When traveling to Malaysia, notably, it is good to brush up on some knowledge of the culture before arriving. The fun facts about Malaysia will create a richer understanding of the country and enjoyment of the diversity. Undoubtedly, while traveling, this blog will provide interesting facts about Malaysia for kids and adults.
I have had the fortunate opportunity to live and teach in Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia. It has a diverse culture with some fantastic places to explore with your family. There are many learning opportunities for kids in Malaysia. There are many incredible places to visit around Kuala Lumpur or a quick flight away to a beach.
Fun Facts About Malaysia’s History
Islam
In the 13th through the 17th century, Sunni Islam spread through southeast Asia. Sunni Islam believes that the Prophet Muhammad died without appointing a successor to lead the Muslims. The lack of appointing a successor led to an election of the Caliph. (The contrasts with the Shi’a Muslim believe Mohammed appointed his first successor.) The Sunni Islam religion offered equal opportunity and social advancement through spiritual devotion.
Islam coincided with the rise of the port of Malacca. Malacca is the modern-day name Melaka, a city on the Malaya Peninsula, located south of KL along the strait. The Strait of Malacca is the great Indian Ocean trading route. It connected China and east Asia through the channel of Malacca to India, the Middle East, and eastern Africa. Malacca became the principal trading entrepôt and the regional center for the propagation of Islam.
Portugal
Malaysia has a unique history that continues to involve the Strait of Malacca. Malaya was a Chinese tributary state yet ruled by the Malacca Sultanate (Malay dynasty ruled 1403-1511). In 1509, to gain power, the Portuguese tried to control Malacca but were attacked. The Chinese Imperial Government imprisoned and executed multiple Portuguese. Eventually, two years later, the Portuguese returned in force and captured the port.
In 1511, Portugal made the first European colonial claim on Malaysia, capturing Malacca. Portuguese control of Malacca was a possession of the Portuguese East Indies for 130 years (1511–1641). The Malayan–Portuguese war was an armed conflict involving Malacca forces, Sultanate of Johor (the sovereign ruler of the Malaysian state of Johor), and the Dutch East India Company against the Portuguese that lasted 130 years.
Dutch
The Battle of Malacca took place August 2, 1640 –January 14, 1641. In January 1641, the Dutch East India Company and local allies pushed the Portuguese from Malacca. The Dutch have a long association with Malaysia. They first encountered the Sultan of Johor in 1602 when their fleet was looking to control the lucrative spice trade. Holland colonized Malacca until the British took over in 1826.
British In Malay
In the 1700s, Britain began perusing Malaya and its trading ports. The control of the port was to gain more economic clout as trade with China expanded. The British attempted to colonize Borneo as early as 1771. It was not until 1786 the British Empire established a presence in Malaya. Their occupation began when the Sultan of Kedah leased Penang Island to the British East India Company. The British then obtained control of Singapore in 1819.
Eventually, in 1824 the British Empire dominated Malacca following the Anglo-Dutch Treaty. The Treaty gave the United Kingdom control of Malaya and Singapore; the Netherlands had Indonesia. By 1826, the British East India Company directly controlled Penang, Malacca, Singapore, and the island of Labuan. The establishments were known as the Straits Settlements. Historically, the British formally made Malaysia a colony in 1867 when power over the Straits Settlements shifted from the British East India Company to British colonial rule.
British in Borneo
In 1839, Englishman James Brooke arrived in Sarawak after hearing the Sultan of Brunei was having a hard time with war from rebel Iban tribes. The Sultan in this territory was happy to hand control over to Brooke. He helped the Sultan of Brunei suppress a local revolt. In gratitude, the Sultan of Brunei appointed Brooke raja (governor) of the Sarawak River basin in 1841.
Sabah, another section of Borneo, also became under British control. It was leased for an annual sum by the Sultan of Sulu to the British North Borneo Company, ruled by London. Sarawak and Sabah were part of the British colony until the Japanese invaded during World War II. Japan occupied Malaya from 1942-1945, causing a poor economy and social impact. During this time, ethnic tensions rose, and nationalism grew.
Independance
A severe military response to the communist insurgency and the Baling Talks in 1955 led to independence. The Federation achieved independence on August 31, 1957.
On September 16, 1963, Malaya united, consisting of peninsular of Malaya, the island of Singapore, and colonies of Sarawak and Sabah in northern Borneo that became Malaysia. However, in 1965 Singapore seceded from the Federation and became an independent republic.
Malaysia is a federation of 13 states and three territories that practice parliamentary democracy with constitutional monarchy. His Majesty the King is the head of state. Parliament is an important institution in a country that practices the principles of democracy. Nine of Malaysia’s 13 states have monarchs: seven sultans (Muslim ruler), a raja (an Indian or Malay prince), and, in Negeri Sembilan, a ruler-for-life elected by four local grandees. The nine royals take turns to serve five-year terms as Yang di-Pertuan Agong (“he who is made lord”), the constitutional head of the Malaysian Federation. On the whole, they typically stay out of day-to-day politics and play a ceremonial role, although their consent is needed to name a prime minister.
Fun facts about Malaysia’s Culture
Interesting People /Ethnic Diversity of Malaysia
Its culture is a mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and English, to name a few. For example, many children speak Mandarin and English besides the native language of Malay in schools.
Malaysia has a diverse population. For instance, it consists of over 51% Malay (Indigenous to the country, the Malays are generally Muslim and practice Malay culture.), 12% Bumiputra (which means having indigenous various aboriginal or tribal groups Malay ancestry of a person born with at least one parent of Muslim Malay). There are a little over 22% Chinese descent Malaysians, almost 7% Indian descent Malaysians, and 8% other.
Many Chinese and Indian Malaysians are descendants of 19th and early 20th century immigrants. Moreover, during British colonial rule, the immigrants came as traders, laborers, and miners to work the tin mines and rubber plantations.
Fun Facts about Malaysian’s Flag
I can’t go without mentioning the Malaysian flag. I had a kindergarten student who was proud to share his knowledge of the meaning of the Malaysian flag. The flag features 14 alternating red and white horizontal stripes, representing the 13 states and the federal territories. The red stripes symbolize bravery. White means purity. There is a blue canton that represents the unity of the people. The yellow of the crescent and star is the royal color of the Malay Rulers. The moon and star symbolize Islam. In the Islamic faith, the moon represents progress, and the star signifies illumination with the light of knowledge. The star has 14 points represent the unity between the federal territories and the 13 member states. Interesting that children in Malaysia had this knowledge at five years old!
Religion/Holidays
Islam is the official religion with adhan sounds (call to worship) heard five times throughout the day. Salah is the word for prayer. Ramadan (month-long fasting) is just one of the many Muslim holidays.
Moreover, the country is diverse and also observes other public and religious holidays such as Hari Merdeka (Independence Day), Chinese New Year (traditional Chinese beliefs), Deepavali (Hindu), and Christmas (Christian).
Food
One of the many exciting things about the diversity of Malaysia is the food. With the blend of intense, aromatic, and spicy flavors, there are still some gentle flavors your children may enjoy, such as a milder curry (upon request), satay, rice, noodles, naan bread, and an abundance of fruits and vegetables.
Avocado, strawberries, and blueberries are extremely difficult to come by or relatively expensive, but they have delicious alternatives like mango, guava, rambutan, dragon fruit, and coconut. Watermelon and bananas are familiar fruits that are easy to find or often served in hotel restaurants.
Art
If you plan to spend a little money on souvenirs, Malaysia is known for its textiles, weaving, ceramics, and kite-making art, to name a few.
Batik is a fabric make from silk, cotton, or cambric/linen. The motifs on the fabric are leaves and flowers. Islam forbids animal images as decorations. Batik sarongs make a perfect gift because they take little space in your suitcase.
A traditional Malaysian kite is called wau bulan (pronounces “wow”). The kites have unique shape wings with floral motifs. Various layers of colorful paper make the designs. The kite is typically 2.5 meters or 8.2 feet wide and 3.5 meters or 11.5 feet. An interesting fact is that the wau is traditionally flown by men in the Malaysian state of Kelantan, which is northeast of KL (Kuala Lumpur), maybe because of its size. The wau is not something you can squeeze into a suitcase, but it would be incredible to see flying in the sky. In the spring, there is the Pasir Gudang World Kite Festival. You will not want to miss it in Pasir Gudang, Johor, south of KL, not far from Singapore.
Weather
One of the most memorable, beautiful, and unique yet almost scary things I have ever seen in Kuala Lumpur was their lighting storms. I have never seen such crazy, mad lighting shows. They can be a bit frightening for children and even adults, but if you are inside a high rise, you may have an unobstructed view to watch its amazing show (slightly away from the window.).
Malaysia is hot, humid, and rainy, with temperatures averaging around 80-90 F (or 29-32 C with lows around 73F or 23C). There is no dry season being that it is near the equator and surrounded by sea.
Several monsoon seasons are affecting different regions of Malaysia. Between mid-October to January, the northeast monsoon prevails, affecting the east coast and the northeast coast of Borneo. Between June and September, it’s the southwest monsoon period, which is said to be weaker.
The sun usually shines in the mornings but beware it might fool you later in the day. Tropical rains often occur, generally as children are getting out of school. They are intense downpours that last for a few hours. It can rain so hard an umbrella and raincoat will not keep from getting drenched running from point A to B.
Clothing
It is hot and humid in Malaysia, so you will want to wear comfortable clothing. However, it is respectful to cover your shoulders and knees. You need to dress conservatively. Often, I tend to get cold in airconditioned places like theaters or malls, so I wear layers and carry a light sweater or a sarong for covering if needed. I didn’t feel the need to wrap my head unless I went into a mosque.
When visiting a beach, you will want to dress conservatively. As a woman, you may feel better in a one-piece swimsuit with a coverup to wear while walking around. Many local women and female children tend to cover head to toe even at the beach. Men will wear swim shorts and a swim guard or wear a shirt if they are walking around.
Learn More Fun Facts About Malaysia
Malaysia is a beautiful place to travel, and it has many things to learn, see, and do. Read more about being “Safe in Malaysia.” Find exciting places to visit in our Malaysia posts “Holiday to Malaysia” and read about “Malaysia Beaches.”