The Federation of Malaysia (Malay: Persekutuan Malaysia) or simply Malaysia, is a country in Southeast Asia. It consists of two geographical regions divided by the South China Sea.
In the late 1990s, Malaysia was shaken by the Asian financial crisis. Opposition to certain aspects of the existing system was put down by the government. The opposition runs the gamut from socialists and reformists to a party that advocates the creation of an Islamic state.
In 2003, Dr. Mahathir, Malaysia's longest serving prime minister, retired in favour of his deputy, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, fondly known as Pak Lah. Since his retirement, Dr. Mahathir works as an 'advisor' to the National Oil Company Petronas and the National Car Company Proton. The new government has advanced a moderate view of an Islamic state defined by the term Islam Hadhari.
The two distinct parts of Malaysia, separated from each other by the South China Sea, share a largely similar landscape in that both West and East Malaysia feature coastal plains rising to often densely forested hills and mountains, the highest of which is Mount Kinabalu at 4,095.2 m on the island of Borneo. The local climate is equatorial and characterised by the annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons.
Tanjung Piai, located in the southern state of Johor, is the southernmost tip of continental Asia — if Singapore, an island connected to the continent by a man-made causeway, is excluded.
The Straits of Malacca, lying between Sumatra and West Malaysia, is arguably the most important shipping lane in the world.
Putrajaya is the newly created administrative capital for the federal government of Malaysia, aimed in part to ease growing congestion within Malaysia's capital city, Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysian culture is a mixture of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and various indigenous tribes dating back to more than fifteen hundred years ago from a Malay kingdom in Lembah Bujang with traders from China and India.
The first Chinese to settle in the straits, primarily in and around Malacca, gradually adopted elements of Malaysian culture and intermarried with the Malaysian community and with this, a new ethnic group called babas (male) and nonyas (female) emerged. Babas and nonyas as a group are know as Peranakan. They produced a synthetic set of practices, beliefs, and arts, combining Malay and Chinese traditions in such a way as to create a new culture.
Things you should know when travelling to Malaysia
Violent crime against foreigners is uncommon. Petty crime is prevalent, especially in tourist areas and at the airport. Snatch and grab incidents against tourists occur. Thieves on motorcycles frequently grab bags and other valuables from pedestrians, often resulting in injury. Women walking alone or with children are common targets. Exercise normal safety precautions and ensure personal belongings, passports, and other travel documents are secure at all times. Do not leave valuables unattended in vehicles. Do not accept food or drink from strangers. There have been cases of drugging. Demonstrations should be avoided.
Male travellers, usually alone, have been approached in public places with invitations to participate in card games offering attractive opportunities for winning large amounts of money. Victims have lost thousands of dollars before realizing they were being scammed.
Several Canadians have reported serious problems as a result of responding to offers to do volunteer work with the Utan Bara Adventure Team (UBAT). The work was advertised on UBAT's Web site at www.ubat.com.my. Persons interested in doing volunteer work with UBAT should contact The Canadian government and Canadian Content in Ottawa (ask for the Malaysian Desk Officer in Consular Case Management) or the High Commission of Canada in Kuala Lumpur (see below).
Pirate attacks and armed robbery against ships in Southeast Asia occur, particularly in the Strait of Malacca and in the waters between Sabah and southern Philippines. Mariners should take appropriate precautions. For additional information, see the Weekly Piracy Report published by the Commercial Crime Services division of the International Chamber of Commerce. Foreign vessels travelling in the waters off Sabah are subject to Malaysian law and must use routes designated by Malaysian authorities. Vessels must also fly a Malaysian flag and the flag of their home country.
