Thaipusam (Tamil: தைப்பூசம்) is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by theTamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (Jan/Feb). It is also referred to as Thaipooyam or Thaippooyam in the Malayalam language. The word Thai-pusam is derived from the month name Thai andPusam, which refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates both the birthday of Murugan (alsoSubramaniam), the youngest son of god Shiva and his wife Parvati, and the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a vel (spear) so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman
Origin
Skanda (or Murugan) was created during one of the battles between theAsuras and the Devas. At one point, the latter were defeated several times by the former. The Devas were unable to resist the onslaught of the Asura forces. In despair, they approached Shiva and entreated to give them an able leader under whose heroic leadership they might obtain victory over the Asuras. They surrendered themselves completely and prayed to Shiva. Shiva granted their request by creating the mighty warrior, Skanda, out of his own power or Achintya Shakti. He at once assumed leadership of the celestial forces, inspired them and defeated the Asura forces
Kavadi
Kavadi Attam is a dance performed by the devotees during the ceremonial worship of Murugan, the Tamil God of War. It is often performed during the festival of Thaipusam and emphasizes debt bondage. The Kavadi itself is a physical burden through which the devotees implore for help from the God Murugan.
Generally, Hindus take a vow to offer a kavadi to idol the for purpose of tiding over or averting a great calamity. For instance, if the devotee's son is laid up with a fatal disease, he would pray to Shanmuga to grant the boy a lease of life in return for which the devotee would take a vow to dedicate a kavadi to Him.
Preparations
Devotees prepare for the celebration by cleansing themselves through prayer and fasting. Kavadi-bearers have to perform elaborate ceremonies at the time of assuming the kavadi and at the time of offering it to Murugan. The kavadi-bearer observes celibacy and take only pure, Satvikfood, once a day, while continuously thinking of God.
On the day of the festival, devotees will shave their heads undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens). At its simplest this may entail carrying a pot of milk, but mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers is also common.
The simplest kavadi is a semi circular decorated canopy supported by a wooden rod that is carried on the shoulders, to the temple. In addition, some have a small spear through their tongue, or a spear through the cheeks. The spear pierced through his tongue or cheeks reminds him constantly of Lord Murugan. It also prevents him from speaking and gives great power of endurance. Other types of kavadi involve hooks stuck into the back and either pulled by another walking behind or being hung from a decorated bullock cart or more recently a tractor, with the point of incisions of the hooks varying the level of pain. The greater the pain the more god-earned merit
Celebrations
In Palani, Tamil Nadu, India, Thai Pusam is celebrated with grandeur. Thousands of devotees flock to Palani and attend kavadi. According to palani.org, "The number of kavadis reaching Palani for Thai Pusam is about 10,000. For Pankuni Uttiram, 50,000 kavadis arrive. It is kavadi to your right, kavadi to your left, kavadi in front of you, kavadi behind you, kavadi above you and kavadi below you."
In Vaikom, Kerala, India, Thai Pusam festival is conducted with Kaavadis at Udayanapuram Subramanya temple. Devotees take panchamritha kaavadi, paal kaavadi, bhasma kaavadi etc.
In Karamana, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, Thai Pusam festival is conducted at Satyavageeswara temple. The utsava moorthy is taken in procession on a vahanam(mount). There is nel(Paddy)parai alappu or Nel alavu, as a ritual performed for good luck and prosperity.
In Nallur, Jaffna, Sri Lanka, Thai Pusam festival is conducted at NallurKandhasamy Temple. Many Tamil devotees irrespective of religion take part in celebrations. Even Tamils from Roman Catholic faith and Muslims take part in Thai Pusam celeberations and take Kavadis.
The largest Thaipusam celebrations take place in Singapore, Mauritius andMalaysia. It is a public holiday in several states in Malaysia, includingSelangor, Penang, Perak, Johor,Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur.
The temple at Batu Caves, near Kuala Lumpur, often attracts over one million devotees and tens of thousands of tourists . The procession to the caves starts at the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur in the heart of the city and proceeds for 15 kilometers to the caves, an 8-hour journey culminating in a flight of 272 steps to the top.
In Malaysia, although rare, scenes of people from different ethnic groups and faiths bearing "kavadi" can also be seen. Interestingly, Thaipusam is also increasingly being celebrated by the ethnic Chinese in Singapore andMalaysia. Thaipusam is also celebrated at another cave site, the SriSubramaniar Temple in Gunong Cheroh, Ipoh, Perak and at theNattukottai Chettiar Temple along Jalan Waterfall in Penang. Templesecretary P. Palaiya Sri Subramaniar Temple in Gunong Cheroh reported that about 250,000 devotees participated in the festival 2007, including 300 kavadi bearers, while 15,000 came with milk offerings
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Hari Raya Aidil adha
Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى ‘Īdu l-’Aḍḥā) "Festival of Sacrifice" or "Greater Eid" is a Muslim Holiday celebrated by Muslims (including the Druze) worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismael as an act of obedience to Allah.
Eid al-Adha is the latter of two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims, whose basis comes from the Quran. (Muslims who belong to the Shi'ite branch ofIslam celebrate a third Eid.) Like Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha begins with a short prayer followed by a sermon (khuṭba).
Eid al-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja (ذو الحجة) of the lunar Islamic calendar. The festivities last for three days or more depending on the country. Eid al-Adha occurs the day after the pilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabiaby Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan.
Other names
Eid-al-Adha has other popular names across the Muslim world. The name is often simply translated into the local language, such as English Festival of Sacrifice, German Opferfest, Dutch Offerfeest, and Hungarian Áldozati ünnep.
The Arabic term "Festival of Sacrifice", ‘Īd ul-’Aḍḥā was borrowed as a unit into Indic languages such as Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati and Bengali andAustronesian languages such as Malay and Indonesian.
Another Arabic word for "sacrifice", (Arabic: قربان Qurbān), was lent intoDari Persian and Iranian dialect of Persian as Eyde Ghorbân(Persian: عید قربان), into Tajik Persian as Иди Қурбон Idi Qurbon, into Kazakh as Құрбан айт (Qurban ayt), into Uyghur as Qurban Heyit, and also into various Indic languages. Other languages combined the Arabic word qurbān with local terms for "festival", as in Kurdish (Cejna Qurbanê ), Pashto (Kurbaneyy Akhtar), Chinese (Chinese: 古尔邦节 Gúěrbāng Jié), Malay and Indonesian(Hari Raya Korban, Qurbani), and Turkish (Turkish: Kurban Bayramı). The Turkish term was then later borrowed into languages such as Azeri(Qurban Bayramı), Tatar(Qorban Bäyräme), Bosnian, (Kurban Bajram),Serbian (Курбан бајрам), Russian (Курбан байрам).
Another Arabic name, ‘Īd ul-Kabīr (Arabic: عيد الكبير `Īd al-Kabīr), meaning "Greater Eid/Festival", is used in Yemen, Syria, and North Africa(Morocco,Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt). The term was borrowed directly intoFrench as Aïd el-Kebir. Translations of "Big Eid" or "Greater Eid" are used in Pashto لوی اختر Loy Akhtar, Kashmiri Baed Eid, Hindi and Urdu Baṛā Īd,Malayalam Bali Perunnal, and Tamil Peru Nāl.
Another name refers to the fact that the holiday occurs after the culmination of the Hajj (حج), or pilgrimage to Mecca (Makka). Such names are used in Malay and Indonesian (Hari Raya Haji "Hajj celebration day",Lebaran Haji), and in Tamil Hajji Peru Nāl.
In Hindi- and Urdu-speaking areas, the festival is also called بقرعید Baqra Īdor Baqrī Īd, stemming either from the Arabic baqarah "heifer" or the Urdu word baqrī for "goat", as cows and goats are among the traditionally-sacrificed animals. That term was also borrowed into other languages, such as Tamil Bakr Eid Peru Nāl.
Other local names include 宰牲节 Zǎishēng Jié ("Slaughter-livestock Festival") in Chinese, Tfaska Tamoqqart in the Berber language of Jerba,Tabaski or Tobaski in West African languages , Babbar Sallah in Nigerianlanguages, and Ciidwayneey in Somali.
History
Four thousand years ago, the valley of Mecca was a dry and uninhabited place. According to Islamic history, the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was instructed to bring his wife Hajar (Hajira) and their child Ismael to Arabiafrom the land of Israel - Canaan - by God's command, as his childless first wife Sarah had become jealous that Hajar bore a child and she had not.
As Ibrahim made ready to return to the land of Israel, his wife Hajar asked him: "Who ordered you to leave us here"? When Ibrahim replied: "God", Hajar said: "then God will not forget us; you can go". Although Ibrahim had left a large quantity of food and water with Hajar and Ismael, the supplies quickly ran out and within a few days the two were suffering from hunger and dehydration.
According to the story, a desperate Hajar ran up and down two hills called Safa and Marwa seven times, trying to see if she could spot any help in the distance. Finally she collapsed beside her baby Ismael and prayed toGod for deliverance. Ismael struck his foot on the ground, and this caused a spring of water to gush forth from the earth. With this secure water supply, they were not only able to provide for their own needs, but were also able to trade water with passing nomads for food and supplies. When the Prophet Ibrahim returned from Canaan to check on his family, he was amazed to see them running a profitable well.
The Prophet Ibrahim was told by God to build a shrine dedicated to him adjacent to Hajar's well (the Zamzam Well). Ibrahim and Ismael constructed a small stone structure–-the Kaaba--which was to be the gathering place for all who wished to strengthen their faith in God. As the years passed, Ismael was blessed with Prophethood and he gave thenomads of the desert his message of surrender to God--the Islamic faith. After many centuries, Mecca became a thriving city thanks to its reliable water source, the well of Zamzam.
In the year 628 the Prophet Muhammad set out on a journey with 1400 of his followers. This was the first pilgrimage in Islam, and would re-establish the religious traditions of the Prophet Ibrahim.
The Takbir and other Rituals
The Takbir is recited from the dawn of the tenth of Dhu al-Hijjah to the thirteenth of it. The Takbir consists of:
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر
laa ilaaha illAllaah لا إله إلا الله
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar الله أكبر الله أكبر
wa li-illaahil-hamd ولله الحمد
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,
There is no deity but Allah
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest
and to Allah goes all praise
Variation
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar الله أكبر الله أكبر
laa ilaaha illAllaah لا إله إلا الله
wAllaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar والله أكبر الله أكبر
wa li-illaahil-hamd ولله الحمد
alhamdulillaah `alaa maa hadaanaa, wa lahul-shukru `ala maa awlaanaa الحمدلله على ما هدانا و له الشكر على ما اولانا
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,
There is no deity but Allah
And Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest
and to Allah goes all praise, (We) sing the praises of Allahbecause He has shown us the Right Path. (We) gratefully thank Him because He takes care of us and looks after our interests.
Variation:
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر
laa ilaaha illAllaah لا إله إلا الله
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar الله أكبر الله أكبر
wa li-illaahil-hamd ولله الحمد
Allaahu akbar kabeera wal hamdu lillahi katheera wa sobhana allahi bokratan wa aseela الله أكبر كبيرا والحمد لله كثيرا وسبحان الله بكرة وأصيلا
laa ilaaha illAllaah لا إله إلا الله
Wahdah sadaqa wa'dah wa nasara abdah wa a'aza jondahu wa hazama al-ahzaba wahdah وحده صدق وعده ونصر عبده وأعز جنده وهزم الأحزاب وحده
laa ilaaha illAllaah لا إله إلا الله
wala na'bodu illa iyah mokhliseen lahu aldeena wa law kariha al kafiroon ولا نعبد إلا إياه مخلصين له الدين ولو كره الكافرون
allahomma salli ala sayyidina mohammad wa ala sayyidina mohammad wa ala aal sayyidina mohammad wa ala ashabi sayyidina mohammad wa ala ansari sayyidina mohammad wa ala azwaji sayyidina mohammad wa ala zoriyyati sayyidina mohammadin wa sallim taslimann katheera اللهم صل على سيدنا محمد وعلى آل سيدنا محمد وعلى أصحاب سيدنا محمد وعلى أنصار سيدنا محمد وعلى أزواج سيدنا محمد وعلى ذرية سيدنا محمد وسلم تسليما كثيرا
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,
There is no deity but Allah
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest
and to Allah goes all praise
Allah is the Greatest, all Praise is due to Him, And Glory to Allah, eventide and in the morning
There is no god, but Allah the Unique, He has fulfilled His Promise, and made Victorious His servant, and made Mighty His soldiers and defeated the confederates
There is no deity but Allah
He alone we worship, with sincere and exclusive devotion, even though the infidels hate it
O Allah, have Mercy on our Prophet Muhammad, and on the family of our Prophet Muhammad, and on the companions of our Prophet Muhammad, and on the helpers of our Prophet Muhammad, and on the wives of our Prophet Muhammad, and on the offspring of our Prophet Muhammad, and Bestow upon them much peace
Traditions and practices
Men, women, and children are expected to dress in their finest clothing to perform Eid prayer (ṣalātu l-`Īdi) in a large congregation in open area (not in a mosque). Muslims who can afford to do so sacrifice their best domestic animals (usually sheep, but also camels, cows and goats) as a symbol of Ibrahim's sacrifice. The sacrificed animals, called uḍiyyah(Arabic: أضحية, also known as "al-qurbāni"), have to meet certain age and quality standards or else the animal is considered an unacceptable sacrifice. Generally, these must be at least a year old.
The regular charitable practices of the Muslim community are demonstrated during Eid al-Adha by the concerted effort to see that no impoverished person is left without sacrificial food during these days.
Distributing meat among people is considered an essential part of the festival during this period, as well as chanting Takbir out loud before the Eid prayer on the first day and after prayers through out the four days of Eid. (See Takbir in "Traditions and practices" of Eid el-Fitr.) In some countries families that do not own livestock can make a contribution to a charity that will provide meat to those who are in need.
Eid al-Adha in the Gregorian calendar
1430 (Islamic Calendar): November 27, 2009 (calculated)
1431 (Islamic Calendar): November 16, 2010 (calculated)
1432 (Islamic Calendar): November 6, 2011 (calculated)
1433 (Islamic Calendar): October 26, 2012 (calculated)
1434 (Islamic Calendar): October 15, 2013 (calculated)
1435 (Islamic Calendar): October 4, 2014 (calculated)
1436 (Islamic Calendar): September 23, 2015 (calculated)
1437 (Islamic Calendar): September 11, 2016 (calculated)
1438 (Islamic Calendar): September 1, 2017 (calculated)
1439 (Islamic Calendar): August 21, 2018 (calculated)
1440 (Islamic Calendar): August 11, 2019 (calculated)
1441 (Islamic Calendar): July 31, 2020 (calculated)
1442 (Islamic Calendar): July 23, 2021 (calculated)
Eid al-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى ‘Īdu l-’Aḍḥā) "Festival of Sacrifice" or "Greater Eid" is a Muslim Holiday celebrated by Muslims (including the Druze) worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismael as an act of obedience to Allah.
Eid al-Adha is the latter of two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims, whose basis comes from the Quran. (Muslims who belong to the Shi'ite branch ofIslam celebrate a third Eid.) Like Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha begins with a short prayer followed by a sermon (khuṭba).
Eid al-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja (ذو الحجة) of the lunar Islamic calendar. The festivities last for three days or more depending on the country. Eid al-Adha occurs the day after the pilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabiaby Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan.
Other names
Eid-al-Adha has other popular names across the Muslim world. The name is often simply translated into the local language, such as English Festival of Sacrifice, German Opferfest, Dutch Offerfeest, and Hungarian Áldozati ünnep.
The Arabic term "Festival of Sacrifice", ‘Īd ul-’Aḍḥā was borrowed as a unit into Indic languages such as Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati and Bengali andAustronesian languages such as Malay and Indonesian.
Another Arabic word for "sacrifice", (Arabic: قربان Qurbān), was lent intoDari Persian and Iranian dialect of Persian as Eyde Ghorbân(Persian: عید قربان), into Tajik Persian as Иди Қурбон Idi Qurbon, into Kazakh as Құрбан айт (Qurban ayt), into Uyghur as Qurban Heyit, and also into various Indic languages. Other languages combined the Arabic word qurbān with local terms for "festival", as in Kurdish (Cejna Qurbanê ), Pashto (Kurbaneyy Akhtar), Chinese (Chinese: 古尔邦节 Gúěrbāng Jié), Malay and Indonesian(Hari Raya Korban, Qurbani), and Turkish (Turkish: Kurban Bayramı). The Turkish term was then later borrowed into languages such as Azeri(Qurban Bayramı), Tatar(Qorban Bäyräme), Bosnian, (Kurban Bajram),Serbian (Курбан бајрам), Russian (Курбан байрам).
Another Arabic name, ‘Īd ul-Kabīr (Arabic: عيد الكبير `Īd al-Kabīr), meaning "Greater Eid/Festival", is used in Yemen, Syria, and North Africa(Morocco,Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt). The term was borrowed directly intoFrench as Aïd el-Kebir. Translations of "Big Eid" or "Greater Eid" are used in Pashto لوی اختر Loy Akhtar, Kashmiri Baed Eid, Hindi and Urdu Baṛā Īd,Malayalam Bali Perunnal, and Tamil Peru Nāl.
Another name refers to the fact that the holiday occurs after the culmination of the Hajj (حج), or pilgrimage to Mecca (Makka). Such names are used in Malay and Indonesian (Hari Raya Haji "Hajj celebration day",Lebaran Haji), and in Tamil Hajji Peru Nāl.
In Hindi- and Urdu-speaking areas, the festival is also called بقرعید Baqra Īdor Baqrī Īd, stemming either from the Arabic baqarah "heifer" or the Urdu word baqrī for "goat", as cows and goats are among the traditionally-sacrificed animals. That term was also borrowed into other languages, such as Tamil Bakr Eid Peru Nāl.
Other local names include 宰牲节 Zǎishēng Jié ("Slaughter-livestock Festival") in Chinese, Tfaska Tamoqqart in the Berber language of Jerba,Tabaski or Tobaski in West African languages , Babbar Sallah in Nigerianlanguages, and Ciidwayneey in Somali.
History
Four thousand years ago, the valley of Mecca was a dry and uninhabited place. According to Islamic history, the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was instructed to bring his wife Hajar (Hajira) and their child Ismael to Arabiafrom the land of Israel - Canaan - by God's command, as his childless first wife Sarah had become jealous that Hajar bore a child and she had not.
As Ibrahim made ready to return to the land of Israel, his wife Hajar asked him: "Who ordered you to leave us here"? When Ibrahim replied: "God", Hajar said: "then God will not forget us; you can go". Although Ibrahim had left a large quantity of food and water with Hajar and Ismael, the supplies quickly ran out and within a few days the two were suffering from hunger and dehydration.
According to the story, a desperate Hajar ran up and down two hills called Safa and Marwa seven times, trying to see if she could spot any help in the distance. Finally she collapsed beside her baby Ismael and prayed toGod for deliverance. Ismael struck his foot on the ground, and this caused a spring of water to gush forth from the earth. With this secure water supply, they were not only able to provide for their own needs, but were also able to trade water with passing nomads for food and supplies. When the Prophet Ibrahim returned from Canaan to check on his family, he was amazed to see them running a profitable well.
The Prophet Ibrahim was told by God to build a shrine dedicated to him adjacent to Hajar's well (the Zamzam Well). Ibrahim and Ismael constructed a small stone structure–-the Kaaba--which was to be the gathering place for all who wished to strengthen their faith in God. As the years passed, Ismael was blessed with Prophethood and he gave thenomads of the desert his message of surrender to God--the Islamic faith. After many centuries, Mecca became a thriving city thanks to its reliable water source, the well of Zamzam.
In the year 628 the Prophet Muhammad set out on a journey with 1400 of his followers. This was the first pilgrimage in Islam, and would re-establish the religious traditions of the Prophet Ibrahim.
The Takbir and other Rituals
The Takbir is recited from the dawn of the tenth of Dhu al-Hijjah to the thirteenth of it. The Takbir consists of:
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر
laa ilaaha illAllaah لا إله إلا الله
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar الله أكبر الله أكبر
wa li-illaahil-hamd ولله الحمد
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,
There is no deity but Allah
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest
and to Allah goes all praise
Variation
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar الله أكبر الله أكبر
laa ilaaha illAllaah لا إله إلا الله
wAllaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar والله أكبر الله أكبر
wa li-illaahil-hamd ولله الحمد
alhamdulillaah `alaa maa hadaanaa, wa lahul-shukru `ala maa awlaanaa الحمدلله على ما هدانا و له الشكر على ما اولانا
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,
There is no deity but Allah
And Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest
and to Allah goes all praise, (We) sing the praises of Allahbecause He has shown us the Right Path. (We) gratefully thank Him because He takes care of us and looks after our interests.
Variation:
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر
laa ilaaha illAllaah لا إله إلا الله
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar الله أكبر الله أكبر
wa li-illaahil-hamd ولله الحمد
Allaahu akbar kabeera wal hamdu lillahi katheera wa sobhana allahi bokratan wa aseela الله أكبر كبيرا والحمد لله كثيرا وسبحان الله بكرة وأصيلا
laa ilaaha illAllaah لا إله إلا الله
Wahdah sadaqa wa'dah wa nasara abdah wa a'aza jondahu wa hazama al-ahzaba wahdah وحده صدق وعده ونصر عبده وأعز جنده وهزم الأحزاب وحده
laa ilaaha illAllaah لا إله إلا الله
wala na'bodu illa iyah mokhliseen lahu aldeena wa law kariha al kafiroon ولا نعبد إلا إياه مخلصين له الدين ولو كره الكافرون
allahomma salli ala sayyidina mohammad wa ala sayyidina mohammad wa ala aal sayyidina mohammad wa ala ashabi sayyidina mohammad wa ala ansari sayyidina mohammad wa ala azwaji sayyidina mohammad wa ala zoriyyati sayyidina mohammadin wa sallim taslimann katheera اللهم صل على سيدنا محمد وعلى آل سيدنا محمد وعلى أصحاب سيدنا محمد وعلى أنصار سيدنا محمد وعلى أزواج سيدنا محمد وعلى ذرية سيدنا محمد وسلم تسليما كثيرا
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,
There is no deity but Allah
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest
and to Allah goes all praise
Allah is the Greatest, all Praise is due to Him, And Glory to Allah, eventide and in the morning
There is no god, but Allah the Unique, He has fulfilled His Promise, and made Victorious His servant, and made Mighty His soldiers and defeated the confederates
There is no deity but Allah
He alone we worship, with sincere and exclusive devotion, even though the infidels hate it
O Allah, have Mercy on our Prophet Muhammad, and on the family of our Prophet Muhammad, and on the companions of our Prophet Muhammad, and on the helpers of our Prophet Muhammad, and on the wives of our Prophet Muhammad, and on the offspring of our Prophet Muhammad, and Bestow upon them much peace
Traditions and practices
Men, women, and children are expected to dress in their finest clothing to perform Eid prayer (ṣalātu l-`Īdi) in a large congregation in open area (not in a mosque). Muslims who can afford to do so sacrifice their best domestic animals (usually sheep, but also camels, cows and goats) as a symbol of Ibrahim's sacrifice. The sacrificed animals, called uḍiyyah(Arabic: أضحية, also known as "al-qurbāni"), have to meet certain age and quality standards or else the animal is considered an unacceptable sacrifice. Generally, these must be at least a year old.
The regular charitable practices of the Muslim community are demonstrated during Eid al-Adha by the concerted effort to see that no impoverished person is left without sacrificial food during these days.
Distributing meat among people is considered an essential part of the festival during this period, as well as chanting Takbir out loud before the Eid prayer on the first day and after prayers through out the four days of Eid. (See Takbir in "Traditions and practices" of Eid el-Fitr.) In some countries families that do not own livestock can make a contribution to a charity that will provide meat to those who are in need.
Eid al-Adha in the Gregorian calendar
1430 (Islamic Calendar): November 27, 2009 (calculated)
1431 (Islamic Calendar): November 16, 2010 (calculated)
1432 (Islamic Calendar): November 6, 2011 (calculated)
1433 (Islamic Calendar): October 26, 2012 (calculated)
1434 (Islamic Calendar): October 15, 2013 (calculated)
1435 (Islamic Calendar): October 4, 2014 (calculated)
1436 (Islamic Calendar): September 23, 2015 (calculated)
1437 (Islamic Calendar): September 11, 2016 (calculated)
1438 (Islamic Calendar): September 1, 2017 (calculated)
1439 (Islamic Calendar): August 21, 2018 (calculated)
1440 (Islamic Calendar): August 11, 2019 (calculated)
1441 (Islamic Calendar): July 31, 2020 (calculated)
1442 (Islamic Calendar): July 23, 2021 (calculated)
Christmas in Malaysia
The observance of the birth of Jesus Christ on Dec 25 is celebrated in Malaysia like everywhere else in the world; it is a time for family and friends; hope and rejoicing; love and understanding; and giving and forgiving.
However, the image of a white Christmas - that of chestnuts roasting on an open fire, and Jack Frost nipping at the nose - doesn't quite fit in too well with a country that is merely seven degrees shy of the Equator. The average temperatures here range from a low of 22 °C to a high of 33 °C, so a sunny (or perhaps, rainy) Christmas is a given.
By far, Christmas is viewed as a universal celebration that carries a secular rather than religious meaning. One need only look at Santa Claus and his appeal to children of all religious and ethnic backgrounds, to realise how much it cuts across the board.
Perhaps due to this wide appeal (or some would say, commercialisation), retailers and hoteliers take an active approach by putting up non-religious motifs such as snow, stockings, Santa and his reindeers, candy canes and, of course, the Christmas tree. White, green, red and gold are the traditional colours of the season.
Urban areas like the capital city of Kuala Lumpur and the greater KlangValley come alive during the Yuletide, with bright colourful lights and decorations perking up homes and business premises, providing a festive atmosphere.
Shopping malls and hotels especially have become increasingly sophisticated in their decorations, trying to outdo the competition in their bid to attract shoppers and guests.
In many ways however, Christmas in Malaysia is a public holiday and is still very much a religious affair. To prepare themselves spiritually, the Christian community here, who make up about 7% of the population, observe Advent, the four-week period prior to Christmas, with prayers, Bible-reading and for some, fasting.
Candle, candle burning bright
The word "Advent", is defined in Latin as "to come to" or "coming", and signifies the birth, as well as the final coming of Jesus Christ. The period of Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas (which marks the beginning of the Church Year), and lasts anywhere from 21 to 28 days.
In some churches, especially Catholic churches, wreaths are used to mark the weeks in the season of Advent. The Advent wreath, as it is called, consists of a circle made out of evergreens and four candles. Usually, a fifth large candle, white in colour, is placed in the middle of the wreath.
The shape of the wreath, the circle, symbolises the eternal nature of God, while the four candles - three purple, one rose coloured - represent the four weeks of Advent. The light from the candles represents Jesus as the light of the world.
On the first Sunday of Advent, only one candle is lit. With each succeeding week, an additional candle is lit, so that by the fourth week all four candles are alight. The first candle of Advent is the candle of Hope; the second, Peace; the third, which is the rose coloured candle, is the candle of Joy; while the fourth represents Love.
In a manner, the lighting of the candle heightens the anticipation of Christmas.
As the big day looms closer, preparations are made: homes are decorated; Christmas trees, usually artificial, are put up; greeting cards are delivered; gifts are bought and placed under the tree; and festive songs - Jim Reeves being ubiquitous - are played over and over again.
It is also a common sight to see choir groups and church communities, sometimes with a tanned Santa in tow, making their rounds, visiting orphanages, old folks homes, and hospital wards, among others.
Many Christian groups also stage shows and pageants, commonly depicting the Nativity. This usually takes place on the eve of Christmas.
'Twas the night before Christmas
Christmas Eve is a day that is as much anticipated as the big day itself. Traditionally, it is a time for families and loved ones to gather; marked by the Christmas dinner which is usually a noisy affair.
Then it's time for prayer and thankgiving as families congregate in churches for midnight mass or Christmas service. A Nativity play (or Christmas pageant) is usually held before service begins.
in Malaysia, it is common to see people from different beliefs (among the non-Muslims) attending these church gatherings, to observe if not to soak in the festive spirit. These midnight services are characteristically very lively; people of different backgrounds and ethnicity (both locals and foreigners), all decked in their best, could be seen singing hymns and carols with much enthusiasm, led by a spirited choir.
The celebration then continues till the wee hours of the morning. Typically, families would have late meals (known here as supper) at home, during which the colourful Christmas lights would be blinking, Jim Reeves would be singing in the background, the kids would be running around excited, and gifts would change hands.
Ho, ho, ho...
Christmas day starts off with Christmas mass (or church service), a decidedly more solemn affair compared to the Eve service.
Then, as is customary in Malaysia during festivals, Christian families would entertain guests in their homes throughout the day, in adherence to the concept of 'rumah terbuka' or 'open house'. In a way, this unique practice makes the celebration of Christmas more meaningful, more in line with the spirit of the season.
Of course, the festivities wouldn't be complete without food. Though you may still find the traditional Western offerings of the season - from nuts and fruitcakes to apple pie and roast turkey - much of the menu is made up of local delicacies including such favourites as devil's curry and beef rendang.
Though Christmas is marked as a one-day holiday, for many the celebrations do not end until after New Year's day, which is seen by many as simply an extension of Yuletide
However, the image of a white Christmas - that of chestnuts roasting on an open fire, and Jack Frost nipping at the nose - doesn't quite fit in too well with a country that is merely seven degrees shy of the Equator. The average temperatures here range from a low of 22 °C to a high of 33 °C, so a sunny (or perhaps, rainy) Christmas is a given.
By far, Christmas is viewed as a universal celebration that carries a secular rather than religious meaning. One need only look at Santa Claus and his appeal to children of all religious and ethnic backgrounds, to realise how much it cuts across the board.
Perhaps due to this wide appeal (or some would say, commercialisation), retailers and hoteliers take an active approach by putting up non-religious motifs such as snow, stockings, Santa and his reindeers, candy canes and, of course, the Christmas tree. White, green, red and gold are the traditional colours of the season.
Urban areas like the capital city of Kuala Lumpur and the greater KlangValley come alive during the Yuletide, with bright colourful lights and decorations perking up homes and business premises, providing a festive atmosphere.
Shopping malls and hotels especially have become increasingly sophisticated in their decorations, trying to outdo the competition in their bid to attract shoppers and guests.
In many ways however, Christmas in Malaysia is a public holiday and is still very much a religious affair. To prepare themselves spiritually, the Christian community here, who make up about 7% of the population, observe Advent, the four-week period prior to Christmas, with prayers, Bible-reading and for some, fasting.
Candle, candle burning bright
The word "Advent", is defined in Latin as "to come to" or "coming", and signifies the birth, as well as the final coming of Jesus Christ. The period of Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas (which marks the beginning of the Church Year), and lasts anywhere from 21 to 28 days.
In some churches, especially Catholic churches, wreaths are used to mark the weeks in the season of Advent. The Advent wreath, as it is called, consists of a circle made out of evergreens and four candles. Usually, a fifth large candle, white in colour, is placed in the middle of the wreath.
The shape of the wreath, the circle, symbolises the eternal nature of God, while the four candles - three purple, one rose coloured - represent the four weeks of Advent. The light from the candles represents Jesus as the light of the world.
On the first Sunday of Advent, only one candle is lit. With each succeeding week, an additional candle is lit, so that by the fourth week all four candles are alight. The first candle of Advent is the candle of Hope; the second, Peace; the third, which is the rose coloured candle, is the candle of Joy; while the fourth represents Love.
In a manner, the lighting of the candle heightens the anticipation of Christmas.
As the big day looms closer, preparations are made: homes are decorated; Christmas trees, usually artificial, are put up; greeting cards are delivered; gifts are bought and placed under the tree; and festive songs - Jim Reeves being ubiquitous - are played over and over again.
It is also a common sight to see choir groups and church communities, sometimes with a tanned Santa in tow, making their rounds, visiting orphanages, old folks homes, and hospital wards, among others.
Many Christian groups also stage shows and pageants, commonly depicting the Nativity. This usually takes place on the eve of Christmas.
'Twas the night before Christmas
Christmas Eve is a day that is as much anticipated as the big day itself. Traditionally, it is a time for families and loved ones to gather; marked by the Christmas dinner which is usually a noisy affair.
Then it's time for prayer and thankgiving as families congregate in churches for midnight mass or Christmas service. A Nativity play (or Christmas pageant) is usually held before service begins.
in Malaysia, it is common to see people from different beliefs (among the non-Muslims) attending these church gatherings, to observe if not to soak in the festive spirit. These midnight services are characteristically very lively; people of different backgrounds and ethnicity (both locals and foreigners), all decked in their best, could be seen singing hymns and carols with much enthusiasm, led by a spirited choir.
The celebration then continues till the wee hours of the morning. Typically, families would have late meals (known here as supper) at home, during which the colourful Christmas lights would be blinking, Jim Reeves would be singing in the background, the kids would be running around excited, and gifts would change hands.
Ho, ho, ho...
Christmas day starts off with Christmas mass (or church service), a decidedly more solemn affair compared to the Eve service.
Then, as is customary in Malaysia during festivals, Christian families would entertain guests in their homes throughout the day, in adherence to the concept of 'rumah terbuka' or 'open house'. In a way, this unique practice makes the celebration of Christmas more meaningful, more in line with the spirit of the season.
Of course, the festivities wouldn't be complete without food. Though you may still find the traditional Western offerings of the season - from nuts and fruitcakes to apple pie and roast turkey - much of the menu is made up of local delicacies including such favourites as devil's curry and beef rendang.
Though Christmas is marked as a one-day holiday, for many the celebrations do not end until after New Year's day, which is seen by many as simply an extension of Yuletide
National Museum
National Museum, a beautiful building features a traditional Malay architectural standing majestic in the middle of Kuala Lumpur as the country's historical treasures building. Now the newly completed National Museum was upgraded in 2008, appear more attractive and interactive lead the visitor to explore the history of India from prehistoric era to Malaysianow.
National Museum led by a Director and placed under the administration of the Department of Museums Malaysia, Ministry of Information Communication and Culture.
Objectives
The objective of the National Museum are as follows:
• Conduct research of materials and artifacts that have historical importance to the country;
• Carry out activities such as museum research, collect, record and publish all treasure the heritage of the country;
• To display and use of material artifacts heritage for education community towards the construction of identity and nation building, and;
• making it as one of the country's tourism product.
Breaking attempt Malaysia Book of Records in the event congkak than 52 hours non-stop
National Museum will be open for 24 hours starting from 14 hrs to 2 pm and October 15, 2009 in conjunction with traditional activities and leisure exhibition in the NationalMuseum of Australia.
The main activity is to break the Games record Congkak Malaysia Book of Records more than 52 hours. Activities will start from hour to 2 pm October 14, 2009 until 5 pm October 16, 2009. Admission is free from 6.00 pm to 9.00 am. Various interesting activities will be held. Came in throngs. “Jom pi muzium” and “JOM MAIN!”
National Museum Glance
National Museum is a leader museum activities in Malaysiaand the backbone of conservation and preservation of heritage collections of national treasure. Representing the construction of national identity is to highlight the history of the earliest construction of museums in the country such as Museum Taiping, Perak (1883), Sarawak Museum (1888) and the Selangor Museum (1889). Founded on the site SelangorMuseum which was destroyed in March 1945 due to World War 2, the idea of construction was planned in 1957 after the independence of this country and its construction was announced in 1959. Through the inspiration background of national identity, design agreed by the first Prime Minister of Malaysia has enabled construction to be reality in 1961. Finally, the National Museum stands a magnificent building and was inaugurated by His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia to III on August 31, 1963, ie six years after independence the country.
Office Address
National Museum
Department of Museums Malaysia
Jalan Damansara
50566th, Kuala Lumpur.
Email - info@museum.gov.my
Phone: (603) 2267 1000 / 2282 6255 - General Line
Fax: (603) 2282 6434
Time relation: 8.00 am - 6.00 pm each day
National Museum led by a Director and placed under the administration of the Department of Museums Malaysia, Ministry of Information Communication and Culture.
Objectives
The objective of the National Museum are as follows:
• Conduct research of materials and artifacts that have historical importance to the country;
• Carry out activities such as museum research, collect, record and publish all treasure the heritage of the country;
• To display and use of material artifacts heritage for education community towards the construction of identity and nation building, and;
• making it as one of the country's tourism product.
Breaking attempt Malaysia Book of Records in the event congkak than 52 hours non-stop
National Museum will be open for 24 hours starting from 14 hrs to 2 pm and October 15, 2009 in conjunction with traditional activities and leisure exhibition in the NationalMuseum of Australia.
The main activity is to break the Games record Congkak Malaysia Book of Records more than 52 hours. Activities will start from hour to 2 pm October 14, 2009 until 5 pm October 16, 2009. Admission is free from 6.00 pm to 9.00 am. Various interesting activities will be held. Came in throngs. “Jom pi muzium” and “JOM MAIN!”
National Museum Glance
National Museum is a leader museum activities in Malaysiaand the backbone of conservation and preservation of heritage collections of national treasure. Representing the construction of national identity is to highlight the history of the earliest construction of museums in the country such as Museum Taiping, Perak (1883), Sarawak Museum (1888) and the Selangor Museum (1889). Founded on the site SelangorMuseum which was destroyed in March 1945 due to World War 2, the idea of construction was planned in 1957 after the independence of this country and its construction was announced in 1959. Through the inspiration background of national identity, design agreed by the first Prime Minister of Malaysia has enabled construction to be reality in 1961. Finally, the National Museum stands a magnificent building and was inaugurated by His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia to III on August 31, 1963, ie six years after independence the country.
Office Address
National Museum
Department of Museums Malaysia
Jalan Damansara
50566th, Kuala Lumpur.
Email - info@museum.gov.my
Phone: (603) 2267 1000 / 2282 6255 - General Line
Fax: (603) 2282 6434
Time relation: 8.00 am - 6.00 pm each day
look out Point in Kuala Lumpur-Malaysia
Ampang Look Out Point – KL City View
When travel to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Looking for a place to enjoy Variety of food. Try to
“Kompleks Pelancongan Menara Tinjau, Jalan Ampang-Hulu Langat, Ampang, Selangor”
How to get there?
1.Exit the MRR2 at Pandan Indah Interchange.
2.Go straight until the T-Junction. Esso will be on your left. Turn right at the traffic light.
3.Take a left at the next traffic light
4.Take another left at the traffic light beside Puteri Plaza.
5.Turn right at the traffic light junction to Ulu Langat/Kajang. (Please take note on this, you might missed this.)
6.From this traffic light the road is winding for about 3 km.
7.Look out for the sign board “Menara Tinjau”.
8.Will come across a food court on the right with carpark. Turn in and drive up the hill to the LookOut Point Restaurant
Lot1, Kompleks Pelancongan, Menara Tinjau, Jalan Ampang-Hulu Langat, 68000 Ampang, Selangor.
Menu Serve:
Ice Chocolate [RM4.50), Teh Dangdut. Daniel’s drink(RM3.00), Black Pepper Lamb. [RM12.80),
Sizzling New Zealand Beef Special [RM15.80] ,
Sizzling BBQ Chicken [RM15.80], Sirloin Steak [RM15.80)
Special Sizzling Steak [RM12.80]
Chocolate Ice Blended (RM5.80), Lime Juice (RM3.80), Mushroom Soup (RM4.30), Special Chicken Chop (RM 12.80), Special Lamb Chop (RM 14.30), Curry Beef served with rice (RM 8.30), Chicken Maryland (RM 12.80), Grilled Fish (RM 10.90), B&O Flava Layers (RM 9.50)
special steak with cheese and ham (RM16.80), sizzling chicken with ham and cheese (RM14.80)
Opening Hour
Sun-Fri (11.00am-1.00am)
Sat (11.00am-2.00am)
Have a Try.!!
When travel to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Looking for a place to enjoy Variety of food. Try to
“Kompleks Pelancongan Menara Tinjau, Jalan Ampang-Hulu Langat, Ampang, Selangor”
How to get there?
1.Exit the MRR2 at Pandan Indah Interchange.
2.Go straight until the T-Junction. Esso will be on your left. Turn right at the traffic light.
3.Take a left at the next traffic light
4.Take another left at the traffic light beside Puteri Plaza.
5.Turn right at the traffic light junction to Ulu Langat/Kajang. (Please take note on this, you might missed this.)
6.From this traffic light the road is winding for about 3 km.
7.Look out for the sign board “Menara Tinjau”.
8.Will come across a food court on the right with carpark. Turn in and drive up the hill to the LookOut Point Restaurant
Lot1, Kompleks Pelancongan, Menara Tinjau, Jalan Ampang-Hulu Langat, 68000 Ampang, Selangor.
Menu Serve:
Ice Chocolate [RM4.50), Teh Dangdut. Daniel’s drink(RM3.00), Black Pepper Lamb. [RM12.80),
Sizzling New Zealand Beef Special [RM15.80] ,
Sizzling BBQ Chicken [RM15.80], Sirloin Steak [RM15.80)
Special Sizzling Steak [RM12.80]
Chocolate Ice Blended (RM5.80), Lime Juice (RM3.80), Mushroom Soup (RM4.30), Special Chicken Chop (RM 12.80), Special Lamb Chop (RM 14.30), Curry Beef served with rice (RM 8.30), Chicken Maryland (RM 12.80), Grilled Fish (RM 10.90), B&O Flava Layers (RM 9.50)
special steak with cheese and ham (RM16.80), sizzling chicken with ham and cheese (RM14.80)
Opening Hour
Sun-Fri (11.00am-1.00am)
Sat (11.00am-2.00am)
Have a Try.!!
Kedah Beauties Places of Interest in KEDAH
Mount Jerai promises attractive holiday location with beautiful flowers, sound of waterfalls and comfortable environment
IF you want to enjoy viewing flower varieties, including apes and flower bowl flower three months and breathe fresh air, visiting with the family to the summit of Mount Jerai, popular resort destination in Kedah.
Points while enjoying the beauty of nature, your ears will be treated the various sounds of forest birds and insects and the chirping of the birds sang cheerful life of the forest.
Mount Jerai in the region Yan, Kedah is the highest mountain in the northern peninsula. At the summit that the facilities provided by the Kedah Resort Sdn Bhd, including 30 units of chalets and rooms are with payments of between RM40 and RM110 .
Environmental areas chalet area of approximately four hectares is decorated with attractive landscaping and illuminated multi-colored flowers , while those who prefer to shower waterfalls can also enjoy the cold streams that overflow from the summit.
Chalet made of wood with colonial design has become a rest house during the British rule a bit, now become attractions for those interested in the architecture. Visitors can rest, recharge while breathe the unpolluted mountain air while looking at the beauty of the rice fields that stretched to points of view at the high level.
If not cloudy and sunny weather, visitors enjoy the opportunity to wake up early morning when the sun reveal his face, while at dusk, the view certainly concentrated in the western horizon to see sun sets.
In addition, for visitors who like outdoor activities, they can be through the existing trail through the forest while enjoying the beauty and unique flora and fauna of tropical forests in the highlands.
Would be fun to walk under the forest trees and green terrain. Certainly do not feel tired because the atmosphere there is always air conditioned and comfortable.
Points while enjoying the beauty of nature, the ear is treated with the various sounds of forest insects and the chirping of the birds sang cheerful life of the forest.
The Resort Coordinator of Mount Jerai said, which often become the flower visitor attraction there is the three-month interest grew and changed the color of each month, ie white, purple and reddish
IF you want to enjoy viewing flower varieties, including apes and flower bowl flower three months and breathe fresh air, visiting with the family to the summit of Mount Jerai, popular resort destination in Kedah.
Points while enjoying the beauty of nature, your ears will be treated the various sounds of forest birds and insects and the chirping of the birds sang cheerful life of the forest.
Mount Jerai in the region Yan, Kedah is the highest mountain in the northern peninsula. At the summit that the facilities provided by the Kedah Resort Sdn Bhd, including 30 units of chalets and rooms are with payments of between RM40 and RM110 .
Environmental areas chalet area of approximately four hectares is decorated with attractive landscaping and illuminated multi-colored flowers , while those who prefer to shower waterfalls can also enjoy the cold streams that overflow from the summit.
Chalet made of wood with colonial design has become a rest house during the British rule a bit, now become attractions for those interested in the architecture. Visitors can rest, recharge while breathe the unpolluted mountain air while looking at the beauty of the rice fields that stretched to points of view at the high level.
If not cloudy and sunny weather, visitors enjoy the opportunity to wake up early morning when the sun reveal his face, while at dusk, the view certainly concentrated in the western horizon to see sun sets.
In addition, for visitors who like outdoor activities, they can be through the existing trail through the forest while enjoying the beauty and unique flora and fauna of tropical forests in the highlands.
Would be fun to walk under the forest trees and green terrain. Certainly do not feel tired because the atmosphere there is always air conditioned and comfortable.
Points while enjoying the beauty of nature, the ear is treated with the various sounds of forest insects and the chirping of the birds sang cheerful life of the forest.
The Resort Coordinator of Mount Jerai said, which often become the flower visitor attraction there is the three-month interest grew and changed the color of each month, ie white, purple and reddish
Pahang Island and beaches
Mention Pahang and conjures up visions of lush tropical forests, cool mountain air, endless sandy beaches glistering in the sun, lakes and waterfalls nesting in the arms of mountain crevices plus everything else that spells a resort to nature. Pahang is in fact all these and much more.
Located in the East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia, Pahang is the peninsula's largest state. Currently, has a population of 1.2 million. Spanning north to south of the state, forming a natural divider between east and west Pahang is a formidable mountain range wherein lies Peninsular Malaysia's highest peak, Gunung Tahan, the inspiration of many a mountaineers in this part of the world. Pahang's climate is characteristic of the tropics - hot and humid all the year round with distinct wet and dry season that coincides with the wet seasons from the South China Sea. Kuantan, the state capital, is not only fast developing as a commercial town but is also a popular seaside resort. Pekan, the royal town is situated 45 km south of Kuantan.
Balok Beach
Balok beach is about 15km north of Kuantan and is a paradise for avid wind-surfers. Most of the activities revolve around the many international class resorts and hotels located at the beach, forming the perfect getaway for visitors to the East Coast of the Peninsular. Truly perfect and serene with soothing tropical breezes, swaying casuarinas, unending white sand in harmony with the azure blue sea, indeed, relaxation is never easier.
Balok Beach is a comfortable and relaxing sandy beach. It is suitable to relax on the golden sands, play volleyball and various other ground activities. It's waters are suitable for snorkelling, scuba diving, swimming, skiing, sunbathing, surfing or sailing.
How to get there
Pantai Balok or Balok beach, one of the cleanest beaches in Pahang area, can be reached from Kuantan or Kemaman.
By Road : From Kuantan towards Kemaman, Terengganu. Also accessible by taxi or hourly buses.
Beserah Beach
Beserah is a fishing village and is well-known for salted fish. But what many people do not know is a very unique practice of the Beserah fishermen: they employ water buffaloes (which are not normally seen on the beach for they are always used to plough padi fields or to pull heavy carts), to transport fish ftom the boats to the processing area. Beserah is situated 10 kilometres from Kuantan. A batik factory and many cottage handicraft workshops producing items made mostly of sea shells and local plant materials (dried nuts, leaves) can be found in Beserah.
At Beserah Beach, you can fish, make "keropok" etc. Other than that, various water activites can be done at BeserahBeach, such as swimming, surfing, sunbathing and sailing.
How to get there
Pantai Beserah or Beserah beach, one of the fisherman village in Pahang, is accessible from Kuantan or Kemaman.
By Road : 8 km from Kuantan towards Kemaman, Terengganu by road nearby sea viewer. Also accessible by taxi or buses hourly.
Chendor Beach
About 10 kilometres from Cherating is the famous ChendorBeach. Here, from early July to September, you can watch green turtles or occasionally giant leatherback turtles toil ashore to lay eggs. It's a ritual worth experiendng. Besides the turtles, Chendor Beach offers some fine bathing spots.
Its irresistible appeal also lies in the peace and seclusion you will enjoy at this resort.
How to get there
Chendor beach, situated near the border of Pahang and Terengganu states, north of Cherating.
By Road : Chedor is accessible from the Kuantan to Kemaman road, about 45 minutes drive from Kuantan.
Cherating Beach
Less than 50km north of Kuantan is Cherating. Cherating is the perfect antidote to frantic city life. Here, wide gently sloping sandy beaches, lined with casuarinas trees, extend as far as the eye can see.
The enamored and fabulous sparkling seas, pristine beaches and cool breezes made Club Mediterranean open its first Asian venture here, on a private beach. The main Cherating beach is the location of many hotels, reboots and chalets, catering for all budgets.
First popularized by the backpackers, Cherating is now popular with many visitors who came to enjoy the beach, sea and sun. Handicraft shops and cultural establishments have been established, and many visitors enjoy making their own batiks. Batik painting and pandanus handicrafts remain popular souvenirs from Cherating.
Cherating also offers you the chance to shop for handicraft and see cultural performances. Village maidens nimbly weave the "pandanus" leaves into mats, hats, bags and other inexpensive lightweight souvenirs. Cultural shows include wayang kulit (shadow play) and silat (the Malay art of self-defence).
Rompin/Lanjut Beach
Lanjut Beach, meanwhile, is one of the most beautiful unspoiled beaches on the southern coast of Pahang. The new Lanjut Golden Beach Resort is ideally located where hotels and chalets are easily available, in fast-developing Rompin district. Fishing for freshwater prawns is a popular outdoor activity in the many rivers found in the district. Kuala Rompin is also a gateway to Tioman Island, as well to the newly opened Endau Rompin State Park
Teluk Chempedak Beach
Located just 5km from Kuantan town, Teluk Chempedak is a favourite among local folks. Its enclosed bay is suitable for water sport activities like swimming, surfing and jet-skiing. Its casuarina-lined beach is, however, quite rocky at certain places and the waves are often rough.
On the sea front, numerous restaurants and food stalls serving a wide variety of food and beverages attract throngs of locals and tourists alike. They do a brisk trade and open right till after midnight.
The nearby jungle area provides a quick introduction toMalaysia's flora and fauna, with a few different species of plant life, insects and other small animals inhabiting the limited space. Beware of the macaques, as they can be quite a nuisance.
Just around the corner overlooking the beach is an international-class hotel. With the sounds of big waves splashing against the gigantic rocks in the background, this is a place to be at any time of the day.
Place Around Teluk Chempedak
Teluk Tongkang : From the northern end of Teluk Chempedak, take the walkway which leads for about a kilometer over the rocky terrain to reach Teluk Tongkang. This is the only access to this secluded cape which is hemmed in by rocky outcrops on both sides. Its seclusion proved to be the perfect landing site for Japanese troops during the Second World War. The locals named the capetongkang after the type of landing craft the Japanese used.
Tanjung Pelindung : When the Japanese landed at Teluk Tongkang to make their way inland during the War, villagers fled their homes and took refuge in a hidden jungle coastal spot. They called it Tanjung Pelindung (lindung means refuge). The shady beach, characterized by boulders in the middle; appeals to campers and bird watchers
Located in the East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia, Pahang is the peninsula's largest state. Currently, has a population of 1.2 million. Spanning north to south of the state, forming a natural divider between east and west Pahang is a formidable mountain range wherein lies Peninsular Malaysia's highest peak, Gunung Tahan, the inspiration of many a mountaineers in this part of the world. Pahang's climate is characteristic of the tropics - hot and humid all the year round with distinct wet and dry season that coincides with the wet seasons from the South China Sea. Kuantan, the state capital, is not only fast developing as a commercial town but is also a popular seaside resort. Pekan, the royal town is situated 45 km south of Kuantan.
Balok Beach
Balok beach is about 15km north of Kuantan and is a paradise for avid wind-surfers. Most of the activities revolve around the many international class resorts and hotels located at the beach, forming the perfect getaway for visitors to the East Coast of the Peninsular. Truly perfect and serene with soothing tropical breezes, swaying casuarinas, unending white sand in harmony with the azure blue sea, indeed, relaxation is never easier.
Balok Beach is a comfortable and relaxing sandy beach. It is suitable to relax on the golden sands, play volleyball and various other ground activities. It's waters are suitable for snorkelling, scuba diving, swimming, skiing, sunbathing, surfing or sailing.
How to get there
Pantai Balok or Balok beach, one of the cleanest beaches in Pahang area, can be reached from Kuantan or Kemaman.
By Road : From Kuantan towards Kemaman, Terengganu. Also accessible by taxi or hourly buses.
Beserah Beach
Beserah is a fishing village and is well-known for salted fish. But what many people do not know is a very unique practice of the Beserah fishermen: they employ water buffaloes (which are not normally seen on the beach for they are always used to plough padi fields or to pull heavy carts), to transport fish ftom the boats to the processing area. Beserah is situated 10 kilometres from Kuantan. A batik factory and many cottage handicraft workshops producing items made mostly of sea shells and local plant materials (dried nuts, leaves) can be found in Beserah.
At Beserah Beach, you can fish, make "keropok" etc. Other than that, various water activites can be done at BeserahBeach, such as swimming, surfing, sunbathing and sailing.
How to get there
Pantai Beserah or Beserah beach, one of the fisherman village in Pahang, is accessible from Kuantan or Kemaman.
By Road : 8 km from Kuantan towards Kemaman, Terengganu by road nearby sea viewer. Also accessible by taxi or buses hourly.
Chendor Beach
About 10 kilometres from Cherating is the famous ChendorBeach. Here, from early July to September, you can watch green turtles or occasionally giant leatherback turtles toil ashore to lay eggs. It's a ritual worth experiendng. Besides the turtles, Chendor Beach offers some fine bathing spots.
Its irresistible appeal also lies in the peace and seclusion you will enjoy at this resort.
How to get there
Chendor beach, situated near the border of Pahang and Terengganu states, north of Cherating.
By Road : Chedor is accessible from the Kuantan to Kemaman road, about 45 minutes drive from Kuantan.
Cherating Beach
Less than 50km north of Kuantan is Cherating. Cherating is the perfect antidote to frantic city life. Here, wide gently sloping sandy beaches, lined with casuarinas trees, extend as far as the eye can see.
The enamored and fabulous sparkling seas, pristine beaches and cool breezes made Club Mediterranean open its first Asian venture here, on a private beach. The main Cherating beach is the location of many hotels, reboots and chalets, catering for all budgets.
First popularized by the backpackers, Cherating is now popular with many visitors who came to enjoy the beach, sea and sun. Handicraft shops and cultural establishments have been established, and many visitors enjoy making their own batiks. Batik painting and pandanus handicrafts remain popular souvenirs from Cherating.
Cherating also offers you the chance to shop for handicraft and see cultural performances. Village maidens nimbly weave the "pandanus" leaves into mats, hats, bags and other inexpensive lightweight souvenirs. Cultural shows include wayang kulit (shadow play) and silat (the Malay art of self-defence).
Rompin/Lanjut Beach
Lanjut Beach, meanwhile, is one of the most beautiful unspoiled beaches on the southern coast of Pahang. The new Lanjut Golden Beach Resort is ideally located where hotels and chalets are easily available, in fast-developing Rompin district. Fishing for freshwater prawns is a popular outdoor activity in the many rivers found in the district. Kuala Rompin is also a gateway to Tioman Island, as well to the newly opened Endau Rompin State Park
Teluk Chempedak Beach
Located just 5km from Kuantan town, Teluk Chempedak is a favourite among local folks. Its enclosed bay is suitable for water sport activities like swimming, surfing and jet-skiing. Its casuarina-lined beach is, however, quite rocky at certain places and the waves are often rough.
On the sea front, numerous restaurants and food stalls serving a wide variety of food and beverages attract throngs of locals and tourists alike. They do a brisk trade and open right till after midnight.
The nearby jungle area provides a quick introduction toMalaysia's flora and fauna, with a few different species of plant life, insects and other small animals inhabiting the limited space. Beware of the macaques, as they can be quite a nuisance.
Just around the corner overlooking the beach is an international-class hotel. With the sounds of big waves splashing against the gigantic rocks in the background, this is a place to be at any time of the day.
Place Around Teluk Chempedak
Teluk Tongkang : From the northern end of Teluk Chempedak, take the walkway which leads for about a kilometer over the rocky terrain to reach Teluk Tongkang. This is the only access to this secluded cape which is hemmed in by rocky outcrops on both sides. Its seclusion proved to be the perfect landing site for Japanese troops during the Second World War. The locals named the capetongkang after the type of landing craft the Japanese used.
Tanjung Pelindung : When the Japanese landed at Teluk Tongkang to make their way inland during the War, villagers fled their homes and took refuge in a hidden jungle coastal spot. They called it Tanjung Pelindung (lindung means refuge). The shady beach, characterized by boulders in the middle; appeals to campers and bird watchers
Johor Bahru- Malaysia
Fascinating Johor -Malaysia
Endau Rompin, straddling the Johor/Pahang border, is the second National Park, after Taman Negara. It covers an area of approximately 80,000 hectares of rich and exotic flora and fauna, encompassing the watershed of the rivers Endau and Rompin, from which it derives its name. In other words, this place is huge.
The entry point to the park is an Orang Asli (Malaysian aborigines) village. Although the natives have been influenced by the modern world, they still practise a hunting and gathering lifestyle. They are also the custodians of fascinating myths and legends about the jungle that have been handed down from one generation to the next. But apart from exploring this spellbinding cultural aspect of the park, how can you get your hands dirty in this giant, timeless Garden of Eden? Easy. You can camp, hike, fish, canoe, shoot rapids, explore caves, climb mountains, bird watch and swim in this amazing national park.
The park is home to a vast range of species of birds, mammals, frogs, insects and exotic varieties of orchids, herbs, medicinal plants and trees. It seems that every time a scientific expedition returns from Endau - Rompin, they discover a new species!
In existence for over 130 million years, this rainforest holds rare flora and fauna, many of which are not found anywhere else in the tropics. The most prominent of these unique species is the Sumatran Rhinoceros.
Regular treks through the jungle will give adventurers sightings of leaf monkeys, long-tail macaques, white-handed gibbons, elephants, deer, tapirs and the occasional tiger and leopard. For adventure lovers and river trekkers, there are exhilarating rapids and fairly substantial waterfalls.
To protect the pristine environment, only limited areas of the park are open for ecotourism. Entry to the park requires a special permit from the Johor National Park Corporation.
But the much easier option is to get the permits at the District Office, which is just next to the Police Department in Kuala Rompin before reaching the FELDA Selendang turnoff from Lanjut Beach. Upon entry to this park, trekkers will be guided by forest rangers to ensure safety at all times
Endau Rompin, straddling the Johor/Pahang border, is the second National Park, after Taman Negara. It covers an area of approximately 80,000 hectares of rich and exotic flora and fauna, encompassing the watershed of the rivers Endau and Rompin, from which it derives its name. In other words, this place is huge.
The entry point to the park is an Orang Asli (Malaysian aborigines) village. Although the natives have been influenced by the modern world, they still practise a hunting and gathering lifestyle. They are also the custodians of fascinating myths and legends about the jungle that have been handed down from one generation to the next. But apart from exploring this spellbinding cultural aspect of the park, how can you get your hands dirty in this giant, timeless Garden of Eden? Easy. You can camp, hike, fish, canoe, shoot rapids, explore caves, climb mountains, bird watch and swim in this amazing national park.
The park is home to a vast range of species of birds, mammals, frogs, insects and exotic varieties of orchids, herbs, medicinal plants and trees. It seems that every time a scientific expedition returns from Endau - Rompin, they discover a new species!
In existence for over 130 million years, this rainforest holds rare flora and fauna, many of which are not found anywhere else in the tropics. The most prominent of these unique species is the Sumatran Rhinoceros.
Regular treks through the jungle will give adventurers sightings of leaf monkeys, long-tail macaques, white-handed gibbons, elephants, deer, tapirs and the occasional tiger and leopard. For adventure lovers and river trekkers, there are exhilarating rapids and fairly substantial waterfalls.
To protect the pristine environment, only limited areas of the park are open for ecotourism. Entry to the park requires a special permit from the Johor National Park Corporation.
But the much easier option is to get the permits at the District Office, which is just next to the Police Department in Kuala Rompin before reaching the FELDA Selendang turnoff from Lanjut Beach. Upon entry to this park, trekkers will be guided by forest rangers to ensure safety at all times
Pulau Pinang also known as Penang
Penang used to be the oldest British settlement in Malaysiapredating Melaka, today it is one of Malaysia’s main tourist draws. Although the beaches here are a little lacklustre when compared to many others in Malaysia, but this is more than compensated by Penang’s rich multicultural history which is full of colonial heritage and Chinese influence. Take a walk around Georgetown, the biggest city of the island, as it comes to life with places of worship, inner city communities, wet markets and bazaars, guilds, retail shops and traditional trades, hawkers and trishaw peddlers. The place illustrates a history of peaceful religious co-existence and cultural exchange among the followers of the great faiths of Islam, Buddhism,Hinduism, Christianity, as well as the Chinese religion, which combines Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism.
For beach lovers, penang-best beaches are on the northern side, particularly Batu Ferringhi, but do be prepared for the heavy tourist crowd especially during peak seasons.
Penang is more than just beaches. The most unique tourist attraction is the Snake Temple, swarming with poisonous pit vipers. Apparently these poisonous snakes are believed to be made drowsy by the smoke of the burning incense. The 33m long reclining Buddha is the main attraction in WatChayamangkalaram Temple, which is believed to be the 3rd largest in the world.
Penang Hill is set amidst the island, with a 730 metre or 2,300 feet peak, where tourists who don’t mind the long queues for the funicular train are rewarded with beautiful views and jungle walks.
You can see Penang’s top sights in a rush on an overnight stay, but you’ll need at least two days to do them justice, and three or four days to really get a sense of the island. In a week, you can get a good look at most of what Penanghas to offer.
Welcome to Penang, The Pearl of the Orient.
For beach lovers, penang-best beaches are on the northern side, particularly Batu Ferringhi, but do be prepared for the heavy tourist crowd especially during peak seasons.
Penang is more than just beaches. The most unique tourist attraction is the Snake Temple, swarming with poisonous pit vipers. Apparently these poisonous snakes are believed to be made drowsy by the smoke of the burning incense. The 33m long reclining Buddha is the main attraction in WatChayamangkalaram Temple, which is believed to be the 3rd largest in the world.
Penang Hill is set amidst the island, with a 730 metre or 2,300 feet peak, where tourists who don’t mind the long queues for the funicular train are rewarded with beautiful views and jungle walks.
You can see Penang’s top sights in a rush on an overnight stay, but you’ll need at least two days to do them justice, and three or four days to really get a sense of the island. In a week, you can get a good look at most of what Penanghas to offer.
Welcome to Penang, The Pearl of the Orient.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
The 6th Borneo International Yachting Sabah
Sabah is a Malaysian state located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo It is the second largest state in Malaysiaafter Sarawak, which it borders on its south-west. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan ofIndonesia in the south. In spite of its status as a Malaysian state, Sabah remains a disputed territory; the Philippines has a dormant claim over much of the eastern part of the territory. The capital of Sabah is Kota Kinabalu, formerly known as Jesselton . Sabah is known as "Sabah, negeri di bawah bayu", which means "Sabah, the land below the winds", because of its location just south of the typhoon-prone region around the Philippines.
The region of present-day Sabah was part of the Sultanate of Brunei around the early 16th century. This was during the period when the Sultanate was at its 'golden era.' In 1658 the Sultan of Brunei ceded the northeast portion of Borneo to the Sultan of Sulu in compensation for the latter's help in settling a civil war in the Brunei Sultanate. In 1761 an officer of the British East India Company, Alexander Dalrymple, concluded an agreement with the Sultan of Sulu to allow him to set up a trading post in the region. This together with other attempts to build a settlement and a military station centering around Pulau Balambangan proved to be a failure. There was minimal foreign interest in this region afterward and control over most parts of north Borneo seems to have remained under the Sultanate of Brunei.
In 1865 the American Consul of Brunei, Claude Lee Moses, obtained a 10-year lease over North Borneo from the Sultan of Brunei. Ownership was then passed to an American trading company owned by J.W. Torrey, T.B. Harris and some Chinese merchants. They set up a base and settlement in Kimanis but this too failed due to financial reasons. The rights of the trading company were then sold to Baron Von Overbeck, theAustrian Consul in Hong Kong, and he later obtained another 10-year renewal of the lease. The rights were subsequently transferred to Alfred Dent, whom in 1881 formed the British North Borneo Provisional Association Ltd.
In the following year, the British North Borneo Company was formed and Kudat was made its capital. In 1883 the capital was moved to Sandakan to capitalise on its potential of vast timber resources. In 1888 North Borneo became aprotectorate of the United Kingdom. Administration and control over North Borneo remained in the hands of the Company despite being a protectorate and they effectively ruled until 1942. Their rule had been generally peaceful except for some rebellions, including one led by the Suluk-Bajau leader Mat Salleh from 1894 to 1900, and another led by Antanum of the Muruts which is known as the Rundum resistance in 1915
From 1942 to 1945 during the Second World War, Japanese forces occupied North Borneo. The Japanese forces landed in Labuan on January 1, 1942, and continued to invade the rest of North Borneo. Bombings by the allied forces devastated of most towns including Sandakan, which was totally razed to the ground. Resistance against Japanese occupation were concentrated on the west and north coast of North Borneo. The resistance in Jesselton was led by Albert Kwok and Jules Stephens of the Kinabalu Guerillas. Another resistance was led by Panglima Alli from Sulug Island, off the coast ofJesselton. In Kudat, there were also some resistance led byTun Datu Mustapha. On October 10, 1943, the Kinabalu Guerrillas together with followers of Panglima Alli staged a surprise attack on the Japanese. The attack however was foiled. The 324 local residents who participated in the attacks, including Albert Kwok and Panglima Alli, were detained in Petagas and later executed on January 21, 1944.The site of the execution is today known as the Petagas War Memorial.
In Sandakan there was once a brutal POW camp run by the Japanese for the prisoner British and Australian servicemen from North Borneo. They raped the locals all the time. They suffered in agony in their first year of captivity under notoriously inhuman conditions, but much worse was to come through forced marches of January, March and June 1945 ( refer to Sandakan Memorial Park WWII POW Museum Records ). Allied bombardments caused the Japanese to relocate the POW camp to inland Ranau, 260 km away. All the prisoners, who by then were thinned down to 2504 in numbers, were to be moved, but instead of transport, were forced to march the infamous "Sandakan-Ranau Death March" route. Sickness, disease, exhaustion, thirst, hunger, whipping or shooting of the failed escapees killed their lot except for the six Australians who successfully escaped, were never caught and survived to tell the horrific story of the death march. The fallen of this march are commemorated each year on Anzac Day (Memorial Day) in Australia and in Sandakan, at the original POW campsite where a POW hut style museum and a black marble memorial obelisk monument are nestling in a leafy, lilly ponded and peaceful park setting.
When Japan surrendered at the end of the war, North Borneowas administered by the British Military Administration and in 1946 it became a British Crown Colony. Jesselton was chosen to replace Sandakan as the capital. The Crown continued to rule North Borneo until 1963. On August 31, 1963 North Borneo attained self-government. There was a call for complete independence on that date by it was denied by the British Governor who remained in power until Malaysia Day.The intention had been to form Malaysia on August 31 but due to objection from the Philippines and Indonesia, the formation had to be postponed to September 16. On September 16, 1963, North Borneo together with Malaya,Sarawak andSingapore formed the Federation of Malaysia and from then on, it became known as Sabah and declared independent from British sovereignty. To safeguard the interest of North Borneoin the new federation, a 20-point agreement was entered into between the federal and the state government.
The western part of Sabah is generally mountainous, containing the three highest mountains in Malaysia. The most prominent range is the Crocker Range which houses several mountains of varying height from about 1,000 metres to 4,000 metres. At the height of 4,095 metres, Mount Kinabaluis the highest mountain in Malaysia . The jungles of Sabah are classified as rainforests and host a diverse array of plant and animal species. Kinabalu National Park was inscribed as aWorld Heritage Site in 2000 because of its richness in plant diversity combined with its unique geological, topographical, and climatic conditions.
Lying nearby Mount Kinabalu is Mount Tambuyukon. At a height of 2,579 metres, it is the third highest peak in the country. Adjacent to the Crocker Range is the Trus MadiRange which houses the second highest peak in the country,Mount Trus Madi, at a height of 2,642 metres. There are lower ranges of hills extending towards the western coasts, southern plains, and the interior or central part of Sabah. These mountains and hills are traversed by an extensive network of river valleys and are in most cases covered with dense rainforest.
The central and eastern portion of Sabah are generally lower mountain ranges and plains with occasional hills.Kinabatangan River begins from the western ranges and snakes its way through the central region towards the east coast out into the Sulu Sea. It is the second longest river inMalaysia after Rejang River at a length of 560 kilometres. The forests surrounding the river valley also contains an array of wildlife habitats, and is the largest forest-covered floodplain in Malaysia.
Other important wildlife regions in Sabah include MaliauBasin,Danum Valley, Tabin, Imbak Canyon and Sepilok. These places are either designated as national parks, wildlife reserves, virgin jungle reserves, or protection forest reserve.
Over three quarters of the human population inhabit the coastal plains. Major towns and urban centers have sprouted along the coasts of Sabah. The interior region remains sparsely populated with only villages, and the occasional small towns or townships.
Beyond the coasts of Sabah lie a number of islands and coral reefs, including the largest island in Malaysia, Pulau Banggi. Other large islands include, Pulau Jambongan, Pulau Balambangan, Pulau Timbun Mata, Pulau Bumbun, and Pulau Sebatik. Other popular islands mainly for tourism are, Pulau Sipadan, Pulau Selingan, Pulau Gaya, Pulau Tiga, and Pulau Layang-Layang.
ETHNICITIES AND RELIGION
Statistics of religion by state are not provided by the Department of Statistics Malaysia. Sabah has one of the highest populations of Christians (Roman Catholic and Protestant) living in Malaysia but this proportion is believed to have fallen due to Muslim immigration from Malaya andIndonesia. Religious breakdown (2000): Islam 63.7%, Christianity 27.8%, Buddhism 12%, No Religion 1.0%, Taoism/Confucianism 0.4%, Others 0.3%, Hinduism 0.1%, Unknown 0.3%.
The people of Sabah are divided into 32 officially recognisedethnic groups. The largest immigrant ethnic group is theChinese. Most Chinese people in Sabah are concentrated primarily at Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, and Tawau. Kota Kinabalu has the highest concentration of Chinese people in Sabah, followed by Sandakan (second highest) and Tawau (third highest). The largest indigenous ethnic group is Kadazan-Dusun, followed by Bajau, and Murut. There is a very small number and proportion of Indians and other South Asians in Sabah compared to other parts of Malaysia. Collectively, all persons coming from Sabah are known asSabahans and identify themselves as such.
Malay is the national language spoken across ethnicities, although the spoken Sabahan dialect of Malay differs much in inflection and intonation from the West Malaysian version, having more similarity in pronunciation to Indonesian. English, Mandarin as well as Hakka and Cantonese are widely understood. In addition, Kadazan-Dusun, Bajau, Murut and other smaller groups also have distinct ethnic languages.Sabah also has its own unique Sabahan-slangs for many words in Malay.
The federal government of Malaysia officially recognizes 28 ethnic groups as being indigenous or bumiputra in Sabah:
Latest Activities
Sabah will be the finishing point for the 6th Borneo International Yachting challenge on Oct 15.
Participants will sail from Miri starting on Friday to Labuanbefore racing to the State capital, making it the first time the State is involved in the race since the event started six years ago.
The organiser in Miri wished to make the race longer, make it more challenging as well as to give participants the opportunity to visit more exciting destinations between the three states.
The event, organised by the Sarawak government and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment through the Sabah Tourism Board, was aimed at promoting coastal activities in Sabah and Sarawak, in the hope of placingBorneo as a prestigious venue for boating events and a preferred holiday destination in the world map.
A total of 30 yachts consisting of 94 crewmembers from 10 countries such as Australia, Brunei, Germany, Holland, Italy,New Zealand, Philippines, Switzerland, United Kingdom andMalaysia, are expected to arrive here on Oct 14.
The yachts would be anchored at the host venue, the Sutera Harbour Resort Marina here.
Meanwhile, the yachties will also be taking part in the Sutera Harbour Cup, jointly organised by the Sutera Harbour Resort, Sabah Sailing Association and Kinabalu Yacht Club, on Oct 15.
The race will start at Petagas near here and finish at the Kinabalu Yacht Club in Tanjung Aru.
The region of present-day Sabah was part of the Sultanate of Brunei around the early 16th century. This was during the period when the Sultanate was at its 'golden era.' In 1658 the Sultan of Brunei ceded the northeast portion of Borneo to the Sultan of Sulu in compensation for the latter's help in settling a civil war in the Brunei Sultanate. In 1761 an officer of the British East India Company, Alexander Dalrymple, concluded an agreement with the Sultan of Sulu to allow him to set up a trading post in the region. This together with other attempts to build a settlement and a military station centering around Pulau Balambangan proved to be a failure. There was minimal foreign interest in this region afterward and control over most parts of north Borneo seems to have remained under the Sultanate of Brunei.
In 1865 the American Consul of Brunei, Claude Lee Moses, obtained a 10-year lease over North Borneo from the Sultan of Brunei. Ownership was then passed to an American trading company owned by J.W. Torrey, T.B. Harris and some Chinese merchants. They set up a base and settlement in Kimanis but this too failed due to financial reasons. The rights of the trading company were then sold to Baron Von Overbeck, theAustrian Consul in Hong Kong, and he later obtained another 10-year renewal of the lease. The rights were subsequently transferred to Alfred Dent, whom in 1881 formed the British North Borneo Provisional Association Ltd.
In the following year, the British North Borneo Company was formed and Kudat was made its capital. In 1883 the capital was moved to Sandakan to capitalise on its potential of vast timber resources. In 1888 North Borneo became aprotectorate of the United Kingdom. Administration and control over North Borneo remained in the hands of the Company despite being a protectorate and they effectively ruled until 1942. Their rule had been generally peaceful except for some rebellions, including one led by the Suluk-Bajau leader Mat Salleh from 1894 to 1900, and another led by Antanum of the Muruts which is known as the Rundum resistance in 1915
From 1942 to 1945 during the Second World War, Japanese forces occupied North Borneo. The Japanese forces landed in Labuan on January 1, 1942, and continued to invade the rest of North Borneo. Bombings by the allied forces devastated of most towns including Sandakan, which was totally razed to the ground. Resistance against Japanese occupation were concentrated on the west and north coast of North Borneo. The resistance in Jesselton was led by Albert Kwok and Jules Stephens of the Kinabalu Guerillas. Another resistance was led by Panglima Alli from Sulug Island, off the coast ofJesselton. In Kudat, there were also some resistance led byTun Datu Mustapha. On October 10, 1943, the Kinabalu Guerrillas together with followers of Panglima Alli staged a surprise attack on the Japanese. The attack however was foiled. The 324 local residents who participated in the attacks, including Albert Kwok and Panglima Alli, were detained in Petagas and later executed on January 21, 1944.The site of the execution is today known as the Petagas War Memorial.
In Sandakan there was once a brutal POW camp run by the Japanese for the prisoner British and Australian servicemen from North Borneo. They raped the locals all the time. They suffered in agony in their first year of captivity under notoriously inhuman conditions, but much worse was to come through forced marches of January, March and June 1945 ( refer to Sandakan Memorial Park WWII POW Museum Records ). Allied bombardments caused the Japanese to relocate the POW camp to inland Ranau, 260 km away. All the prisoners, who by then were thinned down to 2504 in numbers, were to be moved, but instead of transport, were forced to march the infamous "Sandakan-Ranau Death March" route. Sickness, disease, exhaustion, thirst, hunger, whipping or shooting of the failed escapees killed their lot except for the six Australians who successfully escaped, were never caught and survived to tell the horrific story of the death march. The fallen of this march are commemorated each year on Anzac Day (Memorial Day) in Australia and in Sandakan, at the original POW campsite where a POW hut style museum and a black marble memorial obelisk monument are nestling in a leafy, lilly ponded and peaceful park setting.
When Japan surrendered at the end of the war, North Borneowas administered by the British Military Administration and in 1946 it became a British Crown Colony. Jesselton was chosen to replace Sandakan as the capital. The Crown continued to rule North Borneo until 1963. On August 31, 1963 North Borneo attained self-government. There was a call for complete independence on that date by it was denied by the British Governor who remained in power until Malaysia Day.The intention had been to form Malaysia on August 31 but due to objection from the Philippines and Indonesia, the formation had to be postponed to September 16. On September 16, 1963, North Borneo together with Malaya,Sarawak andSingapore formed the Federation of Malaysia and from then on, it became known as Sabah and declared independent from British sovereignty. To safeguard the interest of North Borneoin the new federation, a 20-point agreement was entered into between the federal and the state government.
The western part of Sabah is generally mountainous, containing the three highest mountains in Malaysia. The most prominent range is the Crocker Range which houses several mountains of varying height from about 1,000 metres to 4,000 metres. At the height of 4,095 metres, Mount Kinabaluis the highest mountain in Malaysia . The jungles of Sabah are classified as rainforests and host a diverse array of plant and animal species. Kinabalu National Park was inscribed as aWorld Heritage Site in 2000 because of its richness in plant diversity combined with its unique geological, topographical, and climatic conditions.
Lying nearby Mount Kinabalu is Mount Tambuyukon. At a height of 2,579 metres, it is the third highest peak in the country. Adjacent to the Crocker Range is the Trus MadiRange which houses the second highest peak in the country,Mount Trus Madi, at a height of 2,642 metres. There are lower ranges of hills extending towards the western coasts, southern plains, and the interior or central part of Sabah. These mountains and hills are traversed by an extensive network of river valleys and are in most cases covered with dense rainforest.
The central and eastern portion of Sabah are generally lower mountain ranges and plains with occasional hills.Kinabatangan River begins from the western ranges and snakes its way through the central region towards the east coast out into the Sulu Sea. It is the second longest river inMalaysia after Rejang River at a length of 560 kilometres. The forests surrounding the river valley also contains an array of wildlife habitats, and is the largest forest-covered floodplain in Malaysia.
Other important wildlife regions in Sabah include MaliauBasin,Danum Valley, Tabin, Imbak Canyon and Sepilok. These places are either designated as national parks, wildlife reserves, virgin jungle reserves, or protection forest reserve.
Over three quarters of the human population inhabit the coastal plains. Major towns and urban centers have sprouted along the coasts of Sabah. The interior region remains sparsely populated with only villages, and the occasional small towns or townships.
Beyond the coasts of Sabah lie a number of islands and coral reefs, including the largest island in Malaysia, Pulau Banggi. Other large islands include, Pulau Jambongan, Pulau Balambangan, Pulau Timbun Mata, Pulau Bumbun, and Pulau Sebatik. Other popular islands mainly for tourism are, Pulau Sipadan, Pulau Selingan, Pulau Gaya, Pulau Tiga, and Pulau Layang-Layang.
ETHNICITIES AND RELIGION
Statistics of religion by state are not provided by the Department of Statistics Malaysia. Sabah has one of the highest populations of Christians (Roman Catholic and Protestant) living in Malaysia but this proportion is believed to have fallen due to Muslim immigration from Malaya andIndonesia. Religious breakdown (2000): Islam 63.7%, Christianity 27.8%, Buddhism 12%, No Religion 1.0%, Taoism/Confucianism 0.4%, Others 0.3%, Hinduism 0.1%, Unknown 0.3%.
The people of Sabah are divided into 32 officially recognisedethnic groups. The largest immigrant ethnic group is theChinese. Most Chinese people in Sabah are concentrated primarily at Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, and Tawau. Kota Kinabalu has the highest concentration of Chinese people in Sabah, followed by Sandakan (second highest) and Tawau (third highest). The largest indigenous ethnic group is Kadazan-Dusun, followed by Bajau, and Murut. There is a very small number and proportion of Indians and other South Asians in Sabah compared to other parts of Malaysia. Collectively, all persons coming from Sabah are known asSabahans and identify themselves as such.
Malay is the national language spoken across ethnicities, although the spoken Sabahan dialect of Malay differs much in inflection and intonation from the West Malaysian version, having more similarity in pronunciation to Indonesian. English, Mandarin as well as Hakka and Cantonese are widely understood. In addition, Kadazan-Dusun, Bajau, Murut and other smaller groups also have distinct ethnic languages.Sabah also has its own unique Sabahan-slangs for many words in Malay.
The federal government of Malaysia officially recognizes 28 ethnic groups as being indigenous or bumiputra in Sabah:
Latest Activities
Sabah will be the finishing point for the 6th Borneo International Yachting challenge on Oct 15.
Participants will sail from Miri starting on Friday to Labuanbefore racing to the State capital, making it the first time the State is involved in the race since the event started six years ago.
The organiser in Miri wished to make the race longer, make it more challenging as well as to give participants the opportunity to visit more exciting destinations between the three states.
The event, organised by the Sarawak government and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment through the Sabah Tourism Board, was aimed at promoting coastal activities in Sabah and Sarawak, in the hope of placingBorneo as a prestigious venue for boating events and a preferred holiday destination in the world map.
A total of 30 yachts consisting of 94 crewmembers from 10 countries such as Australia, Brunei, Germany, Holland, Italy,New Zealand, Philippines, Switzerland, United Kingdom andMalaysia, are expected to arrive here on Oct 14.
The yachts would be anchored at the host venue, the Sutera Harbour Resort Marina here.
Meanwhile, the yachties will also be taking part in the Sutera Harbour Cup, jointly organised by the Sutera Harbour Resort, Sabah Sailing Association and Kinabalu Yacht Club, on Oct 15.
The race will start at Petagas near here and finish at the Kinabalu Yacht Club in Tanjung Aru.
Malaysia Architecture
AN AMAZING ARCHITECTURAL
A fascinating fusion of tradition and modernity,Malaysia's architecture today is a reflection ofAsia's many styles, cultures and religions. These influences include Hindu-Indian, Arab-Muslim, Chinese and European. Portuguese, Dutch and British colonization have also influenced local architecture. Now, the country embraces an independent modern Malaysian vision whilst staying true to its rich culture and heritage.
TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE
Malay
Traditional Malay architecture employs sophisticated architectural processes ideally suited to tropical conditions such as structures built on stilts, which allow cross-ventilating breeze beneath the dwelling to cool the house whilst mitigating the effects of the occasional flood. High-pitched roofs and large windows not only allow cross-ventilation but are also carved with intricate organic designs.
Traditional houses in Negeri Sembilan were built of hardwood and entirely free of nails. They are built using beams, which are held together by wedges. A beautiful example of this type of architecture can be seen in the Old Palace ofSeri Menanti in Negeri Sembilan, which was built around 1905.
Another truly magnificent example of Malay architectural creativity is the Istana Kenanganin the royal town of Kuala Kangsar. Built in 1926, it is the only Malay palace made of bamboo walls.
Today, many Malay or Islamic buildings incorporate Moorish design elements as can be seen in the Islamic Arts Museum and a number of buildings in Putrajaya - the new administrative capital, and many mosques throughout the country.
Chinese
In Malaysia, Chinese architecture is of two broad types: traditional and Baba-Nyonya. Examples of traditional architecture include Chinese temples found throughout the country such as the Cheng Hoon Teng that dates back to 1646.
Many old houses especially those in Melaka andPenang are of Baba-Nyonya heritage, built with indoor courtyards and beautiful, colourful tiles.
A rare architectural combination of Chinese and Western elements is displayed by Melaka'sTerengkera mosque. Its pagoda-like appearance is a fine example of Chinese-influenced roof form, combined with Western detailing in its balustrades and railings.
Indian
With most of Malaysian Hindus originally fromSouthern India, local Hindu temples exhibit the colourful architecture of that region.
Built in the late nineteenth century, the Sri Mahamariaman Temple in Kuala Lumpur is one of the most ornate and elaborate Hindu temples in the country. The detailed decorative scheme for the temple incorporates intricate carvings, gold embellishments, hand-painted motifs and exquisite tiles from Italy and Spain.
The Sikhs, although a small minority, also have their temples of more staid design in many parts of the country.
Indigenous Peoples of Sabah & Sarawak
Two unique architectural highlights of the indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak are longhouses and water villages.
Homes to interior riverine tribes, longhouses are traditional community homes. These elongated and stilted structures, often built of axe-hewn timber, tied with creeper fibre and roofed with wovenatap or thatched leaves, can house between 20 to 100 families.
Rustic water villages built on stilts are also commonly found along riverbanks and seafronts. Houses are linked by plank walkways with boats anchored on the sides. Transport around the village is usually by sampan or canoe.
COLONIAL PERIOD STYLES
The architectural styles of the different colonial powers are used in many buildings built between 1511 and 1957.
Portuguese
The most notable example of Portuguese architecture in Malaysia is the A'Famosa fort in Melaka, which was built by Alfonso d'Albuquerque in 1511. Nearly annihilated by the Dutch, only a small part of the fortification is still on the hill overlooking the Melaka town, old port and the Straits of Melaka.
Dutch
Located in Melaka Town, the Stadthuys with its heavy wooden doors, thick red walls and wrought-iron hinges is the most imposing relic of the Dutch period in Melaka. It is a fine example of Dutch masonry and woodworking skills. Built between 1641 and 1660 it is believed to be the oldest building in the East.
British
Among the most significant landmarks built by the British is the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, which grandly overlooks the Merdeka Square,Kuala Lumpur. This Moorish beauty, completed in 1897, served as the Colonial Secretariat offices during the British administration.
Pre-Merdeka or pre-independence shophouses still emanate the characteristic charm of their earlier days. A display of English ingenuity is the 'five-foot-way' or covered sidewalk designed to shield pedestrians from the heat and rain
A fascinating fusion of tradition and modernity,Malaysia's architecture today is a reflection ofAsia's many styles, cultures and religions. These influences include Hindu-Indian, Arab-Muslim, Chinese and European. Portuguese, Dutch and British colonization have also influenced local architecture. Now, the country embraces an independent modern Malaysian vision whilst staying true to its rich culture and heritage.
TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE
Malay
Traditional Malay architecture employs sophisticated architectural processes ideally suited to tropical conditions such as structures built on stilts, which allow cross-ventilating breeze beneath the dwelling to cool the house whilst mitigating the effects of the occasional flood. High-pitched roofs and large windows not only allow cross-ventilation but are also carved with intricate organic designs.
Traditional houses in Negeri Sembilan were built of hardwood and entirely free of nails. They are built using beams, which are held together by wedges. A beautiful example of this type of architecture can be seen in the Old Palace ofSeri Menanti in Negeri Sembilan, which was built around 1905.
Another truly magnificent example of Malay architectural creativity is the Istana Kenanganin the royal town of Kuala Kangsar. Built in 1926, it is the only Malay palace made of bamboo walls.
Today, many Malay or Islamic buildings incorporate Moorish design elements as can be seen in the Islamic Arts Museum and a number of buildings in Putrajaya - the new administrative capital, and many mosques throughout the country.
Chinese
In Malaysia, Chinese architecture is of two broad types: traditional and Baba-Nyonya. Examples of traditional architecture include Chinese temples found throughout the country such as the Cheng Hoon Teng that dates back to 1646.
Many old houses especially those in Melaka andPenang are of Baba-Nyonya heritage, built with indoor courtyards and beautiful, colourful tiles.
A rare architectural combination of Chinese and Western elements is displayed by Melaka'sTerengkera mosque. Its pagoda-like appearance is a fine example of Chinese-influenced roof form, combined with Western detailing in its balustrades and railings.
Indian
With most of Malaysian Hindus originally fromSouthern India, local Hindu temples exhibit the colourful architecture of that region.
Built in the late nineteenth century, the Sri Mahamariaman Temple in Kuala Lumpur is one of the most ornate and elaborate Hindu temples in the country. The detailed decorative scheme for the temple incorporates intricate carvings, gold embellishments, hand-painted motifs and exquisite tiles from Italy and Spain.
The Sikhs, although a small minority, also have their temples of more staid design in many parts of the country.
Indigenous Peoples of Sabah & Sarawak
Two unique architectural highlights of the indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak are longhouses and water villages.
Homes to interior riverine tribes, longhouses are traditional community homes. These elongated and stilted structures, often built of axe-hewn timber, tied with creeper fibre and roofed with wovenatap or thatched leaves, can house between 20 to 100 families.
Rustic water villages built on stilts are also commonly found along riverbanks and seafronts. Houses are linked by plank walkways with boats anchored on the sides. Transport around the village is usually by sampan or canoe.
COLONIAL PERIOD STYLES
The architectural styles of the different colonial powers are used in many buildings built between 1511 and 1957.
Portuguese
The most notable example of Portuguese architecture in Malaysia is the A'Famosa fort in Melaka, which was built by Alfonso d'Albuquerque in 1511. Nearly annihilated by the Dutch, only a small part of the fortification is still on the hill overlooking the Melaka town, old port and the Straits of Melaka.
Dutch
Located in Melaka Town, the Stadthuys with its heavy wooden doors, thick red walls and wrought-iron hinges is the most imposing relic of the Dutch period in Melaka. It is a fine example of Dutch masonry and woodworking skills. Built between 1641 and 1660 it is believed to be the oldest building in the East.
British
Among the most significant landmarks built by the British is the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, which grandly overlooks the Merdeka Square,Kuala Lumpur. This Moorish beauty, completed in 1897, served as the Colonial Secretariat offices during the British administration.
Pre-Merdeka or pre-independence shophouses still emanate the characteristic charm of their earlier days. A display of English ingenuity is the 'five-foot-way' or covered sidewalk designed to shield pedestrians from the heat and rain
Sabah
SABAH
The largest indigenous ethnic groups of Sabah's population are the Kadazan Dusun, the Bajau and the Murut.
Kadazan Dusun
The largest ethnic group of Sabah, the Kadazan Dusuns form about 30% of the state's population. Actually consisting of two tribes; the Kadazan and the Dusun, they were grouped together as they both share the same language and culture. However, the Kadazan are mainly inhabitants of flat valley deltas, which are conducive to paddy field farming, while the Dusun traditionally lived in the hilly and mountainous regions of interior Sabah.
Bajau
The second largest ethnic group in Sabah, the Bajaus make up about 15% of the state's population. Historically a nomadic sea-faring people that worshipped the Omboh Dilaut or God of the Sea, they are sometimes referred to as the Sea Gypsies. Those who chose to leave their sea-faring ways became farmers and cattle-breeders. These land Bajaus are nicknamed 'Cowboys of the East' in tribute to their impressive equestrian skills, which are publicly displayed in the annual Tamu Besar festival at Kota Belud.
Murut
The third largest ethnic group in Sabah the Muruts make up about 3% of the state's population. Traditionally inhabiting the northern inland regions of Borneo, they were the last of Sabah's ethnic groups to renounce headhunting. Now, they are mostly shifting cultivators of hill paddy and tapioca, supplementing their diet with blowpipe hunting and fishing. Like most indigenous tribes in Sabah, their traditional clothing is decorated with distinctive beadwork
The largest indigenous ethnic groups of Sabah's population are the Kadazan Dusun, the Bajau and the Murut.
Kadazan Dusun
The largest ethnic group of Sabah, the Kadazan Dusuns form about 30% of the state's population. Actually consisting of two tribes; the Kadazan and the Dusun, they were grouped together as they both share the same language and culture. However, the Kadazan are mainly inhabitants of flat valley deltas, which are conducive to paddy field farming, while the Dusun traditionally lived in the hilly and mountainous regions of interior Sabah.
Bajau
The second largest ethnic group in Sabah, the Bajaus make up about 15% of the state's population. Historically a nomadic sea-faring people that worshipped the Omboh Dilaut or God of the Sea, they are sometimes referred to as the Sea Gypsies. Those who chose to leave their sea-faring ways became farmers and cattle-breeders. These land Bajaus are nicknamed 'Cowboys of the East' in tribute to their impressive equestrian skills, which are publicly displayed in the annual Tamu Besar festival at Kota Belud.
Murut
The third largest ethnic group in Sabah the Muruts make up about 3% of the state's population. Traditionally inhabiting the northern inland regions of Borneo, they were the last of Sabah's ethnic groups to renounce headhunting. Now, they are mostly shifting cultivators of hill paddy and tapioca, supplementing their diet with blowpipe hunting and fishing. Like most indigenous tribes in Sabah, their traditional clothing is decorated with distinctive beadwork
Sarawak
SARAWAK
Collectively known as the Dayaks, the Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu are the major ethnic groups in the state of Sarawak. Dayak, which means upstream or inland, is used as a blanket term by the Islamic coastal population for over 200 tribal groups. Typically, they live in longhouses, traditional community homes that can house 20 to 100 families.
Iban
The largest of Sarawak's ethnic groups, the Ibans form 30% of the state's population. Sometimes erroneously referred to as the Sea Dayaks because of their skill with boats, they are actually an upriver tribe from the heart of Kalimantan. In the past, they were a fearsome warrior race renowned for headhunting and piracy. Traditionally, they worship a triumvirate of gods under the authority of Singalang Burung, the bird-god of war. Although now mostly Christians, many traditional customs are still practised.
Bidayuh
Peace-loving and easy-going, the gentle Bidayuh of Sarawak are famous for their hospitality and tuak or rice wine. Making their homes in Sarawak's mountainous regions, they are mostly farmers and hunters. In their past headhunting days, their prized skulls were stored in a 'baruk' a roundhouse that rises about 1.5 metres above the ground. Originally animists, now most of them have converted to Christianity.
Orang Ulu
Also known as upriver tribes of Sarawak. Forming roughly 5.5% of Sarawak's population, there are over 100,000 different Orang Ulu tribes. Arguably Borneo's most artistic people, their large longhouses are ornately decorated with murals and superb woodcarvings; their utensils are embellished with intricate beadwork; and aristocratic ladies cover their bodies with finely detailed tattoos.
Collectively known as the Dayaks, the Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu are the major ethnic groups in the state of Sarawak. Dayak, which means upstream or inland, is used as a blanket term by the Islamic coastal population for over 200 tribal groups. Typically, they live in longhouses, traditional community homes that can house 20 to 100 families.
Iban
The largest of Sarawak's ethnic groups, the Ibans form 30% of the state's population. Sometimes erroneously referred to as the Sea Dayaks because of their skill with boats, they are actually an upriver tribe from the heart of Kalimantan. In the past, they were a fearsome warrior race renowned for headhunting and piracy. Traditionally, they worship a triumvirate of gods under the authority of Singalang Burung, the bird-god of war. Although now mostly Christians, many traditional customs are still practised.
Bidayuh
Peace-loving and easy-going, the gentle Bidayuh of Sarawak are famous for their hospitality and tuak or rice wine. Making their homes in Sarawak's mountainous regions, they are mostly farmers and hunters. In their past headhunting days, their prized skulls were stored in a 'baruk' a roundhouse that rises about 1.5 metres above the ground. Originally animists, now most of them have converted to Christianity.
Orang Ulu
Also known as upriver tribes of Sarawak. Forming roughly 5.5% of Sarawak's population, there are over 100,000 different Orang Ulu tribes. Arguably Borneo's most artistic people, their large longhouses are ornately decorated with murals and superb woodcarvings; their utensils are embellished with intricate beadwork; and aristocratic ladies cover their bodies with finely detailed tattoos.
CULTURE AND HERITAGE
Having had an interesting past and being a part of the international spice route many hundreds of years ago, Malaysia has turned into a mosaic of cultures. Everything from its people to its architecture reflect a colourful heritage and an amalgamated culture. To understand Malaysian culture, you must first get to know its people.
DISCOVER A LAND OF INTRIGUING DIVERSITY
Malays, Chinese, IndiansThe largest ethnic groups in Malaysia are the Malays, Chinese and Indians. In Sabah and Sarawak, there are a myriad of indigenous ethnic groups with their own unique culture and heritage. and many other ethnic groups have lived together in Malaysia for generations. All these cultures have influenced each other, creating a truly Malaysian culture.
MALAY
Today, the Malays, Malaysia's largest ethnic group, make up more than 50% of the population. In Malaysia, the term Malay refers to a person who practices Islam and Malay traditions, speaks the Malay language and whose ancestors are Malays. Their conversion to Islam from Hinduism and Theravada Buddhism began in the 1400s, largely influenced by the decision of the royal court of Melaka. The Malays are known for their gentle mannerisms and rich arts heritage.
CHINESE
The second largest ethnic group, the Malaysian Chinese form about 25% of the population. Mostly descendants of Chinese immigrants during the 19th century, the Chinese are known for their diligence and keen business sense. The three sub-groups who speak a different dialect of the Chinese language are the Hokkien who live predominantly on the northern island of Penang; the Cantonese who live predominantly in the capital city Kuala Lumpur; and the Mandarin-speaking group who live predominantly in the southern state of Johor.
INDIAN
The smallest of three main ethnic groups, the Malaysian Indians form about 10% of the population. Most are descendants of Tamil-speaking South Indian immigrants who came to the country during the British colonial rule. Lured by the prospect of breaking out of the Indian caste system, they came to Malaysia to build a better life. Predominantly Hindus, they brought with them their colourful culture such as ornate temples, spicy cuisine and exquisite sarees.
INDIGENOUS ETHNIC GROUPS
Orang Asli
Orang Asli is a general term used for any indigenous groups that are found in Peninsular Malaysia. They are divided into three main tribal groups: Negrito, Senoi and Proto-Malay. The Negrito usually live in the north, the Senoi in the middle and the Proto-Malay in the south. Each group or sub-group has its own language and culture. Some are fishermen, some farmers and some are semi-nomadic.
DISCOVER A LAND OF INTRIGUING DIVERSITY
Malays, Chinese, IndiansThe largest ethnic groups in Malaysia are the Malays, Chinese and Indians. In Sabah and Sarawak, there are a myriad of indigenous ethnic groups with their own unique culture and heritage. and many other ethnic groups have lived together in Malaysia for generations. All these cultures have influenced each other, creating a truly Malaysian culture.
MALAY
Today, the Malays, Malaysia's largest ethnic group, make up more than 50% of the population. In Malaysia, the term Malay refers to a person who practices Islam and Malay traditions, speaks the Malay language and whose ancestors are Malays. Their conversion to Islam from Hinduism and Theravada Buddhism began in the 1400s, largely influenced by the decision of the royal court of Melaka. The Malays are known for their gentle mannerisms and rich arts heritage.
CHINESE
The second largest ethnic group, the Malaysian Chinese form about 25% of the population. Mostly descendants of Chinese immigrants during the 19th century, the Chinese are known for their diligence and keen business sense. The three sub-groups who speak a different dialect of the Chinese language are the Hokkien who live predominantly on the northern island of Penang; the Cantonese who live predominantly in the capital city Kuala Lumpur; and the Mandarin-speaking group who live predominantly in the southern state of Johor.
INDIAN
The smallest of three main ethnic groups, the Malaysian Indians form about 10% of the population. Most are descendants of Tamil-speaking South Indian immigrants who came to the country during the British colonial rule. Lured by the prospect of breaking out of the Indian caste system, they came to Malaysia to build a better life. Predominantly Hindus, they brought with them their colourful culture such as ornate temples, spicy cuisine and exquisite sarees.
INDIGENOUS ETHNIC GROUPS
Orang Asli
Orang Asli is a general term used for any indigenous groups that are found in Peninsular Malaysia. They are divided into three main tribal groups: Negrito, Senoi and Proto-Malay. The Negrito usually live in the north, the Senoi in the middle and the Proto-Malay in the south. Each group or sub-group has its own language and culture. Some are fishermen, some farmers and some are semi-nomadic.
MALAYSIA TRULY ASIA
Multiculturalism has not only made Malaysia a gastronomical paradise, it has also made Malaysia home to hundreds of colourful festivals. It's no wonder that we love celebrating and socialising. As a people, Malaysians are very laid back, warm and friendly.
Geographically, Malaysia is as diverse as its culture. There are two parts to the country, 11 states in the peninsula of Malaysia and two states on the northern part of Borneo. Cool hideaways are found in the highlands that roll down to warm, sandy beaches and rich, humid mangroves.
One of Malaysia's key attractions is its extreme contrasts. Towering skyscrapers look down upon wooden houses built on stilts, and five-star hotels sit several metres away from ancient reefs.
For the perfect holiday full of surprises, eclectic cultures and natural wonders, the time is now, the place is Malaysia.
Geographically, Malaysia is as diverse as its culture. There are two parts to the country, 11 states in the peninsula of Malaysia and two states on the northern part of Borneo. Cool hideaways are found in the highlands that roll down to warm, sandy beaches and rich, humid mangroves.
One of Malaysia's key attractions is its extreme contrasts. Towering skyscrapers look down upon wooden houses built on stilts, and five-star hotels sit several metres away from ancient reefs.
For the perfect holiday full of surprises, eclectic cultures and natural wonders, the time is now, the place is Malaysia.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Fast fact About Malaysia
Country
The Federation of Malaysia comprises of Peninsular Malaysia, and the states of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo.
Geographic Location
Situated between 2º and 7º to the North of the Equator line, Peninsular Malaysia is separated from Sabah and Sarawak by the South China Sea. In the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia lies Thailand, and in the south, neighbouring Singapore. Sabah and Sarawak are bounded by Indonesia while Sarawak also shares borders with Brunei.
Area
329,758 square km
Population
27.17 million
Capital City
Kuala Lumpur
People
Malays comprise 57% of the population, while the Chinese, Indian and Bumiputeras and other races make up the rest of the country's population.
Language
(Bahasa Melayu)Malay is the national language in use, but English is widely spoken. The ethnic groups also converse in the various languages and dialects.
Religion
Islam is the official religion of the country, but other religions are widely practised.
Government
Malaysia follows the bicameral legislative system, adopting a democratic parliamentary. The head of the country is the King or the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, a position which is changed every five years among the Malay Sultanates. The head of government is the Prime Minister.
Weather
The country experiences tropical weather year-round. Temperatures are from 21ºC (70ºF) to 32ºC (90ºF). Higher elevations are much colder with temperatures between 15°C (59° F) to 25°C (77°F). Annual rainfall varies from 2,000mm to 2,500mm.
Main Holidays
New Year*, Hari Raya Aidiladha*, Federal Territory Day **, Chinese New Year *, Awal Muharam*, Maulidur Rasul*, Labour Day*, Wesak*, King's Birthday*, National Day* Deepavali# Hari Raya Aidilfitri* Christmas*Note: (*) - National Holidays (**) - Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur & Labuan only (#) - except Labuan & Sarawak
Economic Profile
Manufacturing constitutes the largest single component of Malaysia's economy. Tourism and primary commodities such as petroleum, palm oil, natural rubber and timber are major contributors to the economy.
Distance to Malaysia
London, United Kingdom to Kuala Lumpur : 6,557 miles (10,552 km)Paris, France to Kuala Lumpur 6,483 miles (10,432 km)Rome, Italy to Kuala Lumpur : 6,038 miles (9,716 km)Stockholm, Sweden to Kuala Lumpur : 5,812 miles (9,353 km)Berlin, Germany to Kuala Lumpur : 5,979 miles (9,622 km)Madrid, Spain to Kuala Lumpur : 6,885 miles (11,079 km)New York, USA to Kuala Lumpur : 9,400 miles (15,126 km)Los Angeles, USA to Kuala Lumpur : 8,790 miles (14,144 km)Vancouver, Canada to Kuala Lumpur : 7,944 miles (12,783 km)
Currency
The monetary unit of the country is Ringgit Malaysia and is written as RM. The exchange rate is valued at USD1 = RM3.50. Foreign currencies can be exchanged at banks and money changers.
Banking Hours
Most states: Monday- Friday: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm. Saturday & Sunday: Closed (Some banks and its branches are opened Saturdays). Kelantan & Terengganu: Sunday - Wednesday :9.30 am to 4.30 pm. Thursday :9.30 am to 4.00 pm. Friday/Saturday*/Public holiday: Closed
Post Office
Opening hours from 8.30 am to 6.00 pm daily, except for the first Saturdays of the month, Sundays, and public holidays. In Kelantan and Terengganu the post office operates at the same time, but is closed on Fridays and public holidays.
Time
Eight hours ahead of GMT and 16 hours ahead of U.S Standard Time.
Electricity
Voltage is 220 - 240 Volt AC at 50 cycles per second. Standard 3- pin square plugs and socket.
Measurement and Weight
Malaysia follows the metric system for weight and measurement.
TelephoneLocal calls can be made from public phones using shillings or prepaid cards. International calls can also be made using card phones or at any Telekom office.
Accommodation
Malaysia has a wide range of accommodation at competitive rates. International standard hotels, medium and budget hotels, youth hostels are just some of the types of accommodation available
The Federation of Malaysia comprises of Peninsular Malaysia, and the states of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo.
Geographic Location
Situated between 2º and 7º to the North of the Equator line, Peninsular Malaysia is separated from Sabah and Sarawak by the South China Sea. In the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia lies Thailand, and in the south, neighbouring Singapore. Sabah and Sarawak are bounded by Indonesia while Sarawak also shares borders with Brunei.
Area
329,758 square km
Population
27.17 million
Capital City
Kuala Lumpur
People
Malays comprise 57% of the population, while the Chinese, Indian and Bumiputeras and other races make up the rest of the country's population.
Language
(Bahasa Melayu)Malay is the national language in use, but English is widely spoken. The ethnic groups also converse in the various languages and dialects.
Religion
Islam is the official religion of the country, but other religions are widely practised.
Government
Malaysia follows the bicameral legislative system, adopting a democratic parliamentary. The head of the country is the King or the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, a position which is changed every five years among the Malay Sultanates. The head of government is the Prime Minister.
Weather
The country experiences tropical weather year-round. Temperatures are from 21ºC (70ºF) to 32ºC (90ºF). Higher elevations are much colder with temperatures between 15°C (59° F) to 25°C (77°F). Annual rainfall varies from 2,000mm to 2,500mm.
Main Holidays
New Year*, Hari Raya Aidiladha*, Federal Territory Day **, Chinese New Year *, Awal Muharam*, Maulidur Rasul*, Labour Day*, Wesak*, King's Birthday*, National Day* Deepavali# Hari Raya Aidilfitri* Christmas*Note: (*) - National Holidays (**) - Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur & Labuan only (#) - except Labuan & Sarawak
Economic Profile
Manufacturing constitutes the largest single component of Malaysia's economy. Tourism and primary commodities such as petroleum, palm oil, natural rubber and timber are major contributors to the economy.
Distance to Malaysia
London, United Kingdom to Kuala Lumpur : 6,557 miles (10,552 km)Paris, France to Kuala Lumpur 6,483 miles (10,432 km)Rome, Italy to Kuala Lumpur : 6,038 miles (9,716 km)Stockholm, Sweden to Kuala Lumpur : 5,812 miles (9,353 km)Berlin, Germany to Kuala Lumpur : 5,979 miles (9,622 km)Madrid, Spain to Kuala Lumpur : 6,885 miles (11,079 km)New York, USA to Kuala Lumpur : 9,400 miles (15,126 km)Los Angeles, USA to Kuala Lumpur : 8,790 miles (14,144 km)Vancouver, Canada to Kuala Lumpur : 7,944 miles (12,783 km)
Currency
The monetary unit of the country is Ringgit Malaysia and is written as RM. The exchange rate is valued at USD1 = RM3.50. Foreign currencies can be exchanged at banks and money changers.
Banking Hours
Most states: Monday- Friday: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm. Saturday & Sunday: Closed (Some banks and its branches are opened Saturdays). Kelantan & Terengganu: Sunday - Wednesday :9.30 am to 4.30 pm. Thursday :9.30 am to 4.00 pm. Friday/Saturday*/Public holiday: Closed
Post Office
Opening hours from 8.30 am to 6.00 pm daily, except for the first Saturdays of the month, Sundays, and public holidays. In Kelantan and Terengganu the post office operates at the same time, but is closed on Fridays and public holidays.
Time
Eight hours ahead of GMT and 16 hours ahead of U.S Standard Time.
Electricity
Voltage is 220 - 240 Volt AC at 50 cycles per second. Standard 3- pin square plugs and socket.
Measurement and Weight
Malaysia follows the metric system for weight and measurement.
TelephoneLocal calls can be made from public phones using shillings or prepaid cards. International calls can also be made using card phones or at any Telekom office.
Accommodation
Malaysia has a wide range of accommodation at competitive rates. International standard hotels, medium and budget hotels, youth hostels are just some of the types of accommodation available
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
