altitudes oaks chestnuts and rhododendrons replace dipterocarps 161 There are an estimated 8 500 species of vascular plants in Peninsular Malaysia with another 15 000 in the East 182 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 161 These forests host many members of the Rafflesia genus the largest flowers in the world 181 with a maximum diameter of 1 m 3 ft 3 in 183 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 logged 161 Floods in East Malaysia have been worsened by the loss of trees and over 60 per cent of the Peninsula s forest have been cleared 183 With current rates of deforestation mainly for the palm oil industry the forests are predicted to be extinct by 2020 161 184 Deforestation is a major problem for animals fungi and plants having caused species such as Begonia eiromischa to go extinct 185 Most remaining forest is found inside reserves and national parks 183 Habitat destruction has proved a threat for marine life 178 Illegal fishing is another major threat 178 with fishing methods such as dynamite fishing and poisoning depleting marine ecosystems 186 Leatherback turtle numbers have dropped 98 per cent since the 1950s 174 Hunting has also been an issue for some animals 183 with overconsumption and the use of animal parts for profit endangering many animals from marine life 178 to tigers 185 Marine life is also detrimentally affected by uncontrolled tourism 187 The Malaysian government aims to balance economic growth with environmental protection but has been accused of favouring big business over the environment 183 Some state governments are now trying to counter the environmental impact and pollution created by deforestation 181 and the federal government is trying to cut logging by 10 per cent each year A total of 28 national parks have been established 23 in East Malaysia and five in the Peninsula 183 Tourism has been limited in biodiverse areas such as Sipadan island 187 Wildlife trafficking is a large issue and the Malaysian government has held talks with the governments of Brunei and Indonesia to standardise anti trafficking laws 188 EconomyMain article Economy of Malaysia Development of real GDP per capita 1820 to 2018 Malaysia is a relatively open state oriented and newly industrialised market economy 189 It has the world s 36th largest economy by nominal GDP and the 31st largest by PPP In 2017 the large service sector contributed to 53 6 of total GDP the industrial sector 37 6 and the small agricultural sector roughly 8 8 190 Malaysia has a low official unemployment rate of 3 9 191 Its foreign exchange reserves are the world s 24th largest 192 It has a labour force of about 15 million which is the world s 34th largest 193 Malaysia s large automotive industry ranks as the world s 22nd largest by production 194 Malaysia is the world s 23th largest exporter and 25th largest importer 195 196 However economic inequalities exist between different ethnic groups 197 The Chinese make up about one quarter of the population but accounts for 70 per cent of the country s market capitalisation 198 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 199 International trade facilitated by the shipping route in adjacent Strait of Malacca and manufacturing are the key sectors 200 201 202 Malaysia is an exporter of natural and agricultural resources and petroleum is a major export 46 Malaysia has once been the largest producer of tin 203 rubber and palm oil in the world Manufacturing has a large influence in the country s economy 204 although Malaysia s economic structure has been moving away from it 205 Malaysia remains one of the world s largest producers of palm oil 206 Tourism is the third largest contributor to Malaysia s GDP after the manufacturing and commodities sectors 207 In 2019 the sector contributed about 15 9 per cent to the total GDP According to the World Tourism Organization Malaysia was the fourteenth most visited country in the world and the fourth most visited country in Asia in 2019 with over 26 1 million visits 208 Malaysia was ranked 38th in the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2019 209 Its international tourism receipts in 2019 amounted to 19 8 billion 208 The country has developed into a centre of Islamic banking and has the highest numbers of female workers in that industry 210 Knowledge based services are also expanding 205 In 2020 Malaysian exported high tech products worth 92 1 billion the second highest in the ASEAN after Singapore 211 Malaysia was ranked 36th in the Global Innovation Index in 2021 and 32nd in the Global Competitiveness Report in 2022 212 213 Infrastructure See also Transport in Malaysia North South Expressway Kuala Lumpur International Airport Railway transport in Malaysia is state run and spans some 2 783 kilometres 1 729 mi 214 As of 2016 update Malaysia has the world s 26th largest road network with some 238 823 kilometres 148 398 mi of roads Malaysia s inland waterways are the world s 22nd longest and total 7 200 km 4 474 mi 215 Among Malaysia s 114 airports 216 among which the busiest is Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Kuala Lumpur which is also the twelfth busiest airport in Asia Among the 7 federal ports the major one is Port Klang 217 which is the thirteenth busiest container port 218 Malaysia s flag carrier is Malaysia Airlines providing international and domestic air services 219 Malaysia s 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 220 221 There are 200 industrial parks along with specialised parks such as Technology Park Malaysia and Kulim Hi Tech Park 222 Fresh water is available to over 95 of the population with ground water accounting for 90 of the freshwater resources 223 224 Although rural areas have been the focus of great development they still lag behind areas such as the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia 225 The telecommunication network although strong in urban areas is less available to the rural population 220 Malaysia s energy infrastructure sector is largely dominated by Tenaga Nasional the largest electric utility company in Southeast Asia Customers are connected to electricity through the National Grid 226 The other two electric utility companies in the country are Sarawak Energy and Sabah Electricity 227 In 2013 Malaysia s total power generation capacity was over 29 728 megawatts Total electricity generation was 140 985 01 GWh and total electricity consumption was 116 087 51 GWh 228 Energy production in Malaysia is largely based on oil and natural gas owing to Malaysia s oil reserves and natural gas reserves which is the fourth largest in Asia Pacific region 229 DemographicsMain article Demographics of Malaysia Population density person per km2 in 2010 The percentage distribution of Malaysian population by ethnic group based on 2010 census According to the Malaysian Department of Statistics the country s population was 32 447 385 in 2020 230 making it the 42nd most populated country According to a 2012 estimate the population is increasing by 1 54 percent per year Malaysia has an average population density of 96 people per km2 ranking it 116th in the world for population density People within the 15 64 age group constitute 69 5 percent of the total population the 0 14 age group corresponds to 24 5 percent while senior citizens aged 65 years or older make up 6 0 percent In 1960 when the first official census was recorded in Malaysia the population was 8 11 million 91 8 per cent of the population are Malaysian citizens 231 Malaysian citizens are divided along local ethnic lines with 69 7 per cent considered bumiputera 232 The largest group of bumiputera are Malays who are defined in the constitution as Muslims who practise Malay customs and culture They play a dominant role politically 233 Bumiputera status is also accorded to the non Malay indigenous groups of Sabah and Sarawak which includes Dayaks Iban Bidayuh Orang Ulu Kadazan Dusun Melanau Bajau and others Non Malay bumiputeras make up more than half of Sarawak s population and over two thirds of Sabah s population 234 235 There are also indigenous or aboriginal groups in much smaller numbers on the peninsular where they are collectively known as the Orang Asli 236 Laws over who gets bumiputera status vary between states 237 There are also two other non Bumiputera local ethnic groups 22 5 per cent of the population are Malaysian Chinese while 6 8 per cent are Malaysian Indian 232 The local Chinese have historically been more dominant in the business community Local Indians are mostly of Tamil descent 238 239 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 240 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 241 The population is concentrated on Peninsular Malaysia 242 where 20 million out of approximately 28 million Malaysians live 46 70 per cent of the population is urban 157 Due to the rise in labour intensive industries 243 the country is estimated to have over 3 million migrant workers about 10 per cent of the population 244 Sabah based NGOs estimate that out of the 3 million that make up the population of Sabah 2 million are illegal immigrants 245 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 246 vte Largest cities and municipalities in Malaysia Department of Statistics Malaysia 2020 1 Rank Name State Pop Rank Name State Pop Kuala Lumpur Kajang 1 Kuala Lumpur Federal Territories 1 982 112 11 Ipoh Perak 759 952 Seberang Perai Subang Jaya2 Kajang Selangor 1 047 356 12 Seremban Negeri Sembilan 681 5413 Seberang Perai Penang 946 092 13 Iskandar Puteri Johor 575 9774 Subang Jaya Selangor 902 086 14 Kuantan Pahang 548 0145 Klang Selangor 902 025 15 Sungai Petani Kedah 545 0536 Johor Bahru Johor 858 118 16 Ampang Jaya Selangor 531 9047 Shah Alam Selangor 812 327 17 Kota Kinabalu Sabah 500 4258 George Town Penang 794 313 18 Malacca City Malacca 453 9049 Petaling Jaya Selangor 771 687 19 Sandakan Sabah 439 05010 Selayang Selangor 764 327 20 Alor Setar Kedah 423 868 Religion Main article Religion in Malaysia Dominant religious confessions in Malaysia according to 2020 census 247 Dark green Muslim majority gt 50 Light green Muslim plurality lt 50 Blue Christian majority gt 50 The constitution grants freedom of religion and makes Malaysia an officially secular state while establishing Islam as the religion of the Federation 248 249 According to the Population and Housing Census 2020 figures ethnicity and religious beliefs correlate highly Approximately 63 5 of the population practise Islam 18 7 practise Buddhism 9 1 Christianity 6 1 Hinduism and 1 3 practise Confucianism Taoism and other traditional Chinese religions 2 7 declared no religion or practised other religions or did not provide any information 230 The states of Sarawak Penang and the federal territory of Kuala Lumpur have non Muslim majorities 250 251 Sunni Islam of Shafi i school of jurisprudence is the dominant branch of Islam in Malaysia 252 253 while 18 are nondenominational Muslims 254 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 have ancestors from Brunei Malaysia and Singapore 161 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 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 230 Muslims are obliged to follow the decisions of Syariah Courts i e Shariah 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 252 The jurisdiction of Syariah 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 Syariah courts which have a similar hierarchy to the Civil Courts The Civil Courts do not hear matters related to Islamic practices 255 Languages Main article Languages of Malaysia The distribution of language families of Malaysia shown by colours Malayic Bornean Aslian Land Dayak Sama Bajaw Philippine Chinese Areas with multiple languages The official and national language of Malaysia is Malaysian Malay 157 a standardised form of the Malay language 256 The previously terminology as per government policy is Bahasa Malaysia lit Malaysian language 257 258 259 but now government policy uses Bahasa Melayu Malay language to refer the official language 260 and both terms remain in use 261 262 The National Language Act 1967 specifies the Latin Rumi script as the official script of the national language but does not prohibit the use of the traditional Jawi script 263 English remains an active second language with its use allowed for some official purposes under the National Language Act of 1967 263 In Sarawak English is an official state language alongside Malaysian 264 265 266 Historically English was the de facto administrative language Malay became predominant after the 1969 race riots 13 May incident 267 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 what is perceived as improper Malay on their advertisements 268 269 Many other languages are used in Malaysia which contains speakers of 137 living languages 270 Peninsular Malaysia contains speakers of 41 of these languages 271 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 and Kadazan languages are spoken by the natives in Sabah 272 Chinese Malaysians predominantly speak Chinese dialects from the southern part of China The more common Chinese varieties in the country are Mandarin Cantonese Hokkien and so on 273 The Tamil language is used predominantly by the majority of Malaysian Indians 274 A small number of Malaysians have European ancestry and speak creole languages such as the Portuguese based Malaccan Creoles 275 and the Spanish based Chavacano language 276 Health Main article Health in Malaysia Malaysia operates an efficient and widespread two tier healthcare system consisting of a universal healthcare system and a co existing private healthcare system provided by highly subsidized healthcare through its extensive network of public hospitals and clinics 277 The Ministry of Health MOH is the main provider of healthcare services to the country s population 278 Malaysia s healthcare system is considered to be among the most developed in Asia which contributes to its thriving medical tourism industry 279 Malaysia spent 3 83 of its GDP on healthcare in 2019 280 In 2020 the overall life expectancy in Malaysia at birth was 76 years 74 years for males and 78 years for females 281 and it had an infant mortality rate of 7 deaths per 1000 births 282 Malaysia had a total fertility rate of 2 0 in 2020 which is just below the replacement level of 2 1 283 In 2020 the country s crude birth rate was 16 per 1000 people and the crude death rate was 5 per 1000 people 284 285 In 2021 the principal cause of death among Malaysian adults was coronary artery disease representing 17 of the medically certified deaths in 2020 being followed by pneumonia which accounted for 11 of the deaths 286 Transport accidents are considered a major health hazard as Malaysia relative to its population has one of the highest traffic fatality rates in the world 287 Smoking is also considered a major health issue across the country 288 Education Main article Education in Malaysia Ministry of Education Putrajaya The education system of Malaysia features a non compulsory kindergarten education followed by six years of compulsory primary education and five years of optional secondary education 289 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 290 Secondary education is conducted for five years In the final year of secondary education students sit for the Malaysian Certificate of Education examination 291 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 jargon students 292 CultureMain article Culture of Malaysia A traditional house being built in Sabah 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 293 Some cultural disputes exist between Malaysia and neighbouring countries notably Indonesia 294 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 295 It also promoted the Malay language above others 296 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 295 Fine arts Main article Malaysian art See also Music of Malaysia and Malaysian literature A craftsman making batik Malaysian batik is usually patterned with floral motifs with light colouring Traditional Malaysian art was mainly centred on the areas of carving weaving and silversmithing 297 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 161 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 298 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 298 the most important of which is the gendang drum There are at least 14 types of traditional drums 299 Drums and other traditional percussion instruments and are often made from natural materials 299 Music is traditionally used for storytelling celebrating life cycle events and occasions such as a harvest 298 It was once used as a form of long distance communication 299 In East Malaysia gong based musical ensembles such as agung and kulintang are commonly used in ceremonies such as funerals and weddings 300 These ensembles are also common in neighbouring regions such as in Mindanao in the Philippines Kalimantan in Indonesia and Brunei 300 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 301 The first Malay literature was in the Arabic script The earliest known Malay writing is on the Terengganu stone made in 1303 161 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 301 English has also become a common literary language 161 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 296 Malay poetry is highly developed and uses many forms The Hikayat form is popular and the pantun has spread from Malay to other languages 301 Cuisine Main article Malaysian cuisine Teh tarik Nasi lemakThe national drink and dish of Malaysia 302 303 Malaysia s cuisine reflects the multi ethnic makeup of its population 304 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 161 largely due to the country being part of the ancient spice route 305 The cuisine is very similar to that of Singapore and Brunei 183 and also bears resemblance to Filipino cuisine 161 The different states have varied dishes 183 and often the food in Malaysia is different from the original dishes 239 Sometimes food not found in its original culture is assimilated into another for example Chinese restaurants in Malaysia often serve Malay dishes 306 Food from one culture is sometimes also cooked using styles taken from another culture 183 For example sambal belacan shrimp paste are commonly used as ingredients by Chinese restaurants to create the stir fried water spinach kangkung belacan 307 This means that although much of Malaysian food can be traced back to a certain culture they have their own identity 305 Rice is a staple food and an important constituent of the country s culture 308 Chili is commonly found in local cuisine although this does not necessarily make them spicy 304 Media Main article Media of Malaysia Radio Televisyen Malaysia Malaysia s main newspapers are owned by the government and political parties in the ruling coalition 309 310 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 311 As a result of this East Malaysia region of Sarawak launched TV Sarawak as internet streaming beginning in 2014 and as TV station on 10 October 2020 312 to overcome the low priority and coverage of Peninsular based media and to solidify the representation of East Malaysia 313 The media have been blamed for increasing tension between Indonesia and Malaysia and giving Malaysians a bad image of Indonesians 314 The country has Malay English Chinese and Tamil dailies 311 Kadazandusun and Bajau news only available via TV broadcast Berita RTM 315 Written Kadazan news was once included in publications such as The Borneo Post the Borneo Mail the Daily Express and the New Sabah Times but publication has ceased with the newspaper or as a section 316 317 Freedom of the press is limited with numerous restrictions on publishing rights and information dissemination 318 The government has previously tried to crack down on opposition papers before elections 310 In 2007 a government agency issued a directive to all private television and radio stations to refrain from broadcasting speeches made by opposition leaders 319 a move condemned by politicians from the opposition Democratic Action Party 320 Sabah where all tabloids but one are independent of government control has the freest press in Malaysia 311 Laws such as the Printing Presses and Publications Act have also been cited as curtailing freedom of expression 321 Holidays and festivals Main article Public holidays in Malaysia Malaysia s largest Buddhist temple Kek Lok Si in Penang illuminated in preparation for the Chinese New Year 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 161 Malaysia Day on 16 September commemorates federation in 1963 322 Other notable national holidays are Labour Day 1 May and the King s birthday first week of June 161 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 Malay for Eid ul Adha Maulidur Rasul birthday of the Prophet and others being observed 161 Malaysian Chinese celebrate festivals such as Chinese New Year and others relating to traditional Chinese beliefs Wesak Day is observed and celebrated by Buddhists Hindus in Malaysia celebrate Deepavali the festival of lights 323 while Thaipusam is a religious rite which sees pilgrims from all over the country converge at the Batu Caves 324 Malaysia s Christian community celebrates most of the holidays observed by Christians elsewhere most notably Christmas and Easter In addition to this the Dayak community in Sarawak celebrate a harvest festival known as Gawai 325 and the Kadazandusun community celebrate Kaamatan 326 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 222 Sports Main article Sport in Malaysia Traditional sports such as the martial art style Silat Melayu persist alongside modern sports Popular sports in Malaysia include association football badminton field hockey bowls tennis squash martial arts horse riding sailing and skate boarding 222 Football is the most popular sport in Malaysia 327 Badminton matches also attract thousands of spectators and since 1948 Malaysia has been one of four countries to hold the Thomas Cup the world team championship trophy of men s badminton 328 The Malaysian Lawn Bowls Federation was registered in 1997 329 Squash was brought to the country by members of the British army with the first competition being held in 1939 330 The Squash Racquets Association Of Malaysia was created on 25 June 1972 331 The men s national field hockey team ranked 10th in the world as of June 2022 update 332 The 3rd Hockey World Cup was hosted at Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur as well as the 10th cup 333 The country also has its own Formula One track the Sepang International Circuit with the first Malaysian Grand Prix held in 1999 334 Traditional sports include Silat Melayu the most common style of martial arts practised by ethnic Malays 335 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 336 Besides the Olympic Games Malaysia also participates in the Paralympic Games 337 Malaysia has competed at the Commonwealth Games since 1950 as Malaya and 1966 as Malaysia and the games were hosted in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 338 339 See also Malaysia portal Asia portalList of Malaysia related topics Outline of Malaysia List of countries with multiple capitalsNotes Section 9 of the National Language Act 1963 67 states that The script of the national language shall be the Rumi script provided that this shall not prohibit the use of the Malay script more commonly known as the Jawi script of the national language Section 2 of the National Language Act 1963 67 states that Save as provided in this Act and subject to the safeguards contained in Article 152 1 of the Constitution relating to any other language and the language of any other community in Malaysia the national language shall be used for official purposes a b See Article 152 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia and National Language Act 1963 67 In English the official name of the country is simply Malaysia In Malay the name of the country as it appears on some official documents including the oath of Yang di Pertuan Agong is Persekutuan Malaysia meaning Federation of Malaysia Despite this the name Malaysia is mostly used officially including the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the Federal Constitution 39 better source needed References Malaysian Flag and Coat of Arms Malaysian Government Archived from the original on 22 October 2013 Retrieved 9 September 2013 Minister Census shows Malaysia s oldest man and woman aged 120 and 118 preliminary census findings to be released in Feb 2022 Malaymail 17 January 2022 Retrieved 17 January 2022 Department of Statistics Malaysia 2021 sfn error no target CITEREFDepartment of Statistics Malaysia2021 help The States Religion and Law of the Federation PDF Constitution of Malaysia Judicial Appointments Commission Archived from the original PDF on 14 June 2017 Retrieved 29 October 2017 Islam is the religion of the Federation but other religions may be practised in peace and harmony in any part of the Federation Distribution and Basic Demographic Characteristic Report 2020 Department of Statistics Malaysia 14 February 2020 Mackay Derek 2005 Eastern Customs The Customs Service in British Malaya and the Opium Trade The Radcliffe Press pp 240 ISBN 978 1 85043 844 1 31 Ogos 1963 Hari kemerdekaan Sabah yang rasmi AWANI 14 May 2021 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