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MALAYSIA OVERVIEW
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Malaysia was
formed in 1963 through a merging of the former British colonies of Malaya
and Singapore , including the East Malaysian states of Sabah and
Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo.
The first several years of the country’s history were marred by Indonesian
efforts to control Malaysia , Philippine claims to Sabah , and Singapore’s secession in 1965.
The Malay
peninsula stretches from north to south for about 800 km and
mountains form its backbone and belly, with gentle valleys along its
coastlines. The island
of Borneo is of
similar terrain. In addition to the mountain ranges the Malay peninsula
also has an abundance of limestone outcrops, particularly in the areas of Kuala Lumpur and in the Kampar
Valley near Ipoh farther north. Cave ridden, these outcrops play host to
fauna and flora that generally, is different to that found in the nearby
lowlands.
The coastal areas of Malaysia are popular
destinations for most visitors to the country. Here the diving is excellent
and the offshore islands well worth visiting.
genericly the west coast of Peninsula Malaysia is
not as spectacular underwater as the east, but this is the more densely
resort developed coast, thus has more water related activities on offer.
Pulau Paya and the islands Kacha, Lembu and
Segantan to the north of Penang and south
of Langkawi are considered to have the best coral reef in the country,
lying just off their beaches. A marine park has been established here and a
floating observation platform off Pulau Paya has been built with an
underwater observation chamber for those not keen on getting in the water.
A country, with many
different cultures, religions and peoples, it is rapidly developing into
one of the more modern countries in the area. Good roads and friendly
people make travelling a pleasure and the accommodation is generally of a
high standard. All this adds up to a country well worth visiting no matter
how much time you have to spare.
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Official name:
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Federation of Malaysia
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Capital :
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Kuala
Lumpur
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Administration:
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13 states : Johor , Kedah ,
Kelantan, Melaka , Negri Sembilan, Pahang , Perak , Perlis , Pulau
Pinang, Sabah , Sarawak , Selangor , Terengganu
2 federal
territories : Labuan, Wilayah Persekutan (with
KL)
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Location :
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Southeastern Asia , peninsula and northern
one-third of island of Borneo (Indonesia)
in The South China sea. Sharing
border-land with Thailand
to the North , with Singapore to the South.
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Area :
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329,750 sq km
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Population :
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22,662,000
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Climate :
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Tropical ; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast
(October to February) monsoons
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Ethnic groups:
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Malay and other indigenous 58% , Chinese 24% , Indian 8% , other
10%
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Language
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Bahasa Melayu (official) , English , Chinese , Tamil , Telugu ,
Malayalam
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Religion
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Muslim , Buddhist , Hindu
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Local Time
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GMT +8
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Currency
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Ringgit (MYR) , Coins
include the 1 Ringgit, 5 Ringgit, 10 Ringgit, 20 Ringgit, 50 Ringgit
pieces
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Business Hours
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Generally open from 10am to 3pm,
Mondays to Fridays and 11am to 4:30pm, Saturdays. In the states of Johor, Kedah, Perlis, Terengganu and Kelantan a
traditional half-day holiday is observed on Thursday and full-day holiday
on Friday
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Electricity supply
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220-240
volts AC, 50 cycles
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Public
Holidays
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Malaysia has so many cultures and religions that
there are an amazing number of occasions that are celebrated. Most have a
fixed date but many, especially the Hindu, Muslim and Chinese follow the
lunar year, so dates change each year. In addition to the national public
holidays, each state has its own holidays, often associated with the sultans birthday or a Muslim celebration. Hindu and
Chinese holidays may also vary from year to year but generally stay
within the same month. Due to the vast number of holidays and the fact
that they often change, we have listed only the most important ones in
each area.
Malaysia celebrates 44 holidays a year, listed here
are the most important:
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Chinese New Year
22nd - 23rd January
Eid Al-Adha 1st February
Maal Hijrah 22nd February
Labour Day 1st May
Maulidur Rasul - (In Commemoration of the Birthday of Prophet Muhammad
S.A.W) 2nd May
Wesak Day 3rd May
Birthday Celebration of SPB Yang di Pertuan Agong 5th June
National Day 31st August
Deepavali 11th November
Eid Al-Fitr 14th - 15th
November
Christmas 25th December
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Festivals
& Events
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Chinese
New Year (January/
February)
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This is a
joyous time when friends and relatives give each other
"angpows" - red packets with a gift of cash as a token of
prosperity and celebrate with feasts and lion dances to ward off evil
spirits and usher in the lunar new year. Family reunion dinners are a
must among Chinese on the eve of the new year.
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Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival (March, August and December)
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Three
wonderful opportunities to satisfy your every indulgence in Malaysia's
month-long shopping carnivals in Kuala Lumpur and other urban centres in
the country. There's no better time to pick up that lovely gold bracelet,
exquisite designer dress or state-of-the-art camera; fantastic discounts
and unbelievable bargains are on offer at shopping centres, emporiums,
retail outlets as well as exclusive boutiques. This is also the time when
the various Malaysian States showcase their traditional arts and culture.
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Food
& Fruit Fiesta (July)
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Malaysia's favourite pastime has become a shared
event nationwide. The seemingly endless variety and abundance of cuisine
available in Malaysia,
from exotic eastern feasts to elegant western dishes will simply amaze
visitors. And the absolutely succulent range of fruits will dazzle and
delight newcomers to the world of tropical fruits.
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National
Day (31
August)
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The country
celebrates it's independence on 31 August with parades and shows. Towns
and cities throughout Malaysia
will be gaily decorated and adorned with lights for the grand occasion.
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Malaysia Fest (September)
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For two
weeks, all the major hotels and shopping complexes join forces to feature
the culture, cuisine and handicrafts of the various states in Malaysia.
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Deepavali (October/ November)
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The
"Festival of Lights" is a celebration which marks the triumph
of good over evil. During this festival, Hindu homes are emblazoned with
lights to symbolize this triumph.
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Hari
Raya Eid al-Fitri (November)
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is celebrated
by Muslims after the month-long fasting of Ramadan. Muslims usher in the
new year with prayers in the mosques followed by receiving well-wishers
in their homes.
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Christmas
(25
December)
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Celebrated by Christians similar to
any other part of the world. Midnight services are held at churches on
Christmas eve. Shopping centres, hotels, old folks homes and children's
homes echo with beautiful carols. The revelry and yuletide spirit of
Christmas is enjoyed by Christians and non-Christians alike.
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