:: AsiaValley Holidays - Selamat Datang or welcome to Malaysia ::

Selamat Datang or welcome to Malaysia. The warmness you feel the moment you arrive in this country is not merely in the welcoming tropical weather, but in the convivial people you will meet and interact with. Malaysia offers a platter of new and interesting aspects of life, leaving you with a completely new experience and satisfaction beyond.

Truly Asian in every thread, our pride and purpose lie in the many religions, cultures and traditions cast into a single, nationalistic mould. Even the most jaded visitors will appreciate something from all that we have to offer – from the most luxurious to the most rustic, from the most modern to the most traditional. These characteristics make up Malaysia and its people who are proud to be called Malaysians.

The Unique Malaysia Make-up

Malaysia is divided into 13 states: 11 in Peninsular/West Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia. The Peninsula is sandwiched between Thailand up in the north and Singapore in the south. Our close neighbours include Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines. Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia has an interesting mixture of historic past and ultra-modernity. A far cry from its muddy estuary history, KL (as it is commonly known) is a picture of modernity intertwined with a colourful past – the latter frozen in time mainly through many colonial-era architectural structures. A classic example is the famous Petronas Twin Towers, against perhaps the city’s second most recognisable structures, the Moorish inspired Sultan Abdul Samad courthouse buildings and the old central railway station that has been replaced by the modern terminal, KL Sentral as the city’s main transport hub.

The country’s administrative capital, Putrajaya is located south of Kuala Lumpur. With buildings that boast modern architectural designs infused with distinct Malaysian and Islamic cultural nuances, Putrajaya plays host to government ministries, public housing, gardens, lakes and a host of other attractions. Its neighbours are Cyberjaya, Malaysia’s very own intelligent IT hub and Silicon Valley and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

The Climate

Spanning approximately 330,000 sq km, the country is the epitome of the tropics and being top of the Equator means the country is generally warm all year round with the temperatures average between 21° and 32°C. Strongly influenced by the Northeast and Southwest monsoons, the period between late April and late September is usually the driest. The rainy season usually arrives around October and November and can last till February, especially on the east coast and East Malaysia. The best time to visit beaches facing the South China Sea is between March and October.

However, rain or shine, these weather conditions are relatively docile and would hardly spoil the fun to be had. Nonetheless, just have an umbrella handy. Otherwise, all you need is lots of suntan lotion if you intend to spend most of your time outdoors.

The Government

Our country practises a constitutional monarchy system, which is headed by the yang Di-Pertuan Agong (His Majesty the King). Selected among nine hereditary Malay rulers who each head their own royal state in the Peninsular Malaysia, the King symbolically rules over the country during his tenure of five years.

Malaysia also practises a parliamentary democracy, headed by the current and fifth premier, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his cabinet of ministers. The Prime Minister is traditionally elected from among members of the House of Representatives, and is essentially the leader of the political party that wins the majority of seats n the general election.

Like the selection process for the yang Di-Pertuan Agong, a general election is held every four or five years where the people would vote for the next ruling political party. Malaysia is currently governed by the ruling coalition called the Barisan Nasional or National Front.

The Economy

Although still a major player in the agricultural sector with rubber and palm oil cultivations, Malaysia has made considerable and commendable strides in the manufacturing and service industries – namely and mainly through the production and export of electronic products and tourism.

The Education System

Divided in to six years of primary, five or seven years of secondary and pre-university levels, Malaysian children enrol in Primary One at the age of seven and join the secondary school at the age of 13. Bahasa Malaysia is the main demium of instruction except for mathematics and science, which are taught in English. The proficiency of English has been given much emphasis in the recent years and Malaysians are encouraged to read, write and speak in English from a tender age.

There is no shortage of local and foreign colleges and universities across the country as tertiary education is important to the future growth of Malaysia. From pre-university to diploma and degree courses, Malaysia has indeed carved a reputation as a formidable education destination among foreign students, namely from China, Indonesia, South Korea and African nations. A number of these prestigious institutions offer full-time and part-time local and twinning programmes and among them are University of Malaya, the oldest and first university in Malaysia, International Islamic University Malaysia, University Science of Malaysia and the National University of Malaysia (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia).

National Flag

The Malaysian flag or Jalur Gemilang consists of 14 horizontal red and white stripes of equal width; a dark blue canton occupying the upper left quarter of the flag; and within the canton, a crescent, and a 14-pointed star. The stripes represent the equal status in the federation of the 13 member states – namely Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Penang and Terengganu – and the Federal Government, as represented by the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Labuan. The colours red and white symbolise courage and purity respectively. The canton symbolises the unity of the people of Malaysia. The crescent is the symbol of Islam, the official religion of Malaysia; and the 14 points of the star signify the unity of the 13 states of the federation with the Federal Government. The colour yellow signifies the royal colour of the Rulers.

National Coat of Arms

The Coat-of-Arms has a 14-pointed star representing the equal status of the 13 Federation members and the Federal government. The star and the crescent are traditional symbols of Islam, the official religion of Malaysia. The five dagger-like keris represent the former Unfederated Malay States, namely Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, and Terengganu; while the four former Federated Malay States of Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak and Selangor are represented by the four centre panels, the permutation of whose colours represent their respective colours -- red, black and yellow for Negeri Sembilan; black and white for Pahang; black, white and yellow for Perak; and red and yellow for Selangor. The left hand division of the shield represents the state of Pulau Pinang, and the right-hand division with the Melaka tree, the state of Melaka. The states of Sabah and Sarawak are respectively represented on the lower left and right sections, while in the centre is the Hibiscus flower, the national flower of Malaysia. The tigers on both sides of the shield are retained from the earlier armorial ensign of the Federation of Malaya, and prior to that of the Federated Malay States. The yellow colour of the scroll containing the motto in Roman and Jawi script is the royal color of the rulers.

National Flower

The national flower of Malaysia is the hibiscus (Rosa Sinensis), or as it is locally known the Bunga Raya. No one knows when the flower was first introduced to Malaysia, but undoubtedly it came via trade from its original home in China, Japan and the Pacific islands probably before the 12th century. From early times, the hibiscus has been known to have many uses, mostly medicinal. Its petals were commonly used to darken and enhance women’s eyebrows; while some people still use the roots of the hibiscus plant as a cure for fever and other ailments. Skin eruptions and glandular troubles are said to be relieved by the application of the juice obtained from its leaves and roots while a poultice prepared from the leaves is often applied to cure headaches. The Bunga Raya is found in abundance throughout the country, and has many variieties and colours. Malaysians, however, have chosen the red five-petalled type as their national flower.

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