Malaysia

Malaysia is a Muslim country, trying to come to terms with the modern lifestyle that accompanies rapid economic development. In 1997, three young Muslim women took part in a beauty contest, and were arrested and charged under Muslim law for dressing indecently. This and other incidents have led to heated protests from Muslims who thought the religious authorities were being unduly severe.

Malaysia's official religion is Islam, but the country today is a multi-ethnic society made up of Malays, Chinese, Indians and indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak. The constitution guarantees the non-Muslim population of Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs and Christians total freedom of worship and the ability to live as if in a non-Muslim, secular state. Muslims, on the other hand, are governed by Muslim as well as civil law. This can make their lives complicated.

Malaysians face many dilemmas. How can their country become industrialised without becoming secular and materialistic? How can the country open up to information technology without falling victim to Western pop culture? Islam is alive and well in Malaysia, but tensions exist between the moderate and puritanical elements. This is not a sign of growing fundamentalism, but of a country struggling to find its place in the modern world.

By the beginning of the twentieth century, all the states that form modern Malaysia had come under British rule. English became the language of administration and the medium of instruction in major schools. In 1957, when the country gained political independence, Malay was declared the national language, but making it the official language took much longer.

For example, children in national schools did not receive their entire education in Malay until 1970. From then on, English diminished in importance in all areas of life except for commerce and technology. In spite of this, after Malay, English is still the language most likely to be understood by people in all communities.

Malaysian English has moved away from standard British English. There is concern that many young Malaysians cannot express themselves clearly in English. This is considered unacceptable to a country determined to become a developed nation by the year 2020. The government has intervened. There are now more hours of English taught in schools, and fewer restrictions on the use of English on radio and TV.

A myriad of Festivals

Apart from English, the two things that unite Malaysians of all races are food and festivals. Many Malaysians hold open house for their friends of other religions, who then go on a round of visiting, eating, drinking, merry-making, and gift-giving. The indigenous peoples of Sarawak and Sabah hold open house on their harvest celebrations. Here are some of the most important festivals:

Hari Raya Aidil Fitri At the end of Ramadan, Muslims pray in the mosques, and then receive friends and relatives at home.

Deepavali Hindus adorn their homes with lights or oil lamps to celebrate the triumph of good over evil.

Wesak Day Buddhists release doves and offer prayers, remembering the life and enlightenment of Buddha.

Kaamatan Festival Harvest festival celebrated by the Kadazan and Dusun people of Sabah, with a beauty pageant, dances and ceremonies.

Flora Fest This week-long festival is held in July,celebrating the beauty of Malaysia's flowers. The climax is the Floral Parade through the streets of Kuala Lumpur.