Promoting Malaysia

Culture

Name:Tan Ying Hui

Class:6BS1
Teacher:Pn. Anandamala

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 Content
Contents Pages
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Introduction to Malaysia

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People and customs

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Celebrations and Festivals

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Traditional Food

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Architectural Heritage

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Reference

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 Introduction to Malaysia

Malaysia is a federal constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia. It consists of thirteen

states and three federal territories and has a total landmass of 329,847 square kilometers (127,350

sq mi). It is separated by the South China Sea into two regions, Peninsular

Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo (also known as West and East Malaysia respectively). Land

borders are shared with Thailand, Indonesia, and Brunei, and maritime borders exist

with Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The capital city is Kuala Lumpur,

while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. The population as of 2009 stood at over 28

million.

The states on Peninsular Malaysia, then known as Malaya, were first unified as the Union

in 1946. Malaya was restructured as the Federation of Malaya in 1948, and achieved

independence on 31 August 1957. Malaya united with Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore to form

Malaysia on 16 September 1963. However, less than two years later in 1965, Singapore was

expelled from the federation, and became an independent city state. Since its independence,

Malaysia has had one of the best economic records in Asia, with GDP growing an average 6.5%

for the first 50 years of independence. The economy of the country has, traditionally, been fuelled

by its natural resources, but is now also expanding in the sectors of science, tourism, commerce

and medical tourism.

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 The head of state is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and monarch chosen from the hereditary

rulers of the nine Malay states every five years. The head of government is the Prime Minister.

The government system is closely modeled on the Westminster parliamentary system and the

legal system is based on English Common Law. The country is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural,

factors that influence its culture and play a large role in politics.

Malaysia contains the southernmost point of continental Eurasia,Tanjung Piai, and is

located near the equator and has a tropical climate. It has a biodiversity range of flora and fauna,

and is considered one of the 17 mega diverse countries. It is a founding member of

the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and a

member of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the Non-

Aligned Movement.

Welcome to Malaysia, Enjoy our cultural heritage.

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 People and Customs

Many visitors are surprised of all ethnic from Asia can live harmony in Malaysia. The

world's major religions also exist in this land. In the towns, mosques, temples and churches next

to each other which is forming an interesting phenomenon.

In Malaysia, the population has more than twenty-five million. Most of them are Malay

and other indigenous people, including Orang Asli, Dayaks, Kadazan Dusun, Melanau, Murut

and others. Apart from this, Malaysia also include Chinese, Indian, mixed descent such as Baba

Nyonyas.

Malay

Malays made up an estimated 64.5% of the population of Malaysia

and is the largest population in Malaysia. Malaysian Malay is a

Malaysian of Indonesia origin. Most are descendants of Malaysian

Malay arrived between the thirteen and the mid-fifteen centuries,

they known for gentle manners and cultural literacy. All ethnic

Malays are considered Muslim. They speak in Malaysia’s national

language – Bahasa Malaysia.

Chinese

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Chinese is the second largest population in Malaysia. Most are descendants of Chinese who

arrived between the fifteenth and the mid-twentieth centuries, they known for

diligence and hard. Chinese Malaysians mostly speak Chinese dialects from the

southern provinces of China, with the more common dialects

being Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainanese, and Fuzhou.

Indian

Malaysian Indians are a group of Malaysians largely descended from those who migrated

from southern India during the British colonization of Malaya.. They were

predominantly estate workers, the majority being employed on rubber estates,

though a significant minority worked in Government public works departments and

also many Tamil merchants and businessmen in Malaysia. Tamil is used

predominantly by Indians, who form a majority of Malaysian Indians. Malaysian

Indian is a significant dialect which is different from Tamil spoken in India.

Orang Asal
The Orang Asal are the indigenous people of Malaysia. The term is Malay for "Original People",
and the Orang Asal along with Malays are granted Bumiputra status in Malaysia.

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 The Orang Asal in Peninsular Malaysia are collectively
known as the Orang Asli, and form small minorities there.
However, the Orang Asal of East Malaysia form a
majority of the population. The Orang Asal have their
own religions and customs, as well as unique languages.
The languages of the peninsular can be divided between
Negrito, Senoi, and Malayic, together divided into about
18 subgroups. The primary languages in East Malaysia
are Kadazan-Dusun and Iban, both used by multiple
indigenous groups.

Baba-Nyonya

Baba-Nyonya (are terms used for the descendants of late

15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to
the Nusantara region during the Colonial era. This
community in Melaka, they address themselves as
"Nyonya Baba" instead of "Baba-Nyonya". Nyonya are
for the ladies and Baba is for the gentlemen. They are
usually traders, the middleman of the British and the
Chinese, or the Chinese and Malays, or vice versa. They almost always have the ability to speak
two or more languages. In later generations, some lost the ability to speak Chinese as they
became assimilated to the Malay Peninsula's culture and started to speak Malay fluently as a first
or second language.

Celebrations and Festivals

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Aidil Fitri

Idul Fitri also known as Hari Raya is the biggest holiday Malaysia. The night before Idul Fitri is

filled with the sounds of many muezzin chanting the

takbir in the mosques or musallahs. In many parts of

Malaysia, especially in the rural

areas, pelita or panjut or lampu colok are lit up and

placed outside and around homes. Special dishes like

ketupat, dodol, lemang and other Malay delicacies are

served during this day. Muslims greet one another with "maaf zahir dan batin which is to ask for

forgiveness for sins which they may have committed but was cleansed as a result of the fasting in

the Muslim month of Ramadan.

Hari Haji

Hari Haji or "Festival of Sacrifice" or "Greater Eid" is an important religious holiday celebrated

by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his

son Ishmael (Isma'il) as an act of obedience to God, before God intervened to provide him with a

ram to sacrifice instead. The meat is divided into three

parts to be distributed to others. The family retains one

third of the share, another third is given to relatives,

friends and neighbors, and the other third is given to the

poor & needy.Eid al-Adha is the latter of

two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims,

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Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival is the most important of the traditional

Chinese holidays. The Chinese New Year celebrations are marked

by visits to kin, relatives and friends, a practice known as "new-

year visits" .New clothes are usually worn to signify a new year.

The colour red is liberally used in all decorations. Red packets are

given to juniors and children by the married and elders.

Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar,

which is in September or early October in the Gregorian calendar. It is a date that parallels

the autumnal equinox of the solar calendar, when the moon is at its fullest and roundest. The

traditional food of this festival is the moon cake, of which there are many different varieties.

During the Lantern Festival, children go out at night to

temples carrying paper lanterns and solve riddles on the

lanterns.

Depavali

Deepavali,popularly known as the "festival of lights", is an important five-day festival

in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, occurring between mid-October and mid-November. For

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Hindus, Diwali is one of the most important festivals of the year and is celebrated in families by

performing traditional activities together in their homes. Deepavali is an official holiday

in Malaysia.The signification of Depavali are celebration of the

victory of good over evil and the uplifting of spiritual darkness.

Thaipusam

Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by

the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of

Thai (January/February). The word Thaipusam is derived from the month name Thai and Pusam,

which refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The signification of celebrate

Thaipusam is to celebrate of the birth of god Murugan.

Devotees prepare for the celebration by cleansing themselves

through prayer and fasting. Kavadi-bearers have to perform

elaborate ceremonies at the time of assuming the kavadi and

at the time of offering it to Murugan.

Traditional Food
Malaysian cuisine reflects the multicultural aspects of Malaysia. Various ethnic groups in

Malaysia have their own dishes, but many dishes in Malaysia are derived from multiple ethnic

influences. Food preparation differs from place to place, even though they are all cooking the

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same food. Different preparations have different taste and decoration, but generally the

ingredients used are the same.

Nasi Lemak

A popular dish based on rice is Nasi Lemak, rice steamed with coconut milk to lend it

special fragrance, and served with fried anchovies, peanuts, sliced cucumber, hard boiled eggs,

and a spicy chili paste known as sambal. For a more substantial meal, nasi lemak can also be

served with a choice or curries, or a spicy meat stew called rendang. Of Malay origin, Nasi

Lemak is often called the national dish, and a national heritage of Malaysia.

Malaysian Indian food

Malaysian Indian cuisine of the ethnic Indians in Malaysia is similar to its roots in India,

especially South India. Hands are washed before and the right hand is used during the meal.

Malaysian Indian curries uses a lot of spices, coconut milk, and curry leaves. Some of the most

popular curries include Chicken Curry, Fish Curries, and Squid Curry.

Example of Indian cuisine:

Chapati is a type of bread originated from Punjab. It is made from a dough of atta flour

(whole grain durum wheat), water and salt by rolling the dough out into discs of approximately

twelve centimeters in diameter and browning the discs on both sides on a very hot, dry tava or

frying pan (preferably not one coated with Teflon or other nonstick material). Chapatis are

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usually eaten with vegetable curry dishes, and pieces of the chapati are used to wrap around and

pick up each bite of the cooked dish.

Malaysian Chinese food

Malaysian Chinese food is derived from mainland Chinese cuisine but has been

influenced by local ingredients and dishes from other cultures though it remains distinctly

Chinese. Most Chinese meals have pork as their sub-ingredient, but due to the popularity and

unique taste of the actual food, there are chicken options available for the local Malays (most

Malays are Muslims, and Islam forbids them from eating pork). Some Chinese food restaurants

nowadays can be found serving halal food i.e. food without ingredients that are forbidden by the

Islamic religion. Chinese restaurants serving food in Halal can introduce a wider range of

customers to it.

Example of Chinese food:

Rojak. A fruit salad with a topping of thick dark prawn paste and some sliced fried 'yau

cha kwai'. The Penang version is particularly popular and well regarded.

Nyonya food

Nyonya food was developed by the Nyonya (Straits

Chinese) and Peranakan (mixed Chinese/Malay ancestry)

people of Malaysia and Singapore. It uses mainly Chinese

ingredients but blends them with South-East Asian spices

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such as coconut milk, lemon grass, turmeric, screw pine leaves, chilies and sambal. It can be

considered as a blend of Chinese and Malay cooking.

Examples of nyonya dish include:

Asam Laksa a bowl of thick white rice noodles served in a soup made of fish meat,

tamarind, onion, basil, pineapple and cucumber in slices.

Desserts

Desserts in Malaysia tend to make use of generous amounts of

coconut milk. Some common desserts include:

• Cendol. Smooth green rice noodles in chilled coconut milk and gula melaka (coconut

palm sugar).

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 Architectural Heritage

Malay

Traditional Malay architecture employs relatively sophisticated architectural processes

ideally suited to tropical conditions such as wide roof overhangs and high-pitched roofs. Building

on stilts allows cross-ventilating breezes beneath the dwelling to cool the house whilst mitigating

the effects of the occasional flood.

Traditional houses in Negeri Sembilan were built

entirely free of nails. Built of hardwood, they are constructed

using a post and beam construction, which are held together

by wedges. A beautiful example of this type of architecture

can be seen in the Old Palace of Sri Menanti in Negeri

Sembilan, which was build around 1905.

Another truly magnificent example of Malay architectural creativity is the Istana

Kenangan in the royal town of Kuala Kangsar. Built in 1926, it is the only Malay palace with

bamboo walls.

Today, many Malay or Islamic buildings incorporate Moorish elements as part of their

design as can be seen of the Islamic Arts Museum, a number of buildings in Putrajaya - the new

administrative capital, and many mosques throughout the country.

Chinese

In Malaysia, Chinese architecture is of two broad types:

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traditional and Baba-Nyonya. Examples of traditional architecture include Chinese temples found

throughout the country such as the Cheng Hoon Teng that dates from 1646. Many old houses

especially those in Malacca and Penang are of Baba-Nyonya heritage.

A rare architectural combination of Chinese and Western elements is displayed by

Malacca's Tengkera mosque. Its pagoda-like appearance is a fine example of Chinese-influenced

roof form combined with Western detailing in its balustrades and railings.

Indian

With most of Malaysian Hindus originally from southern India, local Hindu temples

exhibit the colourful architecture of that region. The Sikhs, although a small minority, also have

their temples of more staid design in many parts of the Country.

Built in the late nineteenth century, the Sri Mahamariaman

Temple in Kuala Lumpur is one of the most ornate and elaborates

Hindu temples in the country. The detailed decorative scheme for

the temple incorporates intricate carvings, gold embellishments,

hand-painted motifs and exquisite tiles from Italy and Spain.

Indigenous Peoples of Sabah & Sarawak have two unique architectural highlights of the

indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak are longhouses and water villages.

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 Homes to interior riverine tribes, longhouses

are traditional community homes. These elongated and

stilted structures often built of axe-hewn timber, tied

with creeper fibre and roofed with atap or thatched

leaves can house between 20 to 100 families.

Rustic water villages built on stilts are also commonly

found along riverbanks and seafronts. Houses are linked by plank walkways with boats anchored

on the sides. Transport around the village is usually by sampan or canoe.

Reference

http://www.theodora.com/wfb/photos/malaysia/malaysia_photos_15.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_Nyonya

http://www.audioguidemalaysia.com/blog/?paged=3

http://www.about-malaysia.com/culture-heritage/architecture.htm

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