Malaysia
Content
Malaysia
National Anthem: Negaraku, which means "My Country" Kuala Lumpur is the capital city and is home to the legislative branch of the Federal government. Putrajaya is the primary seat of the federal government where the executive and judicial branches are located. Government King -
Federal constitutionalelective monarchyand Federalparliamentary democracy
Abdul Halim
Legislature -
Parliament
Currency
Ringgit
Prime minister - Najib Tun Razak Upper houe- Dewan Negara
Lower house- Dewan Rakyat
Geography Malaysia is the 67th largest country by total land area. It has land borders with Thailand in West Malaysia, and Indonesia and Brunei in East Malaysia. It is linked to Singapore by a narrow causeway, and also has maritime boundaries with Vietnam and the Philippines. The two parts of Malaysia, separated from each other by the South China Sea.
Mount Kinabalu the tallest mountain in Malaysia and is protected as the Kinabalu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sarawak contains the Mulu Caves, the largest cave system in the world. States and federal territories of Malaysia Malaysia is a federation of 13 states and three federal territories. 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. Governance of the states is divided between the federal and the state governments, and the Federal government has direct administration of the federal territories.
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. Each state has a unicameral legislature known as the State Legislative Assembly. The states of East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) have separate immigration policies and controls, and a unique residency status. For citizens of one of these states or Peninsular Malaysia, the other areas of Malaysia are considered foreign countries under immigration laws. Each state is further divided into districts, which are then divided into mukim. In Sabah and Sarawak districts are grouped into divisions. Religion The Malaysian constitution guarantees freedom of religion while making Islam the state religion. According to the Population and Housing Census 2010 figures, approximately 61.3% of the population practice Islam, 19.8% practice Buddhism, 9.2% Christianity, 6.3% Hinduism and 1.3% practice Confucianism, Taoism and other traditional Chinese religions. 0.7% declared no religion and the remaining 1.4% practised other religions or did not provide any information. Kampung Laut Mosque in Kota Bharu is one of the oldest mosques in Malaysia, dating to early 18th century. Language The official language of Malaysia is Malaysian. English remains an active second language, and serves as the medium of instruction for maths and sciences in all public schools. Cuisine 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 largely due to the country being part of the ancient spice route. The cuisine is very similar to that of Singapore and Brunei and also bears resemblance to Filipino cuisine. Holidays and festivals The most observed national holiday is Hari Merdeka (Independence Day) on 31 August, commemorating the independence of the Federation of Malaya in 1957. Malaysia Day on 16 September commemorates federation in 1963. Other notable national holidays are Labour Day (1 May) and the King's birthday (first week of June). Muslim holidays are prominent as Islam is the state religion. Malaysian Chinese celebrate festivals such as Chinese New Year and others relating to traditional Chinese beliefs. Hindus in Malaysia celebrate Deepavali while Thaipusam is a religious rite which sees pilgrims from all over the country converge at the Batu Caves. Malaysia's Christian community celebrates most of the holidays observed by Christians. East Malaysians also celebrate a harvest festival known as Gawai. Sports Popular sports in Malaysia include soccer, badminton, field hockey, bowls, tennis, squash,martial arts, horse riding, sailing, and skate boarding. Two styles of martial arts are being practiced in Malaysia; Silat and Malaysian kickboxing, called Tomoi.
Tourist Attractions in Malaysia Malaysia offers two very distinct experiences: the peninsula and Borneo (an island shared with Indonesia and Brunei). The peninsula is a mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian flavors with an efficient and modern capital, Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian Borneo features some of the most interesting places in Malaysia with a wild jungle, orangutans, granite peaks and remote tribes. 1.Cameron Highlands (its a hill stations), 2. Taman Negara -Taman Negara, which literally means “national park” in Malay, is one of the oldest tropical rain forest in the world. 3. Pulau Tioman -Tioman is one of the world’s most beautiful islands located off the east coast of peninsular Malaysia 4. Mount Kinabalu - is the highest mountain in Borneo 5. Petronas Twin Towers -The Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur are the tallest twin buildings in the world. The 88-floor towers are constructed largely of reinforced concrete, with a steel and glass . The Petronas Twin Towers feature a sky bridge between the two towers on the 41st and 42nd floors. 6. Langkawi - Malaysia’s best-known holiday destination, Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea. 7. Perhentian Islands -Located off the coast of northeastern Malaysia not far from the Thai border. The Perhentian Islands are the must-go place in Malaysia for budget travelers. They have some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and great diving with plenty of cheap accommodation. The two main islands are Perhentian Besar (“Big Perhentian”) and Perhentian Kecil (“Small Perhentian”). Both the islands have palm-fringed white sandy beaches and turquoise blue sea. 8. Mulu Caves -The Mulu Caves are located in the Gunung Mulu National Park in Malaysian Borneo. The park encompasses incredible caves and karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting. The Sarawak chamber found in one of the underground caves is the largest cave chamber in the world.
National Anthem: Negaraku, which means "My Country" Kuala Lumpur is the capital city and is home to the legislative branch of the Federal government. Putrajaya is the primary seat of the federal government where the executive and judicial branches are located. Government King -
Federal constitutionalelective monarchyand Federalparliamentary democracy
Abdul Halim
Legislature -
Parliament
Currency
Ringgit
Prime minister - Najib Tun Razak Upper houe- Dewan Negara
Lower house- Dewan Rakyat
Geography Malaysia is the 67th largest country by total land area. It has land borders with Thailand in West Malaysia, and Indonesia and Brunei in East Malaysia. It is linked to Singapore by a narrow causeway, and also has maritime boundaries with Vietnam and the Philippines. The two parts of Malaysia, separated from each other by the South China Sea.
Mount Kinabalu the tallest mountain in Malaysia and is protected as the Kinabalu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sarawak contains the Mulu Caves, the largest cave system in the world. States and federal territories of Malaysia Malaysia is a federation of 13 states and three federal territories. 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. Governance of the states is divided between the federal and the state governments, and the Federal government has direct administration of the federal territories.
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. Each state has a unicameral legislature known as the State Legislative Assembly. The states of East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) have separate immigration policies and controls, and a unique residency status. For citizens of one of these states or Peninsular Malaysia, the other areas of Malaysia are considered foreign countries under immigration laws. Each state is further divided into districts, which are then divided into mukim. In Sabah and Sarawak districts are grouped into divisions. Religion The Malaysian constitution guarantees freedom of religion while making Islam the state religion. According to the Population and Housing Census 2010 figures, approximately 61.3% of the population practice Islam, 19.8% practice Buddhism, 9.2% Christianity, 6.3% Hinduism and 1.3% practice Confucianism, Taoism and other traditional Chinese religions. 0.7% declared no religion and the remaining 1.4% practised other religions or did not provide any information. Kampung Laut Mosque in Kota Bharu is one of the oldest mosques in Malaysia, dating to early 18th century. Language The official language of Malaysia is Malaysian. English remains an active second language, and serves as the medium of instruction for maths and sciences in all public schools. Cuisine 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 largely due to the country being part of the ancient spice route. The cuisine is very similar to that of Singapore and Brunei and also bears resemblance to Filipino cuisine. Holidays and festivals The most observed national holiday is Hari Merdeka (Independence Day) on 31 August, commemorating the independence of the Federation of Malaya in 1957. Malaysia Day on 16 September commemorates federation in 1963. Other notable national holidays are Labour Day (1 May) and the King's birthday (first week of June). Muslim holidays are prominent as Islam is the state religion. Malaysian Chinese celebrate festivals such as Chinese New Year and others relating to traditional Chinese beliefs. Hindus in Malaysia celebrate Deepavali while Thaipusam is a religious rite which sees pilgrims from all over the country converge at the Batu Caves. Malaysia's Christian community celebrates most of the holidays observed by Christians. East Malaysians also celebrate a harvest festival known as Gawai. Sports Popular sports in Malaysia include soccer, badminton, field hockey, bowls, tennis, squash,martial arts, horse riding, sailing, and skate boarding. Two styles of martial arts are being practiced in Malaysia; Silat and Malaysian kickboxing, called Tomoi.
Tourist Attractions in Malaysia Malaysia offers two very distinct experiences: the peninsula and Borneo (an island shared with Indonesia and Brunei). The peninsula is a mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian flavors with an efficient and modern capital, Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian Borneo features some of the most interesting places in Malaysia with a wild jungle, orangutans, granite peaks and remote tribes. 1.Cameron Highlands (its a hill stations), 2. Taman Negara -Taman Negara, which literally means “national park” in Malay, is one of the oldest tropical rain forest in the world. 3. Pulau Tioman -Tioman is one of the world’s most beautiful islands located off the east coast of peninsular Malaysia 4. Mount Kinabalu - is the highest mountain in Borneo 5. Petronas Twin Towers -The Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur are the tallest twin buildings in the world. The 88-floor towers are constructed largely of reinforced concrete, with a steel and glass . The Petronas Twin Towers feature a sky bridge between the two towers on the 41st and 42nd floors. 6. Langkawi - Malaysia’s best-known holiday destination, Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea. 7. Perhentian Islands -Located off the coast of northeastern Malaysia not far from the Thai border. The Perhentian Islands are the must-go place in Malaysia for budget travelers. They have some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and great diving with plenty of cheap accommodation. The two main islands are Perhentian Besar (“Big Perhentian”) and Perhentian Kecil (“Small Perhentian”). Both the islands have palm-fringed white sandy beaches and turquoise blue sea. 8. Mulu Caves -The Mulu Caves are located in the Gunung Mulu National Park in Malaysian Borneo. The park encompasses incredible caves and karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting. The Sarawak chamber found in one of the underground caves is the largest cave chamber in the world.
