Unity Is Strength | |||||||
| Anthem | "Negaraku" | ||||||
| Capital (and largest city) |
Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya (administrative centre) | ||||||
| Language | Malay, English | ||||||
| Religion | Islam | ||||||
| Government | Federal constitutional elective monarchy and Parliamentary democracy | ||||||
| Yang di-Pertuan Agong | Mizan Zainal Abidin | ||||||
| Prime Minister | Najib Tun Razak | ||||||
| Area | 129,280 km² | ||||||
| Population | 27,603,000 | ||||||
| Independence | from United Kingdom | ||||||
| declared | 31 August 1957 | ||||||
| Currency | Malaysian ringgit | ||||||
Malaysia (pronounced /məˈleɪʒə/ mə-LAY-zhə or /məˈleɪziə/ mə-LAY-zee-ə) is a country in Southeast Asia consisting of 13 states and three Federal Territories, with a total landmass of 129,280 sq km. The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. The population stands at over 20 million. It is near the equator and has a tropical climate. Malaysia's head of state is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, an elected monarch, and the head of government is the Prime Minister. The government is closely modeled on the Westminster parliamentary system.
Malaysia as a unified state did not exist until 1963. Previously, the United Kingdom had established influence in colonies in the territory from the late 18th century. The western one-half of modern Malaysia was composed of several separate kingdoms. This group of colonies was known as British Malaya until its dissolution in 1946, when it was reorganized as the Malayan Union. Due to widespread opposition, it was reorganized again as the Federation of Malaya in 1948 and later gained independence on August 31st 1957. Singapore, Sarawak, British North Borneo, and the Federation of Malaya merged to form Malaysia on 16 September 1963. Tensions in the early years of the new union sparked an armed conflict with Indonesia, and the expulsion of Singapore on August 9th 1965.
History[]
Pre-Doomsday[]
In 1963, Malaya along with the then-British crown colonies of Sabah (British North Borneo), Sarawak and Singapore, formed Malaysia. The Sultanate of Brunei, though initially expressing interest in joining the Federation, withdrew from the planned merger due to opposition from certain segments of its population as well as arguments over the payment of oil royalties and the status of the Sultan in the planned merger. The actual proposed date for the formation of Malaysia was 31 August 1963, to coincide with the independence day of Malaya and the British giving self-rule to Sarawak and Sabah. However, the date was delayed by opposition from the Indonesian government led by Sukarno and also attempts by the Sarawak United People's Party to delay the formation of Malaysia. Due to these factors, an 8-member United Nations team has to be formed to re-ascertain whether Sabah and Sarawak truly wanted to join Malaysia.
The early years of independence were marred by the conflict with Indonesia (Konfrontasi) over the formation of Malaysia, Singapore's eventual exit in 1965, and racial strife in the form of race riots in 1969. The Philippines also made an active claim on Sabah in that period based upon the Sultanate of Brunei's cession of its north-east territories to the Sulu Sultanate in 1704. The claim is still ongoing. After the 13 May race riots of 1969, the controversial New Economic Policy—intended to increase proportionately the share of the economic pie of the bumiputras ("indigenous people", which includes the majority Malays, but not always the indigenous population) as compared to other ethnic groups — was launched by Prime Minister Abdul Razak. Malaysia has since maintained a delicate ethno-political balance, with a system of government that has attempted to combine overall economic development with political and economic policies that promote equitable participation of all races.
Post-Doomsday[]
Malaysia was caught off-guard by Doomsday. While not actually hit, the country still suffered from the consequences of the loss of trade and climatic upheaval. The government instituted martial law. Unfortunately, it could not prevent Brunei and the Philippines from taking Sarawak and Sabah.
Government[]
Malaysia is a federal constitutional elective monarchy. The federal head of state of Malaysia is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, commonly referred to as the King of Malaysia. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is elected to a five-year term among the nine hereditary Sultans of the Malay states.
The system of government in Malaysia is closely modeled on that of Westminster parliamentary system, a legacy of British colonial rule. Since independence in 1957, Malaysia has been governed by a multi-party coalition known as the Barisan Nasional (formerly known as the Alliance).
Economy[]
As Malaya moved towards independence, the government began implementing economic five-year plans, beginning with the First Malayan Five Year Plan in 1955. Upon the establishment of Malaysia, the plans were re-titled and renumbered, beginning with the First Malaysia Plan in 1965.
In the 1970s, Malaysia began to imitate the four Asian Tiger economies (Republic of Korea (South Korea), Republic of China (Taiwan), then British Crown Colony of Hong Kong and the Republic of Singapore) and committed itself to a transition from being reliant on mining and agriculture to an economy that depends more on manufacturing. With Japanese investment, heavy industries flourished and in a matter of years, Malaysian exports became the country's primary growth engine. After Doomsday this growth naturally stalled. When contact was re-established with Singapore, and later the ANZC, the economic growth started up again. The amazing economic recovery of Japan after WWII has been reenacted by the Malaysians, albeit on a smaller scale.
With the loss of Sabah and Sarawak during the North Borneo War. Malaysia lost its access over the Sarawak and West Sabah Oil Reserved under Brunei and the Philippines. Forcing Malaysia to regulate its oil production as well making a project building an offshore oil well over at the Gulf of Thailand to maintain the oil supplies flowing through in Malaysia. Massive excavation minerals project also began in 1989 to reduce Malaysia dependency on other Foreign Nation trades importing copper, bauxite and other rich mineral resources. To recover the loss of Sabah and Sarawak as Malaysia focusing on based primarily on the exports of raw materials ( tin and rubber ). Malaysia emphasized on export-oriented manufacturing to fuel its economic growth. Using the comparative advantages of a relatively inexpensive but educated labour force, well-developed infrastructure, political stability, and an undervalued currency, Malaysia has attracted considerable foreign investment, especially from Japan and others. The main goal is to endow the Malays and other indigenous groups with greater economic opportunities and to develop their management and entrepreneurial skills. Official economic policy also has encouraged the private sector to assume a greater role in the restructuring process. A major component of this policy has been the privatization of many public-sector activities, including the national railway, airline, automobile manufacturer, telecommunications, and electricity companies.
The Petronas Towers under construction.
Military[]
Malaysia defence requirements are assigned to the Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia-ATM). The armed forces has three branches, the Royal Malaysian Navy (Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia-TLDM), Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia-TD), and the Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia-TUDM). The Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia operates both American made and Russian made fighter aircraft.
During the pre-doomsday era, the Malaysian Government put a small budget of their economy into the military as they don't need to be excessively put a large budget into defence as Malaysia is under the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) which tremendously secure Malaysia sovereignty after the Malay-Indonesian Confrontation in 1962 with the help from the Commonwealth.
During post-doomsday era led to a series of massive civil unrest across the nation as the economy was shatter during time despite the declaration of Martial Law, Brunei and Philippine decided seizes the opportunity in launching an invasion of Sarawak and Sabah reclaiming their old land and took Malaysia off-guard on the 3rd January 1984. On the 4th of February, Malaysia officially declares war on Brunei and the Philippine in retaliation to their invasion of Sarawak and Sabah. The declaration of war sparks the beginning of the North Borneo War, of which Malaysia failed to do so in reclaiming Sarawak and Sabah after the Battle of Bintulu. The peace treaty soon signed by both sides in the City of Kuching to humiliate the Malaysian by signing the treaty at the state capital of Sarawak, Kuching. Treaty of Kuching, 12th July 1984 mark the end of the North Borneo War.
After the humiliating defeat of the North Borneo War, by the 8th of August 1984, the Malay Parliamentary ( Parlimen Melayu ) pass a bill of enacting military conscription at the age of 23 - 36 and mandatory military service for 2 years at the age of 18+. As to further secure Malaysian Sovereign Nation fearing the invasion of North Malay State by the Siam which holds claims of the Northern Malay State after the loss of Borneo. Malaysia soon began to expand the military industry as well as importing foreign weapons from the American and Russian arms trade alongside continuing provoking the Brunei Government and Philippine Government as into sparking a war once again to reclaim Sabah and Sarawak not long after that.
There are various series of military operation made by Malaysia to weaken the Brunei Government by supporting and aiding the Sarawak Communist and the Sarawak Rangers which are an anti-Brunei military dictatorship during the brutal civil crackdown of Sarawak and Sabah rebellion of the Bruneian Government. Malaysian Propaganda Department would make every activity involved with Bruneian Government to ignite the fire of the spirit of the people that soon may want unification with Malaysia.
International Relations[]
The Malaysians have diplomatic relations with their neighbors in the region. Relations with Singapore were strained, but are still cordial. The Malaysians are a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and have applied for LoN membership.
Malaysian diplomatic relation with the Indonesian Government had been deteriorating after the North Borneo War as Indonesia wanted revenge for the loss during Malaysia - Indonesia confrontation. It may take some time for the Malaysia Indonesia relationship to be associated once more.
Malaysia's diplomatic relationship with the CANZ has gotten better with the establishment of the CANZ embassy in Kuala Lumpur as well Malaysian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur also giving Malaysia a chance to renegotiate the Five Defence Power Agreement in renewing the treaty to solidify Malaysia recognition as the sovereign state.