MY COUNTRY, MALAYSIA

Composition helps the student to express his views on what is happening in the world around him, besides expressing personal thoughts, feelings and experiences. Malaysia - Map
My country, Malaysia, is a small independent country. Many races of people live harmoniously together. There are Malays, Chinese, Indians and a sprinkling of foreigners from Europe, America, Japan, Korea and the surrounding South East Asian countries. Malaysians are noted for their friendliness and warm hospitality. Each race carries on with its own way of life. Most of the people in large towns work in banks, offices, government departments and firms. The young attend schools, colleges or universities. Those in the rural areas work in paddy fields, vegetable plots, poultry farms, rubber, coconut and oil palm estates or tin-mines and factories. Malaysians, being of different races, can be seen on the streets in their various costumes, adding color to the scene. The warm, sunny and wet climate throughout the year makes Malaysia a tropical paradise. Visitors admire the green forested hills, the golden beaches with graceful coconut palms fringing them, the blue sea and, of course, the local cuisine. Foreign tourists find these places ideal for a holiday, as they get away from their cold countries. Besides, Malaysia's cool hill-resorts like Cameron Highlands, Fraser's Hill and Genting Highlands make the day pleasant and refreshing, away from the hot lowlands. Lastly, Malaysia is a rich country, famous the world over for its tin, rubber and palm oil exports. Kuala Lumpur, the capital city, is the largest in Malaysia, with many modern buildings. The international airport at Sepang is always busy. I am proud of my country which I love dearly. Words Sprinkling - a small number noted - wide known, famous paddy field - A paddy field is a flooded parcel of arable land used for growing rice and other semiaquatic crops. MALAYSIA - CIA Malaysia - A Unique Country Essay on Malaysia Why I Love My Country A Day in Malaysia The Malaysian Economic of Today SPM English Model Essays/ Free Essay Samples for O-level,  IELTS, TOEFL & MUET Writing Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. It consists of two regions about 650 kilometres apart, which are sepa­rated by the South China Sea. The regions are Peninsu­lar (formerly West) Malaysia, and Sarawak and Sabah (formerly East Malaysia), on the northern part of the is­land of Borneo. Peninsular Malaysia borders on the north with Thailand. Malaysia is a tropical land, much of which is covered by dense rainforests. It is the world's largest producer of natural rubber and palm oil (vegetable oil from palm tree nuts). Malays and Chinese people make up most of the country's population. Kuala Lumpur is Malaysia's capital and largest city. The nation of Malaysia was formed in 1963, when Ma­laya, Sarawak, Sabah, and Singapore united. Malaya was an independent nation that occupied what is now Penin­sular Malaysia. Sarawak and Sabah were separate colo­nies of the United Kingdom (UK) that covered what is now the Malaysian region of Sarawak and Sabah. Singa­pore was a UK colony, south of Malaya. Singapore with­drew from Malaysia in 1965. People Population and ethnic groups. For Malaysia's total population, see the Malaysia in brief table with this arti­cle. About three-fifths of the people live in rural areas. More than 80 per cent of the people live in Peninsular Malaysia. Malaysia's largest population groups are, in order of size, the Malays, Chinese, and Indians. Malays make up about 50 per cent of the population, Chinese about 35 per cent, and Indians about 10 per cent. A number of other ethnic groups who live chiefly in Sarawak and Sabah make up the rest of the population. The largest groups in Sarawak and Sabah are the Dyaks and the Ka- dazans (see Dyaks). Malaysia's ethnic groups speak separate languages or dialects, and, in many areas, have different ways of life and hold different religious beliefs. Malays make up the most powerful group in Malaysian politics, but the Chi­nese control much of the nation's economy. Despite dif­ferences between the major ethnic groups which have led to friction and, sometimes, violence, Malaysia is a model of racial harmony. Languages. Bahasa Malaysia, the Malay language, is used by the Malay people and Malaysians generally in everyday life. It is the country's official language (see Malay). Most Chinese speak the Chinese language, and most Indians speak Tamil. Many Malaysians also understand English, which is widely used in business. Way of life. Peninsular Malaysia includes many crowded cities as well as large rural regions. Sarawak and Sabah has several large towns along the coast and rivers, but the interior is chiefly a rural area. The majority of the country's Malays live in rural areas on the peninsula. Most of them work as farmers and live in settlements called kampungs. Many houses in rural areas are made of wood. Most have thatched roofs, but some have roofs made of tiles. Some houses are raised above the ground on stilts. Most Malays who live in cit­ies work in industry or in government jobs. Most of Malaysia's Chinese people live in cities. Large numbers of them work in shops, business offices, and factories. Chinese people own a large proportion of Ma­laysia's businesses. Wealthy and middle-class Chinese live in suburban homes or high-rise blocks of flats in central city areas. In the cities, some low-income Chi­nese as well as Malays and Indians live in crowded, run­down areas. Large numbers of Malaysia's Indians work on rubber plantations. Many others hold city jobs. Most people of Sarawak and Sabah live in small set­tlements in rural areas. Several families often live to­gether in long houses along rivers. Many of these fami­lies struggle to produce enough food for their own use. Clothing. Traditional costumes are not often worn in the towns and cities. The men tend to wear Western shirts and trousers outside their homes, adding ties and coats for official functions. Bushjackets are also worn, mostly by government officials. For casual wear, West­ern styles are preferred, particularly by young people. Few Chinese women wear the cheongsam, a tradi­tional highcollared, tightly fitting dress with slits at the sides. Older women prefer the more comfortable sam- foo, which consists of a jacket and trousers. Many Indian women like to wear saris. See India (Clothing). At home, many Malay men still relax in sarongs. A sa­rong is a length of cloth, the two sides of which are sewn together to form a very loose sheath. A man wears it wrapped around his body and secured by a double­fold at the waist. It reaches to his ankles. He may wear a shirt or a singlet with it or he may prefer to go around with a bare chest. In rural areas on hot days, some older women sit around their homes wearing sarongs tied just under their arms. Younger women wear sarongs in this way only when they bathe at the river or well. Most Malaysian men reserve traditional dress for reli­gious or ceremonial occasions. Many women wear their various traditional costumes very often, and some every day. Quite a number of women experiment with modi­fied versions of dress that embody traditional designs from other local and foreign cultures. Malay traditional dress for men consists of a baju— a roundnecked or highcollared longsleeved shirt. They also wear seluar (trousers) with a sarong wrapped smartly around the waist and hips, and a black songkok (boat-shaped velvet cap) or a tanjak (elegant cloth head­dress) for special occasions. Some Malay men wear sa­rongs to the mosque, and instead of songkoks they may wear ketayaps (white skull caps) for such occasions. Many men who have been on a pilgrimage to Mecca wear serban haji (pilgrims' turbans). A number of Mus­lim men of all races wear robes and turbans. For Malay women, the traditional costumes most widely worn are the sarong, the baju kurung, and the baju kebaya. The baju kurung is like the baju for men. It is tied with gathers on one side, and the outfit is com­pleted with a selendang (shawl) or tudung (scarf) around the shoulders or on the head. Some Malay women who have gone on a pilgrimage to Mecca wear special head­dresses similar to those worn by male counterparts. Food. Multicultural Malaysia has a variety of deli­cious cuisines (styles of cooking). People in the cities can dine at French and Italian restaurants as well as eat­ing local Malay, Chinese, or Indian food. Chinese cuisine in Malaysia comes from different provinces of China, and is extremely varied. But boiled rice is the basis of the daily diet of most Chinese. See China (Food). Most Indians like highly spiced food. Rice is the main food of people from south India. Wheat flour is the main food of families from north India. See India (Food). Malay cooking varies from state to state but the main dish is rice, usually boiled and eaten with vegetables, fish or other seafood, chicken, or meat. Pork is forbid­den by Islam, the religion of most Malays. Chillies, coco­nut milk, onions, spices, and tamarind are frequently used in Malay cooking. Popular dishes from different states include the asam pedas (fish with hot chillies and sourish gravy) ot Johor and the ayam percik (chicken in thick coconut-milk gravy) of Kelantan. One Malay appe­tizer is ulam— shoots, leaves, or fruit dipped in or eaten with samba/(pounded chillies and shrimp paste). Rice, after being boiled, is often fried with chillies, onions, and ikan bilis (anchovies) to make nasigoreng (fried rice). Other variations on plain boiled rice include nasilemak (boiled rice in coconut milk and eaten with sambil tunis, a preparation of chillies, anchovies, and coconut milk); nasi ulam (rice mixed with herbs and salted fish); and nasi dagang (rice mixed with thick gravy and fish) of Terengganu. Rice is sometimes boiled in small cases woven out of coconut-leaves to make ketupat. This is eaten with rendang (beef or chicken cooked over a slow fire in coconut milk, with chillies and certain condiments until the gravy thickens and dries into a de­licious coating), or at any time with satay (small pieces of chicken or meat skewered on bamboo sticks and baked over a charcoal fire). Satay is coated with thick peanut gravy. Many Malays like satay dipped in chilli sauce. Religion. Islam is the national religion but the Malay­sian Constitution guarantees freedom of worship. The number of different religions in Malaysia is proof of reli­gious tolerance in the country. As well as mosques (Is­lamic places of worship), there are many Hindu and Buddhist temples and Christian churches throughout Malaysia. In fact, the main religions of the world, with their rituals, customs, and festivals are dominant fea­tures of Malaysia's multiracial culture. About a dozen national holidays are governed by the Muslim calendar which varies from year to year in rela­tion to the Western calendar. The main holidays of the Chinese and Christian years are also observed. The majority of Malays are Muslims, belonging to the Sunni sect of Islam (see Islam). Regular daily prayers and mosque attendance is an important feature of Islam. Muslims also have a religious duty to pay alms to help the needy. Hari Raya Puasa is the major Muslim festival. It marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, a time of strict observances, when eating and drinking in daylight hours are forbidden. Every year, thousands of Muslim Malays perform the haj (pilgrimage) to the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. The majority of Malaysian Indians are Hindus. There is a small Sikh community. The two main Hindu festivals are Deepavali (Festival of Lights) and Thaipusam. Deepavali commemorates the overthrow of a tyrant king named Naragasuran. Thaipusam is a colourful festival connected with the fulfilment of vows. Buddhism has a substantial following among the Chi­nese. Wesak Day is an important festival commemorat­ing the three great events in the life of Buddha, namely his birth, enlightenment, and death. The main Christian denomination is Roman Catholi­cism. In addition there are small numbers of Anglicans, Methodists, Baptists, and other denominations. Chris­tian missions played a leading role in educating the peo­ple during the time when Peninsular Malaysia was a British colony. Education. The system of formal education in Malay­sia consists of four levels graded according to the age of the students. The four levels are primary, secondary (lower and upper), post-secondary, and tertiary. Children in Malaysia begin primary education at the age of 6 and continue for 6 years. There are three types of primary schools. The national primary school uses Malay as the language of instruction. Chinese and Tamil schools use Chinese and Tamil respectively as the basic language. More than 90 per cent of children of primary school age complete primary education. In lower secondary school the main subjects are Bahasa Malaysia (the Malay language), art, English, gen­eral science, geography, history, health and physical ed­ucation, living skills, and moral or Islamic education. After three years students sit for the Lower Sijil Rendah Pelalaran (Certificate of Education) examination. Suc­cessful students, who continue for two years of Upper Secondary education, take the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (Malaysian Certificate of Education) or the Sijil Pelajaran Vokasiona!Malaysia (Malaysian Certificate of Vocational Education). Students who wish to go to university then study for two more years and sit the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (Malaysian Higher School Certifi­cate) examination. Malaysia has seven universities. The oldest is the Uni­versity of Malaya. It was founded in Kuala Lumpur in 1959 although it can trace its origins back to the King Ed­ward VII College of Medicine, established in 1905, the Raffles College which began in Singapore in 1929, and the University of Malaya, in Singapore, which began in 1949. The University of Technology Malaysia and the University of Agriculture Malaysia, founded in the early 1970's, also originated from earlier institutions. The University of Science in Penang opened in 1969 and the Universiti Kebangsaan (National University) in Bangi began in 1970. In 1982, the government assisted in founding the Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (Interna­tional Islamic University) in Petaling Jaya. In 1984, the Un­iversiti Utara (Northern University) opened in Kedah. Two other important institutions for higher education are Majlis Amanah RakyatiMARA) (Trust Council for the Indigenous People) Institute of Technology, and Tunku Abdul Rahman College. They offer a wide range of semi- professional and professional courses, leading to certifi­cates or diplomas. They also otter degree-level courses jointly with universities in the United States. The Minis­try of Education also runs a number of polytechnics and 27 teacher training colleges. Total student enrolment in the universities and colleges in Malaysia is about 80,000. The government bears over 95 per cent of the cost of university education in Malaysia. National celebrations. August 31 is celebrated as Malaysia's national day to mark the country's independ­ence. Parades and exhibitions are held to celebrate this event. Another important national celebration is held to mark the birthday of the yang di-pertuan agong (king of Malaysia) on June 5. Several important religious festivals are celebrated nationwide by all Malaysians. But most have special sig­nificance for the particular ethnic group. The Malays who are Muslims celebrate festivals of the religion of Islam throughout Malaysia. Ramadan is marked each year by fasting from sunrise to sunset. The Hindus of Malaysia celebrate the festivals of Deepavali and Thaipusam. Chosen people walk on paths of fire with no apparent ill effects. Others have their skin pierced with long needles. They carry heavy religious ornaments over great distances into the temples. The Batu Caves, just outside Kuala Lumpur, are the main cen­tre for the annual Thaipusam festival. The main Chinese religious festival is held to cele­brate the start of the Chinese New Year. It usually falls in late January or early February. The celebrations start on the first day of the new moon after the winter solstice (see Solstice). Families pray together. They thank the gods for the year gone by. They also celebrate with noisy rejoicing and feasting. The Chinese exchange gifts wrapped in red paper. They consider red a lucky colour. They let off firecrackers, light candles, burn joss sticks, and pray for their ancestors. Another important event in the Chinese year is the moon festival. The celebrations begin on the 15th day of the 8th moon of the year. City dwellers join in the cele­brations. But it is essentially a time of thanksgiving for the harvest. They eat moon cakes and other delicacies at this festival time. Christmas is a special time for both Christians and non-Christians in Malaysia. Hotels and shopping complexes have Christmas trees and other decorations.

Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, is called KL by locals. Its modern skyline is dominated by the 451m-tall Petronas Twin Towers, a pair of glass-and-steel-clad skyscrapers with Islamic motifs. The towers also offer a public skybridge and observation deck. The city is also home to British colonial-era landmarks such as the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station and the Sultan Abdul Samad Building.

Population elsewhere:

Malaysia: 28.28 million (2010)

Singapore: 5.077 million (2010)

Jakarta: 9.608 million (2010)

Bandung: 2.395 million (2010)
Manila: 1.6522 million (2010)
Bangkok: 6.3511 million (2000)

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur (pop: 1.589 million (2010)) is the largest city and capital of Malaysia. It is also the country's most impor­tant commercial centre.

The city of Kuala Lumpur occupies just over one-third of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. It lies in the Ke­lang Valley, midway between George Town and Singa­pore. For the location of the city of Kuala Lumpur, see Malaysia (map).

The city. The Kuala Lumpur metropolitan area in­cludes several old settlements such as Kepong, Gombak, Ampang, and Sungai Besi. All of these former towns now have new housing estates.

The rapid growth of the city has caused several prob­lems, including population pressure on land and roads, inadequate housing and public transport, and shortage of recreational space.

Parliament House and government ministries are west of the Kelang River. Skyscrapers in the northern and western sections of the city house the headquarters of major Malaysian companies and banks as well as those of multinational corporations and international hotels. There are several universities and colleges in and around the city.

The city has many places of worship for people of various religions. Malays are Muslims and the National Mosque can accommodate many thousands of people. There are also many Christian churches and Hindu and Buddhist temples.

Kuala Lumpur is a medium-size capital city which blends its colonial past with traditional shops and mod­ern skyscrapers. Petaling Street is the Chinatown of Kuala Lumpur. It is a typical Chinese business district with traditional covered footways and shophouses, which have shops on the ground floor and family homes upstairs. The shops and street stalls offer a variety of goods, food, fruit, and souvenirs. The street becomes a pedestrian area at sunset, crowded with shoppers and tourists looking for bargains. Many types of traditional products, such as batik, pewterware, and handicrafts, are also available in these shops and night markets (see Batik). There is a handicraft centre containing traditional Malay houses which present and sell the crafts of each of the Malaysian states.

To the west of Kuala Lumpur is Petaling Jaya, the first new town (specially planned town) of Malaysia and a sprawling residential industrial and commercial centre. Its middle-class community commutes daily to work in the city. Petaling Jaya is now the fifth largest town in the country, with a population of more than 200,000.

Places of interest. Along Jalan Sultan Hishamudin are several of the city's most distinctive architectural landmarks. Three buildings feature Moorish architec­tural styles with curving arches, domes, or minarets. These buildings include the old city hall, which was completed in 1897. The railway station and the Malayan Railway Administration Building date from the early 1900's. The Sultan Abdul Samad Building, where the state secretariat was formerly housed, was completed in 1897. It has a 43-metre copper-sheathed clock tower.

The National Museum is a striking building based on old Malay-style architecture. It has displays relating to Malaysian arts and crafts and history as well as the country's birds and mammals.

The National Monument is located in the Lake Gar­dens. This bronze sculpture commemorates the triumph of democracy over the Communist terrorism which had led to the proclamation of a state of emergency in 1948.

The six-tiered Theau Hou Temple, on a hill slope just outside the city centre, is one of the biggest Chinese temples in Southeast Asia.

The National Zoo has about 200 species of mammals, birds, and reptiles, from Malaysia and other countries. It also has an aquarium with more than 80 species of aquatic animals.

People. The population of Kuala Lumpur consists of Chinese, 320,000 Malays, 140,000 Indians, and others. The population has increased to more than three times its level at the time of Malayan independ­ence in 1957. The food of Kuala Lumpur reflects the vari­ety of the multiracial population. In roadside shops and in hotels, dishes available include food from Malays, Chinese, Indians, and other ethnic groups.

History. Kuala Lumpur, means "muddy river mouth."

It derives its name from its location at the meeting place of the Kelang and Gombak rivers. Founded as a tin min­ing settlement in 1859, it became the capital of Selangor in 1887 and of the Federated Malay States of Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, and Pahang in 1896.

Prosperity developed from the success of mining and rubber planting. Kuala Lumpur became a centre of com­merce and transport, and acquired its cosmopolitan character with Malay settlers, Chinese shopkeepers, In­dian labourers, British administrators, and Arab traders.

Kuala Lumpur progressed from a town council in 1898 to a municipality in 1948. It became the capital of the Federation of Malaya in 1957 and of Malaysia in 1963. In 1972, it was proclaimed a city and in 1974 it formed the core city of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. See also Kuala Lumpur (federal territory); Malaysia.

(Note: Theau Hou Temple stands on a hillside just beyond the central area of Kuala Lumpur City. Built in six tiers, it is one of the largest Chinese temples in Southeast Asia.)