Malaysia Nowadays after the Independence ^^,

Malaysian Independence Day is the national day in Malaysia. It is held annually on August 31. This day marks the date when Malaysia was declared an independent nation in 1957, making it free from the control of the British.

   The person who led the fight for Malaysia’s freedom was Tunku Abdul Rahman, who was the chief minister of the country at the time. Talks of becoming independent began when he and a group of political leaders started a campaign for freedom and negotiated with the British in London. They had reached an agreement and England had granted them freedom in February of 1956, but the official declaration of independence was made in August of 1957 at Independence Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.

   On August 30, 1957, right when the clock hit 12:00 (midnight), the British flag was lowered and the Malaysian flag was raised at the Royal Selangor Club, while the Malay national anthem was playing. Thousands were gathered in the stadium to witness the once-in-a-lifetime event. They chanted “Merdeka” after the anthem had played. This was followed by a speech from Tunku Abdul Rahman, who praised the event as the highest moment in history of the nation.

   With 1957's independence, a new series of difficult decisions lay ahead of Malaya, the first of which was to determine exactly what territories would be included in the new state. In 1961, the term "Malaysia" came into being after Tunku convinced Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak to join Malaya in a federal union (Singapore later opted out of the union, peacefully, in 1965). Afraid that the union would interfere with his expansionism plans, Indonesia's president Sukarno launched attacks against Malaysia in Borneo and on the peninsula, all of which were unsuccessful. 

   Another immediate problem was the determination of a national identity. Malaysia was a mix of people from many races and cultures, and uniting them under a common flag was not an easy enterprise. Because Malays represented the majority, the constitution gave them permanent spots in the government, made Islam the national religion, and made Malay the national language; but the Chinese firmly dominated business and trade, and most Malay were suffering economic hardships. The government, controlled by the United Malay National Organization, passed the New Economic Policy, which attempted to increase economic opportunity for the Malay by establishing various quotas in their favor. Unsurprisingly, many Chinese opposed the new arrangement and formed a significant opposition party. In 1969, after the opposition party won a significant seat, riots swept through Kuala Lumpur and the country was placed in a state of emergency for two years. It was a painful moment in the young nation's history that most Malaysians prefer to forget. 

                                    13 states in Malaysia nowadays

   In the last two decades, Malaysia has undergone tremendous growth and prosperity, and has arguably made significant progress in race relations. Today, Malaysia has one of the best airports, highways and telecommunication systems in Asia. Literacy rate is above 90% and poverty level is negligible. It has a secular and democratic government. With a highly educated workforce and modern infrastructure, Malaysia attracts a large amount of foreign investments in the manufacturing and technology sections.

                  

               

Various of attractions in Malaysia 

                                                                                  

Sources:

1.      http://www.holidaysnfestivals.com/2012/05/malaysian-independence-day-hari-  merdeka.html

2.      http://www.cureontour.com/Malaysia_History.html

3.      http://www.malaysiamerdeka.gov.my/v2/en/history/the-history-of-independence

Colonialism in Malaysia (1551-1957)

In 1511, begins the era of colonial legacies in the Malay Peninsula that would last well into the 20th century. It is all started when a Portuguese fleet led by Alfonso de Albuquerque sailed into Malacca's harbor, opened fire with cannon, and captured the city. Malacca's glory age had come to an end.

   The Portuguese constructed a massive fort in Malacca called A’ Famosa, which the Dutch captured in turn in 1641. This would give the Dutch an almost exclusive lock on the spice trade until 1785, when the British East India Company convinced the Sultan of Kedah to allow them to build a fort on the island of Penang. The British were mainly interested in having a safe port for ships on their way to China, but when France captured the Netherlands in 1795, England's role in the region would amplify. Rather than hand Malacca over to the French, the Dutch government in exile agreed to let England temporarily oversee the port. The British returned the city to the Dutch in 1808, but it was soon handed back to the British once again in a trade for Bencoleen, Sumatra. The Dutch still largely controlled the region, however, and in 1819 Britain sent Sir William Raffles to establish a trading post in Singapore. These three British colonies which are Penang, Malacca, and Singapore have come to be known as the Straits Settlements. 

   Coupled with the power of the White Rajas in Borneo, Britain ruled over what was then called Malaya until the Japanese invaded and ousted them in 1942. During this time, large numbers of Chinese fled to the jungle and established an armed resistance which, after war's end, would become the basis for an infamous communist insurgency. In 1945, when World War 2 ended, Britain resumed control again, but Malaya's independence movement had matured and organized itself in an alliance under Tunku Abdul Rahman. When the British flag was finally lowered in Kuala Lumpur's Merdeka Square in 1957, Tunku became the first prime minister of Malaya.

Remembering that the Malay Peninsula was colonized half a millennium ago is one way to remind the post-independence generation of Malaysians to be grateful for Merdeka It is critical to teach the present generation about the dangers of empire and colonialism so that we can celebrate what independence means and pay tribute to the people who fought for it.

A' Famosa Fort in Malacca

Sources:

1. http://www.kiat.net/malaysia/history.html 
2. http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/remembering-500-years-of-colonialism-tommy-thomas

Islam & the Empire of Malacca

Malacca was founded in 1400 AD by a fleeing Palembang Prince named Parameswara. Parameswara and his followers fled from the attack of Ayudhya Kingdom and headed up into Malay Peninsula eventually settling down in Bertam.

   According to the story of the villagefolks, Malacca was named after a tree that shaded Parameswara during the incident of a mousedeer attacking his pack of dogs. He was astounded by the will of the mousedeer to fight for its life therefore he decided to build a kingdom there and it was named Malacca.

   Malacca rise from the humble fishing village into one of the busiest trading ports in the Southeast Asia. With its strategic location perfect for trade, invite trader ships from dozens of countries including the Arab that has brought Islam to Malacca.After Islam has come to Malacca, it has influenced the condition of Malay Peninsula in many ways especially in their way of living. Even the ruler of Malacca that time has converted to Islam and refers themselves to “Sultan”. 

   The conversion of the Ruler of Malacca to Islam was an important event in the history of the country. It had a great impact on the system of administration, on culture and on intellectual development. It also contributed to the advancement of Malacca as a well known trading port for almost five century.

                          
                                                      Malacca Sultanate's Palace

Sources:

1. http://www.journeymalaysia.com/MHIS_malacca.htm

2. http://www.malaysian-explorer.com/muziumNegara

3. Google images

Early Hindu Kingdom in Malaysia

Sometime around 100 BC, a group of Indian people arrive in the Malay Peninsula, led by the favorable winds of southwest monsoon in the Bay of Bengal. It was said that they come from a wealthy kingdom called Savarnadvipa, the Land of Gold.  

 That is the first group of Indians that arrive in the Malay Peninsula and it was also the beginning of the Hindu Kingdoms in Malaysia. Since the land of the Malay Peninsula is blessed with lots of natural resources,it has attracted them to stay and discover our land. Since then, began the never-ending streams of Indians traders, who would come in search of spices, gold and also aromatic wood. 

  Apart from that, the Indians influences started to spread through the land. The exchange of cultures and religions took place in the Malay Peninsula. Hinduism and Buddhism swept through the land, bringing temples and Indian cultural traditions. Some of the local kings integrated the Hindu system of administration and incorporated some of the best Indian traditions with the already existent structure. Even today, we can see that much of Malay and local culture retain aspects of Indian culture. The use of Sanskrit in the national language, through similar wedding ceremonies, the use of henna, dances and some of the performances are the evidence of the Hindu Kingdoms influence in Malaysia. 

 

 Nowadays, there is still remaining evidence in Kedah, where the Malaysia’s most extensive archeological site can be find. The sprawling ruins of an ancient Hindu kingdom dating back to 300 AD. Over 50 tomb temples dot the site, and hundreds of relics are on display in the nearby Bujang Valley Archaeological Museum.             

      

Sources:

1. http://www.geographia.com/malaysia/history02.htm
2. http://www.audioguidemalaysia.com/blog/2010/09/19/history-time-ancient-malaysia-was-hindu
3. Google images

                                  

Where we came from?? - Ancient Malaysia

  

Malaysia, situated in the middle of Southeastern Asia is a blessed country with the land of Exceptional beauty, Rich with different culture and ethnics and Amazing history of it. Malaysia is strategically sited in between the Sumatra and the Siamese , and that is where our story begins.

  Malaysia ancient history is an ongoing mystery, not many researchers have discovered the truth behind the ancient Malaysia. The truth is that there is not much archaeological evidence or written records from ancient Malaysia. The historians often speak of Malaysia's ancient past as something "shrouded in mystery," a kind of black hole in Asian history.  

  There is a lot of speculation arise when it comes to the first evidence of the existence of *Homo Sapiens in Malaysia. However, it was agreed then that the oldest evidence of human habitation was in Gua Niah, Sarawak dating from 35,000 years before Christ.

GUA NIAH - Gua Niah in Sarawak contains the oldest
      remains of the Homo Sapiens.

  Other than that, there are findings of the stone age tools and implements from about 10,000 B.C and were believed to be left there by the *Negrito aborigines.

 Later, comes the much more technologically advanced group of human from China migrated to the peninsula about 2,500 years before Christ. They were called the Proto-Malays and their advances into the peninsula has forced the Negritos into the hills and jungles. 

  History's periodic waves of cultural evolution, however, soon created another group, the Deutero-Malays. They were a combination of many peoples that comes from Indians, Chinese, Siamese, Arabs, and Proto-Malays. They had risen by mastering the use of iron. Combined with the peoples of Indonesia, the Deutero-Malays formed the racial basis for the group which today we simply call the Malay, the largest ethnic group in Malaysia.

  There are much more of Malaysia's ancient history that have to be discovered. We, the Malaysian should at least know our origin and gain knowledge from it. 

*Homo Sapiens - Humans (Homo sapiens) are primates of the family Hominidae and the only  

                       living species of the genus Homo.

*Negrito aborigines - one of the earliest groups to inhabit the peninsula. 

   

           STONE AGE TOOLS - Tools made from stone are used as a weapons such as 

                                        hand axe and knife.

Sources from:

1. http://www.voyage99.com/geography.html
2. http://www.chinatownconnection.com/malaysia-history-culture.htm
3. Google