Portal:Malaysia

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Portal:Malaysia/Intro

Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. A federal constitutional monarchy, it consists of 13 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 borders with Brunei and Indonesia, as well as a maritime border with the Philippines and Vietnam. Kuala Lumpur is the national capital, the country's largest city, and the seat of the legislative branch of the federal government.

Putrajaya is the federal administrative capital, which represents the seat of both the executive branch (the Cabinet, federal ministries, and federal agencies) and the judicial branch of the federal government. With a population of over 34 million, the country is the world's 42nd-most populous country. Malaysia is tropical and is one of 17 megadiverse countries; it is home to numerous endemic species. Tanjung Piai in the Malaysian state of Johor is the southernmost point of continental Eurasia.

The country has its origins in the Malay kingdoms, which, from the 18th century on, became subject to the British Empire, along with the British Straits Settlements protectorate. During World War II, British Malaya, along with other nearby British and American colonies, was occupied by the Empire of Japan. Following three years of occupation, Peninsular Malaysia was briefly unified as the Malayan Union in 1946 until 1948 when it was restructured as the Federation of Malaya. The country achieved independence on 31 August 1957. On 16 September 1963, independent Malaya united with the then British crown colonies of North Borneo, Sarawak, and Singapore to become Malaysia. In August 1965, Singapore was expelled from the federation and became a separate, independent country.

The country is multiethnic and multicultural, which has a significant effect on its politics. About half the population is ethnically Malay, with minorities of Chinese, Indians, and indigenous peoples. The official language is Malaysian Malay, a standard form of the Malay language. English remains an active second language. It is also home to 111 living indigenous languages. Malaysia was also home to 2 indigenous languages that are now extinct. While recognising Islam as the official religion, the constitution grants freedom of religion to non-Muslims. The government is modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system, and the legal system is based on common law. The head of state is an elected monarch, chosen from among the nine state sultans every five years. The head of government is the prime minister.

The country's economy has traditionally been driven by its natural resources but is expanding into commerce, tourism, and medical tourism. The country has a newly industrialised market economy, which is relatively open and state-oriented. The country is a founding member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the East Asia Summit (EAS), and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and a member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Commonwealth, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). (Full article...)

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The Crown Colony of Sarawak was a British Crown colony on the island of Borneo, established in 1946, shortly after the dissolution of the British Military Administration. It was succeeded as the state of Sarawak through the formation of the Federation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963. (Full article...)

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Juhar bin Mahiruddin (Jawi: جوهر بن ماهرالدين; born 5 November 1953) is a Malaysian politician who served as the 10th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah from January 2011 to December 2024, Speaker of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly from December 2002 to December 2010, Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat and Member of Parliament (MP) for Kinabatangan from October 1990 to November 1999. He is also the longest-serving Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah in the history of the state by holding the position for 14 years, Chancellor of the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and founding member of the United Malays National Organisation of Sabah (Sabah UMNO). (Full article...)

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Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum (Malay: Makam Diraja Mahmoodiah) is a royal mausoleum in Johor Bahru, Johor. Sultan Abu Bakar, the first Sultan of Johor, is buried here.

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

Image 1Ais kacang (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 2Pan Mee (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 3An ethnic Chinese woman in Malaysia grinds and cuts up dried herbs to make traditional Chinese medicine. (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 4A Malaysian nasi lemak traditionally wrapped in banana leaves (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 5Bantang River Recreational Forest in Segamat District, Johor. (from Geography of Malaysia)
Image 6The extent of the Malaccan Empire in the 15th century became the main point for the spreading of Islam in the Malay Archipelago. (from History of Malaysia)
Image 7A view of a river from the anchorage off Sarawak, Borneo, c. 1800s. Painting from the National Maritime Museum of London. (from History of Malaysia)
Image 8Historic Indosphere cultural influence zone of Greater India for transmission of religion, music, arts, and cuisine (from History of Malaysia)
Image 9Bronze Avalokiteshvara statue found in Perak, 8th–9th century (from History of Malaysia)
Image 10Tugu Negara, the Malaysian national monument, is dedicated to those who fell during World War II and the Malayan Emergency. (from History of Malaysia)
Image 11Map of the geographic origin of the present-day ethnic Chinese Malaysians since their early migrations from China to Nanyang region more than a hundred years ago. (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 12Iced Ipoh white coffee in Menglembu, Ipoh, Malaysia (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 13Statue of Francis Light in the Fort Cornwallis of Penang, marking the start of British rule in the Malay Archipelago (from History of Malaysia)
Image 14Amplang. (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 15Anwar Ibrahim with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Eastern Economic Forum in Primorsky Krai, Russia, 4 September 2024 (from History of Malaysia)
Image 16Petroleum Museum in Sarawak. (from Mining in Malaysia)
Image 17Chinese women working in a British mobile canteen during the Malayan Campaign, c. January 1942 (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 18Nasi Lemak, the national dish of Malaysia (from Culture of Malaysia)
Image 19Mahathir Mohamad was the leading force in making Malaysia into a major industrial power. (from History of Malaysia)
Image 20Tongmenghui fundraising meeting in Ipoh for the Second Guangzhou Uprising, c. 1911 (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 21Chinese New Year decorations in George Town, Penang (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 22Lion dance in Malaysia's capital during the Chinese main festivity. (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 23Tanks of fresh seafood at a seafood restaurant in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 24Chinatown Gateway, a Chinatown in Kuala Terengganu, Terrengganu. (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 25Penang rojak (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 26Kangkung belacan (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 27Aside from mandarin orange, various other snacks are presented for visitors throughout the Chinese New Year. (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 28Malayan Peoples' Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) guerrillas during their disbandment ceremony in Kuala Lumpur after the end of World War II (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 29Penang chee cheong fun (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 30The discovery of a skull estimated to be around 40,000 years old in the Niah Caves, in Sarawak, has been identified as the earliest evidence for human settlement in Malaysian Borneo (photo December 1958). (from History of Malaysia)
Image 31The Klang Bell, dated 200 BC–200 AD (from History of Malaysia)
Image 32Gasing spinning top at the cultural center Gelanggang Seni (from Culture of Malaysia)
Image 33Mee siput muar (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 34Members 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. (from History of Malaysia)
Image 35Peninsular Malaysia (left) is 40% of Malaysia's territory, and East Malaysia (right) is 60% of Malaysia's territory. The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur. (from Culture of Malaysia)
Image 36Sultanate of Aceh's influence in Perak, Kedah, Pahang, and Terengganu on the Malay Peninsula, c. 1570s (from History of Malaysia)
Image 37Roti tisu served as a savoury meal, pictured here with a glass of teh tarik. (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 38Built in the 6th century AD, Candi Bukit Batu Pahat is the most well-known ancient Hindu temple found in Bujang Valley. (from History of Malaysia)
Image 39Tau sar pneah, also known as Tambun pneah, from Penang (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 40Durians in rack sold in Kuala Lumpur (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 41A wau workshop (from Culture of Malaysia)
Image 42The 1056m Johor-Singapore Causeway connects Malaysia and Singapore across the Straits of Johor. In the background is Johor Bahru. (from Geography of Malaysia)
Image 43Co-curricular activities in Tshung Tsin Secondary School, a Chinese independent high school in Sabah. (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 44Raw (l) and cooked (r) sambal tempoyak. (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 45Evolution of Malaysia (from History of Malaysia)
Image 46New villages were established during the 1950s to segregate Chinese with connections to communist insurgents. (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 47Teh C Peng Special (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 48Köppen–Geiger climate classification map of Malaysia. (from Geography of Malaysia)
Image 49A view of Petronas Twin Towers and the surrounding central business district in Kuala Lumpur (from History of Malaysia)
Image 50The 1MDB corruption scandal tainted the tenure of Prime Minister, Najib Razak. (from History of Malaysia)
Image 51Batik cake (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 52Chinese tycoon Ng Boo Bee with British officials in Perak in 1904 (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 53Idli served with typical accompaniments. (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 54Roti Telur and Teh Tarik (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 55Mount Kinabalu, the highest point of Malaysia, is located in Sabah. (from Geography of Malaysia)
Image 56Malaysian Chinese Catholics during Palm Sunday at St Ignatius Church in Selangor. (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 57A Chinese junk in the Kinabatangan District of northern Borneo, photographed by Martin Johnson c. 1935 (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 58Former mine which has been converted into a lake garden in Perak. (from Mining in Malaysia)
Image 59British flag hoisted for the first time on the island of Labuan on 24 December 1846 (from History of Malaysia)
Image 60Soto ayam, (chicken soto). Note the transparent yellow broth, the emping and fried shallot (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 61A beach on Redang Island in the South China Sea. (from Geography of Malaysia)
Image 62Some of the traditional clothes from East Malaysia (from Culture of Malaysia)
Image 63The 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. (from History of Malaysia)
Image 64Sea grapes, known as latok by the Bajau people. (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 65Nasi dagang (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 66The usually crowded Lim Chong Eu Expressway and its surroundings in Penang were deserted on 22 March 2020 during the Malaysian Movement Control Order to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. (from History of Malaysia)
Image 67Bubur pulut hitam, without coconut milk. (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 68The topography of Malaysian Borneo. (from Geography of Malaysia)
Image 6916th century Portuguese sketch of Malacca. (from History of Malaysia)
Image 70A bowl of Penang Hokkien mee (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 71A typical serving of banana leaf rice. (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 72Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur was the tallest building in Southeast Asia. (from History of Malaysia)
Image 73Photo of Sultan Ahmad Muʽazzam and his courtiers. Many years after the precolonial period. c. 1900. (from History of Malaysia)
Image 74Comparison of Malay language, Jawi writing, and Khat calligraphy with other languages. (from Culture of Malaysia)
Image 75Bersih 2.0 rally protesters marching the streets of Kuala Lumpur peacefully before the police confronted them. (from History of Malaysia)
Image 76Wonton Mee (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 77Bak Kut Teh (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 78Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) in Kuala Lumpur, where Malaysians celebrate Independence Day on 31 August each year (from History of Malaysia)
Image 79Ayer Keroh Lake. (from Geography of Malaysia)
Image 80A bowl of curry mee, with fried beancurd skins and fish cake on the side (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 81Kuala Lumpur, a blend of old and new (from History of Malaysia)
Image 82Malay children dressed for Hari raya (from Culture of Malaysia)
Image 83South-East Asia's Largest Temple- Kek Lok Si in Penang being illuminated in preparation for the Lunar New Year. (from Culture of Malaysia)
Image 84Chinatown, Kuching, a Chinatown in Kuching. (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 85A craftsman making batik. Malaysian batik is usually patterned with floral motifs with light colouring. (from Culture of Malaysia)
Image 86Laksa Sarawak (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 87Kolo mee (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 88A Map of Malaysia's states. (from Geography of Malaysia)
Image 89Murtabak being made at a stall, a type of pancake filled with eggs, small chunks of meat and onions. (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 90Nasi kerabu (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 91Philippine President Duterte in a meeting with Mahathir in the Malacanang Palace in 2019 (from History of Malaysia)
Image 92The Zheng He monument, today, marks his stopover at the city. (from History of Malaysia)
Image 93Hainanese chicken rice balls in Muar, Johor, Malaysia (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 94Inside the former house of a Peranakan (Baba-Nyonya or 峇峇娘惹) in Malacca which has now been converted into a museum, a Nyonya can be seen sitting inside wearing the traditional kebaya. (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 95Joget Melayu, a Malay dance (from Culture of Malaysia)
Image 962007 Bersih rally that was held in Kuala Lumpur (from History of Malaysia)
Image 97The earliest record of a local law influenced by Islamic teaching and written in Jawi. The stone monument is found in Terengganu. (from History of Malaysia)
Image 98Maggi goreng in George Town, Penang (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 99Claypot chicken rice (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 100Pekan Cina dan Pekan Melayu a Chinatown and Malaytown in Kedah. (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 101Na Tuk Kong (拿督公) shrine in West Malaysia. (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 102Authentic mee bandung from Muar (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 103A bowl of Asam laksa (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 104Sarawak layered cake. (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 105Replica of the palace of the Malacca Sultanate, built from information in the Malay Annals. (from Culture of Malaysia)
Image 106Roti canai (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 107Heads from old headhunting practices in a Kadazan house in Sabah (from Culture of Malaysia)
Image 108Joint Chinese-Malay anticommunist demonstration in Semenyih, Selangor during the 1950s (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 109SMJK Confucian in Kuala Lumpur, an example of converted Chinese independent school to government-funded "SMJK" (literally Sekolah Menengah Jenis Kebangsaan). (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 110Clockwise from bottom left: beef soup, ketupat (compressed rice cubes), beef rendang and sayur lodeh (from Culture of Malaysia)
Image 111Ikan bakar in Muar, Johor. (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 112Proportion of ethnic Chinese and Malay with indigenous voters in the 2018 Malaysian parliamentary constituency:
  Bright red indicates a higher proportion of ethnic Chinese
  Bright green indicates a higher proportion of ethnic Malay or indigenous people
  Mixed colour means that the ratio of the two is equivalent
  The brownish colour are the area with the higher proportion of other non-indigenous races (such as Indians)
(from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 113Jonker Walk, a Chinatown in Malacca. (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 1141860–1900 photograph of Bukit Cina (Chinese Hill) in Malacca, one of Malaysia's oldest Chinese cemeteries (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 115Japanese troops moving through Kuala Lumpur during their advance through Malaya (from History of Malaysia)
Image 116Geographical distributions of ethnic Chinese Malaysians by majority in each cities or towns:
  Hokkien
  Cantonese
  Hakka
  Fuzhou
  Hainanese
  Teochew
  Kwongsai
  Hockchia
  Undetermined majority
(from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 117Siti Nurhaliza wearing a tudung (from Culture of Malaysia)
Image 118Malacca Literature Museum (from Culture of Malaysia)
Image 119The Nyonya making various traditional kuih. (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 120Malacca Art Gallery (from Culture of Malaysia)
Image 1211935 map of the Ming dynasty under the Yongle Emperor in 1415 (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 122Sambal belacan, made with mixed toasted belachan, ground chilli, kaffir leaves, sugar and water (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 123Char kway teow in Penang (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 124Japanese troops landed on Malaya in 1941. (from History of Malaysia)
Image 125Kimberley Street is considered the heart of Chinatown in George Town, Penang. (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 126Some of the examples of ethnic Chinese influenced Malaysian cuisine, clockwise from top-right: grass jelly (凉粉) with Bandung (玫瑰露加奶), yong tau foo (酿豆腐), Nyonya steamed layer cake (娘惹千层糕) and laksa noodle (叻沙). (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 127Ministry of Water, Land and Natural Resources (from Mining in Malaysia)
Image 128George Town, Penang during the 1950s (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 129The Buddha-Gupta stone, dating to the 4th–5th century AD, was dedicated by an Indian Merchant, Buddha Gupta. Found in Seberang Perai and kept in the National Museum, Calcutta, India. (from History of Malaysia)
Image 130Children in a rickshaw pulled by a Chinese coolie in Kuching around 1919 (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 131The Hai San Secret Society's "Captain China" with his followers in Selangor, June 1874 (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 132Map of the Sinophone world, where Chinese languages are spoken as a first language among ethnic Chinese in countries where their population is significant:
  Chinese-speaking majority (Coastal and central areas of China, Taiwan and Singapore)
  Large Chinese-speaking minority (Highland China, Malaysia and inner Myanmar)
  Small Chinese-speaking minority (Brunei)
(from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 133Yusheng (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 134Petaling Street, a Chinatown in Malaysia's capital of Kuala Lumpur, at night (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 135The topography of Peninsular Malaysia. (from Geography of Malaysia)
Image 136A selection of Nyonya kuih (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 137The Dutch fleet battling with the Portuguese armada as part of the Dutch–Portuguese War in 1606 to gain control of Malacca (from History of Malaysia)
Image 138Copper mine in Sabah. (from Mining in Malaysia)
Image 139Air bandung. (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 140Ayam percik (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 141An 1880 painting of southern Chinese merchant from Fujian (left) and Chinese official in Penang Island. (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 142Peninsular Malaysia Precipitation Map in December 2004 showing heavy precipitation on the east coast, causing floods there. (from Geography of Malaysia)
Image 143Gaya Street, Kota Kinabalu, a Chinatown in Sabah. (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 144British and Malayan police talking to a Chinese civilian about communist activity in the area in 1949 (from Malaysian Chinese)
Image 145Sate (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 146Swordfish hinava served with sandwich bread (from Malaysian cuisine)
Image 147Johor-Dutch battle in the 1780s (from History of Malaysia)

Wiki Loves Malaysia

For more images from Malaysia, see the following categories at Wikimedia Commons:

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WikiProject Malaysia

Malaysia Topics Notice Board • Malaysian Wikipedians • Wikipedians in Malaysia • WikiProject Malaysia Facebook Page • Malay Language Wikipedia

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Did you know - show different entries

... that part of the Malaysian tropical forest reserve Bukit Gasing has been protected from development, while another part has been sold to building contractors?

... that a Malaysian sultan gave "The Singing Bishop" a marble statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a token of their friendship?

... that Chinese entrepreneur Frank Tsao co-founded the national shipping lines of both Malaysia and Thailand, and was awarded the nobility title Tan Sri by the king of Malaysia?

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