Research on Malaysia

Malaysia is a nation located in Southeast Asia, bordered by Thailand, Indonesia, and Brunei, and shares water borders with Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Malaysia has coasts along the South China Sea. Malaysia has 13 states and 3 federal territories, with a population of 28.3 Million. Islam is the declared state religion but freedom of religion is a protected right in Malaysia. Human habitation in Malaysia dates back over 40,000 years and traders and settlers from India and China arrived as early as the 1st Century A.D, establishing trading ports and coastal towns in the 2nd and 3rd Century. This resulted in the strong influence of Chinese and Indian traditions and religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. 

The Malaysian legal system a federal constitutional elective monarchy and is based on English common law. The head of state, referred to as the King, is elected to a 5 year term by 9 of the 13 hereditary rulers.  Since changes to the constitution in 1995, the King’s role has been largely ceremonial. Like us, Malaysia has a lower house, the House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Senate. The Senate is run by the Prime Minister, who is the head of government. 

Malaysia is the 67th largest country by total land area and is divided into 2 major land sections by the South China Sea; Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia. Both areas have costal plains 

leading to hills and valleys, with a mountainous interior. 

The Malaysian economy, which used to be predominately mining and agriculture based, is moving towards a more diverse system and is pushing tourism more than ever. Malaysia was once the world’s largest producer of tin, rubber, and palm oil, and is still currently the largest exporter of palm oil. 

The education system is divided into 2 parts. The first is a 6 year compulsory primary education and the second is 5 years of voluntary secondary education. The official language is Malaysian, a standardized version of the Malay language, with English as a very active second language.

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. 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.[209] It also promoted the Malay language above others. Traditional Malaysian art was mainly centered around the areas of carving, weaving, and silversmithing. 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. 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.