Economy
Malaysia is an upper middle income country and has a GDP per Capita of $12000 (5 times that of India, 2,5 times of Indonesia and 1.7 times Thailand). This is visible in the infrastructure which is world class and in their cities which are well managed. Accommodation and activities are costlier than Thailand and Indonesia though food costs are almost similar. The population density is low and large sections of population own cars.
Government health expenditure is at 10% (comparable to Indonesia and Thailand which are around 12% and three times that of of India). It has an advantage in reduced defense expenditure similar to Indonesia and Thailand (50% less compared to India and Vietnam). Like Thailand, its an open economy with high % of both imports and exports (unlike India and Indonesia which are now opening up)
Approximately 15% of the Malaysian workforce is made up of foreign workers who are employed in low-skilled jobs. A large portion of these foreign workers come from neighboring countries like Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Philippines. I noticed a lot of Bangladeshi labor both in KL and Penang in the hotels and for building work.
Time zone is GMT +8 compared to GMT +7 is countries which are further East like Indonesia and Vietnam. Ideally it should have been the same. Daybreak is therefore early and the sun sets are late, something I needed to get used to compared to other countries.
Society
One thing which struck me and was starkly evident coming from India was that Malaysia was the cleanest country that I have ever seen in Asia. Civic sense is very high, there is no honking and noise anywhere and garbage disposal is very efficient. There are no street dogs making it safe to walk around without any hitches. However, I did notice that public toilets are not as clean as in Indonesia or Thailand.
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| Ethnic Malay |
Traditionally there has been friction between these groups with Chinese and Hindus richer and predominant in industry and trade (rubber, tin mining, commercial shops etc.) and Malays who are poorer engaged mainly in agriculture. There is reservation of the Malay's in Government jobs to reduce the divide. In fact Singapore was spun out of Malaysia since it was predominantly Chinese and would upset the balance of the local Malays in the new country of Malaysia.
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| Ethnic Chinese |
Muslim women mostly wear the Tudung (Hijab) and Intermarriages between Muslim and Chinese or Indians are less due to the religious and social differences.
Malaysia has invested a lot in human capital. Education is around 20% of Government expenses (compared to 15% in India and Indonesia and 2.6% in Thailand). English and Malay are taught in schools and I found the population generally speaking excellent English talking slowly and clearly.
Culture
Malaysia is a cultural hotspot with Malay, Chinese and Indian influences.
Immigrants from the southern provinces of China arrived in the region between the 14th and 17th centuries. Intermarriage between these Chinese settlers and their Malay, Thai, Javanese, or other predecessors in the region contributed to the emergence of a distinctive hybrid culture. They are called Peranakans which is a Malay word meaning "Born of" (there are also Indian Hindu Peranakans called Chettys, Jawi Peranakans who are Malay-speaking Muslims of mixed Indian and Malay ancestry and Kristang or Eurasian Peranakans who are descendents of Portuguese and Malay. Most of them have been assimilated into Malaysian society)
However, most Malaysian Chinese are descendants of Southern Chinese immigrants who arrived in Malaysia between the early 19th and the mid-20th centuries when British policy encouraged young Chinese men to work in tin mines in Malaysia.
Indians are mainly Tamilians who were brought by the British from India and Sri Lanka to work in rubber plantations and tea estates.
Chinese Peranakans
In Malaysia, the Chinese Peranakan community is commonly known as “Baba Nyonya” – “Baba” is the term for men while “Nyonya” is used for women – which refers to the descendants of merchants from China who came to Malacca and married local women in the 15th century.
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| Chinese Peranakan |
Though most Asian families are known to be patriarchal, the Peranakan households are headed by the women. The head of a typical Peranakan family is usually the grandmother, who is known as the “Bibik”.
Widely known as “Nyonya Cuisine”, Peranakan dishes are considered as one of the earliest fusion dishes in Southeast Asia as it is the combination of Chinese ingredients with distinctive Malay spices such as pandan leaves, cincaluk (shrimp paste), star anise, curry leaves, and candlenut. There are regional variations in Nyonya cooking: dishes from in Penang possess Thai influences, such as more liberal use of tamarind, while dishes from Singapore and Malacca show a greater Indonesian influence, such as the use of coconut milk. Some of the most popular Nyonya food include Laksa, Chicken Kapitan, Pongteh, and Ang Ku Kue.
There is one very distinct difference between the Peranakan language spoken in the south (Malacca and Singapore) as compared to that of the north (Penang). In the south, Malay is spoken with very few Hokkien words whereas in the north, it’s the other way around.
Politics
Malaysia has a multi-party system and generally a form of "consociationalism" whereby communal interests are resolved in the framework of a grand coalition. The equation for religious and racial harmony is fragile which stems largely from the identification of religion with race coupled with the political primacy of the Malay people (called "Ketuanan Melayu" which is special position and rights for Malays) colliding with the aspiration of other races for complete equality. Unlike some countries such as Thailand or Indonesia, the armed forces are not prominent in politics (maybe a legacy from the British)
Food
The variety of food is highly divergent similar to Indonesia due to the mix of 3 cultures - Malay, Chinese and Indian. The main categories of Malaysian food are:
Malay Cuisine
Malay cuisine is characterized by the use of herbs, spices, and coconut milk. It is aromatic and flavorful. Some popular Malay dishes are
Nasi Lemak: Rice cooked in coconut milk, served with sambal, fried anchovies, peanuts, and a hard-boiled egg
Nasi Lemak - Rendang: Slow-cooked meat in coconut milk and spices
- Satay: Skewered and grilled meat, typically served with a peanut sauce
- Mee Goreng: Stir-fried noodles with vegetables, meat, and a tangy sauce .
- Nasi Goreng: Fried rice with a variety of toppings, often served with a fried egg
- Rojak: A salad made with fruits, vegetables, and deep-fried dough, tossed in a tangy and spicy peanut sauce
Chinese Cuisine
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| Lor Mee |
- Char Kuey Teow: Flat rice noodles stir-fried with eggs, prawns, cockles, and bean sprouts .
- Hainanese Chicken Rice: Poached chicken served with fragrant rice cooked in chicke
n fat, paired with a tangy chili sauce . - Hokkien Mee: Thick yellow noodles stir-fried in a savory dark soy sauce with pork, prawns, and squid. Lor Mee is similar but more thick.
- Curry Mee: A bowl of thin yellow noodles mixed with bihun in a spicy curry soup enriched with coconut milk, and topped with tofu puffs, prawns, cuttlefish, chicken, long beans, cockles and mint leaves, with sambal served on the side. It is often referred to as curry laksa.
Indian Cuisine
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| Roti Canai |
- Roti Canai: A flaky, crispy flatbread often served with lentil curry or sugar
- Murtabak: A stuffed pancake filled with egg, onion, spices, and ground beef, served with lentil curry
- Nasi Biryani: A fragrant rice dish cooked with spices and meat, often served with raita
Peranakan Cuisine
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| Asam Laksa |
- Laksa: A spicy noodle soup with fish or prawns, available in variants like Asam Laksa and Curry Laksa
- Otak-Otak: A fish cake made from fish paste and spices, wrapped in banana leaves and grilled
- Ayam Buah Keluak: Chicken cooked with black nuts (buah keluak) in a rich, spicy sauce
Desserts and Snacks
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| Cendol |
- Ais Kacang/Ice Kacang: Shaved ice with red beans, palm seeds, sweet corn, peanuts, and various syrups
- Cendol - Iced sweet dessert that contains pandan-flavoured green rice flour jelly, coconut milk, and palm sugar syrup. Additional toppings might be added including diced jackfruit, sweetened red azuki beans or durian.
- Pisang Goreng: Deep-fried bananas coated in a light batter, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside .
- Popiah: Fresh spring rolls filled with vegetables, meats, or seafood, wrapped in a thin, soft pancake
