In Depth

The Malaysia of today is a peaceful nation of many races and ethnicities. Currently, the population is estimated at 27.7 million inhabitants. Of this number, Bumiputeras are the most numerous ethnic group (broadly speaking) and are defined as those with cultural affinities indigenous to the region and to one another. Technically, this group includes people of the aboriginal groups and ethnic Malays. A smaller segment of the population is non-Bumiputera groups such as the Chinese, Indians, Arabs, and Eurasians, most of whom descended from settlers to the region in the past 150 years. It is important to know the difference between the Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera groups to understand Malaysian politics, which favors the first group in every policy. It is equally important to understand that, despite ethnic divisions, each group is considered no less Malaysian.

The state religion is Islam. The Muslim way of life is reflected in almost every element of Malaysian life. The strict adherence to Islam will most likely affect your vacation plans in some way. If you're traveling to Malaysia for an extended period of time or are planning to work there, I highly recommend Malaysian Customs & Etiquette: A Practical Handbook, by Datin Noor Aini Syed Amir (Times Books, 2003), for its great advice on how to negotiate any situation.

As for the non-Muslim, life goes on under the government's very serious policy to protect freedom of religion. Note: Despite its "freedom of religion" policy, Malaysia is very anti-Zionist. Almost daily the local papers report anti-Semitic news, and Israel is the only country in the world to which Malaysian citizens may not travel. If you carry an Israeli passport, you will not be granted entry to the country. Jewish people from other countries who still wish to visit are advised to downplay their religion.

The Populace -- About 57% of Malaysians are Malay, while the Chinese and Indians make up 25% and 10% of the population, respectively. The remainder includes Eurasians and myriad indigenous groups such as the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia; the Iban, Bidayuh, and Orang Ulu of Sarawak; and the Kadazan Dusun, Bajau, and Murut of Sabah.

The Government

From 1981 to 2003, the government was led by Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the leading government party since Malaysia's independence. He was a popular prime minister who sought to create a competitive economic tiger while maintaining national policies that reflected liberal Islamic values. His outspoken nature created an endless stream of controversies surrounding policies that favored Bumiputeras, protected often shady links between government and industry, and opposed conservative Islamic policies.

In 2003, he stepped down from power so that his successor, Abdullah Badawi, could continue the policies of the UMNO party.

In March 2008, Malaysian politics took an interesting turn when a general election saw the ruling government lose its parliamentary majority as well as control over a number of state legislatures. Even more controversial was the election of Anwar Ibrahim as leader of the Malaysia Opposition. Anwar was Mahathir's former deputy prime minister and was sacked over a sodomy and corruption scandal in 1998 -- it is generally believed that the charges against Anwar were false and the work of a government who wanted to remove Anwar's dissenting voice.

Malaysians' biggest concerns are the economy, ethnic discord, and rising crime rates.

The Economy

Until the Asian Economic Crisis that began in July 1997, Malaysia was one of the rising stars of the East Asian Miracle, with an economy built upon the manufacturing sector in electronics and rubber products, as well as on agriculture and mining. Though the crisis hit the country hard, the country bounced back with annual GDP average of 6%.

In January 2009, the government was adamant that the global recession would not seriously affect Malaysia, due to the nation's sound economic fundamentals, predicting a GDP growth estimate for the year at a highly optimistic 3.5%.

Tourism

In 2008, Malaysia attracted a record-breaking 22 million tourists, half of which were Singaporeans. Important inbound tourism markets include Thailand, Indonesia, China, and India. The driving forces behind Malaysia's tourism industry are the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions & Exhibitions (MICE) sector; medical tourism; and educational tourism. The government's main tourism focus is historical site conservation, upgrades to tourism-related infrastructure such as air, land, and sea travel; and the improvement of tourism-related services and products.

In 2008, Melaka and Georgetown were inscribed in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) World Heritage List for cultural sites. They joined Gunung Mulu National Park and Kinabalu Park, World Heritage List natural sites since 2000.