All Malaysia Online

Perak,Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:13:00 +0000

Perak is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is the second largest state in Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor southward and to the west by the Strait of Malacca.
Perak means silver in Malay. The name comes most probably from the silvery colour of tin. In the 1890s, Perak, with the richest alluvial deposits of tin in the world was one of the jewels in the crown of the British Empire. However, some say the name comes from the "glimmer of fish in the water" that sparkled like silver. The Arab honorific of the State is Darul Ridzuan, the Land of Grace.
Ipoh, the state capital of Perak, is known historically for its tin-mining activities until the drop of tin price, which has severely affected the state economy. The royal capital, however, is set in Kuala Kangsar, where the palace of the Sultan of Perak is located.
Legends tell of a Hindu-Malay kingdom called Gangga Negara in the northwest of Perak. Archaeological discoveries indicate that Perak has been inhabited since prehistoric times.
The modern history of Perak began with the fall of the Malacca Sultanate. The eldest son of the last Sultan of Melaka (Sultan Mahmud Shah), Raja Muzaffar Shah, fleeing the Portuguese conquest of 1511, established his own dynasty on the banks of the Sungai Perak (Perak River) in 1528. As the Perak area was extremely rich in tin, it was under almost continuous threat from outsiders.
The Dutch unsuccessfully attempted to monopolize the tin trade in the 17th century, and built forts at the mouth of the Perak River and on Pulau Pangkor.
Early history of the Dutch arrival in Perak began in 1641, when they captured the Straits of Malacca by taking control of tin-ore and spice trading. The Dutch attempted to monopolise the tin-ore tradings in Perak by influencing Sultan Muzaffar Syah, the Sultak, but did not succeed. They then turned to Sultanah Tajul Alam Safiatuddin, the Sultan of Aceh, to seek permission to trade in Perak. The event compelled the Sultan of Perak to sign the treaty, allowing the Dutch to build their plant in Kuala Perak on August 15 1650, which caused dissatisfaction among the aristocracy of Perak.
In 1651, Temenggung and the people of Perak attacked and destroyed the Dutch plant. The Dutch were forced to leave their base in Perak.
In 1655, the Dutch sent a representative to Perak to renew the agreement made earlier and to seek compensation for the loss of their plant. Perak however did not honour the treaty and was thus surrounded by the Dutch. In retaliation, the people of Perak with Aceh, Ujung Salang, launched a surprise attack on the Dutch.
In 1670, the Dutch returned to Perak to build Kota Kayu, now known as Kota Belanda ("Dutch Fortress"), on Pangkor Island.
Perak agreed to the construction because of news that the Kingdom of Siam would be attacking the state. Nevertheless, in 1685, once again Perak attacked the Dutch on Pangkor Island and forced them to retreat and shut down their headquarters. The Dutch attempted to negotiate for a new treaty but failed.
In the 19th century, the Bugis, Acehnese, and the Thai all attempted to invade Perak. Only British intervention in 1820 prevented Siam from annexing Perak. Although the British were initially reluctant to establish a colonial presence in Malaya, increasing investment in the tin mines brought a great influx of Chinese immigrants, who formed rival clan groups allied with Malay chiefs and local gangsters, all of whom battled to control the mines. The Perak sultanate, involved in a protracted succession struggle, was unable to maintain order.
In her book The Golden Chersonese and The Way Thither (published 1892 G.P. Putnam's Sons) Victorian traveller and adventuress Isabella Lucy Bird (1831-1904) describes how Raja Muda Abdullah (as he then was) turned to his friend in Singapore, Tan Kim Ching. Tan, together with an English merchant in Singapore drafted a letter to Governor Sir Andrew Clarke which Abdullah signed. The letter expressed Abdullah's desire to place Perak under British protection, and "to have a man of sufficient abilities to show (him) a good system of government." In 1874, the Straits Settlements governor Sir Andrew Clarke convened a meeting on Pulau Pangkor, at which Sultan Abdullah was installed on the throne of Perak in preference to his rival, Sultan Ismail. This Pangkor Treaty also required that the sultan accept a British Resident, who would control all administrative issues other than those pertaining to religion or Malay custom. In 1875, various Perak chiefs assassinated the British Resident James W.W. Birch, resulting in the short-lived Perak War of 1876. Sultan Abdullah was exiled to the Seychelles, and the British installed a new ruler. The new resident, Sir Hugh Low, was well versed in the Malay language and customs, and proved to be a more capable administrator. He also introduced the first rubber trees to Malaya.
In 1896, Perak joined Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang to form the Federated Malay States. However, the British Resident system lasted until Perak became part of the Federation of Malaya in 1948.
Perak gained independence from the British on August 31, 1957 along with 10 other states in the Federation of Malaya. The federation was enlarged to form Malaysia on September 16,1963 following the admission of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore. Singapore separated from Malaysia in 1965
Under the laws of the Constitution of Perak, Perak is a constitutional monarchy, with a ceremonial hereditary ruler. The current Sultan of Perak is Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Yussuf Izzuddin Shah Ghafarullahu-Lahu, who was the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia and formerly the Lord President of the Supreme Court of Malaysia.
Constitution of Perak
Standing Order of the Legislative Assembly (Sabah) - as reference
Following the opposition coalition winning Perak in the 2008 general election, Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin of Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) was appointed as the new Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) of the state eventually although the Democratic Action Party (DAP) won the most seats compared to other opposition parties. The Menteri Besar did not come from the Chinese-based party as the State Constitution states that the Chief Minister must be a Muslim, unless the Sultan specially appoints a non-Muslim Chief Minister. As DAP does not have any Muslim assemblymen, if the Sultan insists that the Chief Minister must be a Muslim, then the assemblymen would have to come from either Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) or PAS, which formed the coalition state government with DAP. On February 3 2009, Barisan Nasional, the national ruling party, gained control over the state government, after the defections of three Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen. However, several cases have been filed in the Kuala Lumpur High Court challenging the validity of the new Barisan Nasional government, causing a constitutional crisis. Adding to this crisis is the fact that the Pakatan Rakyat Menteri Besar has refused to resign and states that he is still the legal Menteri Besar until he is removed through vote of no confidence or snap election.

Malay English translation
Dilanjutkan Allah usianya Sultan
Adil dan murah memerintah watan
Ditaati rakyat kiri dan kanan
Iman yang soleh Allah kurniakan
Allah berkati Perak Darul Ridzuan
Allah selamatkan Negeri dan Sultan Allah, grant the Sultan a long life
Just and gracious, ruling the homeland
Obeyed by the people left and right
Allah endow the righteous faith
Sanctify Perak Darul Ridzuan, O Allah
Salvage the State and Sultan, O Allah

Modern Perak is divided into 9 administrative districts or "daerah" in Malay. These 9 districts, are further divided into administrative Municipal councils(Majlis Bandaraya/Perbandaran and Daerah):
 Kinta- Population: 751,826; Area: 1,958 km².
1. Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh
2. Majlis Daerah Kinta Selatan
3. Majlid Daerah Kinta Barat
 Larut, Matang dan Selama (LMS)- Population: 273,321; Area: 2,103 km².
1. Majlis Perbandaran Taiping (administrate central and south-west part of district)
2. Majlis Daerah Selama (administrate north part of district)
 Hilir Perak- Population: 191,098; Area: 1,727 km².
1. Majlis Perbandaran Teluk Intan (Majlis Daerah Hilir Perak)
 Manjung- Population: 191,004; Area: 1,168 km².
1. Majlis Perbandaran Manjung (Majlis Daerah Manjung)
 Batang Padang- Population:152,137; Area: 2,730 km².
1. Majlis Daerah Tapah
2. Majlis Daerah Tanjong Malim
 Kerian- Population: 52,651; Area: 938 km².
1. Majlis Daerah Kerian
 Kuala Kangsar- Population: 154,048; Area: 2,541 km².
1. Majlis Perbandaran Kuala Kangsar (Majlis Daerah Kuala Kangsar)
 Hulu Perak- Population: 82,195; Area: 6,558 km².
1. Majlis Daerah Gerik
2. Majlis Daerah Pengkalan Hulu
3. Malis Daerah Lenggong
 Perak Tengah- Population: 82,103; Area: 1,282 km².
1. Majlis Daerah Perak Tengah

Please note that the districts of Kerian and Larut, Matang dan Selama have been wrongly labelled in the map on the right. Both districts are in the northwest corner of the state. Kerian district is in the west and Larut, Matang dan Selama is in the east.
These districts eventually are divided into several Mukims or Counties which are more politically significant.The main cities and towns in Perak are:
1. Ipoh
2. Taiping
3. Teluk Intan
4. Sungai Siput
5. Kuala Kangsar
6. Lumut
7. Batu Gajah
8. Tanjung Malim

In February 2009, Barisan Nasional retook Perak State Assembly from the Pakatan Rakyat government, after the defections of Hee Yit Foong (Jelapang), Jamaluddin Mohd. Radzi(Behrang) and Mohd. Osman Jailu (Changkat Jering) to Barisan Nasional as independent assemblymen. The Sultan of Perak dismissed the Pakatan Rakyat government but refused to dissolve the state assembly and thus trigger new elections. Amid multiple protests, lawsuits and arrests, a new Barisan Nasional-led State Assembly was sworn in on May 7, but the takeover was ruled illegal by the High Court in Kuala Lumpur on on May 11, 2009, restoring power to the Pakatan Rakyat. However on May 22, 2009, the Court of Appeal overturned the High Court's decision and returned power back to the Barisan Nasional.
Perak's population is now approximately 2 million. Once Malaysia's most populous state, Perak has yet to recover from an economic slowdown caused by the decline in the tin mining industry. The weak economy has led to a massive drain in manpower to higher-growth states such as Penang, Selangor and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.
The ethnic composition of the population was estimated in 2001 to be:
 Malay (1,101,105 or 53.68%)
 Chinese (643,129 or 31.35%)
 Indian (262,121 or 12.78%)
 Other (6,536 or 0.32% have Thai 2,080)
 Non-Citizen (38,345 or 1.87%)
Perak covers an area of 21,006 km², making up 6.4 percent of total land banks in Malaysia. It is the second largest Malaysian state in the Malay Peninsula, and the fourth in the whole of Malaysia.
Perak's days are warm and sunny, while its nights are cool the whole year through, with occasional rains in the evenings. Temperature is fairly constant, that is, from 23°C to 33°C, with humidity often more than 82.3 percent. Annual rainfall measures at 3,218 mm
Perak became prominent when Long Jaafar discovered tin in Larut, Taiping, which became a boost for the state's economy.
Before recession hit the economies of countries and states world wide, Perak was one of Malaysia's wealthiest. But the 1980s saw the collapse of the tin industry, crippling Perak’s economy. Prices plummeted and once lucrative mines were forced to close.
This, in turn, forced the Perak State Government to make a firm decision to diversify the economy's base towards the more value added, resource-linked manufacturing. The mid-1980s saw a large influx of electronics SMEs from Taiwan to Silibin and Jelapang industrial estates, but by 1990s, they have relocated to lower cost China. A new car manufacturing hub called Proton City at Tanjung Malim has been developed with the establishment of state-of-the-art car manufacturing facilities. The Proton City at Tanjung Malim has become the largest manufacturer of Proton cars (Malaysia's national car maker).
Agriculture is also one of Perak’s main industries, especially those concerning rubber, coconut and palm oil. Tourism is fast catching on as more and more people discover Perak’s hidden gems in the form of natural attractions and cultural sights.
While the economy is growing through the industrial sector, Perak's sound infrastructure and world class facilities make it an ideal environment for businesses
The railway service is undergoing major upgrading with the advent of electrified trains running on double tracks from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh. Ipoh Railway Station is an imposing structure in the city centre. Built in the Moorish style, this white structure, nicknamed the Taj Mahal of Ipoh, was completed in 1935 to replace the original railway platform shed built in 1917. The Ipoh Railway Station is said to be the second most beautiful railway station in Malaysia after the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station. It is located on Jalan Panglima Bukit Gantang Wahab.

There are several places of interests in Perak, such as its state capital, Ipoh, legendary for their silky noodles in soup called 'Sar Hor Fun' and Hainanese chicken rice. Tambun pomelos are another attraction to locals from other states.
Kuala Kangsar, just 48 km north of Ipoh on the Perak River, is the royal town of Perak. It is dominated by three buildings: Istana Iskandariah, Istana Kenangan and the Ubudiah Mosque. The Istana Iskandariah, located on a hill overlooking the river, is the palace of the Sultan of Perak. Istana Kenangan, which was constructed as a temporary residence during the Iskandariah's construction is known for its beautiful architecture. The Ubudiah Mosque is an impressive structure topped with a constellation of bright golden domes.
Kellie's Castle is located in Batu Gajah. It was built in 1915 and was never completed as the owner William Kellie Smith returned to England and died there. Many believe the castle is haunted, having many secret rooms and even a hidden tunnel. Today, it is opened as a tourist attraction.
Accessible from Lumut, the Pangkor Island holds a mix of quaint fishing settlements and white beaches decked with rich vegetation. The warm waters are perfect for swimming and diving while the atmosphere is simply relaxing. Many resorts are available for accommodation on this popular island.
A beautiful white water rafting location in Perak is at My Gopeng Resort (Gopeng). Many are here to do white water rafting (Grade 3), waterfall abseiling, rafflesia's flower trekking, jungle trekking and many others adventurous packages in Perak
Lemang, a Malay delicacy made from glutinous rice cooked in a bamboo tube over slow fire is a must-have during the festivities such as Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Hari Raya Haji, especially along with some rendang (Malay for meat curry in coconut milk and spices). Some say lemang originated from the indigenous people who cook their rice using bamboo.
Tempoyak is another popular Malay delicacy. It is durian extract which is preserved and kept in an urn. Commonly eaten with chillies and other dishes, it is well known due to the popularity of its key ingredient, durian, among the locals.

Kedah Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:51:00 +0000

Kedah (Jawi: قدح, also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Aman, or "Abode of Peace") is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice. Langkawi is an archipelago of islands, most of which are uninhabited. Kedah was called Syburi (Thai: ไทรบุรี) by the Siamese when it was under their influence.
Kedah borders the state of Perlis and shares an international boundary with the Songkhla and Yala provinces of Thailand to the north. It also borders the state of Perak to the south and Penang to the southwest.
The state's capital and royal seat is Alor Setar. Other major towns include Sungai Petani, and Kulim on the mainland, and Kuah on Langkawi. Kedah is divided into 12 districts namely Baling, Bandar Baharu, Kota Setar, Kuala Muda, Kubang Pasu, Kulim, Langkawi, Pokok Sena, Padang Terap, Pendang, Sik and Yan.
Kedah has a long history. The Bujang Valley has remains of a Hindu-Buddhist kingdom that dates back to the 4th century AD, making it the oldest civilization of Peninsular Malaysia. The current royal family can trace their ancestry from this time. According to Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa or the Kedah Annals, Kedah was founded by a Hindu king named Merong Mahawangsa. According to the text further, the Sultanate of Kedah started in year 1136 when the 9th King Phra Ong Mahawangsa converted to Islam and adopted the name Sultan Mudzafar Shah.
In the 7th and 8th centuries, Kedah was under the domination of Srivijaya, and was later under Siam, until the rise of the Malay sultanate of Melaka in the 15th century. In the 17th century, Kedah was attacked by the Portuguese after their conquest of Melaka, and by Aceh. In the hope that Great Britain would protect what remained of Kedah from Siam, the sultan handed over Penang and then Province Wellesley to the British at the end of the 18th century. The Siamese nevertheless conquered Kedah in 1811, and it remained under Siamese control until transferred to the British by the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909.
In World War II, Kedah (along with Kelantan) was the first part of Malaya to be invaded by Japan. The Japanese returned Kedah to their Thai allies who had it renamed Syburi, but it returned to British rule after the end of the war. Kedah was a reluctant addition to the Federation of Malaya in 1948.
Since 1958, the hereditary Sultan of Kedah has been Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah. The Kedah Sultanate began when the 9th Kedah Maharaja Derbar Raja AD) converted to Islam and changed his name to Sultan Muzaffar Shah. Since then there have been 27 Sultans who ruled Kedah. The Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) is currently Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak of (Pakatan Rakyat-PAS)
Kedah is the 8th largest state by land area and 8th most populated state in Malaysia, with a total land area and population of 9,426 km2and 1,818,188 respectively.
The Pedu Lake is the largest man-made lake in the state.
Kedah has a relatively non-homogeneous populace constituted by the three major ethnic groups; the Malays, Chinese and Indians, similar to most of the other Malaysian states.
There are 1,336,352 Malays (who make up about 75.5% of the state's population), 252,987 Chinese (or 14.2%), 122,911 Indians (or 6.9%), 35,293 non-citizens (or 1.9%) and 27,532 people from other ethnic groups (or 1.5%) in the state.
Constitution
Kedah's Constitution was promulgated by its Ruler in July 1950 and its full title in English is;
 The Laws of the Constitution of Kedah.
The various provisions laid down in the Constitution include the role and powers of the Monarch, the State Parliament and the State's Civil Service
The Sultan of Kedah
The Sultan of Kedah is the constitutional ruler of the State. His position is hereditary and he holds office for life. The Ruler is the head of the religion of Islam in the State and the executive power of the state government is vested in him. The current Sultan is Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah, who has reigned since 1958.
State Executive Council
The State Executive Council, which along with the Sultan is Kedah's executive branch of government. It is composed of the Menteri Besar, who is its chairman and Kedah's head of government, and ten other members. The Menteri Besar and other members of the council are appointed by the Sultan of Kedah from members of the Dewan Undangan Negeri (State Assembly). The current Menteri Besar is Dato' Seri Azizan Abdul Razak, of the Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS, or Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party).
List of Chief Ministers
Incumbent Tenure Political Affiliation
Mohamad Sheriff bin Osman 1948 - 1954 UMNO of Barisan Nasional
Tunku Ismail bin Tunku Yahaya 1954 - 1959 UMNO of Barisan Nasional
Syed Omar bin Syed Abdullah Shahabuddin 1959 - 1967 UMNO of Barisan Nasional
Tun Dato' Seri Utama Syed Ahmad bin Syed Mahmud Shahabuddin 1967 - 1978 UMNO of Barisan Nasional
Syed Nahad bin Tun Syed Sheh Shahabuddin 1978 - 1985 UMNO of Barisan Nasional
Haji Osman bin Haji Aroff 1985 - 1996 UMNO of Barisan Nasional
Sanusi bin Junid 1996 - 1999 UMNO of Barisan Nasional
Syed Razak bin Syed Zain Barakhbah 1999 - 2005 UMNO of Barisan Nasional
Dato' Haji Mahdzir bin Khalid 2005 - 2008 UMNO of Barisan Nasional
Dato' Seri Ustaz Haji Azizan bin Abdul Razak 2008 - present PAS of Pakatan Rakyat
Kedah State Assembly
 See Also:Breakdown of State Seats Representatives elected 2008
The state also has a legislative branch, called the state assembly. It is similar to the Parliament but is limited to making laws relating to the state. Its members are elected in elections which are usually held simultaneously with federal elections. The term of each state assembly member is limited to five years. The state assembly must be dissolved before or once it expires its term for a fresh election to elect its members.
Kedah State Government Agency
1. Kedah State Government Secretary Administration
2. Kedah Department of Islamic Affairs
3. Kedah Department of Syariah Law
4. Kedah Department of Public Works
5. Kedah Department of Agriculture
6. Kedah Department of Community Welfare
7. Kedah Department of Forestry
8. Kedah Department of Irrigatian and Drainage
9. Kedah Department of Mufti
10. Kedah Department of Veterinar
11. Kedah State Treasury
12. Kedah Museum Board
13. Kedah Housing and Property Board
14. Kedah Water Management Board
15. Kedah Public Library Corporation
16. Kedah Islamic Religious Council
17. Kedah Zakat Board
18. Kedah Agriculture Development Corporation
19. Kedah State Development Corporation
20. Kedah Land dan Mineral Office

State Anthem
Malay English translation
Allah selamat Sultan Mahkota
Berpanjangan usia di atas Takhta
Memelihara agama Nabi kita
Negeri Kedah serata-rata God save the Crowned Sultan
Long life upon the Throne
Upholding the religion of our Prophet
Throughout the State of Kedah
Kedah is considered the "rice bowl" of Malaysia, accounting for one third of Malaysia's total production of rice. Other agricultural products, including rubber, oil palm and tobacco are also important. Tourism, particularly on the island of Langkawi is of growing importance.
More recently, Kedah has forged its economy towards the automotive and aerospace industries with Modenas and Asian Compositessetting up bases here. One of the main advantages is the low labour costs and the infrastructure in place with the North-South Expressway and the Penang International Airport close by. In 1996, the Kulim Hi-Tech Park (KHTP) was officially opened as the first high technology industrial park in Malaysia. The Park comprises a total land area of approximately 14.5 square kilometres (5.6 mi²). Many local and foreign companies, such as Intel, Fuji Electric, Showa Denko and SilTerra have moved to the site since then.
According to the Ninth Malaysia Plan, this economic area is referred to as the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER). The Northern Corridor Economic Region is one of three development regions formed in Peninsular Malaysia, other development regions being the Iskandar Malaysia (or South Johor Economic Region) and the East Coast Development Region. The NCER encompasses Penang (Penang Island and Seberang Prai), Kedah (Alor Setar, Sungai Petani, Tikam Batu and Kulim) and northern Perak
Kedah has given birth to numerous successful Malaysians who have achieved immense success in Malaysia and abroad.
The state has a campus of Universiti Utara Malaysia, UUM which is located in Bandar Baru Sintok.It was formally incorporated on 16 February 1984. The University was established with the specific mission of providing a leadership role for management education in the country.Thus, the university is also known as a management university. The academic establishments in UUM include College of Business (COB), College of Law, Government and International Studies (COLGIS) and College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). UUM is the first university in the country to be a fully wired using fiber-optic cables.
Kedah also has several public universities and colleges such as Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) in Merbok.Universiti Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Spanish Institute (UniKL MSI) located in Kulim , The Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST University) in Bedong and Kolej Universiti Insaniah (KUIN) is located in Mergong.
Polytechnic of Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah (POLIMAS) in Jitra and Polytechnic of Sultanah Bahiyah (PSB)in Kulim.
Institut Perguruan Sultan Abdul Halim (IPSAH) in Sungai Petani and Institut Perguruan Darul Aman (IPDA) in Bandar Darulaman are a institute set up by the government to provide teaching courses for trainee teachers.
One of the country's fastest growing private university, the Open University Malaysia (OUM) Regional Learning Center for the state of Kedah and Perlis is also located in Sungai Petani and Albukhary International University located in Alor Setar. There are also have private college like PTPL College and Cosmopoint College. In Kedah also located 3 technical institute from MARA that is Institut Kemahiran MARA Sungai Petani locate in Sungai Petani, Institut Kemahiran MARA Alor Setar located in Alor Setar and Institut Kemahiran MARA Sik located in Sik This state also have several boarding school such as Sekolah Berasrama Penuh and MARA Junior Science College or MRSM which provided good infrastructure facilities life to students.
Hospitals in Kedah state are listed below:
General Hospital
 Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah
 Hospital Sultan Abdul Halim
 Hospital Kulim
 Hospital Jitra
Furthermore, all district in Kedah has own their public hospital and clinic.
Private Hospital
 Metro Specialist Hospital
 Hospital Pantai Utara
 Kedah Medical Centre
 Putra Medical Centre

Perlis ,Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:44:00 +0000

Perlis (Jawi ﭬﺮليس) is the smallest state in Malaysia. It lies at the northern part of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and has Satun and Songkhla Provinces of Thailand on its northern border. Perlis was called Palit (Thai: ปะลิส) by the Siamese when it was under their influence.
Perlis Indera Kayangan has a population of 210,000. The ethnic composition for the year 2000 in Perlis was: Malay (174,805 or 79.74%),Chinese (21,058 or 9.6%), Indian (2,658 or 1.21%) and others (20,690 or 9.45%).
The capital of Perlis is Kangar and the Royal capital is Arau. Another important town is Padang Besar, at the Malaysian-Thailand border. The main port and ferry terminal is at the small village of Kuala Perlis, linking mostly to Langkawi Island. Perlis has a famous snake farm and research centre at Sungai Batu Pahat and Gua Kelam and Perlis State Park are tourist attractions. Compared to other states of Malaysia, Perlis has bucolic charm, peace and simplicity.
Perlis was originally part of Kedah, although it occasionally came under rule by Siam or Aceh. After the Siamese conquered Kedah in 1821, the British felt their interests in Perak to be threatened. This resulted in the 1826 Burney and Low Treaties formalising relations between the two Malay states and Siam, their nominal overlord. In the Burney Treaty, the exiled Kedah sultan Ahmad Tajuddin was not restored to his throne. Sultan Ahmad and his armed supporters then fought unsuccessfully for his restoration over twelve years (1830-1842).
In 1842, the Sultan finally agreed to accept Siamese terms, and was restored to his throne of Kedah. However, Siam separated Perlis into a separate principality directly vassal to Bangkok. Syed Hussain Jamalulail, the paternal grandson of a Hadhrami Arab immigrant and maternal grandson of the Sultan of Kedah, became the first Raja of Perlis. His descendants still rule Perlis, but as rajas, instead of as sultans.
As with Kedah, the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 forced Siam to relinquish its southern Malay vassal states to Great Britain. The British installed a Resident in the Perlis Royal capital of Arau. Perlis was returned to Siam by the Japanese in World War II as a reward for Siam's alliance with Japan, but this brief annexation ended with the Japanese surrender. After World War II, Perlis returned to British rule until it became part of the Malayan Union, then Federation of Malaya in 1957 and lastly Federation of Malaysia in 1963.
The economy of Perlis was booming at the time when Shahidan Bin Kassim was the Menteri Besar. Despite numerous allegations and rumours of him involving in shoddy dealings, he managed to hold on to power from 1996 to 2008. Although he single-handedly managed to prevent oppositions from capturing the state, the royal family refused to let him to continue as MB.
Since 2000, the Raja or hereditary monarch has been Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin. He was the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia from 2001 to 2006. Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra was the Regent of Perlis during the five-year period when Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin was Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The Chief Executive or Menteri Besar is Datuk Seri Dr Md Isa Sabu of Barisan Nasional.
Economy
The state economy is dominated by agriculture, with rice, sugar, herbs and fruits predominating. Forestry especially from Jati timberwoods and fishery is also important, and the state is making great efforts to attract small and medium scale manufacturing industries and services. During the Japanese occupation of Malaya, the Raja of Perlis was Syed Hamzah Jamalullail but the Siamese Government also appointed their own Governor in Perlis by the name of Udom Boonyaprasop. The Japanese lost the War and the British returned as colonialists again and decided to replace Raja Syed Hamzah with Syed Putra Jamalullail who reigned over the smallest State in Malaya and later Malaysia both in terms of size, revenue and population.

Sabah

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:40:00 +0000

Sabah is a Malaysian state located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo . It is the second largest state in Malaysia after Sarawak, which it borders on its south-west. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia 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. Palawan, Philippines was once to be part of Sabah until Filipinos protested it last 1994 and claimed again its territory.
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, the Austrian 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 a protectorate 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 of Jesselton. In Kudat, there were also some resistance led by Tun 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 Borneo was 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 and Singapore 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 Borneo in the new federation, a 20-point agreement was entered into between the federal and the state government
The Sultanate of Sulu was granted the north-eastern part of the territory as a prize for helping the Sultan of Brunei against his enemies and from then on that part of Borneo was recognized as part of the Sultan of Sulu's sovereignty. In 1878, Baron Von Overbeck, an Austrian partner representing The British North Borneo Company and his British partner Alfred Dent, leased the territory of Sabah. In return, the company was to provide arms to the Sultan to resist the Spaniards and 5,000 Malayan dollars annual rental based on the Mexican dollar's value at that time or its equivalent in gold. This lease was continued until the independence and formation of the Malaysian federation in 1963 together with Singapore, Sarawak and the states of Malaya. As of 2004, the Malaysian Embassy to the Philippines had been paying cession/rental money amounting to US$1,500 per year (about 6,300 Malaysian Ringgits) to the heirs of the Sultanate of Sulu.
The contract between Sri Paduka Maulana Al Sultan Mohammad Jamalul Alam, representing the sultanate as owner and sovereign of Sabah on one hand, and that of Gustavus Baron de Overbeck and Alfred Dent representing the North Borneo Company, on the other as lessees of Sabah, was executed on January 22, 1878. The Lease prohibits the transfer of Sabah to any nation, company or individual without the consent of His Majesty’s Government (“Government of the Sultan of Sulu”). Although it is mentioned to be a permanent lease, it is contrary to international law, which states that the terms for a lease contract can be for only 99 years, as in the case of Hong Kong and Macau when these were leased to United Kingdom and Portugal respectively, by China and subsequently returned after the expiration of the lease. This would make the lease on Sabah overdue by 130 years.
Less than a decade later, the Sultanate of Sulu came under the control of Spain and in 1885, Spain relinquished all of its claim to Borneo to the British in the Madrid Protocol of 1885. In spite of that, in 1906 and 1920 the United States formally reminded United Kingdom that Sabah did not belong to them and was still part of the Sultanate of Sulu on the premise that Spain never acquired sovereignty over North Borneo to transfer all its claims of sovereignty over North Borneo to the United Kingdom on the Madrid Protocol of 1885. This is so because the Sultan of Sulu did not include his territory and dominion in North Borneo in signing the treaty of 1878 recognizing the Spanish sovereignty over “Jolo and its dependencies.” North Borneo was never considered a dependency of Jolo. However, the British Government ignored the reminder and still annexed the territory of North Borneo as a Crown Colony on July 10, 1946. This was in spite of the fact that the British Government was aware of the decision made by the High Court of North Borneo on December 19, 1939, that the successor of the Sultan in the territory of Sabah was the Government of the Philippine Islands and not United Kingdom.
On September 12, 1962, during President Diosdado Macapagal's administration, the territory of North Borneo, and the full sovereignty, title and dominion over the territory were ceded by the then reigning Sultan of Sulu, HM Sultan Muhammad Esmail E. Kiram I, to the Republic of the Philippines. The cession effectively gave the Philippine government the full authority to pursue their claim in international courts. The Philippines broke diplomatic relations with Malaysia after the federation had included Sabah in 1963. It was revoked in 1989 because succeeding Philippine administrations have placed the claim in the back burner in the interest of pursuing cordial economic and security relations with Kuala Lumpur
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 Kinabalu is 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 a World 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 Madi Range 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 in Malaysia 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 Maliau Basin, 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
Sabah has a democratic political system with universal suffrage. The Yang di-Pertua Negeri sits at the top of the hierarchy followed by the state legislative assembly and the state cabinet. The Yang di-Pertuan Negeri is officially the head of state however its functions are largely ceremonial. The chief minister is the head of government and is also the leader of the state cabinet. The member of the legislature who commands the majority of support in the house may be appointed as chief minister. A general election for state and federal level officials is held every five years. The state parliament or the state legislative assembly meets at the state capital, Kota Kinabalu. The state is divided into 25 parliamentary constituencies and 60 state assembly districts where each is represented by an elected Member of Parliament (MP) and Member of the State Legislative Assembly respectively.
The present elected state and federal government posts are held by Barisan Nasional (BN), a coalition of parties which includesUnited Malays National Organisation (UMNO), Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO), Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA).
The last state election was in 2004 and as of 2006, the state legislature has 60 members. It comprises 59 BN state legislature members (Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri) and a single independent. Of this, 32 are from UMNO, 13 from PBS, 5 from UPKO, 4 from the SAPP, 3 from LDP, and one each from MCA and PBRS
Prior to the formation of Malaysia in 1963, the then North Borneo interim government submitted a 20-point agreement to the Malayan government as conditions before Sabah would join the Federation. Sabah entered Malaysia as an autonomous state with a Christian Kadazan-Dusun chief minister, but soon succumbed to Kuala Lumpur's vision of a one-party unitary Islamic state dominated by the indigenous Muslim Bajau and Brunei Malay people. This has created considerable friction and even occasional calls for secession. These tensions are further inflamed by Kuala Lumpur's colonial mentality towards Sabah, wherein 95% of the profits from Sabah's immense natural resources are taken by the federal government, leaving the state government with only 5%. Aside from nominally separate immigration controls, little evidence remains of Sabah's theoretical autonomy.
Until the Malaysian general election, 2008, Sabah, along with the states of Kelantan and Terengganu, are the only three states in Malaysia that had ever been ruled by opposition parties not part of the ruling BN coalition. Led by Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, PBS formed government after winning the 1985 elections and ruled Sabah until 1994. Due to certain internal troubles, BN took over the government in 1994 despite PBS winning the elections. PBS subsequently joined the BN coalition in 2002.
A unique feature of Sabah politics was a policy initiated by the BN in 1994 whereby the chief minister's post is rotated among the coalition parties every 2 years regardless of the party in power at the time, thus theoretically giving an equal amount of time for each major ethnic group to rule the state. This extremely weakens the executive branch of the state government, which was formerly much at odds with the federal government in Kuala Lumpur. It also serves to give a disproportionate power to the indigenous Muslim Bajau ethnic group, at the expense of the mainly Christian indigenous Kadazan-Dusun, the largest ethnic group. This practice has since stopped with power now held by majority in the state assembly by the UMNO party, which also holds a majority in the national parliament.
There has been a conspiracy theory that the chief minister post rotation system was implemented to allow UMNO to control the post permanently by abolishing the whole system once it was UMNO's turn to hold the post. It has never been proven but it is considered impossible for UMNO to get a hold of the post through any other method. The conspiracy theory was brought up once again when a division from UMNO proposed to implement the same rotation system in Penang, one of the two states which is currently not controlled by UMNO but is under BN rule (the other state being Sarawak). The proposal was raised even though UMNO abolished the system in Sabah by declaring it a failure.
UMNO had a quick rise to power since its entry into Sabah in 1991 where before that both eastern Malaysian states were not penetrated by the party, whose president is the de facto leader of the ruling coalition BN and automatically the Prime Minister of Malaysia. This has given rise to dissent as the chief minister rotation system was halted just as UMNO was holding the post. Thus the 2004 general elections saw widespread disillusionment, coupled with an ineffectual opposition. The state assembly is now dominated by the ruling party BN with only one seat held by an opposition politician who is an independent candidate. This was caused by a general sentiment where a number of voters were reluctant to cast votes for BN whose victory was almost assured but did not trust the opposition parties, most of which were not vigorously active before the election. Therefore many cast votes for independent candidates.
Sabah politics, as are Malaysia's, is very much based upon party lines. An effort by PBS, a component party of BN, to hatch a co-operation with the one opposition candidate within the state assembly, who conversely was a former UMNO member competing independently because he was not nominated for the constituency by his party, in an unprecedented attempt at bipartisanship, was harshly criticized by UPKO, another component party of BN
Chief Ministers of Sabah
Year Chief Minister Party
1963-1964 Tun Fuad Stephens United National Kadazan Organization (UNKO)
1965-1967 Datuk Peter Lo Sui Yin Sabah Chinese Association (SCA)
1967-1975 Tun Mustapha Datu Harun United Sabah National Organization (USNO) - BN
1975-1976 Tun Said Keruak USNO - BN
1976 (44 days) Tun Fuad Stephens Berjaya - BN
1976-1985 Datuk Harris Mohd Salleh Berjaya - BN
1985-1994 Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan PBS - Opposition (In partnership with BN in 1986-1990)
1994-1995 Tun Sakaran Dandai UMNO - BN
1995-1996 Datuk Salleh Tun Said Keruak UMNO - BN
1996-1998 Datuk Yong Teck Lee SAPP - BN
1998-1999 Tan Sri Bernard Dompok (now UPKO) Parti Demokratik Sabah (PDS) - BN
1999-2001 Datuk Seri Osu Haji Sukam UMNO - BN
2001-2003 Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat LDP - BN
2003-present Datuk Seri Musa Aman UMNO - BN

Administrative divisions
Sabah consists of five administrative divisions, which are in turn divided into 24 districts.
These administrative divisions are, for all purposes, just for reference. During the British rule until the transition period when Malaysia was formed, a Resident was appointed to govern each division and provided with a palace (Istana). This means that the British considered each of these divisions equivalent to a Malayan state. The post of the Resident was abolished in favour of district officers for each of the district.

Division Name Districts Area (km²) Population (2006)
1 West Coast Division Kota Belud, Kota Kinabalu, Papar, Penampang, Putatan, Ranau, Tuaran 7,588 953,900
2 Interior Division Beaufort, Nabawan, Keningau, Kuala Penyu, Sipitang, Tambunan, Tenom 18,298 420,800
3 Kudat Division Kota Marudu, Kudat, Pitas 4,623 189,500
4 Sandakan Division Beluran, Kinabatangan, Sandakan, Tongod 28,205 676,000
5 Tawau Division Kunak, Lahad Datu, Semporna, Tawau 14,905 756,800

Local Government
As in the rest of Malaysia, local government comes under the purview of state governments. However, ever since the suspension of local government elections in the midst of the Malaysian Emergency, which was much less intense in Sabah than it was in the rest of the country, there have been no local elections. Local authorities have their officials appointed by the executive council of the state government.
Demographics
The population of Sabah was 2,449,389 in 2000 and was the third most populous state in Malaysia after Selangor and Johor. It is estimated that Sabah's population has exceeded that of Johor with an estimated population of 3,400,000 in 2007 Sabah indeed has one of the highest population growth rates in the country.
 Kadazan-Dusun: 17.8%
 Rungus
 Bajau: 13.4%
 Malay: 11.5%
 Murut: 3.3%
 Other bumiputra: 14.6%
 Chinese: 13.2%
 Other non-bumiputra: 4.8%
 Non-Malaysian citizen: 25%

 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 and Indonesia. 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 recognised ethnic groups. The largest immigrant ethnic group is the Chinese. 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 as Sabahans 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:
 Kadazan-Dusun
 Malay
 Kwijau
 Murut
 Bajau
 Illanun
 Lotud
 Rungus
 Tambanuo
 Dumpas
 Mangka'ak
 Suluk
 Orang Sungai
 Brunei  Kedayan
 Bisaya Beaufort
 Tidong
 Maragang
 Orang Cocos
 Paitan
 Ida'an
 Minokok
 Rumanau
 Chinese of mixed bumiputra parentage
Other inhabitants:
 Filipino
 Indonesians
 Sarawak indigenous groups
 Serani

Economy
Sabah's economy was traditionally heavily lumber dependent, based on export of tropical timber, but with increasing depletion of the natural forests and ecological efforts to save remaining natural rainforest areas, palm oil has emerged. Other agricultural products important in the Sabah economy include rubber and cacao. Tourism is currently the second largest contributor to the economy. There are other exports like seafood and vegetables.
In 1970, Sabah ranked as one of the richest states in the federation, with a per capita GDP second only to Selangor (which then included Kuala Lumpur). However, despite its vast wealth of natural resources, Sabah is currently the poorest of Malaysia's states. Average incomes are now among the lowest in Malaysia, and with a considerably higher cost of living than in West Malaysia. In 2000 Sabah had an unemployment rate of 5.6 per cent, the highest of any Malaysian state and almost twice the national average of 3.1 per cent. The state has the highest poverty level in the country at 16 per cent, more than three times the national average. Part of the problem is the inequitable distribution of wealth between state and federal governments, and large numbers of illegal immigrants from Indonesia, the Philippines, even East Timor, whose population was estimated to be in the region of half a million people. In 2004 the poverty level worsened to 22 per cent.
The recent tabling of the Ninth Malaysia Plan has allocated RM16.908 billion for Sabah, the second highest state allocation after Sarawak's but it is still only 8% of the total national budget for a population of Sabah of more than 13%, and an area of more than 25%. This is clearly discriminatory and has contributed to the State of Sabah having the largest number of people below the poverty line in Malaysia, and lower than the Indonesian national poverty rate and in the same level as Aceh and Myanmar based on 2004 United Nations figures.
The fund is pledged to improve the state's rural areas, improve the state's transportation and utilities infrastructures, and boost the economy of Sabah. The government has placed its focus on three major areas of the economy which have the potential to be Sabah's growth engine. These are agriculture, manufacturing and tourism.
When this discriminatory budget against Sabah and Sarawak was pointed out, the allocation for Sabah was increased from the earlier figure of 15.7 billion RM while there is none for Sarawak. The reason given to Sarawak's Chief Minister, as reported by Borneo Post (11 November 2007) is that it is not economical to develop Sarawak. Sarawak is to be the source of renewable resources for Malaya. This situation applies to Sabah as well except that Sarawak's renewable resources are not even meant for Sabah. The percentage of the total budget is still much less than Sabah's population and area burdens, and this is a classic example of too little and too late.

RankCityPopulation

Kota Kinabalu 532,129
Sandakan 448,074
Tawau 349,962
Lahad Datu 119,938
Keningau 97,152
Semporna 71,157
Kudat 34,481

Tourism
Tourism, particularly eco-tourism, is a major contributor to the economy of Sabah. In 2006, 2,000,000 tourists visited Sabah and it is estimated that the number will continue to rise following vigorous promotional activities by the state and national tourism boards and also increased stability and security in the region. Sabah currently has six national parks. One of these, the Kinabalu National Park, was designated as a World Heritage Site in 2000. It is the first of two sites in Malaysia to obtain this status, the other being the Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak. These parks are maintained and controlled by Sabah Parks under the Parks Enactment 1984. The Sabah Wildlife Department also has conservation, utilization, and management responsibilities

National Parks
 Mount Kinabalu National Park - the second highest mountain in Southeast Asia with an altitude of 4,101 metres (13,455 ft). It is lower than only Puncak Jaya in Irian Jaya on the island of New Guinea, Indonesia at 4,884 metres.
 Turtle Islands Park - conservation efforts for endangered sea turtles
 Tunku Abdul Rahman Park - A national park consisting of five islands off the coast of Kota Kinabalu
 Sipadan National Park - Located near Semporna, the oceanic island of Sipadan has a very rich underwater ecosystem.
 Pulau Tiga National Park
 Crocker Range National Park
 Tawau Hills Park

Politics and governance
Mat Salleh was a Suluk-Bajau who led a rebellion against British North Borneo Company administration in North Borneo. Under his leadership, the rebellion which lasted from 1894 to 1900 razed the British Administration Centre on Pulau Gaya and exercised control over Menggatal, Inanam, Ranau and Tambunan. The rebellion was by Bajaus, Dusuns and Muruts.
Another notable Sabahan is Donald Stephens who helped form the state of Sabah under the UN appointed Cobbold commission. He was an initial opponent of Malaysia but was persuaded by Lee Kuan Yew with an offer of 8 university places for Sabahan students at the University of Malaya, Singapore
Donald Stephens was the first Huguan Siou or paramount leader of the Kadazan-dusun and Murut people.
Tun Datu Mustapha was a Suluk-Kagayan Muslim political leader in Sabah through the United Sabah National Organisation (USNO) party. He was a vocal supporter of Malaysia but fell out of favor with Malayan leaders despite forming UMNO branches in Saba and deregistering USNO. Efforts to reregister USNO have not been allowed, unlike UMNO that was allowed to be reregistered under the same name.
Former Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan is the current Huguan Siou and the President of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS). Pairin, the longest serving chief minister of the state and one of the first Kadazandusun lawyers, was known for his defiance of the federal government in the 1980s and 90s in promoting the rights of Sabah and speaking out against the illegal immigration problems. Sabah was at the time one of only two states with opposition governments in power, the other being Kelantan. PBS has since rejoined BN and Datuk Pairin is currently the Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah.
The 8th and current Attorney General of Malaysia, Abdul Gani Patail, comes from Sabah.
In 2006, Penampang-born Richard Malanjum was appointed Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak and became the first Kadazan dusun to hold such a post.
Arts
Sabah has produced a fair number of well-known media figures. With the advent of reality TV in Malaysia, Sabah produced more breakthrough artist compared to 4 decades before.
 Movies & TV: Tony Francis Gitom (filmmaker), Daphne Iking (NTV7 host), Farid Amirul Hisham (actor : 'Gerak Khas', Lim), Kamaruddin Mape (TV3 Newscaster), Farish Aziz (Astro TV host), actress Fung Bo Bo & Chung Shuk Wai
 Radio Disc Jockey: Maryanne Raymond (a.k.a. DJ Mary of TraxxFm), Constantine Anthony(a.k.a. DJ Constantine of TraxxFm), Shahrizan Ferouz(a.k.a. DJ The Shaz of TraxxFm), Fadhil bin Luqman (a.k.a. DJ Fad Da Dillio on TraxxFm) (To know more about TRAXXfm, Log on to http://www.traxxfm.net or listen live at http://bkj-station1.jaring.my/traxxfm) DJ Johnboy Lee of Hitz. FM & Bigfish Radio, DJ othoe (Suria.FM)
 1st Sabahan Online Radio: (Sabahan.FM) DJ AbgLang, DJ KiNaBaLu, DJ si_jason, DJ Black, DJ Saliparjipun, DJ Iter, DJ markiekadus, DJ sumandak, DJ ayustitch, DJ lordYork, DJ Langau (http://www.sabahan.net/ http://sabahan.FM/listen.pls)
 Modelling: Guess model Amber Chia
 Musicians & Composers: Guitarist Roger Wang, composer Julfekar and Asmin Mudin
 Singers: Nazrey Johani (ex- nasyid group Raihan), Azharina Azhar, Winner of the Evergreen Singer Award Peter Dicky Lee, Pete Teo, Jerome Kugan, Mia Palencia, Yan Qing, Gary Cao, Dyg Noraini Hj. Shaari (Sinaran Pasport Kegemilangan Winner)
 Band & Groups: JIAJA (Blast Off! Season 2 Champion), E-Voke (Gang Starz 1), One Nation Emcees (Gang Starz Season 2 Winner), B.A.D. Boys (Adam's artists), Lotter & Divine Masters, Richael Gimbang of Estranged
 Reality TV stars (non-finalist): Nikki Palikat (Malaysian Idol), Mas (AF2), Yazer (AF3), Nora (AF4), Farha (AF5), Noni (AF5), Rubisa (AF7), Zizi (AF7), AB (OIAM2), Mark Malim (OIAM2), Shone (OIAM2)
 International Artists: Che'nelle
Sports
Matlan Marjan is a former football player for Malaysia. He scored two goals against England in an international friendly on June 12, 1991. The English team included Stuart Pearce, David Batty, David Platt, Nigel Clough, Gary Lineker, was captained by Bryan Robson and coached by Bobby Robson. No other Malaysian player managed to achieve this. In 1995, he along with six other Sabah players, were arrested on suspicion of match-fixing. Although the charges were dropped, he was prevented from playing professional football and was banished to another district. He was punished under the Internal Security Act (which allows for indefinite detention without any trial, despite being proven innocent, and even on non-security related issues).
Business
Arts and entertainment
Sabahan contestants attained many finalist spots and even won major reality TV show contests. This phenomenon is probably due to many hidden Sabahan talents finally uncovered through Reality TV.
 One in a Million: Ayu (OIAM2 winner), Esther (1st runner-up OIAM3)
 Akademi Fantasia finalist: Norlinda Nanuwil & Adam from AF2, Felix Agus & Marsha Milan Londoh from AF3, Velvet & Lotter from AF4, Candy & Ebi from AF5, Stacy the AF6/1st Sabahan/2nd female champion
 Gang Starz: E-Voke (season 1 semi-finalist), One Nation Emcees (season 2 winner)
 Blast-Off: Jiaja (season 2 winner)
 Mentor: Pija (winner season 1), Fiq (winner season 2)
Sabah's first homegrown film was Orang Kita, starring Abu Bakar Ellah.
Some films and TV shows filmed in Sabah include the first season of reality show Survivor, The Amazing Race, Eco-Challenge Borneo, films Bat*21, as well as a number of Hong Kong production films. Sabah was also featured in Sacred Planet, a documentary hosted by Robert Redford.
There are many types of traditional dances in Sabah, most notably:
 Daling-daling: Danced by Suluks and Bajaus. In its original form, it was a dance which combined Arabic belly dancing and the Indian dances common in this region, complete with long artificial finger nails and golden head gear accompanied by a Suluk song called daling-daling which is a love story. Its main characteristic is the large hip and breast swings but nowadays it is danced with a faster tempo but less swings, called Igal-igal.
 Sumazau: Kadazandusun traditional dance which performed during weddings and Kaamatan festival. The dance form is akin to a couple of birds flying together.
 Magunatip: Famously known as the Bamboo dance, requires highly skilled dancers to perform. Native dance of the Muruts, but can also be found in different forms and names in South East Asia.
Sabah's first established newspaper was the New Sabah Times. The newspaper was founded by Tun Fuad Stephens, who later became the first Chief Minister of Sabah.
American author Agnes Newton Keith lived in Sandakan between 1934-1952 and wrote several books about Sabah.
In the Earl Mac Rauch novelization of Buckaroo Banzai (Pocket Books, 1984; repr. 2001), and in the DVD commentary, Buckaroo's archenemy Hanoi Xan is said to have his secret base in Sabah, in a "relic city of caves."

The Land of Hornbill- Sarawak Malaysia -Borneo island

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:36:00 +0000

Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang ("Land of the Hornbills"), it is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia; the second largest, Sabah, lies to the northeast.
The administrative capital is Kuching which has a population of 579,900 (2006 census; Kuching City South - 143,500; Kuching City North - 133,600; Padawan- 3rd Mile/ 7th Mile/ 10th Mile - 302,800). Major cities and towns also include Sibu (pop. 254,000), Miri (pop. 263,000) and Bintulu (pop. 176,800). As of last census (Dec 31, 2006), the state population was 2,357,500. For more details about the population seeDemographics of Malaysia, though it is interesting to note that Sarawak is, like Sabah to the north, a multicultural state, with no ethnic majority

The eastern seaboard of Borneo had been charted (though never settled) by the Portuguese in the early 16th century. The area of today's Sarawak was known to Portuguese cartographers as Cerava. Sarawak had been a loosely governed territory under the control of the BruneiSultanate in the early 19th century, although in the early 17th century Sarawak had her own the first and the last Sultan, Sultan Tengah. During the reign of Pangeran Indera Mahkota in 19th century, Sarawak was in chaos. Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II (1827-1852), the Sultan of Brunei, ordered Pangeran Muda Hashim in 1839 to restore order and it was during this time that James Brooke arrived in Sarawak. Pangeran Muda Hashim initially requested assistance but James Brooke refused. In 1841, James Brooke paid another visit to Sarawak and this time he agreed to assist. Pangeran Muda Hashim signed a treaty in 1841 surrendering Sarawak and Sinian to James Brooke. Thereafter, on 24 September 1841, Pangeran Muda Hashim bestowed the title Governor to James Brooke. He effectively became the Rajah of Sarawak and founded the White Rajah Dynasty of Sarawak, later extending his administration through an agreement with the Sultan of Brunei.

Brooke was appointed Rajah by the Sultan of Brunei on August 18, 1842; originally this territory was just the western end of later Sarawak, around Kuching. He ruled Sarawak until his death in 1868. His nephew Charles Anthoni Johnson Brooke became Rajah after his death; he was succeeded on his death in 1917 by his son, Charles Vyner Brooke, with a provision that Charles should rule in consultation with his brother Bertram Brooke[1]. The territory was greatly expanded under the White Rajahs, mostly at the expense of areas nominally under the control of Brunei. In practice Brunei had only controlled strategic river and coastal forts in much of the lost territory, and so most of the gain was at the expense of Muslim warlords and of the de facto independence of local tribes.
The Brooke dynasty ruled Sarawak for a hundred years and became famous as the "White Rajahs", accorded a status within the British Empire similar to that of the rulers of Indian princely states. In contrast to many other areas of the empire, however, the Brooke family was intent on a policy ofpaternalism to protect the indigenous population against exploitation. They governed with the aid of the Muslim Malay and enlisted the Ibans and other "Dayak" as a contingent militia. They also encouraged the immigration of Chinese merchants but forbade the Chinese to settle outside of towns in order to minimize the impact on the Dayak way of life. They also established the Sarawak Museum, the first museum in Borneo.
In the early part of 1941 preparations were afoot to introduce a new constitution, designed to limit the power of the Rajah and give the people of Sarawak a greater say in government. While the intention was clearly admirable, the draft constitution contained defects and improprieties, not least by reason of a secret agreement drawn up between Charles Vyner Brooke and his top government officials, by which he was to be financially compensated for this gesture out of treasury funds.
Japan invaded Sarawak and occupied the island of Borneo in 1941, occupying Miri on December 16 and Kuching on December 24, and held it for the duration of World War II until the area was secured by Australian forces in 1945. The Rajah formally ceded sovereignty to the British Crown on July 1, 1946, under pressure from his wife among others. In addition the British Government offered a healthy pension to sweeten the negotiations. His nephew Anthony continued to claim sovereignty as Rajah of Sarawak.
After the end of the Second World War, Anthony Brooke then opposed the cession of the Rajah's territory to the British Crown, and was associated with anti-secessionist groups in Sarawak. Anthony was banished from the country. He was allowed to return only seventeen years later, when Sarawak became part of the Federation of Malaysia. Sarawak became a British colony (formerly an independent state under British protection) in July 1946, but Brooke's campaign continued. The Malays in particular resisted the cession to Britain, dramatically assassinating the first British governor.
Sarawak was officially granted independence on July 22, 1963, and was admitted into the federation of Malaysia on September 16, 1963, to the initial opposition from parts of the population. Sarawak was also a flashpoint during the Indonesian Confrontation between 1962 and 1966.
Having land area of 124,450 km² spreading between latitude 0° 50′ and 5°N and longitude 109° 36′ and 115° 40′ E, it makes up 37.5% of the land of Malaysia. Sarawak also contains large tracts of tropical rain forest home to an abundance of plant and animal species.
Sarawak is currently divided into eleven Administrative Divisions: Kuching Division, Samarahan Division, Sri Aman Division, Betong Division, Sarikei Division, Sibu Division, Mukah Division, Kapit Division, Bintulu Division, Miri Division and Limbang Division.
The state stretches for some 750 km along the north east coastline of Borneo, interrupted in the north by about 150 km of Brunei coast. Sarawak is separated from the Indonesian part of Borneo (Kalimantan) by ranges of high hills and mountains that are part of the central mountain range of Borneo. These get higher to the north and culminate near the source of the Baram River with the steep Mount Batu Lawi, Mount Mulu in the Park of the same name and Mount Murud with the highest peak in Sarawak.
The major rivers from the south to the north include Sarawak River, the Lupar River, the Saribas River, the Rajang River with 563 km the longest river in Malaysia with the Baleh River branch, the Baram River, the Limbang River that drains into the Brunei Bay as it divides the two parts of Brunei and the Trusan River that also flows into the Brunei Bay.The Sarawak river 2459k2 in area and is the main river flowing through Kuching(the capital).
Sarawak can be divided into three natural regions. The coastal region is rather low lying flat country with large extents of swamps and other wet environments. The hill region provides most of the easily inhabited land. Most of the larger cities and towns have been built in this region. As the swamps make up much of the coast, the ports of Kuching and Sibu have been built some distance from the coast on rivers, while Bintulu and Miri are close to the coast at the only places that the hills stretch right to the China Sea. The third region is the mountain region along the border and with the Kelabit and Murut highlands in the north
Sarawak features vast areas of both lowland and highland rainforest. However, Sarawak has been hit hard by the logging industry and the expansion of monoculture tree plantations and oil palm plantations. Malaysia's deforestation rate is increasing faster than anywhere else in the world. Statistics estimate Sarawak's primary forest has been depleted by around 50%[c. Malaysia's rates of deforestation are among the highest in Asia, jumping almost 86 percent between the 1990-2000 period and 2000-2005. In total, Malaysia lost an average of 1,402 km² —0.65 percent of its forest area—per year since 2000 . By comparison, South East Asian countries lost an average of 0.35% of their forest per annum during the 1990s

Sarawak has more than 40 sub-ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language, culture and lifestyle. Cities and larger towns are populated predominantly by Malays, Melanaus, Chinese, and a smaller percentage of Ibans and Bidayuhs who have migrated from their home-villages for employment reasons. Sarawak is rather distinctive from the rest of Malaysia in that there is only a small community of Indians living in the state.

The Ibans form the largest percentage of Sarawak's population, making up almost 34%. Reputed to be the most formidable headhunters on the island of Borneo, the Ibans of today are a generous, hospitable and placid people. Because of their history as pirates and fishermen, they were conventionally referred to as the "Sea Dayaks". The early Iban settlers who migrated from Kalimantan (the Indonesian part of Borneo south of Sarawak) via the Kapuas River and crossed over the Kelingkang range and set up home in the river valleys of Batang Ai, the Skrang River, Saribas, and the Rajang River. The Ibans dwell in longhouses, a stilted structure comprising many rooms housing a whole community of families.
If you ever have the fortune to visit an Iban longhouse and glance upward, dangling above you may see head trophies or antu pata. These suspended heads were obtained to mark a tribal victory and were a source of honor. Not to worry, though, this headhunting practiced ceased around the 1930's.
The Ibans are renowned for their Pua Kumbu (traditional Iban weavings), silver craftings, wooden carvings and beadwork. Iban tattoos which were originally symbols of bravery for the Iban warriors have become amongst the most distinctive in the world.
The Ibans are also famous for their tuak, a sweet rice wine which is served during big celebrations and festive occasions.
Today, the majority of Ibans practice Christianity. However, like most other ethnic groups in Sarawak, they still hold strong to their many traditional rituals and beliefs. Sarawak celebrates colourful festivals such as the Gawai Dayak (harvest festival), Gawai Kenyalang (hornbill, the god of war, festival) penuaian padi and Gawai Antu (festival of the dead).
The Chinese first came to Sarawak as traders and explorers in the 6th century. Today, they make up 26% of the population of Sarawak and consist of communities built from the economic migrants of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The first Chinese (Hakka) migrants worked as labourers in the gold mines at Bau or on plantations. Through their clan associations, business acumen and work ethic, the Chinese organised themselves economically and rapidly dominated commerce. Today, the Chinese are amongst Sarawak's most prosperous ethnic groups.
The Sarawak Chinese belong to a wide range of dialect groups, the most significant being Hakka, Hokkien, Foochow, Teochew, Cantonese and Henghua. Hokkien, Hakka, Foochow and Mandarin are the most widely spoken dialects. The Chinese maintain their ethnic heritage and culture and celebrate all the major cultural festivals, most notably Chinese New Year and the Hungry Ghost Festival. The Sarawak Chinese are predominantly Buddhists and Christians
The Malays make up 21% of the population in Sarawak. Traditionally fishermen, these seafaring people chose to form settlements on the banks of the many rivers of Sarawak. Today, many Malays have migrated to the cities where they are heavily involved in the public and private sectors and taken up various professions. Malay villages (kampungs) - a cluster of wooden houses on stilts, many of which are still located by rivers on the outskirts of major towns and cities, play home to traditional cottage industries. The Malays are famed for their wood carvings, silver and brass craftings as well as traditional Malays textile weaving with silver and gold thread (kain songket).
Malays are Muslim by religion, having converted to the faith some 600 years ago. Their religion is reflected in their culture and art and Islamic symbolism is evident in local architecture - from homes to government buildings.
Concentrated mainly on the West end of Borneo, the Bidayuhs make up 10% of the population in Sarawak are now most numerous in the hill counties of Bau and Serian, within half an hour drive from Kuching.
Historically, as other tribes were migrating into Sarawak and forming settlements (particularly the Malays from the neighbouring archipelagos as they shore up along the coastal areas and riversides) the peace-loving, meek-natured Bidayuhs retreated further inland, hence earning them the name of "Land Dayaks n land owners". The word Bidayuh in itself literally means "land people" in Biatah dialect. In Bau-Jagoi/Singai dialect, the pronunciation is "Bidoyoh" which also carry the same meaning.
The traditional community construction of the Bidayuh is the "baruk", a roundhouse that rises about 1.5 metres off the ground. It serves as the granary and the meeting house for the settlement's community. Longhouses were typical in the olden days, similar to that of the Ibans.
Typical of the Sarawak indigenous groups, the Bidayuhs are well-known for their hospitality, and are reputed to be the best makers of tuak, or rice wine. They also do arak tonok,some kind of moonshine.
The Bidayuhs speak a number of different but related dialects. To some Bidayuhs they either speak English (thanks to the British colonial era James Brooke) or Malay as their main language. While some of them still practice traditional religions, the majority of modern-day Bidayuhs have adopted the Christian faith.
The Melanaus have been thought to be amongst the original settlers of Sarawak. Originally from Mukah (the 10th Administrative Division as launched in March 2002), the Melanaus traditionally lived in tall houses. Nowadays, they have adopted a Malay lifestyle, living in kampong-type settlements. Traditionally, Melanaus were fishermen and still today, they are reputed as some of the finest boat-builders and craftsmen.
While the Melanaus are ethnically different from the Malays, their lifestyles and practices are quite similar especially in the larger towns and cities where most Melanau have adopted the Islamic faith.
The Melanaus were believed to originally worship spirits in a practice verging on paganism. Today most of them are Muslim and some are Christians, though they still celebrate traditional animist festivals such as the annual Kaul Festival.
The phrase Orang Ulu means upriver people and is a term used to collectively describe the numerous tribes that live upriver in Sarawak's vast interior. Such groups include the major Kayan and Kenyah tribes, and the smaller neighbouring groups of the Kajang, Kejaman, Punan, Ukit, and Penan. Nowadays, the definition also includes the down-river tribes of the Lun Bawang, Lun Dayeh(mean upriver/far upstream), Berawan, Saban as well as the plateau-dwelling Kelabits. The various Orang Ulu groups together make up roughly 5.5% of Sarawak's population. The Orang Ulu are artistic people with longhouses elaborately decorated with murals and woodcarvings. They are also well-known for their intricate beadwork and detailed tattoos. The Orang Ulu tribe can also be identified by their unique music - distinctive sounds from their sape, a stringed instrument not unlike the mandolin.
A vast majority of the Orang Ulu tribe are Christians but old traditional religions are still practiced in some areas.
Some of the major tribes making up the Orang Ulu group include :
 Kayan
There are approximately 15,000 Kayans in Sarawak. The Kayan tribe built their longhouses in the northern interiors of Sarawak midway on the Baram River, the upper Rejang River and the lower Tubau River, and were traditionally headhunters. They are well known for their boat making skills, which they carve from a single block of belian, the strongest of the tropical hardwoods.
Although many Kayan have become Christians, some are still practise paganistic beliefs, but these are very rare today.
 Lun Bawang
The Lun Bawang are indigenous to the highlands of East Kalimantan, Brunei (Temburong District), southwest of Sabah (Interior Division) and northern region of Sarawak (Limbang Division).Lun Bawang people are traditionally agriculturalists and practise animal husbandry such as rearing poultry, pigs and buffaloes. Lun Bawangs are also known to be hunters and fishermen.
 Kelabit
With a population of approximately 3000, the Kelabit are inhabitants of Bario - a remote plateau in the Sarawak Highlands, slightly over 1,200 meters above sea level. The Kelabits form a tight-knit community and practise a generations-old form of agriculture. Famous for their rice-farming, they also cultivate a variety of other crops which are suited to the cooler climate of the Highlands of Bario. The Kelabits are closely related to the Lun Bawang.
The Kelabit are predominantly Christian, the Bario Highlands having been visited by Christian missionaries many years ago.
 Kenyah
There are few findings on the exact origin of the Kenyah tribe. Their heartland however, is Long San, along the Baram River. Their culture is very similar to that of the Kayan tribe with whom they live in close association. The typical Kenyah village consists of only one longhouse and the people are mainly farmers, planting rice in burnt jungle clearings. With the rapid economic development, especially in timber industry, many of them work in timber camps.
 Penan
The Penan are the only true nomadic people in Sarawak and are amongst the last of the world's hunter-gatherers. The Penan make their home under the rainforest canopy, deep within the vast expanse of Sarawak's virgin jungle. Even today, the Penan continue to roam the rainforest hunting wild boar and deer with blowpipes. The Penan are skilled weavers and make high-quality rattan baskets and mats. The traditional Penan religion worships a supreme god called Bungan. However, the increasing number who have abandoned the nomadic lifestyle for settlement in longhouses have converted to Christianity.
 Sebob/Chebob
One of the least known tribes in Sarawak and be found in upper Tinjar river. Sebob are the first Tinjar settlers along the Tinjar river and it is said that the other tribes came later(migrated) The sebob/chebob tribes occupies up to 6 six longhouse in Tinjar namely; Long Loyang, Long Batan, Long Selapun, Long Pejawai,and Long Subeng.(All these names come from small stream where they lived) Amongst the longhouses, Long Luyang is the longest and most populated Sebob/Chebob settlement.It comprises almost 100 units. Most of these people have migrated and found work in the cities.
Religions
Sarawakians practice a variety of religions, including Islam, Christianity, Chinese folk religion (a fusion of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and ancestor worship) and animism. Christianity is the largest religion in culturally and religiously-diverse Sarawak. Religion plays a significant role in nurturing the culture of decency and modesty among Sarawakians. It also reflects and strengthens the identity among various ethnics. For example, Islam reflects the identity of Malay, Chinese religions and Buddha reflects the identity of Chinese and Christianity reflects the identity of most Dayaks (while some still practising animism)
Islam is the second largest religion in Sarawak, constitutes 30% of Sarawak total population. An estimated 77% of Muslims in Sarawak are from Malay ethnics. All Malays are Muslim by religion as stipulated in Malaysian Constitution. Thus, Malay culture contributes significantly to Sarawakian Muslim tradition as a whole especially for wedding, circumcision (coming of age ritual), 'majlis doa selamat' and etc.
Other ethnics which have strong Islamic influence in their traditions are Melanau and Kedayan. Melanaus, depends on region or kampung they live in, are normally either Muslim or Christian (while very little practising pagan). Melanau Muslim represents 15% of total Sarawakian Muslim population. Most of them live in Kuching, Matu, Mukah, Igan and Bintulu. Majority of Melanau profess Muslim.
Kedayan, is another distinct ethnic from Malay and Melanau, but traditionally Muslim. Although small in number, they contribute to a majority of Muslim population in Sibuti and Bekenu district in Miri. Penan, on the other hand, which is part of Orang Ulu tribes, has gradually contributed to rising Muslim population in Sarawak.
Administratively, Islam is under the authority of state Islamic council, which is Majlis Islam Sarawak (MIS), a state government agency. Under MIS, there are various agencies dealing with various aspects of Islam such as Jabatan Agama Islam Sarawak (JAIS), Majlis Fatwa, Baitulmal Sarawak and etc. Muslims in Sarawak are very well taken care of in their religious aspect of their life, despite not being the majority in Sarawak.
Although percentage of Muslims has grown steadily for the past 40 years, the growth does not match to that of Christians. Back in 1960, Islam is the largest religion in Sarawak (professed by 23% of Sarawakians) compared to 16% Sarawakian Christians. Apostacy among Muslim converts is common throughout Sarawak. Many cases of apostacy are due to unattended Muslim converts by Muslim missionaries, especially at upriver areas. Despite being the state with highest growth of Muslim population in Malaysia, Sarawak may has the highest growth of apostacy among Muslim converts in Malaysia.
Muslim in Sarawak observe all Islamic festivals, such as Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Puasa), Hari Raya Aidiladha (Haji), Awal Muharram and Maulidur Rasul. All these celebrations have been commenced as public holidays in Sarawak. However, Israk Mikraj, Awal Ramadhan and Nuzul Quran, although observed, are not public holidays.
Christianity is the largest religion in Sarawak, making up 43% of Sarawak total population. This makes Sarawak the state with highest percentage of Christians in Malaysia. Major Christian denominations in Sarawak are the Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Methodists, Borneo Evangelical Church (or Sidang Injil Borneo, S.I.B.) and Baptists. 78% of Sarawakian Christians are non-Malay Bumiputera, ranging from Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu and Melanau.
Denomination of Christians in Sarawak may vary according to their race, although not necessarily true. For example, most Chinese Christians are Methodists, most Ibans and Bidayuhs are either Roman Catholics or Anglicans, while most Orang Ulu are S.I.B.'s. Church plays an important part in shaping morality of the communities, while some Christians views the church as a religious place. Professing Christianity has lead to abolishing of some previous rituals by indigenous ethnics such as headhunting, improper disposal of dead bodies, etc. Christians among indigenous ethnics have also embraced many Christian values such as preserving modesty and dedication to God.
Despite being denied aid financially and administratively by Sarawak government, Christianity has continued to expand the number of followers. Official statistic shows that percentage of Christians in Sarawak grow faster than that of Muslims in Sarawak. For the past 40 years, Christianity grows tremendously from only 16% of the Sarawak population to 43%, thanks to the foreign missionary efforts. In 1960, there were less Christians than Muslims in Sarawak, with a gap of 7%.
Christianity has also contributed to the betterment of the education system in Sarawak. There were a lot of missionary schools built during 1950s to early 1980s. It has gained popularity throughout Sarawak urban citizens transcending race and religion. Due to federalization of education system, most of these missionary schools have been converted into government national schools. Participation of church in these schools have been reduced, and intake of teachers have been liberalized to follow other national schools. Although the reputation of these schools as missionary schools have somehow being abolished, government did allow the schools to continue using religious symbols on school buildings and teaching Christian values to non-Muslim students.
Christians in Sarawak observe Christian festivals just like their counterparts in other part of the world, namely Christmas, Good Friday, Easter Monday and Ascension of Jesus Christ. However, only Christmas and Good Friday being declared public holiday in Sarawak.
Buddhism is regarded as the main religion of Chinese ethnic in Sarawak. Many of the Sarawakian Chinese community, which comprises the bulk of the Buddhist population, actually practise a mixture of Buddhism, Taoism and Chinese folk religion. As there is no official name for this particular set of beliefs, many followers instead list down their religion as Buddhism, mainly for bureaucratic convenience. Buddhists in Sarawak made up less than 15% of Sarawak total population. Buddhists from other ethnic especially Bumiputera are rare and almost insignificant to be related with.
Buddhism in Sarawak observe Wesak Day. It is a public holiday in Sarawak.
Many Dayak especially Iban continue to practice traditional ceremonies, particularly with dual marriage rites and during the important harvest and ancestral festivals such as Gawai Dayak,Gawai Kenyalang and Gawai Antu.
Other ethnics who still have trace number of animism followers are Melanau and Bidayuh
Unlike their fellow Peninsular Malaysians, Sarawak Hindus are very small in number. Almost all Hindus in Sarawak are Indians, while some are Chinese. There are less than 10 Hindu temples throughout Sarawak, most of them are located in Kuching and Miri. Due to intermarriage of Peninsular Malaysian Indians and Sarawakian Bumiputeras, a new breed of mixed Indians have born in Sarawak. These has contributed slightly to the growth of Hinduism in Sarawak, although unproven.
Hindus in Sarawak observe Deepavali and Thaipussam. However, none of these festivals are public holidays
Baha'i is one of the recognized religion in Sarawak, although it is blacklisted by Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia as 'ajaran sesat'. Various races embraced Baha'i, from Chinese to Iban and Bidayuh. In some schools, Baha'i associations or clubs for students do exist. Baha'i advertisements are also a normal sight on public bus throughout Sarawak. There are some instances where Sarawak government contributes financial aid in form of land or cash to Baha'i associations.
Apart from the abovementioned religions, many Chinese profess wholeheartedly to Chinese folk religions, Taoism or Confucianism without embracing other religions like Buddhism. Normally they will state their religion as 'no religion', or to some extent, choosing one of other non-Muslim religions to be stated.
Sikhism is also one of minor religion in Sarawak. There are only two gurdwaras in Sarawak, one in Kuching, and another one in Miri.
There are also sizeable amounts of atheists and religionless Sarawakians. Most of them choose to state their religion as 'no religion'. This practice, however, is accepted not only in Sarawak, but also throughout Malaysia.
Sarawak is divided into 11 Divisions:
 Betong Division
 Bintulu Division
 Kapit Division
 Kuching Division
 Limbang Division
 Miri Division
 Mukah Division
 Samarahan Division
 Sarikei Division
 Sibu Division
 Sri Aman Division

Sarawak's rainforests have been gradually depleted by the demand driven by the logging industry and the following introduction of palm oil plantations. Many of Sarawak's rural communities have felt changes affected by the economic activity of these industries. Peaceful protests and timber blockades between native communities and logging companies are common, often resulting in preventive police action. The Penan, Borneo's nomadic hunter gatherers have been most affected by these changes, complaining of illness through polluted rivers, game depletion resulting in widespread hunger and loss of traditional medicines and forest products. Their resistance to logging companies culminated in a series of protests and timber blockades in the 1990s, of which many were dismantled by the Police, within the remit of the Law. The Penan claim that their rights are not respected by the State nor by logging companies [3]. Another example, the native customary rights court case of Rumah Nor in the Kemena Basin gave rural communities engaged in subsistence farming hope for continued communal use of land reserves. Although the Court of Appeal ruled against Rumah Nor on the grounds that they had not produced sufficient evidence for their claim, it nevertheless upheld the principles stated by the lower court. These principles are the basis of not only Rumah Nor's claim, but of the claims of all Sarawak's native communities, namely, (i) that native customary rights are NOT created by legislation, although they can be extinguished by legislation, on condition of adequate compensation, and (ii) that these communities have a territory including forest reserves and rivers, and farmland, including land under fallow. Thus, although the Court of Appeal ruled against Rumah Nor's specific claims, it upheld the lower court's ruling in favour of Rumah Nor with regard to the general principles. In this sense, it represents a significant blow to the state's claims that native customary rights comprise only those rights recognised by the state through its legislation.
The problems caused by logging in Sarawak were starkly illustrated in Bruce Parry's BBC TV series, Tribe in 2007 (Series 3). He spent time living with the Penan and was shown some of the effects and heard them voice their concerns
Sarawak has an abundance of natural resources. LNG and petroleum have provided the mainstay of the Malaysia federal government's economy for decades while State of Sarawak only get 5% royalty from it. Sarawak is also one of the world's largest exporters of tropical hardwood timber and is the major contributor to Malaysian exports. This has led to wide scale deforestation of Sarawak's rainforest. The last UN statistics estimated Sarawak's sawlog exports at an average of 14,109,000 m³ between 1996 and 2000.
With such vast land expanse, Sarawak has large tracts of land suitable for commercial agricultural development. Approximately 32% or about 40,000 km² of the state's total land area has been identified as suitable agricultural land. Nevertheless, less than 9% of this is planted with productive permanent crops, while the balance is still under shifting cultivation for hill paddy (rice) which is estimated at more than 16,000 km². The main commercial crops are oil palm, which has been increasing steadily over the years, sago, and pepper.
Since the 1980s, Sarawak has started to diversify and transform its economy into a more industrialised one. This endeavour has been seeing continuing success, with manufacturing and high-tech industries now playing a significant role in shaping the economic expansion of the state.
As the largest state in the Federation of Malaysia, Sarawak aims to be a fully developed state along with the rest of the country by 2020. Sarawak has identified four sectors as key sources of growth:
 manufacturing
 commercial agriculture
 construction
 services sectors
The availability of vast competitively-priced land and rich reserves of natural resources has made Sarawak an attractive choice for manufacturing operations among investors.

Indian wedding

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:44:00 +0000

Indian weddings are very bright events, filled with ritual and celebration, that continue for several days. They are not small affairs, often with 400-1000 people attending (many of whom are unknown to the bride and groom). Though most marriages are arranged, some couples in urban areas have love marriages. The true Indian wedding is about two families getting wedded socially with much less emphasis on the individuals involved.

Many of the wedding customs are common among the Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and even Muslims. They are a combination of local, religions and family traditions.

Traditions
Wedding traditions vary across religion, ethnicity, language, region, etc. Traditional Indian weddings are generally structured into pre-wedding ceremonies, wedding day ceremonies (consisting of the Baraat, the Varmala and the Phere), and the Vidaai.
An example of the complexity of an Indian wedding can be seen from the various phases of a wedding in the North of india. The following events take place in a typical Eastern Uttar Pradesh Hindu marriage.

Before the wedding day
Bariksha (Var-iksha probably) is when the bride's parents have informally shown intentions that they want a particular groom, and the groom and his family have agreed. Retracting at the end of this stage is frowned upon but is acceptable.
Tilak involves the bride's parents traveling to the groom's place to formalize the relationship. A large feast is organized by the groom's family to celebrate this occasion. Only a nominal number of members of the bride's family are present (usually only very close relatives, often in tens of numbers. Typically, the female marriage proposal is very rare.
Byaha Haath: This ceremony signifies the purifying of the mind, body and soul of bride and groom. This daytime ceremony prepares both of them for the nuptials. 'Uptan' is a mixed paste of sandalwood, turmeric and rose water which is applied by seven unmarried female members of the families and to the faces, hands and feet of the bride and groom. After this ceremony the bride and the groom are not allowed to step outside the house before the actual wedding
Hindu wedding ceremonies are traditionally conducted at least partially in Sanskrit, the language in which most holy Hindu ceremonies are conducted. The local language of the people involved is also used since most Hindus cannot understand Sanskrit. They have many rituals that have evolved since traditional times and differ in many ways from the modern western wedding ceremony and also among the different regions, families, and castes such as Rajput weddings and Iyer weddings. The Hindus attach a lot of importance to marriages and the ceremonies are very colorful and extend for several days.

In India, where most Hindus live, the laws relating to marriage differ by religion. By the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 passed by the Union Parliament of India, for all legal purposes, all Hindus of any caste, creed or sect, Sikh, Buddhists and Jains are considered as Hindus for the sake of the Hindu marriage Act — and can hence intermarry. By the Special Marriage Act, 1954, a Hindu can marry a non-Hindu employing any ceremony provided certain legal conditions are fulfilled.

The pre-wedding ceremonies include engagement (involving vagdana or oral agreement and lagna-patra written declaration), and arrival of the groom's party at the bride's residence, often in the form of a formal procession. The post-wedding ceremonies involve welcoming the bride to her new home.

Just as Hinduism is hard to grasp and contrast against the newer, book-defined, structured religions such as Christianity and Islam, India's prevalent wedding traditions are also hard to categorize purely on a religious basis. They have a closer similarity to ancient cultures such as Greek, Roman, Persian, Egyptian and Chinese.

An important thing to note is that despite the fact that the modern Hinduism is largely based on the puja form of the worship of devas as enshrined in the Puranas, a Hindu wedding ceremony at its core is essentially a Vedic yajna (a fire-sacrifice), in which the Aryan deities are invoked in the Indo-Aryan style. It has a deep origin in the ancient ceremony of cementing the bonds of friendship/alliance (even among people of the same sex or people of different species in mythological contexts), although today, it only survives in the context of weddings. The primary witness of a Hindu marriage is the fire-deity (or the Sacred Fire)Agni, and by law and tradition, no Hindu marriage is deemed complete unless in the presence of the Sacred Fire, seven encirclements have been made around it by the bride and the groom together.

The ancient system of Hindu/Vedic marriages did not differentiate between male and female, as is done in modern times.
 The basis for a fulfilling and happy life
Te santu jard—istayah sampriyau royisnu sumansyamanau|
Pasyema sharadah shatam jivema sharadah shatam shrunuyam shardah shatam||
“We should be able to live a graceful life that is full of mutual love and warmth. Our sentiments should be auspicious.
We should be able to see for a hundred years, live a healthy life of a hundred years and listen the music of spring for a hundred years.”
The sage of the above mentioned vedic — aca, has emphasized that the basis of happy and fulfilling married life is the sense of unity, intimacy and love between husband and wife. Thus, marriage is not for self-indulgence, but rather should be considered a lifelong social and spiritual responsibility. Married life is considered an opportunity for two people to grow from life partners into soul mates.

Chinese Marriage

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:08:00 +0000

Chinese marriage (Chinese: 婚姻; pinyin: hūn yīn) is a ceremonial ritual within Chinese societies that involve a marriage established by pre-arrangement between families. Within Chinese culture, romantic love was allowed, and monogamy was the norm for most ordinary citizens.

Etymology
In more ancient writings for the word 婚姻, the former has the 昏 beside the radical 女 (pinyin: nǚ, literally "a female"). This implies that the wedding ceremony is performed in the evening, which is deemed as time of fortune. Similarly, 姻 (pinyin: yīn) has the same pronunciation as 因 (pinyin: yīn). According to Zhang Yi's (張揖) Guangya Shigu (廣雅•釋詁), a dictionary of ancient Chinese characters, 因 (pinyin: yīn) means "friendliness", "love" and "harmony", indicating the correct way of living for a married couple.
Marriage in a Confucian context
In Confucian thought, marriage is of grave significance both to families and to society as well as being important for the cultivation of virtue. Traditionally incest has been defined as marriage between people with the same surname. From the perspective of a Confucian family, marriage brings together families of different surnames and so continues the family line of the paternal clan. This is generally why having a boy is more preferred than a girl when giving birth. Therefore, the benefits and demerits of any marriage are important to the entire family, not just the individual couples. Socially, the married couple is thought to be the basic unit of society. In Chinese history there have been many times when marriages have affected the country’s political stability and international relations. From the Han Dynasty onward, the rulers of certain powerful foreign tribes such as the Mongolians, the Manchus, the Xiongnu, and the Turks demanded women from the Imperial family. Many periods of Chinese history were dominated by the families of the wife or mother of the ruling Emperor. Thus marriage can be related to politics.
Prehistoric Chinese marriages

In traditional Chinese thinking, people in "primitive" societies did not marry, but had sexual relationships with one another indiscriminately. Such people were thought to live like animals, and they did not have the precise concept of motherhood, fatherhood, sibling, husband and wife, and gender, not to mention match-making and marriage ceremony. Part of the Confucian "civilizing mission" was to define what it meant to be a Father or a Husband, and to teach people to respect the proper relationship between family members and regulate sexual behavior.
Mythological origin
The story about the marriage of Nüwa and Fu Xi, who were once sister and brother respectively, told about how they invented proper marriage procedures after becoming married. At that time the world was unpopulated, so the siblings wanted to get married but, at the same time, they felt ashamed. So they went up to Kunlun Shan and prayed to the heavens. They asked for permission for their marriage and said, “if you allow us to marry, please make the mist surround us.” The heavens gave permission to the couple, and promptly the peak was covered in mist. It is said that in order to hide her shyness, Nüwa covered her blushing face with a fan. Nowadays in some villages in China, the brides still follow the custom and use a fan to shield their faces.
Maternal marriage and monogamy
In a maternal marriage, a male would become a son-in-law who lived in the wife’s home. This happened in the transformation of antithetic marriage into monogamy, which signifies that the decline of matriarchy and the growing dominance of patriarchy in the ancient China.

Traditional marriage rituals
Chinese marriage became a custom between 402-221 B.C. Despite China's long history and many different geographical areas, there are basically six rituals, generally known as the three letters and six etiquette (三書六禮)
Three Letters
The marriage is initiated by a series of three letters.
 The request letter is sent from the groom's family to the bride's family, and formally requests a marriage.
 The gift letter accompanies the gifts of the groom's family to the bride's family shortly before the wedding.
 The wedding letter is given on the day of the wedding, officially accepting the bride into the groom's family

Six Etiquette
 Proposal: When an unmarried boy's parents find a potential daughter-in-law. They then located a matchmaker whose job was to assuage the conflict of interests and general embarrassments on the part of two families largely unknown to each other when discussing the possibility of marriage.
 Birthdates: If the potential daughter-in-law's family did not object to the proposal, the matchmaker would then compare the couples' birthdates. If according to Chinese astrology the couple is compatible they would then proceed to the next step.
 Bride price (Betrothal gifts): At this point the bridegroom's family arranges for the matchmaker to present bride price (betrothal gifts), including the betrothal letter, to the bride's family.
 Wedding gifts: The groom's family will then send an elaborate array of food, cakes, and religious items to the bride's family.
 Arranging the wedding: The two families will arrange a wedding day which will bring the most luck to the couple, again based on the Chinese calendar mythology.
 Wedding Ceremony: The final ritual is the actual wedding ceremony where bride and groom become a married couple, which consists of many elaborate parts

 Wedding Procession: The wedding procession from bride's home would march to the groom's home. The procession consists of a traditional band, the bride's sedan, the maids of honor's sedans (if there are maids of honor), and bride's dowry in the forms other than money.
 Welcoming the Bride: The wedding procession of the bride's family stops at the door of the groom's home. There are ceremonies to be followed to welcome the bride and her wedding procession into the groom's home, which varies from locale to locale.
 Actual Wedding Ceremonies: Equivalent to exchanging vows in the west, the couple would pay respect to the heaven and earth, paying respect to the groom's parents, paying respect to each other.
 Wedding banquet In Chinese society, the wedding banquet is known as xǐ-jǐu (喜酒, literally joyful wine), and is sometimes far more important than the wedding itself. There are ceremonies such as bride presenting wines or tea to parents, spouse, and guests.
Before modern times, women were not allowed to choose the person they married. Instead, the family of the bride picked the prospective husband. Marriages were chosen based upon the needs of reproduction and honor, as well as the need of the father and husband
Traditional divorce process
In traditional Chinese society, there are three major ways to dissolve a marriage.
The first one is no-fault divorce. According to the legal code of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), a marriage may be dissolved due to personal incompatibility, provided that the husband writes a divorce note.
The second way (義绝) is through a state-mandated annulment of marriage. This applies to when one spouse commits a serious crime (variously defined, usually defined more broadly for the wife) against the other or his/her clan.
Finally, the husband may unilaterally declare a divorce. To be legally recognized, however, it must be based on one of the following seven reasons (七出):
 The wife lacks filial piety towards her parents-in-law (不順舅姑). This makes the parents-in-law capable of breaking a marriage against both partners' will.
 She fails to bear a son (無子).
 She is vulgar or lewd/adulterous (淫).
 She is jealous (妒). This includes objecting to her husband taking an additional wife or concubine.
 She has a vile disease (有惡疾).
 She is gossipy (口多言).
 She commits theft (竊盜).
Obviously, these reasons can be stretched quite a bit to suit the husband and his family. However there are three clearly defined exceptions (三不去), under which the unilateral divorce is disallowed, even if some of the above seven reasons exist:
 She has no family to return to (有所取無所歸).
 She had observed a full three-year mourning for a parent-in-law (與更三年喪).
 Her husband was poor when they married, and now is rich (前貧賤后富貴).
The above law about unilateral divorce was in force from Tang Dynasty to its final abolition in the Republic of China's Civil Code (Part IV) Section 5, passed in 1930.

Divorce in Contemporary China
After the establishment of the People's Republic in 1949, the country's new Marriage Law also explicitly provided for lawful divorces. Women were permitted to divorce their husbands and many did, sparking resistance from rural males especially. Kay Ann Johnson reported that tens of thousands of women in north central China were killed for seeking divorces or committed suicide when blocked from doing so.
During the Mao era (1949-1976) divorce was rare, but in the reform era, it has become easier and more commonplace. A USC U.S.-China Institute article reports that the divorce rate in 2006 was about 1.4/1000 people, about twice what it was in 1990 and more than three times what it was in 1982. Still, the divorce rate in China is less than half what it is in the United States.

Polygamy
This section discusses the social and legal aspects of polygamy, mostly polygyny (one man, multiple women), in traditional Chinese society. The traditional culture does not prohibit or explicitly encourage polygyny (except as a way to obtain male children).
The scope of practice is limited by the number of available women, as well as the financial resource of the man, since he has to be able to support the women. Therefore polygyny is mostly limited to parts of the upper to middle class; while among the rest of the population monogamy can be regarded as the norm. Historical written records is probably skewed with regard to the actual prevalence of polygamy, since the elite can be safely assumed to be overrepresented in them.

Sororate marriage
Sororate marriage is a custom in which a man marries his wife's sister(s). Later it is expanded to include her cousins or females from the same clan. The Chinese name is 娣媵 (娣=younger sister,媵=co-bride). It can happen at the same time as he marries the first wife, at a later time while the wife is still alive, or after she dies. This practice was frequent among the nobility of Zhou Dynasty, with incidences occurring at later times.

Multiple wives with equal status
 Emperors of some relatively minor dynasties are known to have multiple empresses.
 Created by special circumstances. For example, during wartime a man may be separated from his wife and mistakenly believe that she had died. He remarries, and later the first wife is found to be alive. After they are reunited, both wives may be recognized.
 Qianlong Emperor of Qing dynasty began to allow polygamy for the specific purpose of siring heirs for another branch of the family. Called "multiple inheritance" (兼祧), if a man is the only son of his father 單傳), and his uncle has no son, then with mutual agreement he may marry an additional wife. A male child from this union becomes the uncle's grandson and heir. The process can be repeated for additional uncles.

Beside the traditional desire for male children to carry on the family name, this allowance partially resolves a dilemma created by the emperor himself. He had recently banned all non-patrilineal forms of inheritance, while wanting to preserve the proper order in the Chinese kinship. Therefore, a couple without son cannot adopt one from within the extended family. They either have to adopt from outside (which was regarded by many as passing the family wealth to unrelated "outsiders"), or become heirless. The multiple inheritance marriages provided a way out when the husband's brother has a son.

Concubinage
Women in concubinage (妾) are treated as inferior, and expected to be subservient to the wife (if there is one). The women were not wedded in a whole formal ceremony, had less right in the relationship, and may be divorced arbitrarily. They generally come from lower social status or were bought as slaves. Women who had eloped may also become concubines since a formal wedding requires her parents' participation.
The number of concubines is sometime regulated, which differs according to the men's rank. Emperors almost always have multiple royal concubines.
A somewhat different form of it is the so-called "two primary wives" (兩頭大). Traditionally, a married woman is expected to live with her husband's family. When the husband has to live away from his family, however, she has to stay with her in-laws and take care of them. A man who thus suffers chronic separation from his wife, such as a traveling merchant, may "marry" another woman where he lives and set up a separate household with her. Due to the geographical separation, the second woman often regards herself as a full wife for all practical matters, yet legally this marriage is not recognized, and she is treated as a concubine. In China specifically, in cases where the primary wife fails to have sons to prolong the family name, a secondary wife is allowed by law via the sing-song girls concept.
This practice has influenced the recent surge of polygamy in mainland China. Since the opening of China's border in the 1970s, businessmen from Hong Kong and Taiwan started setting up "secondary wives" (二奶) in the mainland. Since then the practice has spread to local affluent men
According to Chinese criminal law, married people who leave home to live with their lovers are considered to have committed bigamy.

Polyandry
Polyandry, the practice of one woman having multiple husbands, is traditionally considered immoral, prohibited by law, and uncommon in practice. However, there are instances in which a man in poverty rents or pawns his wife temporarily

Malay Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:28:00 +0000

Malay wedding
A Malay wedding is usually performed when either one or both spouses are Malay. Malaysian law defines a Malay person as a Muslim. The traditional wedding ceremony is in two parts. The first part is the akad nikah (marriage contract), which is the legal and religious part of the wedding. The second part is the bersanding (enthronement), which is a family celebration. It is usual for the two parts to be celebrated over two days. However, it is becoming common for there to be a gap between the parts of the wedding, during which the couple are legally married, but saving up for an elaborate bersanding. In cases where the couple have family spread around the world, a number of bersanding may be held in different countries to allow everyone to wish the couple well

Adat Merisik
The adat merisik (asking ceremony, or more literally 'spying custom') is the traditional Malay system for arranging marriages. When it is time for a young man to get married, his family will look around to identify a number of potential brides. Nowadays, the man might suggest to his family who he would like them to consider, and it may be that a romantic link already exists between the man and woman. Having decided upon one particular woman, the merisik, or investigation process, takes place. For this ceremony one or more representatives (wakil) of the man's family pay a friendly visit to the family of the woman whom they have in mind as his potential bride. The visit is purely for the purpose of further investigation, and it gives the visitors the chance to see the woman. A hint will be given to her parents regarding the purpose of the visit, and their reaction will be assessed. The woman's parents may also give the visitors some idea as to whether or not their daughter would be interested in the match. The merisik does not constitute a formal proposal. Following the visit both sides can begin to think more seriously about the possibility or otherwise of a marriage. It is possible that no progress may take place, and the man's parents or representatives will then look for another possible bride

Adat Bertunang
The adat bertunang (engagement custom) is normally held at the bride's home.

Akad Nikah
A Malay wedding proper begins with the akad nikah (marriage contract) ceremony. The groom signs the marriage contract and agrees to provide the bride with a mas kahwin (a dowry, literally 'marriage gold'). The contract signing is done before a religious official and is accompanied by prayer.
If the bersanding is to take place the next day, the couple's hands are dyed with henna during the berinai besar (great henna-ing) ceremony. The bride's hair is also trimmed, eyebrows shaped and make-up applied by a beautician, known as the mak andam. Then the bride puts on her tudung (hijab or headscarf) to cover their hair and a selendang, or embroidered and beaded shawl over that. A crown is also placed on top of the shawl. If the bersanding does not take place on the day following the nikah, these preparation customs are delayed until the bersanding.
Bersanding
The bersanding (enthronement) ceremony begins with the groom's procession with friends, relatives, musicians and people waving bunga manggar (palm blossom) to meet the bride. Often various good-humoured attempts are made to waylay or stop the groom from getting to the bride. The main part of the bersanding involves the seating of the bridal couple on a dais and sprinkling them with yellow rice and scented water by family members, relatives and guests as a sign of blessing. Each guest will receive a bunga telur (egg flower), a decorated egg with a fabric flower, as a sign of fertility. The couple are considered royalty for the day, and so various royal customs are performed for them, including musicians playing court music and 'bodyguards' performing a display of pencak silat (traditional Malay martial arts).

After the bersanding ceremony
After the bersanding ceremony, the wedded couple and their guests attend a celebratory feast called the makan beradab (formal meal). This involves the bride and groom feeding each other sweetened rice. The celebrations are concluded by posing for family photographs

Long house

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:47:00 +0000

Borneo longhouse
Many of the inhabitants of the Southeast Asian island of Borneo (now Kalimantan, Indonesia and States of Sarawak and Sabah, Malaysia), the Dayak, live traditionally in buildings known as a longhouse, Rumah panjang in Malay, rumah panjai in Iban. Common to most of these is that they are built raised off the ground on stilts and are divided into a more or less public area along one side and a row of private living quarters lined along the other side. This seems to have been the way of building best accustomed to life in the jungle in the past, as otherwise hardly related people have come to build their dwellings in similar ways. One may observe similarities to South American jungle villages also living in large single structures. The design is elegant: being raised, flooding presents little inconvenience. The entry could double as a canoe dock. Being raised, cooling air could circulate underneath the floor of the dwelling, and the elevated living areas were more likely to catch above ground breezes. Livestock could shelter underneath the long houses for greater protection from predators and the elements.
In modern times many of the older longhouses have been replaced with buildings using more modern materials but of similar design. In areas where flooding is not a problem, the space beneath the longhouse between the stilts, which was traditionally used for a work place for tasks such as threshing, has been converted into living accommodation or has been closed in to provide more security. Modern long houses in Asia were made of grass and tree bark
The layout of a traditional longhouse could be described thus:
A wall runs along the length of the building approximately down the longitudinal axis of the building. The space along one side of the wall serves as a corridor running the length of the building while the other side is blocked from public view by the wall and serves as private areas.
Behind this wall lay the private units, bilik, each with a single door for each family. These are separated from each other by walls of their own and contain the living and sleeping spaces for each family. The kitchens, dapor, may be situated within this private space but are quite often situated in rooms of their own, added to the back of a bilik or even in a building standing a little away from the longhouse and accessed by a small bridge. This separation prevents cooking fires from spreading to the living spaces, should they spread out of control, as well as reducing smoke and insects attracted to cooking from gathering in living quarters..
The corridor itself is divided into three parts. The space in front of the door, the tempuan, belongs to each bilik unit and is used privately. This is where rice can be pounded or other domestic work can be done. A public corridor, a ruai, runs the length of the building in this open space. Along the outer wall is the space where guests can sleep, the pantai. On this side a large veranda, a tanju, is built in front of the building where the rice (padi) is dried and other outdoor activities can take place. The sadau, a sort of attic, runs along under the peak of the roof and serves as storage. Sometimes the sadau has a sort of gallery from which the life in the ruai can be observed. The pigs and chicken live underneath the house between the stilts.
The houses built by the different tribes and ethnic groups can differ from each other. Houses described as above may be used by the Iban Sea Dayak and Melanau Sea Dayak. Similar houses are built by the Bidayuh, Land Dayak, however with wider verandas and extra buildings for the unmarried adults and visitors. The buildings of the Kayan, Kenyah, Murut, and Kelabit used to have fewer walls between individual bilik units. The Punan seem to be the last ethnic group that adopted this type of house building. The Rungus of Sabah in north Borneo build a type of longhouse with rather short stilts, the house raised three to five feet of the ground, and walls sloped outwards.
A lot of place names in Sarawak still have the word "Long" in their name and most of these still are or once were longhouses. Some villages like Long Semado in Sarawak even have airfields of their own. Regions with long houses are for example Ulu Anyut and Ulu Paku in Sarawak. Another longhouse is the Punan sama.

Wesak Celebration

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:42:00 +0000

Wesak Day is celebrated throughout the world to commemorate and honor the Birthday of Lord Buddha, the Enlightened One. It is the most auspicious day in the Buddhist calendar, marking the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha.
Celebrations begin before dawn in temples throughout the country. Buddhist devotees will gather in temples throughout the country to release doves and to offer prayers. Wesak is also an occasion to offer alms to monks and give free meals to the needy.
Buddhists observe the birth, enlightenment and passing of Lord Buddha. Religious offerings and rituals such as 'bathing of the Buddha', chanting of holy scriptures, lighting of joss sticks and ordination of monks usually take place in Buddhist temples. Come nightfall, there will be grand processions in cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Seremban, Melaka and Georgetown.

malaysia festival

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:34:00 +0000

Colourful Celebration in Malaysia
There are many festivals and holidays observed in Malaysia. The diverse cultural and racial mix is evident the variety of observances, of which a few are listed below.
Festivals and Fiestas!
One of the significant characteristics of Malaysian culture is its celebration of various festivals and events. The year is filled with colourful, exhilarating and exciting activities. Some are religious and solemn but others are vibrant, joyous events. One interesting feature of the main festivals here is the ‘open house’ custom. This is when Malaysians celebrating the festival invite friends to come by their homes for some traditional delicacies and fellowship.

Festivals such as Hari Raya Aidilfitri are celebrated mostly in the villages or home towns of the urbanites. Every year, just before the festival, Muslims nationwidebalik kampungor return to their home towns to meet their family and friends. These family reunions are also celebrated during other main festivals in the country. With people decked out in their traditional finery, these festivals are an integral feature of Malaysian society. Here are some of the festivals in Malaysia(dates may vary from year to year as some are based upon the lunar calendar).
Hari Raya Puasa (Aidilfitri)
It is a joyous and important Muslim holiday that is celebrated throughout the Muslim world. It is the end of a month month of fasting and each day is started with children asking their parents forgiveness for anything they have done wrong, before they go to prayers. It is a time for special food, visiting friends and relatives and the children are given gifts of money.
Chinese New Year
It is a very festive time for Malay Chinese and is observed on the first day of the first moon on the Chinese calendar. The date of this celebration will vary from year to year depending on when this time falls on the lunar calendar and usually lasts for about 15 days. Sometimes this event is in January, other times in February, since it follows the lunar calendar, not the solar calendar. It is celebrated with a traditional dinner on New Year's Eve and subsequently continues with visits to family, friends and the honoring of the elderly. Packets of money called ang pow are given away at this time as well.
Wesak Day
In May, is Buddha's Birthday and is considered to be the most important day of the year for Buddhists. This day is celebrated with prayers and incense at the temples with the main celebration being a lantern procession at night.
The birthday of the Yang di-Pertuang Agong
Supreme Head of State, is celebrated on the first Saturday in June and is obeserved as a public holiday. On this day, awards and titles are given by His Majesty to those people who have set themselves apart from other Malays with their service to Malaysia.
Independence Day (now known as National Day)
August 31 and marks the time of Malaysia's independence. It is observed with parades, exhibitions, shows and free film admission for children. Those less fortunate in Malaysia (the poor) are presented gifts of money and food.
Deepavali
It is an important Hindu festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil, particularly that of Lord Kirshna over a demon king (mythological). It is observed with prayers in the morning, followed with visits to friends and relatives with delicacies served. In the evening, lanterns are lit.
Christmas
It is celebrated by the Christians in Malaysia usually with the attendance of a church service on Christmas Eve. There are also carolers who sing at various places (children's homes, retirement homes, hotels, etc) and bring Christmas joy. The exchange of gifts is practiced as well in celebration of Christ's birth.
Thaipusam – January
The sights and sounds of thousands of devotees carrying kavadis, or ornate frames as penance makes this an extraordinary festival to witness at the Batu Caves in Selangor, or in Penang
Malaysia Water Festival - April to May
All over Malaysia, visitors can enjoy an entire month of water-based activities and have a splashing good time participating in a host of aquatic sports.
Tadau Ka’amatan - 30-31 May
Thanksgiving is offered to the spirit of the padi, Bambaazon, by the KadazanDusun in Sabah. Abundant rice wine or tuak, delicious food, dancing and other festivities take place as part of the celebrations.
Colours of Malaysia - May to June
This event kicks off with a colourful parade displaying the diversity of Malaysian culture through music and dance.
Gawai - 1 – 2 June
The Ibans, Orang Ulu and Bidayuh in Sarawak celebrate this harvest festival where traditional ceremonies and dances are held in various ‘long houses’ or communal homes around the state.

Hari Raya Puasa

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:25:00 +0000

Muslims celebrate the festival of Aidilfitri – popularly known as Hari Raya Puasa, or simply Hari Raya (Day of Celebration) in Malaysia – to mark the culmination of Ramadhan, the holy month of fasting.
It is a joyous occasion for Muslims, as it signifies a personal triumph, a victory of self-restraint and abstinence, symbolising purification and renewal.
Fasting during the month of Ramadhan is compulsory or wajib, whereby Muslims are required to abstain from satisfying their most basic needs and urges, daily, between sunrise and sunset. It is one of the five tenets of Islam; as is the paying of zakat (alms tax for the poor), which must be tithed by the end of Ramadhan.
In Malaysia, the period of fasting ends when the new moon is sighted on the evening of the last day of Ramadhan. The actual sighting is conducted by state appointed religious officials at various vantage points (usually at hilltops) throughout the country.
If the crescent is sighted, the following day is then declared the first day of Aidilfitri, which is also the beginning of the 10th month of the Muslim calendar Syawal.
A time to forgive and forget
Aidilfitri is celebrated for the whole month of Syawal, but in Malaysia, only the first two days are observed as public holidays. It is widely common however, to see Muslims taking the first week off from work.
Urbanites make their annual pilgrimage to their hometowns (this is popularly referred to as balik kampung), to be with parents, relatives and old friends. Thus, cities like Kuala Lumpur get relatively quiet during the festive season of Aidilfitri.
The Muslim community ushers in the first day of Aidilfitri by congregating at mosques for morning prayers. Everyone is usually decked out in their traditional best to mark the special occasion. Men are usually dressed in Baju Melayu, while the Baju Kurung, the quintessential Malay attire for females, is the prefered choice for the fairer sex.
Then it's usually breakfast at home with the family, followed by a visit to the cemetery where deceased loved ones are remembered; graves are cleaned and cleared of overgrowth, and prayers are offered to Allah.
This is also a time to forgive and forget past quarrels. Asking for pardon is done in order of seniority. The younger members of a family approach their elders (parents, grandparents etc) to seek forgiveness, to salam(Muslim equivalent of a handshake), then kiss the hands of the older person as a sign of respect.
The usual greeting (that is uttered with the salam) during Aidilfitri is “Selamat Hari Raya”, which means “Wishing you a joyous Hari Raya”.
Children and old folks are given duit raya or gifts of money, in small envelopes. In recent years, many givers have opted for the Chinese practice of putting the money in ang pow packets; however instead of the usual red, the packets are green in colour.
Although the first three days are celebrated on a grander scale, many Muslims hold “open house” throughout the month, where friends and neighbours of other races are invited to join in the celebrations.
Before the big day
The joy of Hari Raya Puasa actually begins before the first day. A week or so before the big day, excitement mounts as the house is readied for the celebration with new furnishing and decorations.
Of particular interest are the last 10 days of Ramadan, where many keep vigil for Lailatul Qadr (The Night of Decree), the night when the Quran was sent down. It is believed that angels descend and shower blessings on that particular night, so homes are brightly decorated with oil lamps or pelita.
Mosques, as well as government and some commercial buildings, are also decorated and brightly lit to mark the auspicious day. The most predominant colour seen in decorations during this season is green which is commonly associated with Islamic items. It is often combined with yellow or gold
As for motifs, by far the most frequently used symbol is that of the ketupat (rice cakes wrapped in coconut leaves); it is invariably used on Hari Raya greeting cards, hanging decorative items, and as a promotional image for the season.
The ketupat is traditional Hari Raya fare and is often served with beef rendang (beef cooked with spices and coconut milk) and/or satay (grilled meat on a skewer).
Other festive delicacies include lemang (glutinous rice cooked in bamboo tubes), serunding (dessicated coconut fried with chilli) and curry chicken.

Deepavali - Diwali

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:24:00 +0000

Deepavali
(Hindi: दीपावली, दिवाली; Kannada: ದೀಪಾವಳಿ; Urdu: دیوالی; Tamil: தீபாவளி;Telugu: దీపావళి; Marathi and Konkani:दिवाळी) is a significant festival inHinduism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and an official holiday in India.
Adherents of these religions celebrate Deepavali as the Festival of Lights. They light diyas—cotton string wicks inserted in small clay pots filled with oil—to signify victory of good over the evil within an individual.
As per Hindu calendar, the five day festival of Deepavali is centered on the new moon day that ends the month of Ashwin and begins the month ofKartika, beginning on the 13th day of the dark half of Ashwin (Ashwin 28th) and ending on the 2nd day of the bright half of Kartika(Kartika 2nd). The main day of celebration varies regionally.
In Hinduism, across many parts of India and Nepal, it is the homecoming of Rama after a 14-year exile in the forest and his victory over Ravana. In the legend, the people of Ayodhya (the capital of his kingdom) welcomed Rama by lighting rows (avali) of lamps (dĭpa), thus its name: dīpāwali. Over time, this word transformed into Deepavali in Hindi and Dipawali in Nepali, but still retained its original form in South and East Indian Languages. In Dravidian languages it is called as Deepavali and the same is used in Malaysia and Singapore. South Indians never say Diwali as it means Firebucket.
In Jainism, Deepavali marks the attainment of nirvana by Mahavira on 15 October, 527 BC.
Deepavali has been significant in Sikhism since the illumination of the town of Amritsar commemorating the return of Guru Har Gobind Ji (1595-1644), the sixth Guru of Sikhism, who was imprisoned along with 52 other Hindu kings at Fort Gwalior by Emperor Jahangir. After freeing the other prisoners, he went to the Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) in the holy city ofAmritsar, where he was welcomed happily by the people who lit candles and divas to greet the Guru. Because of this, Sikhs often refer to Deepavali also as Bandi Chhorh Divas - "the day of release of detainees."
The festival is also celebrated by Buddhists in Nepal, a majority-Hindu country, particularly the Newar Buddhists.
In India and Nepal, Deepavali is now considered to be a national festival, and the aesthetic aspect of the festival is enjoyed by most Indians and Nepalese regardless of faith. Kerala is the only state in India whereDeepavali is not a big celeberation.
Kidha is celebrated for a differing number of days by different communities. Though the core days are common and fall on exactly the same set of days across Nepal and India, they fall in different Gregorian months depending on the version of the Hindu calendar being used in the region. The Amanta ("ending on the new-moon") version of the Hindu Calendar has been adopted as the Indian national calendar. According to this calendar, which is prevalent in southern India and Maharashtra, the 6-day celebration is spread over the last four days of the month of Ashwinaand the first two days of the new month of Kartika. According to thePurnimaanta ("ending on the full-moon") version prevalent in northernIndia, it falls in the middle of the month of Ashwayuja/Ashvin. In theGregorian calendar, it falls generally in the months of October or November. In Nepal, it is celebrated according to Nepalese calendar. The festival marks the last three days and the first two days of Nepalese era.
On the day of Deepavali / Deepavali, many wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks. Some North Indian business communities start their financial year on Deepavali and new account books are opened on this day.
Spiritual significance
While Divali is popularly known as the "festival of lights", the most significant spiritual meaning is "the awareness of the inner light".
Central to Hindu philosophy is the assertion that there is something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite, and eternal, called the Atman. Just as we celebrate the birth of our physical being, Deepavali is the celebration of this inner light, in particular the knowing of which outshines all darkness (removes all obstacles and dispels all ignorance), awakening the individual to one's true nature, not as the body, but as the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality. With the realization of the Atman comes universal compassion, love, and the awareness of the oneness of all things (higher knowledge). This brings Ananda (inner joy or peace).
The gunas are the underlying forces or tendencies which one needs to have unaffected, direct relation with in order to find effectiveness and righteousness in life: they are lines of potential and illuminate thought and action, thus the inner meaning of Diwali being the festival of lights.
Deepavali celebrates this through festive fireworks, lights, flowers, sharing of sweets, and worship. While the story behind Dipavali varies from region to region, the essence is the same - to rejoice in the inner light (Atman) or the underlying reality of all things (Brahman).
Hindus have several significant events associated with it:
 Return of Rama to Ayodhya: Deepavali also celebrates the return ofRama, King of Ayodhya, with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana toAyodhya after a 14 year exile, and a war in which he killed Ravana. It is believed that the people of Ayodhya lit ghee lamps along the way to light their path in the darkness. Since Ram traveled from South India to his kingdom in North India, he passed through the south earlier. This is the reason why the festival is celebrated a day earlier in South India. Deepavali usually comes 19 or 20 days after Dasara.
 The Killing of Narakasura: Celebrated as Narak Chaturdashi, one day before Deepavali day, it commemorates the killing of Narakasura, an evil demon who created havoc, by Krishna's wife Satyabhama. This happened in the Dwapara Yuga during this time of Krishna's avatar. In another version, the demon was killed by Krishna ( Krishna provokes his wife Satyabhama to kill Narshna defeating Indra: Govardhan Puja is celebrated the day after Deepavali. It is the day Krishna defeated Indra, the deity of thunder and rain. As per the story, Krishna saw huge preparations for the annual offering to Lord Indra and questions his father Nanda about it. He debated with the villagers about what their 'dharma' truly was. They were farmers, they should do their duty and concentrate on farming and protection of their cattle. He continued to say that all human beings should merely do their 'karma', to the best of their ability and not pray for natural phenomenon. The villagers were convinced by Krishna, and did not proceed with the special puja (prayer). Indra was then angered, and flooded the village. Krishna then lifted Mt Govardhan and held it up as protection to his people and cattle from the rain. Indra finally accepted defeat and recognized Krishna as supreme. This aspect of Krishna's life is mostly glossed over but it set up the basis of the 'karma' philosophy later detailed in the Bhagavat Gita.
The Five days
Deepavali celebrations are spread over five days in India and all over the world. All the days except Deepavali are named according to their designation in the Hindu calendar.
1. Vasu Baras (27 Ashvin or 12 Krishna Paksha Ashvin): Baras means 12th day and vasu means cow. On this day cow and calf are worshipped.
2. Dhanatrayodashi or Dhan teras (28 Ashvin or 13 Krishna PakshaAshvin): Dhan means "wealth" and Trayodashi means "13th day". Thus, as the name implies, this day falls on the 13th day of the second half of the lunar month. It is an auspicious day for shopping of utensils and gold.This day is also regarded as the Jayanti of God Dhanvantri who came out during the churning of the great ocean by the gods and the demons.
3. Naraka Chaturdashi (29 Ashvin or 14 Krishna Paksha Ashvin):Chaturdashi is the fourteenth day on which demon Narakasura was killed by god Krishna - an inacranation of god Vishnu. It signifies the victory of good over evil and light over darkness (Gujarati: Kali Chaudas, Rajasthan : Roop Chaudas). In southIndia, this is the actual day of festivities. Hindus wake up well before dawn, as early as two in the morning, have a fragrant oil bath and wear new clothes. They light small lamps all around the house and draw elaborate kolams /rangolis outside their homes. They perform a special puja with offerings to Krishna or Vishnu, as he liberated the world from the demon Narakasura on this day. It is believed that taking a bath before sunrise, when the stars are still visible in the sky is equivalent to taking a bath in the holyGanges. After the puja, children burst firecrackers heralding the defeat of the demon. As this is a day of rejoicing, many will have very elaborate breakfasts and lunches and meet family and friends.
4. Lakshmi Puja (30 Ashvin or 15 Krishna Paksha Ashvin): Lakshmi Puja marks the most important day of Diwali celebrations in North India. Hindu homes worship Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, andGanesh, the God of auspicious beginnings, and then light lamps all across the streets and homes to welcome prosperity and well-being.
5. Bali Pratipada and Govardhan Puja (1 Kartika or 1 Shukla PakshaKartika) : In North India, this day is celebrated as Govardhan Puja, also called Annakut, is celebrated as the day Krishna - an incaranation of god Vishnu - defeated god Indra and by the lifting of Govardhana hill to save his kinsmen and cattle from rain and floods. For Annakut, a mountain of food is decorated symbolizing Govardhan hill lifted by Krishna. In Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu andKarnataka, it is celebrated as Bali-Pratipada or Bali Padyami. The day commemorates the victory of Vishnu in his dwarf formVamana over demon-king Bali, who was pushed to the nether world and the return of Bali to earth from the nether-world. InMaharashtra, it is called as Padava or Nava Diwas ("new day"). Men present gifts to their wives on this day. It is celebrated as the first day of the Vikram Samvat calender, in Gujarat.
6. Bhaiduj (also Bhayyaduj, Bhaubeej or Bhayitika) (2 Kartika or 2Shukla Paksha Kartika): on this day, brothers and sisters meet to express their love and affection for each other (Gujarati: Bhai Bij, Bengali: Bhai Phota). Most Indian festivals bring together families, Bhaiduj brings together sisters and brothers, and is a significant festive day for them. This festival is ancient, and pre-dates 'Raksha Bandhan' another brother-sister festival celebrated in the present day

Culture & Society - Festival & Celebrations

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:15:00 +0000

Chinese New Year- CNY
A time for family reunions, the lion dance, firecrackers, mahjong, mandarin oranges and giving/collecting ang pow, the Lunar New Year - or Chinese New Year (CNY), as it is more commonly known in Malaysia - highlights some of the most fascinating aspects of Chinese tradition and rituals.
Reunion dinner on the eve of CNY
Its origin can be traced back thousands of years, to the legend which tells of a fearsome mythological creature known as Nian that is said to have once terrorised China, devouring people on the eve of CNY. To ward off the beast, red-paper couplets were pasted on doors, firecrackers were set off throughout the night, and huge fires were lit.
Today, the prevalence of the colour red, and firecrackers, form part of the CNY celebrations throughout the world, as a part of custom and tradition.
The festival, which once also marked the beginning of spring in China, begins on the first day of the lunar calendar year, the first day of the new moon, and ends on the 15th day, known as Chap Goh Meh, the last day of the full moon.
However, celebrations are normally confined to the first few days and the last day. In Malaysia, the first two days are gazetted as public holidays.
Preparing for celebrations
Preparations tend to begin a month prior to the New Year, when people start buying new clothes, decorations and foodstuff; houses are cleaned from top to bottom, then decorated with red lanterns; banners; plastic or paper firecrackers (the real item is prohibited); panels inscribed with calligraphic characters bearing themes of happiness, wealth and longevity; and greeting cards received from well-wishers.
The eve of CNY is probably the high point of the celebration as it is on this day that family members from far and near will return home for the reunion dinner, to rekindle family ties and enjoy the sumptuously prepared meals. Dinner is usually made up of seafood and dumplings; delicacies include waxed duck, prawns, braised dried oysters, scallops and “prosperity vegetables”.
After the reunion feast, entire families will try to stay up all night in adherence to shou sui, a practice which is believed to bring one's parents longevity. To while away the hours, it is common for many to gamble; the sound of mahjong chips clattering against each other throughout the night is not uncommon.
At the stroke of midnight, the New Year is ushered in. Firecrackers and fireworks are prohibited, so the requisite din to herald the New Year falls upon human voices and song, and modern “improvisations” such as the recorded sounds of exploding firecrackers.
Kong Hee Fatt Choy!
With daylight, homes again become a buzz of activity. Ceremonial candles are lit, incense burned, new clothes (red is the custom) are put on, and greetings of “Kong Hee Fatt Choy” or “nian nian you yu” (which means “may every year be filled with extras”) are made.
As is commonplace among Malaysians during religious/cultural festivities, Chinese families invite their relatives and friends over to their homes during CNY. Guests arrive bearing gifts of mandarin oranges orkam, which symbolises gold or wealth.
It is also customary for married couples to give children and unmarried adults money inserted in red packets known as ang pow, as a gesture to mean that the recipient will enjoy a fruitful and wealthy life.
Beliefs and tradition
The celebration of CNY is not all freewheeling fun though, as there are taboos and beliefs, some of which are spiritual in nature, that need to be observed.
For example, though the feasting generally goes on for the whole 15-day period, a break, of sorts, is taken on the third day. Businesses remain closed, and visiting is discouraged on that day, as it is believed that, otherwise, misfortune may befall the family.
Also, no one is allowed to sweep the floor on the first day of the New Year as it is considered unlucky; that one would accidently sweep away one's good luck and fortune if they do so.
As a contrast, what is believed to bring good fortune and ward off evil is the lion which, according to legend, was the only animal that managed to wound the Nian. This gave rise to the lion dance, as the villagers of the story tried to mimic the lion in their attempt to frighten the beast away.
Here in Malaysia, troupes of lion dancers travel in trucks during the 15-day period to perform at individual homes and businesses, even hotels and shopping complexes. It is one of the most spectacular sights during this period, where performers regularly shimmy up poles to pick up ang pows, while moving to the beat of the drums.
Different celebrations
Tossing the yee sang higher would bring prosperity
On the seventh day of CNY, which is considered as the birthday of all human beings, the Cantonese community partakes in a dish called yee sang, a simple mixture of thin slices of raw fish, shredded vegetables, herbs and sauces.
All the ingredients for the dish are served separately on the same plate, and would then be tossed and mixed, carried with chopsticks high in the air by all at the table, while saying out loud the word loh hei, which means liveliness, prosperity and longevity. This practice is said to herald prosperity for the coming year.
The eighth day is a time of prayer. The Hokkien community performs a ritual where offerings are made to Tian Gong, the God of Heaven. This often extends into the ninth day.
The 15th and last day, Chap Goh Meh, is observed in several ways. In Penang, the Hokkien community commemorates this day with a parade (Chingay parade) where stilt walkers, lion and dragon dancers, and acrobats move along the busy streets of Georgetown, to the beat of gongs, drums and cymbals.
However, the highlight of Chap Goh Meh, which is often regarded as the Chinese Valentine's day, has got to be the throwing of oranges into the river. It is believed that maidens would attract good husbands if they adhere to this practice.

GAWAI – A FESTIVAL YOU CANT MISS

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:14:00 +0000

Gawai Dayak, a festive celebrated in Sarawak on 1st June every year is both a religious and social occasion. Dayak would visit their friends and relatives on this day. Such visit is more known as "ngabang" in Iban language. The far would receive greeting cards.
How it all started can be traced back to a 1957 radio forum organized by Mr Ian Kingsley, a radio programme organiser. This generated a lot of interest among the Dayak community. Up till 1962, British colonial government still refused to give recognition to the Dayak Day.
To the Dayak, Gawai Dayak would be a recognition of the Dayak race, their source of national pride and a way to reciprocate social hospitality extended by the other races during their festivals.
After numerous requests, it fell on the sympathetic ears of the First Sarawak Chief Minister, Datuk Stephen Kalong Ningkan and his cabinet comprising among others, the present State Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud. The then Governor, Tun Abang Haji Openg, who when he was a member of the council Negeri, had always supported the move in the Council, gave his assent.
Gawai Dayak was formally gazetted on 25th September 1964 as a public holiday in place of Sarawak Day. It was first celebrated on 1st June 1965 and became a symbol of unity, aspiration and hope for the Dayak community.Today, it is an integral part of Dayak social life. It is a thanksgiving day marking good harvest and a time to plan for the new farming season or activities ahead.
Present Day of Gawai Dayak
The word Gawai means a ritual or festival whereas Dayak is a collective name for the natives races in Sarawak; the Iban, Bidayuh, Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit, Murut and a few more. Thus Gawai Dayak literally means the Dayak Festival.
The mode of celebrations varies from place to place. Preparation starts very early. Tuak (rice wine) are brewed and traditional delicacies likepenganan (cakes from rice flour, sugar and coconut milk) prepared. As the big day approaches, everyone will be busy with the general cleaning and preparing the food or cakes. On Gawai eve, glutinous rice are roasted in bamboo (ngelulun pulut). In the longhouse, new mats will be laid out on the ruai (an open gallery which runs through the entire length of the longhouse). The walls of most bilik (rooms) and the ruai are decorated with pua kumbu (traditional blanket).
The celebration starts on the evening of 31st May. In most Iban's longhouse, it starts with a ceremony called Muai Antu Rua (to cast away the spirit of greediness), signifying the non interference of the spirit of bad luck in the celebration. Two children or men each dragging a chapan or winnowing basket will pass each family room. Every family will throw some unwanted article into the basket. The unwanted articles will be tossed to the ground from the end of the longhouse for the spirit of bad luck.
Around 6 pm, miring (offering ceremony) will take place. Before the ceremony, gendang rayah (ritual music) is performed. The feast chief thanks the gods for the good harvest, ask for guidance, blessings and long life as he sacrifices a cockerel. Dinner will then be served at the ruai.While waiting for midnight, the folks gather and mingle at the ruai andberandau (talk/converse). Meanwhile, drinks, traditional cakes and delicacies are served.
At midnight, the gong is sounded. The tuai rumah will lead everyone to drink the Ai Pengayu (normally tuak for long life) and at the same time wishing each other "gayu-guru, gerai-nyamai" (long life, health and prosperity). A procession up and down the ruai called Ngalu Petara(Welcoming the Spirits) will follow. The celebration by now will get more merrier. Some will dance to the traditional music played. Others will sing the pantun (poems). In the town, the Dayak will gather at the community centres or restaurants for a enliven the evening.
Other activities that may follow the next day include cock-fighting, demonstration of blowpipe skills and ngajat competitions. On this day, 1st June, the homes of the Dayaks will be opened to visitors. In the longhouses, there is a practises called masu pengabang where guests will be served with tuak by the host before they can enter the longhouse. Dayaks will attend a church mass to thanks God for the good harvest. Gawai Dayak celebration may last for several days. Visitors are most welcome to the homes of the Dayaks during the festival.
Gayu-guru, Gerai-nyamai serta Lantang-senang

Putrajaya: Jom Makan Buah 2009

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:12:00 +0000

Another interesting event during the month of July 2009 was organized by Perbadanan Putrajaya in collaboration with the Agriculture Heritage Parkand FAMA. Events "Jom Makan Buah 2009" will be held at 25 to July 27, 2009 at the Taman Warisan Pertanian, Putrajaya began at 10 am to 6 pm. Program at this time the theme is "Select, Pay and eat".

Visitors who join the program must choose and take as many fruits that are required, then to the counter weights and making payments, the next place to eat that was prepared to enjoy the fruits. Price offered is lower than the market price and the pricing is done / controlled by the FAMA. Fruit is sold fresh fruits from Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Kedah, Perak and Selangor. The purpose of this program is to help entrepreneurs to promote and market local fruits under the FAMA apart from being attractive to visitors to Taman Warisan Pertanian.
Interesting, interesting, can not deny the more lively now middle season fruits in the villages, durian, mangosteen, rambutan duku Langsat and so heavy and ripe in the villages. Prices in the village do not ceritalah cheapness, durian about selling jer per basket, not wear behavior pound-pound ni, mangosteen pun dah fell to 80 cents per kg in Pasir Mas, Kelantan.
Good , if we can enjoy the fruits ni ramadhan month before your arrival is scheduled on August 20, 2009 later.
Putrajaya Flower & Garden Festival 2009 (FLORIA 2009)
Another interesting event will be organized at Putrajaya, Malaysia’s administrative capital and once again the Floral City of Putrajaya proud to present FLORIA 2009, featuring ‘Celebration of Colours’ as its theme. Visitors will an encounter exceptional display that will inspire them,taking home fresh ideas and visions of thousands of colourful flowers to beautify their gardens at home. The event which is populary named Putrajaya Flower & garden festival 2009 will be held on 1 to 8 August 2009 at Putrajaya Waterfront, Precint 2.
Interesting activities awaiting guest like Garden Bazaar, Floria Showcase Gardens, School and University Show Gardens, NGO’s Gardens, Special Orchid Highlight, Hort Mart, Corporate Garden, Kiddy Garden and Floral Pavilion. the soft launching of FLORIA 2009 was held at Kelab Tasik Putrajaya on 30th June 2009 by The Minister for Federal Territories YB Dato’ Raja Nong Chik bin Dato’ Raja Zainal Abidin,

Thaipusam

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:48:00 +0000

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

Hari Raya Aidil adha

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:42:00 +0000

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)

Christmas in Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:38:00 +0000

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

National Museum

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:33:00 +0000

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

look out Point in Kuala Lumpur-Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:31:00 +0000

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.!!

Kedah Beauties Places of Interest in KEDAH

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:25:00 +0000

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

Pahang Island and beaches

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:21:00 +0000

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

Johor Bahru- Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:18:00 +0000

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

Pulau Pinang also known as Penang

noreply@blogger.com (kzul) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:16:00 +0000

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.