9781422275542

M A L A Y S I A

ASIAN  COUNTRIES TODAY

ASIAN  COUNTRIES TODAY

CHINA INDONESIA JAPAN MALAYSIA

PHILIPPINES SINGAPORE SOUTH KOREA THAILAND VIETNAM

M A L A Y S I A

ASIAN  COUNTRIES TODAY

CATRINA  DANIElS-COwART

MASON CREST

PHIlADElPHIA MIAMI

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ISBN (hardback) 978-1-4222-4268-1 ISBN (series) 978-1-4222-4263-6 ISBN (ebook) 978-1-4222-7554-2 Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file with the Library of Congress

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Malaysia at a Glance ....................................................................6 Chapter 1: Malaysia’s Geography & landscape.........................11 Chapter 2: The Government & History of Malaysia................... 19 Chapter 3 : The Malaysian Economy........................................... 31 Chapter 4 : Citizens of Malaysia—People, Customs & Culture...49 Chapter 5: Famous Cities of Malaysia........................................ 65 Chapter 6: A Bright Future for Malaysia..................................... 77 Malaysian Food .......................................................................... 82 Festivals & Holidays .................................................................. 86 Series Glossary of Key Terms...................................................... 88 Chronology.................................................................................. 90 Further Reading & Internet Resources....................................... 91 Index............................................................................................ 92 Organizations to Contact............................................................ 95 Author’s Biography & Credits...................................................... 96

KEY ICONS TO lOOK FOR: WORDS TO UNDERSTAND: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills. SIDEBARS: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more! TEXT-DEPENDENT QUESTIONS: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there.

RESEARCH PROJECTS: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis.

SERIES GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field.

M A L A Y S I A

A T

A

G L A N C E

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The Geography of Malaysia

Location: Southeastern Asia in the South China Sea  Area:         Slightly larger than New Mexico total :         127,354  sq. miles (329,847  sq. km) land:          126,895  sq. miles (328,657 sq. km) water:       459 sq. miles (1,190 sq. km) Borders:   The closest neighbors to the                       islands include Thailand, Borneo,                       Indonesia, Brunei, and Vietnam Climate:   Tropical, annual southwest (April                       to October) and northeast                       (October to February) monsoons Terrain:   Coastal plains rising to hills and 

                     mountains Elevation Extremes: lowest       

point:        Indian Ocean at exactly sea level  highest     Gunung Kinabalu 13,435 feet  point:        (4,095 m) above sea level  Natural Hazards: landslides, forest fires, flooding

Source: www.cia.gov 2017

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The flag of Malaysia was raised for the first time on                              September 16, 1963. Its design was created in a                              contest held by the federal legislative council and                              three flags were chosen for the public to vote on. The first one had two daggers in the middle against a blue backdrop. The second had eleven stars around crossed daggers in a star shape. Although these were significantly different from the flag of the Federation of Malaya, the previous government administration, it was the third flag that won. It was similar to the Federation of Malaya’s flag, but it used a simple five-point star that had been left out of the Malaya flag due to its similarities to the Communist symbol. The flag’s design represents several things: The red, white, and blue represent the country belonging to the Commonwealth. The official religion of the Federation of Malaya is Islam, so a crescent and star were included. Additional points and stripes have been added since the flag was created, and it has been given the official name “Jalur Gemilang.”

F L A G O F M A L A Y S I A

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The People of Malaysia Population: 31,381,992 Ethnic Groups: Bumiputera              (Malays and original peoples,               including Orang Asli, Dayak, Anak              Negeri), Chinese,  Indian Age Structure:              0–14 years: 27.83%                (8,732,075)              15–24 years: 16.81%                (5,276,792)               25–54 years: 41%               (12,866,261)              55–64 years: 8.27%                  (2,593,889)              65 years and over: 6.1%                (1,912,975) Population Growth Rate:              1.37% Death Rate:              5.1 deaths/1,000 pop. Migration Rate:              –0.3 migrants/1,000 pop. Infant Mortality Rate:              12.5 deaths/1,000 live birth Life Expectancy at Birth:              total population: 72.2 years              male: 72.4 years              female: 78.2 years Total Fertility Rate:              2.1 children born/woman Religions:              Muslim 61.3%, Buddhist 19.8%,               Christian 9.2%, Hindu 6.3%               Confucianism, Taoism, others 3.5% Languages:              Bahasa Malaysia, English, Chinese,               Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi,               Thai Literacy Rate:              94.6%                    Source: www.cia.gov 2017

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The Tun Sakaran Marine Park is near Semporna, off the east coast of Sabah.

biodiverse: containing many different kinds of areas, including ocean and dry land habitats, lakes and mountains, forests and savannahs, etc., and many different types of animals and plants monsoon: a wind system, accompanied by heavy rains, that influences large regions and reverses direction seasonally parasitic: of, relating to, or being a parasite; a relationship—generally between two plants or animals— where one exploits the other and depends on the other for existence or support without making a useful or adequate return

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C H A P T E R

MALAYSIA’S GEOGRAPHY & LANDSCAPE

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W elcome to Malaysia, a country in Southeast Asia. The Federation of Malaysia contains thirteen states and three federal territories. They are separated by the South China Sea, which creates the Malaysian Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia. Malaysia is a popular tourist destination and a country with a long, interesting history. Geography Malaysia is located in Southeastern Asia where it borders the lands of Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Brunei, and by the South China Sea. The country is just slightly larger than New Mexico, with 1,073 square miles (2,742 sq. km) of total land. There are another 12,094 miles (4,675 km) of coastline. Malaysia is home to many hills and mountains along with coastal plains. Approximately 23.2 percent of the land is used for agriculture and forests make up 62 percent of the country based on 2011 estimates. What is interesting about the geography of Malaysia is that it has resulted in an uneven distribution of the population. Around 80 percent of the population lives on the Malay Peninsula.

MAlAYSIA’S  GEOGRAPHY & lANDSCAPE 11

The Climate The climate in Malaysia is tropical and it is prone to monsoon s. Monsoons hit the country between April and October and from October to February. Northeastern Malaysia is more likely to be impacted by monsoons from October to February, while Southwest Malaysia is more likely to be struck by monsoons from April to October. Fauna and Flora The fauna and flora in Malaysia are varied, but the most obvious pieces of nature are the evergreen rainforests found on two-fifths of the peninsula. A portion of the country is also under a swamp forest, creating an ideal habitat for a number of species. There are distinct areas of vegetation broken down into zones thanks to the different elevations and tides that affect Malaysia. These include a tidal

The Cloud Forest              Malaysia’s rainforest at the top of               mountains is what is known as a “cloud forest.” This is also called a “water forest” or a “montane rainforest” in different parts of the world. A cloud forest is covered by low-level clouds that are persistent, seasonal, or frequent in nature. The cloud cover generally drops as low as the canopy of the forest and exists due to moisture-filled air that is deflected by the mountains. The cloud forest in Malaysia is approximately 2,000 feet (600 meters) up the mountains.

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swamp forest, lowland rainforest, freshwater forest, peat-swamp forest, and even a cloud forest. Sandy soils with little nutrition remaining in them are called the Kerangas forest, as they are open and wide like a heath. Malaysia is biodiverse , which means that a variety of plants and animals, habitats, and climates exist throughout the country. The terrain is primarily coastal, which then rises into hills and mountains. The country has a tropical climate that is prone to severe monsoons. Around 70 percent of Malaysia is a beautiful tropical rainforest that is specifically home to palm trees, ebony, sandalwood, teak, and camphor. Animals vary throughout the country. Some of the most common include wild pigs, deer, honey bears, civets, snakes, lizards and crocodiles, and the Malayan

The honey bear or sun bear is native to the tropical forest habitats of Southeast Asia.

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bison, also known as “seladang.” Around 508 breeding species of birds flock to Malaysia and call it home for at least a portion of the year. In the lowland forests of Sabah and Sarawak, travelers can find around 400 species of hardwood trees along with semihardwood species. One common fruit tree is the fig, while common plants higher up in altitude include violets, buttercups, and valerian. In the evergreen forests, moss covers the trees and ground. People who enjoy bird watching may enjoy finding the real birds of paradise— colored birds that flock to the forests—as well as the “Birds of Paradise” flowers. Butterflies and small mammals also inhabit the various zones of Malaysia. There are some rarer species that people might see while visiting Malaysia, like monkeys, elephants, panthers, rhinoceroses, crocodiles, tapirs, and others, if they’re lucky. Interestingly, these animals do occur in the wild in Malaysia, but they often hide away carefully and are not seen.

This 13-minute video provides an insight into Malaysia’s geography. Scan the QR code with your phone to watch!

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