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| KLCC: THE PRIDE OF MALAYSIA |
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| MALAYSIA PAVILION IN MILANO 2015 |
MALAYSIA
Malaysia is a bubbling, bustling melting pot of races and religions
where Malays, Indians, Chinese and many other ethnic groups live together in
peace and harmony. Our multiculturalism has made Malaysia a gastronomical
paradise and home to hundreds of colourful festivals. It's no wonder that we
love celebrating and socialising. As a people, Malaysians are very relaxed,
warm and friendly.
Geographically, Malaysia is almost as diverse as its
culture. 11 states and 2 federal territories (Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya) form
Peninsular Malaysia which is separated by the South China Sea from East
Malaysia which includes the 2 states (Sabah and Sarawak on the island of
Borneo) and a third federal territory, the island of Labuan.
One of Malaysia's key attractions is its extreme
contrasts which further add to this theme of ‘diversity’. Towering skyscrapers
look down upon wooden houses built on stilts while five-star hotels sit just
metres away from ancient reefs.
Rugged mountains reach dramatically for the sky while
their rainforest clad slopes sweep down to floodplains teeming with forest life.
Cool highland hideaways roll down to warm, sandy beaches and rich, humid
mangroves.
For the perfect holiday full of surprises, the time is
now, the place is Malaysia.
PEOPLE & LANGUAGE
Malaysian
Malay People
The Malays are an ethnic group of Austronesian people who
populate Peninsular Malaysia, parts of Thailand, Myanmar, Singapore, Indonesia,
Brunei and the island of Borneo. The history of Malays can be traced as far
back as 100AD. In short, the Malays consists of Austronesian-speaking people
from mainland Asia, from the Kingdom of Champa (an ancient kingdom in Vietnam)
and from Sumatera, who migrated to Malaysia between 2500 BC and 1500 BC.
Presently, the Malays make up half the population in Malaysia.
(Austronesian - people from various places in Southeast
Asia and Oceania)
Malaysian
Chinese People
The Malaysian Chinese are descendants of the Chinese who
migrated to Malaysia between the first and the mid-twentieth centuries. The
Chinese are the second largest ethnic group in Malaysia.
The first historical record of Chinese immigrants was in
the 15th century, when the Sultan of Malacca, Sultan Mansur Syah, married a
Chinese princess. When the princess came over, she brought with her five
hundred youths and maids of noble birth. The descendants of these people are called
Baba and Nyonya. They are also known as Peranakan Chinese.
Later on, in the 19th century, more Chinese immigrated to
Malaysia to work in rubber plantations and tin mines.
Malaysian
Indian People
Malaysian Indians are descendants of those who migrated from
India when the British were colonizing Malaysia, or as it was known back then,
Malaya. The majority of these migrants are Tamils; followed by Punjabis,
Gujaratis, Telugus, Sindhis, Ceylonese, Malayalees, and other smaller ethnic
Indian groups.
The Indians first came to Malaysia for trading purposes
in Malacca. Others were sent as labourers in coffee plantations, rubber and oil
estates, when the British ruled India. The Indians are the third largest ethnic
group in Malaysia.
The three main races in Malaysia each have their own
unique language and dialects. The Malay language has ten dialects, the Chinese
has seven and the Indians have six.
People of
East Malaysia
Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan are located in East Malaysia,
the geographic part of Malaysia located on the island of Borneo. In addition to
the races discussed above, there are many, small indigenous tribes of people
who live in East Malaysia. The tribal group Dayak represents the biggest
population in Sarawak. Ibans and Bidayuhs are part of the Dayak tribe while the
Kadazan is the biggest indigenous tribe in Sabah.
CULTURE & HERITAGE
There is no one definition of Malaysian culture. It’s a
combination of Malay, Chinese, Indian and other indigenous ethnic groups, each
with their own unique culture and heritage. The best way to experience
Malaysian culture? Get to know the people! The indigenous ethnic groups can
also be broken down via Peninsula Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.
Peninsula
Malaysia
The general term used for any of the indigenous groups
that are found in Peninsular Malaysia is ‘Orang Asli’ which literally
translates as the ‘original people’. They are divided into three main tribal
groups: Negrito, Senoi and Proto-Malay. The Negrito usually live in the north,
the Senoi in the middle and the Proto-Malay in the south. Each group or
sub-group has its own language and culture. Some are fishermen, some farmers
and some are semi-nomadic.
Sabah
The largest indigenous ethnic groups of Sabah's
population are the Kadazan Dusun, the Bajau and the Murut.
Kadazan
Dusun
The largest ethnic group of Sabah, the Kadazan Dusuns
form about 30% of the state's population. Actually consisting of two tribes;
the Kadazan and the Dusun, they were grouped together as they both share the
same language and culture. However, the Kadazan are mainly inhabitants of flat
valley deltas, which are conducive to paddy field farming, while the Dusun
traditionally lived in the hilly and mountainous regions of interior Sabah.
Bajau
The second largest ethnic group in Sabah, the Bajaus make
up about 15% of the state's population. Historically a nomadic sea-faring
people that worshipped the Omboh Dilaut or God of the Sea, they are sometimes
referred to as the Sea Gypsies. Those who chose to leave their sea-faring ways
became farmers and cattle-breeders. These land Bajaus are nicknamed 'Cowboys of
the East' in tribute to their impressive equestrian skills, which are publicly
displayed in the annual Tamu Besar festival at Kota Belud.
Murut
The third largest ethnic group in Sabah the Muruts make
up about 3% of the state's population. Traditionally inhabiting the northern
inland regions of Borneo, they were the last of Sabah's ethnic groups to
renounce headhunting. Now, they are mostly shifting cultivators of hill paddy
and tapioca, supplementing their diet with blowpipe hunting and fishing. Like
most indigenous tribes in Sabah, their traditional clothing is decorated with
distinctive beadwork.
Sarawak
Collectively known as Dayaks, the Iban, Bidayuh and Orang
Ulu are the major ethnic groups in the state of Sarawak. Typically, they live
in longhouses, traditional community homes that can house 20 to 100 families.
Iban
The largest of Sarawak's ethnic groups, the Ibans form
30% of the State's population of 2.5 million. Sometimes erroneously referred to
as the Sea Dayaks because of their skill with boats, they are actually an
upriver tribe from the heart of Kalimantan. In the past, they were a fearsome
warrior race renowned for headhunting and piracy. Traditionally, they worship a
triumvirate of gods under the authority of Singalang Burung, the bird-god of
war. Although now mostly Christians, many traditional customs are still
practised.
Bidayuh
Peace-loving and easy-going, the gentle Bidayuh are
famous for their hospitality and tuak or rice wine. Making their homes in Sarawak's
southern regions, they are mostly farmers and hunters. In their past
headhunting days their prized skulls were stored in a 'baruk‘, a roundhouse
that rises about 1.5 metres above the ground. Originally animists, now most of
the 200,000 strong population have converted to Christianity.
Melanau
Some 130,000 or 6% of the population of Sarawak are
Melanau, believed to be among the original people to settle in Sarawak. Their
language has different origins to the other ethnic groups of the state and today
they are found mainly along the rivers and coastal plains of central Sarawak.
Originally animists most have converted to Islam although some of the inland
communities are Christian.
Orang Ulu
27 of the inland tribal groups of Sarawak are
collectively called Orang Ulu or upriver people. A total estimated population
of around 100,000 people belong to tribes varied in size from 300 to 25,000
individuals.
Arguably Borneo's most artistic people, their large
longhouses are ornately decorated with murals and superb woodcarvings; their
utensils are embellished with intricate beadwork. Traditional tattoos are a
very important part of their culture; aristocratic Orang Ulu ladies also cover
their arms and legs with finely detailed tattoos.
The aboriginal Penan people are also included as Orang
Ulu by government census but the Penan are traditionally nomadic people living
in small family groups constantly moving from place to place within the
rainforest. Today most of the estimated 16,000 Penan people have settled in
longhouse communities where their children have the chance to go to school.
Like the Iban and Bidayuh, most of the Orang Ulu have converted from animism to
Christianity or Islam.
Adapted from
BUSINESS & TRADE
Malaysia’s market-oriented economy integrated with
supportive government policies and a large local business community that’s
ready to do business with international corporations has made Malaysia a highly
competitive manufacturing and export base. With the legal and accounting
practices being derived from the familiar British system, coupled with a large
pool of young, educated and trainable workforce, Malaysia is perfectly
positioned for corporations to get involved in.
Chambers of Commerce and Industry
Newcomers to Malaysia's business scene will feel at home
with the presence of the various chambers of commerce and trade associations
made up of corporations from different countries. These organisations are
invaluable sources for general business information, advice and assistance, and
complement the role of government agencies such as MIDA.
The major organisations, are the Malaysian International
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI), Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers
(FMM), the Japanese Chamber of Trade and Industry (JACTIM), and
American-Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM), as well as several trade associations
such as the Malaysian-American Electronics Industry (MAEI) Group.
Developed Financial Facilities
A well-developed financial and banking sector has
enhanced Malaysia's position as a dynamic export base in Asia. Sophisticated
financial facilities are available through domestic and foreign commercial
banks and their nationwide network of branches. There are also representative
offices of several foreign banks that have established their presence in the
region. The commercial banks, investment banks and Islamic banks are major sources of financing to support economic activities in Malaysia.
The non-bank financial intermediaries, comprising
development financial institutions, provident and pension fund insurance
companies, and takaful operators complement the banking institutions in
mobilising savings and meeting the financial needs of the economy.
Malaysia has also emerged at the forefront in the
development of Islamic finance and has a comprehensive and vibrant Islamic
financial system which includes Islamic Banking, Islamic Capital Market,
Takaful and Retakaful, and Islamic Interbank Money Market.
Exporters in Malaysia can also take advantage of the
credit facilities, export insurance cover and guarantees, offered by the
Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Berhad (EXIM Bank). To complement Malaysia's
financial system, the government has established the Labuan International
Business and Financial Centre (Labuan IBFC) on the island of Labuan located off
the north-west coast of Borneo.
Companies in Labuan enjoy minimal taxes as well as
confidentiality. To-date, more than 2,700 offshore companies have commence
operations in Labuan. These include offshore banks, trust companies, and
insurance and insurance related companies. The Labuan Financial Services
Authority (Labuan FSA) is a one-stop body that spearheads and coordinates the
development of Labuan IBFC.
Local Vendors
Over the last three decades, Malaysia has developed a
large pool of ancillary and supporting industries that was initiated with the
entry of MNCs into the country. These MNCs, especially those which pursued
active vendor development programmes, have contributed greatly towards the
development of local small-and-medium scale industries (SMIs) that are highly
competent and competitive with some even penetrating export markets.
Joint-Venture Partners in Malaysia
Most large Malaysian companies have been involved in
trade and industry for generations, and many have excelled in international and
regional markets. Thus, foreign investors seeking joint-venture partners in
Malaysia will be able to select from a wide range of companies to find one that
matches their needs. MIDA also assists foreign investors in business
match-making to start joint-venture projects or to undertake contract
manufacturing.
BUSINESS CENTRE
Malaysia is embarking upon a new phase of development
towards realizing its aspiration of becoming a developed nation by 2020. Given
the changing domestic and global economic landscape, initiatives to enhance
national competitiveness and resilience will be given priority.
One major thrust of the country's Development Plan is to
move the economy up the value chain, and inherent to this is the need to
develop more innovation driven enterprises.
With growing interest by foreign companies and
entrepreneurs in doing business in Malaysia, the Malaysian economy is set to
grow at a considerable rate over the next few years. With a strong and vibrant
economy and several business opportunities, there are many advantages of doing
business in the country, some of which are as follows:
