Portal:Malaysia

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Welcome to the Malaysia portal / Selamat datang

Map of Malaysia

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 and largest city while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. With a population of over 32 million, Malaysia is the world's 43th-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 a number of endemic species.

Malaysia has its origins in the Malay kingdoms which, from the 18th century, 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. Malaya united with North Borneo, Sarawak, and Singapore on 16 September 1963 to become Malaysia. In 1965, Singapore was expelled from the federation.

The country is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural, which has a significant effect on its politics. About half the population is ethnically Malay, with large minorities of Chinese, Indians, and indigenous peoples. The country's official language is Malaysian, 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 closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system and the legal system is based on common law. The head of state is an elected monarch, known as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 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 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 33rd-largest in the world. It is a founding member of ASEAN, EAS, OIC and a member of APEC, the Commonwealth and the Non-Aligned Movement. Read more...

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Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) (Malay: Penerbangan Malaysia Berhad), formerly known as Malaysian Airline System (MAS) (Malay: Sistem Penerbangan Malaysia), branded as Malaysia Airlines is the flag carrier airline of Malaysia and a member of the oneworld airline alliance. (The MAS initials are still being kept by subsidiaries MAS Kargo and MAS Wings.) The company headquarters are located at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. In August 2014, the Malaysian government's sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional—which then owned 69.37% of the airline—announced its intention to purchase remaining ownership from minority shareholders and de-list the airline from Malaysia's stock exchange, thereby renationalising the airline. It operates primarily from Kuala Lumpur International Airport and from secondary hubs in Kota Kinabalu and Kuching to destinations throughout Asia, Oceania, and Europe.

Malaysia Airlines owns two subsidiary airlines: Firefly and MASwings. Firefly operates scheduled flights from its two home bases Penang International Airport and Subang International Airport. The airline focuses on tertiary cities. MASwings focuses on inter-Borneo flights. Malaysia Airlines has a freighter fleet operated by sister company MASkargo, which manages freighter flights and aircraft cargo-hold capacity for all Malaysia Airlines' passenger flights. Read more...

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The following are images from various Malaysia-related articles on Wikipedia.

Heads from old headhunting practices in a Kadazan house in Sabah
Evolution of Malaysia
The discovery of a skull which estimates say is around 40,000 years old on Niah Caves in Sarawak, has been identified as the earliest evidence for human settlement in Malaysian Borneo.
British flag hoisted for the first time on the island of Labuan on 24 December 1846.
Malay children dressed for Hari raya
The topography of Peninsular Malaysia.
A view of a river from the anchorage off Sarawak, Borneo, c. 1800s. Painting from the National Maritime Museum of London.
Built in 6th century A.D, Candi Bukit Batu Pahat is the most well-known ancient Hindu temple found in Bujang Valley, Kedah, Malaysia.
Mount Kinabalu, the highest point of Malaysia, is located in Sabah.
Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur, the tallest building in Southeast Asia.
The extent of the Malaccan Empire in the 15th century became the main point for the spreading of Islam in the Malay Archipelago.
Replica of the palace of the Malacca Sultanate, built from information in the Malay Annals
Bantang River Recreational Forest in Segamat District, Johor.
Japanese troops moving through Kuala Lumpur during their advance through Malaya.
A wau workshop
The topography of Malaysian Borneo.
The 1056m Johor-Singapore Causeway connects Malaysia and Singapore across the Straits of Johor. In the background is Johor Bahru.
Peninsular Malaysia Precipitation Map on December 2004 showing heavy precipitation on the east coast, causing floods there.
The earliest record of a local law influenced by Islamic teaching and written in Jawi. The stone monument is found in Terengganu.
Ayer Keroh Lake.
Avalokiteshvara statue found in Perak, 8th–9th century bronze.
Kuala Lumpur, a blend of old and new.
A Map of Malaysia's states.
Historic Indosphere cultural influence zone of Greater India for transmission of elements of Indian elements such as the honorific titles, naming of people, naming of places, mottos of organisations and educational institutes as well as adoption of Hinduism, Buddhism, Indian architecture, martial arts, Indian music and dance, traditional Indian clothing, and Indian cuisine, a process which as been also aided by the ongoing historic expansion of Indian diaspora.
The Zheng He monument today (seen from the backside), marking his stopover at the city
Joget Melayu, a Malay dance
Malacca Art Gallery
Comparison of Malay language, Jawi writing, and Khat Calligraphy with other Languages
Peninsular Malaysia (left) is 40% of Malaysia's territory, and is predominately Islamic. The two states of East Malaysia are mostly Christian. The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur.
Tugu Negara, the Malaysian national monument is dedicated to those who fell during World War II and the Malayan Emergency.
Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) in Kuala Lumpur, where Malaysians celebrate Independence Day on 31 August each year.
Clockwise from bottom left: beef soup, ketupat (compressed rice cubes), beef rendang and sayur lodeh
Nasi Lemak, the national dish of Malaysia
Members of the Cobbold Commission were formed to conduct a study in the British Borneo territories of Sarawak and Sabah to see whether the two were interested in the idea to form the Federation of Malaysia with Malaya and Singapore.
The proclamation on the formation of the independent Federation of Malaysia by Lee Kuan Yew (top) for Singapore, Donald Stephens (centre) for North Borneo and Stephen Kalong Ningkan (bottom) for Sarawak. However, Singapore left the Federation less than two years after the merger due to racial issues.
Gasing spinning top at the cultural center Gelanggang Seni
Malaysia is located in the equatorial region, and has a tropical rainforest climate.
The Dutch fleet battling with the Portuguese armada as part of the Dutch–Portuguese War in 1606 to gain control of Malacca.
Malacca Literature Museum
Siti Nurhaliza wearing a tudung
The Buddha-Gupta stone, dating to the 4th–5th century CE, was dedicated by an Indian Merchant, Buddha Gupta, as an expression of gratitude for his safe arrival after a voyage to the Malay peninsula. It was found in Seberang Perai, Malaysia and is kept in the National Museum, Calcutta, India.
Statue of Francis Light in the Fort Cornwallis of Penang, marking the first step of British expansion in the Malay Archipelago.
Mahathir Mohamad was the leading force in making Malaysia into a major industrial power.
A beach on Redang Island in the South China Sea.
South-East Asia's Largest Temple- Kek Lok Si in Penang being illuminated in preparation for the Lunar New Year.