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Malaysia
Malaysia
Malaysia A country in south-east Asia, having two parts, West and East, separated by the South China Sea.
Physical
East Malaysia comprises Sarawak and Sabah in the north and north-west of the island of Borneo. West, or Peninsular, Malaysia comprises the former Federation of
MALAYA and occupies the southern end of the Malay Peninsula, extending south from the south-east Asian mainland and bounded on the north by Thailand and on the south by Singapore; it has a south-western coast on the Strait of Malacca.
Economy
Manufacturing industry produces automobiles, electronics, cigarettes, tyres, sawn logs, and cement. Crude oil is an important export. Agriculture, with rice the principal subsistence crop, remains the mainstay of the economy, despite high industrial growth in recent years. Malaysia is the world's largest producer of rubber, palm oil, and tin; timber is also an important export. Other mineral resources include bauxite, iron ore, and copper. The New Economic Policy (NEP), initiated after ethnic riots in 1970, introduced ethnic quotas in an attempt to promote economic growth and eradicate the association of race with occupation. The economy was disrupted by a financial crisis in 1997.
History
Established in 1963, the Federation of Malaysia originally included
SINGAPORE but it was forced to secede in 1965 because of fears that its largely Chinese population would challenge Malay political dominance.
BRUNEI refused to join the Federation. The establishment of Malaysia was first suggested (1961) by Tunku
ABDUL RAHMAN, who became its first Prime Minister (1963–70). The Federation aroused deep suspicion in Indonesia, and provoked President
SUKARNO's policy of confrontation (
KONFRONTASI), resulting in intermittent guerrilla war in Malaysia's Borneo territories, which was only defeated with Commonwealth military assistance (1963–66). In 1969, inequalities between the politically dominant Malays and economically dominant Chinese resulted in riots in Kuala Lumpur, and parliamentary government was suspended until 1971. As a result, there was a major restructuring of political and social institutions designed to ensure Malay predominance, the New Economic Policy being launched to increase the Malay (
bumiputra) stake in the economy. The largest single political party remained the United Malays National Organization, which had been created by Tunku Rahman. Since 1971 this has ruled in uneasy alliance with the Malaysian Chinese Association and some other ten parties in a coalition, the National Front. Mahathir bin Mohamed became its leader and Prime Minister in 1981. A leading member of the
ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH-EAST ASIAN NATIONS, Malaysia replaced the New Economic Policy in 1991 by a New Development Policy, whose aim was to diversify the economy. At the same time it has incurred international criticism for its exploitation of its rain-forests. During 1994 a scandal over Britain's lending Malaysia £234 million to build the Pergau dam in an aid-for-trade agreement caused controversy in Britain and strained relations between the two countries. The ruling coalition was re-elected in 1995.
Capital: | Kuala Lumpur (transferring to Putrajaya in 2000) |
Area: | 330,442 sq km (127,584 sq miles) |
Population: | 22,083,000 (1998 est) |
Currency: | 1 ringgit = 100 sen |
Religions: | Muslim 52.9%; Buddhist 17.3%; Chinese popular religions 11.6%; Hindu 7.0%; Christian 6.4% |
Ethnic Groups: | Malay, Orang Asli, Iban, Land Dayak, Bajan, and Kadazan 60.0% Chinese 31.0%; Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi 8.0% |
Languages: | Malay (official); English; Chinese; Tamil; minority languages |
International Organizations: | UN; Commonwealth; Non-Aligned Movement; Colombo Plan; ASEAN |
Cite this article
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The Malaysia Food and Drink Report Provides Independent Forecasts and Competitive Intelligence on the Malaysian Food and Drink Industry.(Report)
Business Wire; 5/7/2008; 700+ words
; ...has announced the addition of "Malaysia Food and Drink Report Q2 2008" to their offering. Executive Summary Malaysia's non self-sufficient food and...BMI discusses in its newly published Malaysia Food & Drink Report for Q208...
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TOURISM MALAYSIA WANTS LARGER SHARE OF US MICE MARKET.
News Wire article from: AsiaPulse News; 7/10/2008; 700+ words
; ...NEW YORK, July 10 Asia Pulse - Tourism Malaysia wants a bigger share of the meetings...president at the New York office of Tourism Malaysia, organisers of MICE in the United States...too is being considered as a venue. Malaysia's overall share of the American MICE...
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TOURISM MALAYSIA TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN CANADA.
News Wire article from: AsiaPulse News; 9/18/2007; 700+ words
; ...VANCOUVER, Sept 18 Asia Pulse - Tourism Malaysia will take a more aggressive approach...Canadian media to create more awareness on Malaysia. "Canada is a very important long-haul market to Malaysia and it has proven to be a growing market...
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Malaysia: dash for economic growth.
Magazine article from: Contemporary Review; 6/1/1993; ; 700+ words
; MALAYSIA is one of the Super Seven. Hong Kong...South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia are all nations that have transformed...international records for economic growth. Malaysia has stopped being a low-income, low...
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Malaysia: From Kampung to Twin Towers.(Book review)
Magazine article from: ASEAN Economic Bulletin; 12/1/2007; ; 700+ words
; Malaysia: From Kampung to Twin Towers. By Richard...2007. Pp. 358. The publication of Malaysia: From Kampung to Twin Towers coincides...celebrations of fifty years of Independence in Malaysia. It documents the economic and social...
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MALAYSIA & JAPAN HAVE BUILT UP STRONG BASE TO ENHANCE TRADE TIES.
News Wire article from: AsiaPulse News; 3/13/2003; 700+ words
; ...existing strong bilateral trade ties betwen Malaysia and Japan and the substantial Japanese investments in Malaysia would form a strong base for further...trade and investment from Japan into Malaysia. Rafidah is currently heading a trade...
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Telekom Malaysia and Cisco Systems Sign Landmark Agreement to Collaborate on New IP-based Managed Services for Malaysian Market.
Business Wire; 2/4/2005; 700+ words
; KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Telekom Malaysia and Cisco Systems(R) (Nasdaq:CSCO) are collaborating...based managed services specially designed for customers in Malaysia. The two companies have entered into an agreement to closely...
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MALAYSIA CONTINUES TO INTEREST GERMAN HI-TECH COMPANIES.
News Wire article from: AsiaPulse News; 12/21/2007; 700+ words
; ...industry continues to be interested in Malaysia as an investment site, says the Hamburg...bilateral economic relations between Malaysia and Germany. Rafidah courted German...to further increase its involvement in Malaysia and indeed the figures on German-Malaysian...
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Malaysia's problems with prosperity.
Magazine article from: The Economist (US); 7/16/1994; 700+ words
; PASS by the headquarters of Malaysia's ruling United Malays National...stares out at you. Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia's prime minister, is a doctor...2020 Vision" to capture his view of Malaysia's future. The idea is that by...
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MALAYSIA, QATAR LAUNCH NEW EFFORTS TO ENHANCE TRADE, ECONOMIC TIES.
News Wire article from: AsiaPulse News; 10/7/2009; 700+ words
; DOHA, Oct 7 Asia Pulse - The Malaysia-Qatar Joint Trade Committee (JTC...cooperation programme highlighted by Malaysia at the meeting included bilateral...the visit of the Emir of Qatar to Malaysia. "Both ministers were hopeful that...
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Malaysia
Encyclopedia entry from: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Physical Geography
Malaysia Official name: Malaysia Area: 329,750 square kilometers (127,317 square miles) Highest...Time zone: 7 p.m. = noon GMT Longest distances: Peninsular Malaysia extends 748 kilometers (465 miles) from south-southeast to...
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Telekom Malaysia Bhd
Book article from: International Directory of Company Histories
Telekom Malaysia Bhd Level 51, North Wing Menara Telekom...Jalan Pantai Baharu Kuala Lumpur 50672 Malaysia Telephone: 60 3 2240 9494 Fax: 60 03...517910 Other Telecommunications Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM), the former telecommunications...
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Yeo Hiap Seng Malaysia Bhd.
Book article from: International Directory of Company Histories
Yeo Hiap Seng Malaysia Bhd. 7 Jalan Tandang Petaling Jaya 46050 Malaysia Telephone: + 60 3 7787 3888 Fax: + 60 3 7782 2730...Carcasses; 312111 Soft Drink Manufacturing Yeo Hiap Seng Malaysia Bhd. is one of the leading food and beverages groups...
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Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia (KMM)
Encyclopedia entry from: Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Security
Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia (KMM) Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia (KMM) favors the over-throw of the Mahathir government and the creation of an Islamic state comprising Malaysia, Indonesia, and the southern Philippines. Malaysian...
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Federation of Malaysia
Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
Federation of Malaysia see Malaysia .
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