Malaysia Travel Blog

Bidong Island

2012-09-16T02:42:00.002-07:00

by Lamvi Dao, Rosli Mohamad, and Ghani Ibrahim

In Malaysian, Pulau means island. Bidong island is belonged to Malaysia.

At one time, this small island housed more than 40,000 refugees and only a tiny portion of its south side was used.

Tourism Terengganu - Pulau Bidong

Geography
It is located in the northeast of Kuala Terengganu city and Merang town. It can be reached by boat for approximately 40 – 50 minutes.

Early years
On August 8th, 1978, Bidong was officially open to house refugees. From 1978 until 1991, the island was mostly home to Vietnamese refugee Boat People, who escaped Vietnam to flee Communists. In the late 70s, Pulau Bidong was also home to Cambodians, who tried to flee the Khmer Rouge regime, Chinese-Vietnamese, who tried to escape Vietnamese Government.

Housing
In 1978, Malaysian Government and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) started to use Bidong to house mainly Vietnamese refugees. In the early years, people lived under the trees, tents, or anything they could find to avoid the tropical hot sun, rain, and storms. As years went by, Malaysian Government, Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) and UNHCR organized the island into a more orderly conducted. It had longhouses, hospital, schools, clinics, temple, church, coffee shops, post office, vocational school, and refugee owned shops like bakery shops, tailor shops, fruit stands, small markets etc.

At one time, there were up to 40,000 refugees lived in the designated area, which is rounded by the white line.

Food
In the early years, food was scarce but eventually food was much more adequate: plenty of instant noodles, condensed milk, green bean, sugar, chicken, fish, and vegetables. In 1990, due to excessive supply of instant noodles, that were wasted, each person was given 5 packs of instant noodles per week instead of 7 packs.

Bidong had so many fishes around the island. They were also a main source of food to the refugees.

There were at least two Malaysian owned grocery stores, that carried many other goods. Boat People owned mini grocery stores and city live market were popping up quick as well.

Fresh (drinking) water was always an issue, which had to be transported from mainland by boat. We called it Supplied Water. As people would stay longer for screening, this was the case for who arrived after March 14th, 1989, many wells were dug by the refugee to be used for bathe, cooking, and farming.

Security
Malaysian Police Task Force was organized and did excellent job to protect people from getting hurt such as illegal fishing, illegal wandering into the mountain for wood, crimes, and order. Jail like Monkey House was established to jail those who violated the island policies. Later, they set up Security offices in each residence zone along with the main Island Camp office, which refugee people were voted or appointed to help out order, nightly patrol, and security of everyone.

The forbidden area covered 90% of the island. Only the small portion of the south side was used for UNHCR offices, and refugee housing.
March 14th, 1989
To stop waves of boat people, who kept leaving Vietnam, the UNHCR posted March 14th of 1989 as a closing date for “automatic acceptance to the third country”. For those arrived the island after this closing date, they had to go through screening processes, which they must proved that they were political refugee and not economical refugees. They were also given three chances to prove their political status. Due to this screening process, over 9,000 refugees were repatriated back to Vietnam from Malaysia because they were not qualified for political status. However, majority of these repatriated refugees were again given another chance from Vietnam by the UNHCR and most of them were granted asylum in third countries, thereafter.

Also, for those arrived after March 14th, 1989, they spent longer time on Pulau Bidong until it was closed down in October, 1991 and Sungei Besi Refugee Center in Kuala Lumpur. The average time was between 2 – 3 years. However, some of them would spend more 10 years in hopping to “pass” the screening. Unfortunately, some of these long time residents were repatriated to Vietnam.

School system
There was one Elementary school, one High school, and many English schools were built in each zone, A, B, C, D, and F, and a vocational school. In the early stages of vocational school, there were English classes to prepare youths and adults for resettlement. Besides these English classes there were trade classes such as carpentry, auto mechanic, and tailoring courses. However in the late 1989 more trade courses were offered – business studies, hairdressing, and nursing.

Cemeteries
There was a large hill on the right side of zone C beach , which was used for cemetery. This site was maintained until the last days. There was also an older cemetery site, which was up on the mountain. It could take up to 30 minutes to reach the site from UN offices area. There were about 40 graves under a large water tank. Next to the these graves, there was also a small hermitage with paved yard. Lamvi used to come up here to get cakes that were left behind by the worshippers. This cemetery might not be known to many people.

There were also marked and unmarked graves scattering around the island. They were mostly in zone F.

Entertainment
There were plenty of entertainments and activities available to the refugees. However, these were not available in the early years.

In the late 80s, a musical stage was set up next to longhouse B15. There were regular music festivals performed by the refugees and Malaysian musicians as well as UN, MRCS, Police Task Force personnel.

Soccer was a big thing on the island At one time, the island had up 24 teams to compete for soccer games. There were two divisions: adult and kids. Rattan ball game (sepak raga bulat) was also getting popular. We learned it from the Police Task Force personnel, who were excellent players.

Boy Scout was a very strong organization to keep kids active with all kinds of outdoor activities. Beside Boy Scout, the Buddhist temple and Catholic church also had their own group to keep the kids active and learning.

While many activities were available to kids, the adults did not have much fun besides volunteering for office works such as security, sanitary, post office, schools, and others.

Along zone C beach, there were two large coffee shops. These two shops, Club and Happy, were the top spot for adults, who were mostly young men. Only soft drinks like 7 Up, Coke, Pepsi…and cakes were available. From here, anyone could have perfect view out to the sea and the Shark island. Sometimes, dolphin were jumping not too far from shore. It was a view.

Next to the Food Supply cage and which was about a few meters from Sick Bay hospital, there was also a two story coffee shop and it had a name. This shop was famous for its ice cream and nightly Chinese and Indian movies.

Do you know?
The beaches were the best entertaining spots on the island. Except for those hot afternoons, mornings and evenings surely gave you the most relaxing feeling.
Alcohol was not legal on the island, however, some refugees were able to buy from fisherman or produced homemade wine with grapes, apples, and other ingredients. Sometimes, we ran into a drunken guy, people would try to calm him to avoid detection from Malaysian Police Taskforce or Refugee Security personnel.
Sanitation
The island was clean but due to overcrowded population, it took time to clear out wastes. However, the air was very clean and we did not have any motorized vehicle except for Power House station, which provided electricity to the whole island.

Wells were dug throughout the island, where they shared the same source of wasted water and salt water. Well water was tasted salty. There were wells dug on the mountain, which provided must cleaner and fresher water. Its quality was suitable for farming and drinking but it was not a wise choice.

More and more modern public toilets were built with bigger pipes that run into the Jetty’s side, which was Zone A. In the early years, public toilet was your choice of anywhere on the island.

Due to overcrowding and waste, rat population was widely populated. The Sanitary Office gave our prizes for killed or trapped rats. Prize was either a pack of instant noodles, sugar, or the best one was a condensed milk bottle.

Closing ceremony
Bidong was officially closed with a farewell ceremony on October 30th, 1991.

Present
There are proposals to turn Bidong into a vacation spot and/or museum but thing has been going slowly, which can be affected by political reasons: Malaysia has strong tight with Vietnam (and we are going to talk about this since Pulau Bidong site does not want to involve with political and commerical purposes.).

Without maintenance, trees outgrow old longhouses, schools, buildings, and many other structures. The weather also takes toll on structures like Catholic church once was filled with parishioners and kid voices. The Buddhist temple is still standing with the help of locals.

Over the years, more and more former Boat People visit Bidong to witness the place once was their home. The island is worth for an education trip for Malaysians like students to learn more about Malaysia history and the history of Boat People.
suces:http://www.pulaubidong.org/

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Pangkor Island

2012-09-16T02:31:00.000-07:00

Pangkor Island / Pulau Pangkor

Situated just off the west coast of Perak in Peninsular Malaysia is one of the most enchanting islands you'll ever come across. Pangkor has for centuries enthralled visitors with her charming beauty. In days of old, she was the refuge of seamen who sailed through the Straits of Malacca. Pangkor's many idyllic bays made it the perfect stopover. Pirates, adventurers, merchants and soldiers of fortune sought the peace and tranquility she had to offer.

In stark contrast to malaysia's fast-paced progress, Pangkor remains a haven for those seeking to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Soak up the sun on her golden beaches. Catch sight of fishing boats.'
Remembering Pangkor's past...
For centuries, Pangkor has been a welcome stopover for weary sea travellers, pirates and adventurers. At one time even ruled by European conquerors. Yet, as if oblivious to the ravages of war and conquest, her natural wonders have remained unscarred. Perhaps to conquer your heart.

Pangkor today is a thriving tourist destination that somehow does not reflect her turbulent past. Visitors will be charmed by the serenity of her fishing villages, her small but bustling towns and her splendid selection of world-class holiday resorts.

Treasures of the island
Nothing beats the wonderful offerings of Pangkor's pristine beaches. And after you're had enough of the beach, retreat into the coll shades of virgin jungles for a closer look at nature. There's so much to do in Pangkor, so come discover at your own pace.

" The island welcomes visitors with its serene golden beaches, crystalline blue waters and cool refreshing breeze. Modern facilities and a wide range of sun and sea activities such as scuba diving, windsurfing, fishing, and snorkelling are available."

Pulau Pangkor (Pangkor Island), one of the most popular holiday destination in Perak, welcomes visitors with its serene golden beaches, crystalline blue waters and cool refreshing breeze. Located off the shores of Lumut town, about 90km southwest of Ipoh, this island definitely makes an ideal gateway. Modern facilities and a wide range of sun and sea activities such as scuba Diving, windsurfing, fishing, and snorkelling are available.

The name Pangkor actually originates from the Thai word 'Pang Ko' meaning 'Beautiful Island'. This is a very apt description for this island in the sun. The people of Pangkor are mostly fishermen (who catch mainly cuttlefish and anchovy) and local traders who live in a chain of villages that thread along the eastern shores facing the mainland.

Spread along the 7-km stretch of coastline are the quiet Malay kampungs (villages) of Teluk Dalam, Sungai Pinang Kechil, Kampung Masjid, Teluk Kechil and Teluk Gedung.

Other notable sites in Pangkor Island are:

Pangkor Batu Bersurat

Batu Bersurat literally means 'the Stone of Inscriptions'. Carved on this particular huge bolder are sketches of a tiger carrying a child, two round-shaped leaves along with the letters,'If Carlo 1743' and 'VOC,' an acronym for the Dutch East India Company .

The sketches were believed to be the work of grieving soldiers in memory of a Dutch dignitary's son who went missing whilst playing near the stone in 1743, during the reign of Sultan Muzaffar Syah III (1728-1756). One version of the tale was that some of the Malays and Bugis, who disliked the Dutch for ill treating the locals, kidnapped and killed the boy.

Another version claimed that a tiger ate the boy. From that day, the rock came to be known as the `Batu Bersurat` or `The Rock of Inscriptions'. The rock measures about 10.7m long and 4.6m wide and stands 4.3m tall.

Dutch Fort, Pulau Pangkor

Located at Teluk Gedung village, south of Pulau Pangkor, the 330-year-old stone foundation of a Dutch Fort built in 1670 remains one of the Dutch strongholds against pirates and local Malays. Actually, during the Dutch occupation in the 17th century, tin supplies from Pangkor and the mainland were stored in this fort.

As time passed by, the locals who were unhappy with the treatment of the Dutch destroyed the fort sometime in 1690. This is not the end because the Dutch then returned in full force to rebuild the fort. Following that 60 soldiers were commissioned to protect the fort until 1743, when it was finally abandoned after a local warrior, Panglima Kulub, and his followers attacked it.

Later in 1973, the National Museum undertook its reconstruction to restore as much as possible the remains of the fort and retain its historical significance and heritage.

Pangkor Laut

A privately owned island, Pangkor Laut is the second largest of the nine islands that make up Pulau Pangkor. Pangkor Laut mirrors the dream of a tropical paradise with white beaches and crystal clear waters. An exclusive luxurious resort named after the island stands on the eastern side of the island. Part of the resort is nestled within the lush hillside while part extends over the water.

The outstandingly beautiful Emerald Bay lies on the western side of the island. The name is probably derived from its emerald-green water, and combined with the soft, white sand that covers the stretch of beach and the green vegetation that form the backdrop, it's no surprise this beach is regarded the finest beach in Perak.
souces:virtualmalaysia.com/

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Tioman Island

2012-09-16T02:14:00.001-07:00

About 36 nautical mile off Malaysia's east coast lies Pulau Tioman, or Tioman Island a tear-shape paradise. An enduring and tranquil island, Tioman Island boasts miles and miles of white sandy beaches and swaying palm trees, charming villages and friendly people. Its crystal clear water promise spectacular marine life and colourful coral gardens. The striking profile of the twin peaks of Gunung Nenek Semukut provides a markable landmark to this beautiful island reputed to be one of the most beautiful and idyllic islands in the
Tioman Island (Malay language: Pulau Tioman) is a small island located 32 km off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia in the state of Pahang, and is some 39 km long and 12 km wide. It has eight main villages, the largest and most populous being Kampung Tekek in the north. The densely forested island is sparsely inhabited, and is surrounded by numerous coral reefs, making it a

popular scuba diving spot. There are also a lot of resorts and chalets around the island which has duty free status.
Its beaches were depicted in the 1958 movie, South Pacific as Bali Hai. In the 1970s, TIME Magazine selected Tioman as one of the world's most beautiful islands.
Apart from its diverse marine life, the inland rainforest area, encompassing approximately 12,383 hectares, in Tioman is a strictly enforced nature reserve. There are several protected species of mammals on the island, including the Binturong, Long-tailed Macaque, Slow Loris, Black Giant Squirrel, Red Giant Flying Squirrel, Mouse deer, Brush-tailed Porcupine, and Common Palm Civet, from a total of 45 species of mammals and 138 species of birds, including the majestic Frigatebird. Moreover, Tioman has species that are endemic to its shores. The soft-shelled turtle and the Tioman walking catfish are both unique and can be seen on rainforest walks.
The island is served by ferries from the Malaysian mainland, and a propeller plane service by Berjaya Air from the Changi Airport in Singapore and Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang, Selangor.

Pulau Tioman is a part of Rompin district of Pahang, and within Tioman island has 4 kampung: Salang, Tekek, Juara and Air Batang.
souces:From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Layang Layang Island

2012-09-16T02:09:00.001-07:00

Layang-Layang is an isolated atoll-like ring of 13 connected reefs in a 14 sq km area. The whole island is only 7.5 km long and 2 km wide.Lying 300-km northwest of Kota Kinabalu, Layang-Layang has become one of the preferred destinations for the avid diver who constantly seeks for new thrills and challenges. The eastern end of the atoll is a favored nesting side for many species of migratory birds like Sooty Terns (Sterna fuscata), Black-naped Terns (Sterna sumatrana), Great Crested Terns (Sterna bergii), Brown Boobies (Sula
leucogaster) and Brown Noddies (Anous stolidus). Hence Layang-Layang is not only a diver's paradise but also a bird watchers' haven.

In 1985, the Malaysian Federal Government began reclamation works and created a 50-acre island on one part of the reef. Layang-layang resort development follow suit and in 1986, the resort was open to guests. On the island there is only one resort and a Malaysian navy base. Please take note that the navy base is restricted area. Well, don't cross the border..

Let's dive in and explore the world beneath the sparkling blue surface of the waters.

The diving season starts from March to September. Best time to go from our view point is from April- May.

Water temperature: 27-29°C
souces:http://www.myoutdoor.com/

About Malaysia

2012-09-16T02:04:00.001-07:00

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Malaysia (ⁱ/məˈleɪʒə/ mə-lay-zhə or ⁱ/məˈleɪsiə/ mə-lay-see-ə) is afederal constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia. It consists of thirteen states and three federal territories and has a total landmass of 329,847 square kilometres (127,350 sq mi) separated by the South China Sea into two similarly sized regions,Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo. Land borders are shared with Thailand,Indonesia, and Brunei, and maritime borders exist with Singapore, Vietnam, and thePhilippines. The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. In 2010 the population exceeded 27.5 million, with over 20 million living on the Peninsula.

Malaysia has its origins in the Malay Kingdoms present in the area which, from the 18th century, became subject to the British Empire. The first British territories were known as the Straits Settlements, whose establishment was followed by the Malay kingdoms becoming British protectorates. The territories on Peninsular Malaysia were first unified as the Malayan Union in 1946. Malaya was restructured as theFederation of Malaya in 1948, and achieved independence on 31 August 1957. Malaya united with Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore on 16 September 1963, with sibeing added to give the new country the name Malaysia. Less than two years later in 1965, Singapore was expelled from the federation. Since independence, Malaysia has had one of the best economic records in Asia, with GDP growing an average 6.5% for almost 50 years. The economy has traditionally been fuelled by its natural resources, but is expanding in the sectors of science, tourism, commerce andmedical tourism.

The country is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural, which plays a large role in politics. The government system is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary systemand the legal system is based on English Common Law. The constitution declaresIslam the state religion while protecting freedom of religion. The head of state is the King, known as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. He is an elected monarch chosen from the hereditary rulers of the nine Malay states every five years. The head of government is the Prime Minister.

Malaysia contains the southernmost point of continental Eurasia, Tanjung Piai. Located in the tropics, it is a megadiverse country, with large numbers of endemicflora and fauna. It is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and a member of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the Non-Aligned Movement.

Etymology

"Malaysia" used as a label for the Malay Archipelago on a 1914 map from a United States atlas

The word Melayu is thought to derive from the Sanskrit term Malaiur or Malayadvipa, which can be translated as "land of mountains", the word used by ancientIndian traders when referring to the Malay Peninsula.^[14]^[15]^[16]^[17]^[18] Other theories propose it originates from the Tamil wordMalai, meaning "mountain".^[19] The term was later used as the name of theMelayu Kingdom, which existed between the 7th and 13th centuries onSumatra.^[20]

Following his 1826 expedition in Oceania, French navigator Jules Dumont d'Urvilleinvented the terms Malaysia, Micronesia and Melanesia, distinguishing these Pacific cultures and island groups from the existing term Polynesia. In 1831, he proposed these terms to the Société de Géographie. Dumont d'Urville described Malaysia as "an area commonly known as the East Indies".^[21] In 1850, the English ethnologist George Samuel Windsor Earl, writing in the Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia, proposed naming the islands of Southeast Asia as Melayunesia orIndunesia, favouring the former.^[22]

In 1957, the Federation of Malaya was declared as an independent federation of the Malay states on the Malay Peninsula.^[23] The name "Malaysia" was adopted in 1963 when the existing states of the Federation of Malaya, plus Singapore, North Borneo and Sarawak formed a new federation, with "si" being added to Malaya in honour of the three joining states.^[24] Prior to that, the name itself had been used to refer to the whole Malay Archipelago.^[25] Politicians in the Philippines contemplated renaming their state "Malaysia" before the modern country took the name.^[26] At the time of federation, other names were considered: among them was Langkasuka, after the historic kingdom located at the upper section of the Malay Peninsula in the 1st millennium CE.^[27]

History

Main article: History of Malaysia

Evidence of modern human habitation in Malaysia dates back 40,000 years.^[28] The first inhabitants are thought to be Negritos.^[29] Traders and settlers from India and China arrived as early as the 1st century AD, establishing trading ports and coastal towns in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. Their presence resulted in strong Indian and Chinese influence on the local cultures, and the people of the Malay Peninsula adopted the religions of Hinduism and Buddhism. Sanskrit inscriptions appear as early as the 4th or 5th century.^[30] The Kingdom of Langkasuka arose around the 2nd century in the northern area of the Malay Peninsula, lasting until about the 15th century.^[27] Between the 7th and 13th centuries, much of the southern Malay Peninsula was part of the maritime Srivijaya empire. After the fall of Srivijaya, the Majapahit empire had influence over most of Peninsular Malaysia and the Malay Archipelago.^[31] Islam began to spread among Malays in the 14th century.^[3] In the early 15th century, Parameswara, a prince of the former Srivijayan empire, founded the Malacca Sultanate, commonly considered the first independent state in the peninsula.^[32] Malacca was an important commercial centre during this time, attracting trade from around the region. Parameswara became a Muslim, accelerating the spread of Islam.^[3]

In 1511 Malacca was conquered by Portugal,^[3] after which it was taken by theDutch in 1641. In 1786 the British Empire established a presence in Malaya, when the Sultan of Kedah leased Penang to the British East India Company. The British obtained the town of Singapore in 1819,^[33] and in 1824 took control of Malacca following the Anglo-Dutch Treaty. By 1826 the British directly controlled Penang, Malacca, Singapore, and the island of Labuan, which they established as the crown colony of the Straits Settlements. By the 20th century, the states of Pahang,Selangor, Perak, and Negeri Sembilan, known together as the Federated Malay States, had British Residents appointed to advise the Malay rulers, to whom the rulers were bound to defer by treaty.^[34] The remaining five states in the peninsula, known as the Unfederated Malay States, while not directly under British rule, also accepted British advisers around the turn of the 20th century. Development on the Peninsula and Borneo were generally separate until the 19th century. Under British rule the immigration of Chinese and Indians to serve as labourers was encouraged.^[35] Sabah was governed as the crown colony of British North Borneo after it was leased from the Sultanate of Sulu in 1878.^[36] In 1842, Sarawak was ceded by the Sultan of Brunei to James Brooke, whose successors ruled as the White Rajahsover an independent kingdom until 1946, when it became a Crown colony.^[37]

In the Second World War the Japanese army invaded and occupied Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore for over three years. During this time, ethnic tensions were raised and nationalism grew.^[38] Popular support for independence increased after Malaya was reconquered by Allied Forces.^[39] Post-war British plans to unite the administration of Malaya under a single crown colony called the Malayan Union met with strong opposition from the Malays, who opposed the weakening of the Malay rulers and the granting of citizenship to the ethnic Chinese. The Malayan Union, established in 1946 and consisting of all the British possessions in the Malay Peninsula with the exception of Singapore, was quickly dissolved and replaced by the Federation of Malaya, which restored the autonomy of the rulers of the Malay states under British protection.^[40] During this time, mostly Chinese rebels under the leadership of the Malayan Communist Party launched guerrilla operations designed to force the British out of Malaya. TheMalayan Emergency lasted from 1948 to 1960, and involved a long anti-insurgency campaign by Commonwealth troops in Malaya.^[41] After this a plan was put in place to federate Malaya with the British crown colonies of Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore. The proposed date of federation was 31 August 1963, however, the date was delayed until 16 September 1963 due to opposition from Indonesia's Sukarno and the Sarawak United Peoples' Party.^[42]

Merdeka Square in Kuala Lumpur, where Independence Day is celebrated on 31 August each year.

Federation brought heightened tensions including a conflict with Indonesia, Singapore's eventual exit in 1965,^[43]^[44] and racial strife. This strife culminated in the 13 May race riots in 1969.^[45] After the riots, the controversial New Economic Policy was launched by Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak, trying to increase the share of the economy held by the bumiputra.^[46] Under Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad there was a period of rapid economic growth and urbanisation beginning in the 1980s. The economy shifted from being agriculturally-based to one based on manufacturing and industry. Numerous mega-projects were completed, such as thePetronas Towers, the North-South Expressway, the Multimedia Super Corridor, and the new federal administrative capital of Putrajaya.^[24] However, in the late 1990s theAsian financial crisis almost caused the collapse of the currency and the stock and property markets.^[47]

Governance

Malaysia is a federal constitutional elective monarchy. The system of government is closely modelled on that of the Westminster parliamentary system, a legacy of British colonial rule.^[48] The head of state is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, commonly referred to as the king. The King is elected to a five-year term by and from among the nine hereditaryrulers of the Malay states; the other four states, which have titular Governors, do not participate in the selection. By informal agreement the position is systematically rotated among the nine,^[48] and has been held by Abdul Halim of Kedah since December 2011.^[49]The King's role has been largely ceremonial since changes to the constitution in 1994, picking ministers and members of the upper house.^[50]

Legislative power is divided between federal and state legislatures. The bicameral federalparliament consists of the lower house, the House of Representatives and the upper house, the Senate.^[51] The 222-member House of Representatives is elected for a maximum term of five years from single-member constituencies. All 70 senators sit for three-year terms; 26 are elected by the 13 state assemblies, and the remaining 44 are appointed by the King upon the Prime Minister's recommendation.^[3] The parliament follows a multi-party system and the government is elected through a first-past-the-post system. Since independence Malaysia has been governed by a multi-party coalition known as the Barisan Nasional.^[3]

Each state has a unicameral State Legislative Assembly whose members are elected from single-member constituencies. State governments are led by Chief Ministers,^[3] who are state assembly members from the majority party in the assembly. In each of the states with a hereditary ruler, the Chief Minister is required to be a Malay, appointed by the ruler upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister.^[52] Parliamentary elections are held at least once every five years, the most recent of which took place in March 2008.^[3] Registered voters of age 21 and above may vote for the members of the House of Representatives and, in most of the states, for the state legislative chamber. Voting is not mandatory.^[53] Except for elections in Sarawak, all state elections are held concurrently with the federal election.^[50]

Najib Razak, Prime Minister since 2009.

Executive power is vested in the Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister. The prime minister must be a member of the house of representatives, who in the opinion of the King, commands a majority in parliament. The cabinet is chosen from members of both houses of Parliament.^[3] The Prime Minister is both the head of cabinet and the head of government.^[50] The incumbent, Najib Razak, appointed in 2009, is the sixth prime minister.^[54]

Malaysia's legal system is based on English Common Law.^[3] Although the judiciary is theoretically independent, its independence has been called into question and the appointment of judges lacks accountability and transparency.^[55] The highest court in the judicial system is theFederal Court, followed by the Court of Appeal and two high courts, one for Peninsular Malaysia and one for East Malaysia. Malaysia also has a special court to hear cases brought by or against Royalty.^[56] Separate from the civil courts are the Syariah Courts, which apply Shariah law to cases which involve Malaysian Muslims^[57] and run parallel to the secular court system.^[58] TheInternal Security Act allows detention without trial, and the death penalty is in use for crimes such as drug trafficking.^[59]

Race is a significant force in politics, and many political parties are ethnically based.^[3] Actions such as the New Economic Policy^[46] and the National Development Policy which superseded it, were implemented to advance the standing of the bumiputra, consisting of Malays and the indigenous tribes who are considered the original inhabitants of Malaysia, over non-bumiputra such as Malaysian Chinese and Malaysian Indians.^[60] These policies provide preferential treatment to bumiputra in employment, education, scholarships, business, and access to cheaper housing and assisted savings. However, it has generated greater interethnic resentment.^[61] There is ongoing debate over whether the laws and society of Malaysia should reflect secular or Islamic principles.^[62] Islamic laws passed by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party in state legislative assemblies have been blocked by the federal government.^[63]

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