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MALAYSIA

ALAYSIA is a federation consisting of the eleven States of West Malaysia, namely Johore, Kedah, Kelantan, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Penang, Perak, Perlis, Selangor and Trengganu and the two States of East Malaysia, namely Sabah and Sarawak. The States of West Malaysia are situated in that part of the Malay Peninsula which lies to the south of the Isthmus of Kra between latitudes 1° and 7° North and longitudes 100° and 105° East. They are bordered on the north by Thailand, on the west by the Straits of Malacca, on the east by the South China Sea and to the south by Singapore. The States of East Malaysia are situated on the North and West Coasts of Northern Borneo being bounded by the South China Sea to the West, the Sulu and Celebes Sea to the East and Indonesia to the South. Sabah lies between latitudes 4° and 7° North and longitudes 115° and 120° East, while Sarawak lies between latitudes 1° and 5° North and longitudes 109° and 116° East. The total area of Malaysia is about 128,308 square miles, divided as follows:

Malaysia includes a number of islands, none of which is far distant from its shores. In addition to the large island of Penang, the most important are the Langkawi Islands off the coast of Kedah, the Pangkor Islands off the coast of Perak, the Tioman Islands administered by Pahang and Labuan off the coast of Sabah.

The greater part of Malaysia is covered by dense tropical jungle, the only generally cleared areas being in the west and north-east of West Malaysia and along the principal river valleys. Large areas of Pahang are gradually being cleared. In West Malaysia the mountain range runs along the spine of the country from the north-west to the south-east, the highest mountain being Gunong Tahan (7,186 feet). The main rivers are the Perak and the Pahang. In Sabah the central range rises to heights of from 4,000 to 6,000 feet and culminates in Mount Kinabalu (13,455 feet), the highest mountain in the region. The principal river is the Kinabatangan. The highest mountain in Sarawak is Murud (7,950 feet), and the main river the Rejang.

Both West and East Malaysia are open to maritime influences and are subject to the interplay of the wind systems which originate in the India Ocean and the South China Sea. The year is divided into the south-west and north-east monsoon seasons which in time correspond roughly with the summer and winter of northern latitudes. In West Malaysia the months between the two monsoon periods are generally the wettest, though on the east coast the period of the north-east monsoon brings the greatest amount of rain. In Sarawak, from the beginning of October until nearly the end of February, the north-east monsoon brings heavy rainfall, particularly in the coastal belt. From April to July there is a mild south-east monsoon and during the period rainfall often occurs in the form of afternoon thunderstorms. In Sabah the north-east monsoon lasts from late November and December until March and April, and the southwest monsoon from May to August with interim periods of indeterminate winds between the two monsoons. On the west coast the wetter seasons occur during

the south-west monsoon period and the interim periods, while on the east coast the heaviest rainfall occurs during the north-east monsoon. Humidity is generally high.

Throughout Malaysia average daily temperature varies from about 21°C (70°F) to 32°C (90°F) though in higher areas temperatures are lower and vary more widely. In the Cameron Highlands in Pahang the extreme temperatures recorded are 26·5C (79°F) and 2°C (36°F). Rainfall averages about 100 inches throughout the year, though the annual fall varies from place to place and from year to year. The driest part of West Malaysia is Jelebu in Negri Sembilan with an average of 65 inches, and the wettest place Maxwell's Hill in Perak with 198 inches a year. A large area of Sarawak receives between 120 and 160 inches of rain. In Sabah rainfall varies from 60 to 160 inches.

Malaysia is a multi-racial state. The principal racial groups are the Malays, the Chinese and various communities from the Indian sub-continent and Ceylon. Other numerically significant groups are: the indigenous races of Sarawak and Sabah, of whom the Dayaks, Kadazans (Dusuns), Bajaus, Melanaus and Muruts are the most numerous; the aboriginal peoples who live in West Malaysia; Europeans and Eurasians. The population is increasing rapidly and the totals in the 1970 census were:

This figure does not include the 12,779 wayfarers and persons

afloat of whom 11,646 were males and 1,133 were females.

The birth and death rates for the year 1967 were 35.3 per 1,000 and 7.5 per 1,000 respectively.

The languages mainly spoken are Malay, English, Chinese (various dialects) and Tamil. There are a few indigenous tongues spoken widely in East Malaysia. Hokkien and Cantonese are the main Chinese dialects.

Malay (Bahasa Malaysia) which is the national language of Malaysia has been the sole official language since 1967. However, in East Malaysia English will remain an official language until 1973.

The educational system is in the process of being reorganised to adapt it to the needs and aspirations of the country. Malay will be the principal medium of instruction in all schools, with the exception of Chinese and Tamil media primary schools. English will be a compulsory second language. The process for the conversion of English medium schools into National (Malay medium) Schools, which began in 1967 with the Grade I (primary) classes, will be completed by 1982, when all education up to and including university level will be in the Malay language.

An increasing number of vocational and technical schools are being built in order to readjust the balance of enrolment at the upper secondary level between general secondary, technical and vocational schools.

Modern mathematics and integrated science at lower secondary level have been introduced. A crash programme has also been launched to improve the teaching of science and mathematics in national primary schools.

An educational development centre is being established to improve the quality of education. The centre will carry out programmes of improvement in curriculum, teaching and learning technique,

Educational Television was formally launched on 19th June 1972.

In addition to the existing University-the University of Malaya-two more universities have been established during the last four years. They are the University of Science, Malaysia and the National University. Another University-University of Agriculture will be established in 1973. The Technical College has also been upgraded to a College of Technology, and will provide both diploma as well as degree courses.

The total outlay for capital development in education under the Second Malaysia Plan (1971-1975) is M $448-48 million.

Six years of primary education are given free at public expense to all children throughout Malaysia. In West Malaysia they receive at least three years secondary schooling as well. The percentage of children attending secondary schools in East Malaysia has increased rapidly and in Sabah enrolment is now 150,000 of which over 25,000 are in new secondary schools.

Islam is the official religion of Malaysia, but Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism and Christianity are also widely and freely practised.

The following is a list of the States and their capitals with population figures (1970 Census figures).

The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur situated in West Malaysia half-way between Penang and Johore and 27 miles inland from Port Swettenham. The town was founded in 1857, succeeded Klang as the capital of Selangor in 1895 and became the capital of the Federated Malay States. In 1948 it became the capital of the Federation of Malaya and in 1963 the capital of Malaysia. Under the Federal Capital Act of 1960 the previously elected Municipal Council was abolished and Kuala Lumpur is now Federal Territory, being administered on behalf of the Malaysian Government by a Mayor with an Advisory Board of six official and five unofficial Members.

The principal sea ports in West Malaysia are Port Swettenham and Penang. Construction has commenced on a Port in Johore and a feasibility study is being carried out on the possibility of a Port at Kuantan on the East Coast of West Malaysia. Those of East Malaysia are Kuching, Sibu, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Tawau and Labuan. Cargo loaded at West Malaysian ports during 1971 totalled 5.8 million freight tons, a reduction of over 40% over 1970 contributed mainly by the closure of the iron ore mines in Dungun; cargo discharged, almost 8 million freight tons. Cargo loaded at East Malaysian ports during 1970 totalled over 11.4 million freight tons (an increase of over 1 million freight tons over 1968 mainly due to increased shipments of timber). Cargo discharged in East Malaysian ports in 1970 totalled almost 8 million freight tons.

The principal airports are at Kuala Lumpur, 14 miles from town (runway 11,400 feet); Penang 9 miles from town (runway 7,000 feet); Labuan (runway 6,700 feet); Kota Kinabalu, 4 miles from town (runway 7,300 feet); Sandakan, 7 miles from town (runway 4,500 feet); Tawau (runway 4,500 feet); Kuching, 7 miles from town (runway 6,300 feet); Sibu (runway 4,500 feet); Miri (runway 5,500 feet). A new airport (6,300 feet) is at present under construction outside Johore Bahru. There are many others suitable for small aircraft. All parts of Malaysia (and Brunei) are linked by air services provided at present by Malaysia-Singapore Airlines Limited, the joint national airline of the Malaysian and Singapore Governments, which also operates international services to and from Bangkok, Manila, Hong Kong, Taipei, Djakarta, Tokyo, Perth, Sydney

and London. A new service is now being operated by M.S.A. in which Britten Norman Islanders are used to serve rural areas in the Third, Fourth and Fifth Divisions of Sarawak, and in Sabah. However Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to break up M.S.A. into two separate airlines. The split is scheduled to be completed by 1st January 1973. Malaysia's new airline, Malaysian Airlines System (MAS) was registered in April 1971. M.A.S. will originally concentrate on internal and normal services. Plans are under consideration for extension to the runways at Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kuala Trengganu, Kota Kinabalu, and new or longer runways at Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu, Sandakan and Lahat Datu. The Penang runway is being extended to 9,400 feet, and that at Kota Kinabalu to 9,400 feet. There are 1,035 miles of main running railway lines and 1,340 miles of loops, sidings and yard lines. The road mileage is 13,520.

The Department of Broadcasting includes Radio Malaysia and Television Malaysia which were integrated on 1st October 1969.

Radio Malaysia's national service broadcasts around the clock. The other services broadcast a total of 267 hours 50 minutes a week in English, Chinese (Mandarin, Amoy, Hakka and Cantonese) and Tamil.

Programmes are also broadcast in the two main aboriginal languages, Semai and Temiar, 6 hours weekly for 45,000 aborigines in the country. Radio Malaysia Sarawak broadcasts a total of 323 hours a week in Malay, Iban, Chinese, English, Bidayuh, Melanau and Kayan/Kenyah, while Radio Malaysia Sabah goes on the air 124 hours a week in seven different languages-Kadazan, Malay, Murut, Indonesia, Bajan, English and Chinese.

Suara Malaysia or "The Voice of Malaysia" is the Overseas Service of Radio Malaysia. Formed in 1963, this Service broadcasts in 4 languages-Indonesia 56 hours, English 17 hours 30 minutes, Mandarin 14 hours and Thai 3 hours 30 minutes a week.

Facilities are now provided for commercial advertising to the whole of Malaysia. Commercial radio emanating from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, began in February 1972 while Sarawak launched its commercial radio broadcasting in May 1972. There are about 552,800 licensed radio sets in Malaysia today. In addition, Rediffusion Ltd., a private commercial enterprise, operate a wired service in the major urban areas of West Malaysia and provide advertising facilities in each of the three main languages. There are approximately 30,000 subscribers to Rediffusion in West Malaysia.

Television was introduced in Kuala Lumpur in December, 1963, with coverage progressively extended to the whole of the West Coast of Malaysia. Likewise, all main centres of population on the East Coast of West Malaysia began to receive a two-network television service at the end of 1971 with new television transmitting stations installed at Kuantan, Dungun, Kuala Trengganu and Kota Bahru. Television Malaysia has also shown a rapid increase in its broadcast time. The first channel has doubled its hours from 27 in 1963 to 58 hours last year. The second channel has increased by seven hours from 21 in 1969 to 28 last year. A television service was formally inaugurated in Sabah in December 1971, covering all main centres of population. There are now 236,000 licensed television sets in the country.

Malaysia is a producer of primary commodities and the economy of the country is largely dependent on exports. The main products are natural rubber, tin, palm oil, timber and rice. Despite diversification programmes rubber is the chief export and is still of major importance to the country's economy. Pro