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PEOPLE
Because it commands the Strait of Malacca, one of the major sea-lanes of the world, the Malay Peninsula has been the meeting place of peoples from other parts of Asia. This is reflected in the diversity of the country's population. Ethnic Malays constitute about two-thirds of Malaysia's inhabitants; they are usually Muslim and speak an Austronesian language called Malay (or Bahasa Malaysia), which is the country's official language. Chinese who migrated from southeastern China make up about three-tenths of the population, and Indians, Pakistanis, and Tamils (from Sri Lanka) account for most of the remainder. The Chinese are mostly Buddhists, Taoists, or Confucians, with some Christians. Most of the Indians and Sri Lankans are Hindus, and most of the Pakistanis are Muslim. Tamils speak either Dravidian or Indo-European languages. In Peninsular Malaysia the Orang Asli peoples, including the Jakun, Semang, and Senoi groups, practice traditional religions, and some are Muslims.
The population of East Malaysia is even more diverse than that of Peninsular Malaysia. The main groups are the Chinese (about one-third of the population) and some 25 ethnic groups, as well as smaller tribal subgroups that speak Austronesian languages. The Iban (Sea Dayak), who live in Sarawak, were formerly headhunters and continue to live in communal longhouses. The Bidayuh (Land Dayak) inhabit the hill country of western Sarawak. The Kadazan are the largest indigenous group in Sabah.
The annual rate of growth of Malaysia's population was once one of the highest in Asia but has decreased steadily since 1960. Peninsular Malaysia has about four-fifths of the country's population. Formerly high birth rates have dropped among the Chinese and Indian ethnic groups in particular. The population is young--about 37 percent are younger than 15 years of age. Health standards are good for a developing country, and the life expectancy is 69 years for men and 73 years for women. Approximately two-fifths of the population is urban, and the trend of migration is toward the cities.
Malaysia is a federation of states governed by a constitutional monarchy. The federal government is responsible for foreign affairs, defense, internal security, justice (except where Islamic and native law prevail), federal citizenship, finance, commerce, industry, communications, and transportation. The state governments deal with immigration, civil service, and customs matters. Nine of the states are governed by hereditary rulers acting on the advice of State Executive Councils; the other four states are headed by appointed governors.
The nominal head of the federal government is the paramount ruler, who is elected to five-year terms by the Conference of Rulers, a body composed of the states' nine hereditary rulers. According to the country's constitution of 1957, however, real political power rests with the federal legislature, consisting of a Senate (Dewan Negara) and a House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat). The Senate's 69 members include 43 appointed by the paramount ruler and 26 elected by legislative assemblies in the states. The powerful House of Representatives has 192 members elected to five-year terms by universal adult suffrage. The leader of the party with the most seats in the House of Representatives serves as prime minister and names a cabinet, whose members are appointed by the paramount ruler. The dominant political organization is the National Front, a coalition of parties representing the country's major ethnic groups.
Malaysia's social-welfare system provides employed persons with work injury, old age, and disability benefits. The general level of the country's health compares favourably with those of other developing nations. Malaysia is now free of many tropical diseases, but some diseases borne by animal vectors, such as malaria, are still a problem in rural areas. Health services are generally adequate in the towns and cities, and medical care is free for those who live near a government hospital or clinic, but there is a shortage of doctors and hospitals in the countryside.
Education is free, but non-compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 15. It is estimated that almost 90 percent of all primary school age children attend the country's six-year primary schools. Graduates of this level may attend lower, and later upper, secondary school. Upper secondary graduates, upon certification, may enter one of the country's universities.
The nation's press is privately owned but restricted by laws that forbid the publishing of any matter considered harmful to the country's security, order, or morality. The broadcast media are government owned.
Malaysia, with its complex family of peoples and cultures, is a melting pot of traditions stemming from the Malay Archipelago as well as from China, India, and the West. Malay and Bornean cultures are indigenous to the area. The most important literary work in the Malay language is considered to be Sejarah Melayu ("Malay Annals") written about 1535. The work presents a detailed account of the medieval city-state of Malacca (modern Melaka city). The pantunis is a four-line verse spoken or sung at festivals and weddings. The nation's multifaceted culture is reflected in the National Museum in Kuala Lumpur, with traditional Chinese theatre scenes; the Malacca Museum features Chinese porcelain, furniture, and costumes; and the Sarawak Museum possesses a collection on Bornean ethnography.
Malaya has been inhabited for at least 6,000 to 8,000 years. Neolithic culture was well established by 2500-1500 BC. Small Malayan kingdoms existed in the 2nd or 3rd centuries AD, when adventurers from India arrived and initiated more than 1,000 years of Indian influence. Sumatran exiles founded Malacca (c. 1400) and secured Chinese protection for the city-state. Malacca entered a golden age as a commercial and Islamic religious centre, but in 1511 it was captured by the Portuguese. When the Dutch captured Malacca in 1641, the port was no longer an important trading centre.
Minangkabau peoples from Sumatra migrated to Malaya during the late 17th century, bringing with them a matrilineal culture. In the 18th century the Buginese from the island of Celebes invaded Malaya and established the sultanates of Selangor and Johore.
The British founded a settlement on Singapore Island in 1819 and by 1867 had established the Straits Settlements--Malacca, Singapore, and Penang (now Pinang) Island. During the late 19th century Chinese began to migrate to Malaya. In 1896 the Malay states accepted British advisors, and Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, and Pahang formed a federation.
From the 1890s the British invested heavily in Malaya, developing transportation and rubber plantations. In 1941 the Japanese invaded Malaya and captured Singapore in early 1942. After World War II the British tried unsuccessfully to organize Malaya into one state. This led to the birth of Malayan nationalism, which opposed a colonial status. In 1946 the United Malaya National Organization (UMNO) was established, and in 1948 the peninsula was federated with Penang Island. In the same year the Malayan Communist Party was formed. In 1955 the Malayan Chinese Association joined UMNO in an anticommunist, anticolonial coalition that won 51 of 52 parliamentary seats. The British relinquished their powers, and in 1957 Malayan independence was achieved.
In the 1960s membership in the federation shifted several times, finally settling into the present pattern in 1963, when Malaysia was established. Turbulence in the government went on into the early 1970s, when stability returned and the Malaysian economy began to prosper. Despite considerable regional and ethnic divisions, Malaysia has made significant gains in creating national unity.
©Extracts from Encyclopedia Britannica