Malaysia is primarily known to expatriates (prior to moving here) as a former British colony. In fact, however, the truth of Malaysia—as is the case in many of its aspects—is a complex one (for instance it was never a colony, always an independent protectorate). In that vein, the story of Malaysia’s initial stages of development details a rich cultural history, particularly due to its geographical position, which led to it becoming a natural meeting place of trade routes. This brought a great deal of prosperity to Malaysia, but is also seen as the beginning of the multicultural influences that are still present in the country to this day.

Malaysia, since the seventh century, has undergone radical religious changes. Originally dominated by Hindus and Buddhists from India during the time of the Srivijaya civilization, it underwent a major change around the tenth century with the introduction of Islam. This had an impact not only on Malaysia, but also on Indonesia, and led to the breaking up of the Srivijayan empire into a number of smaller sultanates, of which Melaka (also spelt Malacca) was the most prominent.

Following this conversion was the arrival of the various colonial powers. Initially the Portuguese captured Malacca in 1511, only to later yield it to the Dutch, and subsequently the British, who also established bases on the Northern island of Pulau Pinang (now commonly spelt Penang), and Singapore.

The Malay world (now known as Malaysia and Indonesia) was divided in what has proven to be a lasting separation by the Anglo-Dutch treaty of 1824, which created British Malaysia and the Netherlands East Indies respectively. Thereafter, foreign influence in the area increased substantially yet again, due to the influx of Chinese and Indian workers entering the Malay Peninsula and North Borneo.

From 1942-45, the Japanese occupied the region, severely reducing British power, although they did, albeit temporarily, resume control once the short-lived occupation ceased. In 1957, Malaysia was finally declared an independent state, under the leadership of Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia’s first Prime Minister. This is celebrated annually, and is known as Merdeka. This was the result of not only the British response to the then-rising Malayan Communist Party, but also concessions by both the Malay and Chinese political leaderships. The Federation of Malaya (as Malaysia was then known) acquired British territories in 1963 in North Borneo (now the Eastern Malaysia states of Sabah and Sarawak) as well as the Chinese-majority Singapore, and thus became Malaysia. However, this union was short-lived, as Singapore parted ways with the Federation in 1965, after only two years.
Since Tunku Abdul Rahman’s time, Malaysia has, under the leadership of succeeding prime ministers and other forward-thinking leaders, become not only an often-cited example of multiculturalism, but a successful independent state. Malaysia has had remarkable success in the areas of agriculture, manufacturing and, more recently, the knowledge and service industries—success achieved in only 50 years of independence, a remarkable achievement by any standard.

Living in Malaysia, particularly if you take the time to travel to different parts of the country, you will notice its rich tapestry of cultures reflected in the architecture, the customs, the traditions, the clothing, and especially the food. There are several popular destinations if you want to see remnants of Malaysia’s heritage.

Melaka
One is Melaka, where you can visit buildings built by the Portuguese and the Dutch. Particular ones of interest are the A’Famosa Fort’s gateway, Porta Santiago and the pink Stadthuys government building, now home to a museum. Atop St. Paul’s Hill, there are the ruins of a church building, and well-preserved townhouses can be found nearby that once belonged to the Straits Chinese. Bukit Cina is also an interesting place to visit and is steeped in history. It once housed the Chinese Princess Hang Li Poh who, back in the 15th century, was married to Sultan Mansor Shah as part of a political alliance between the Melaka Sultanate and the Chinese Empire.

Penang
Penang Island, the Pearl of the Orient, was formerly a British trading post set up by Captain Francis Light. Much of this heritage still remains, with Georgetown, the capital, now a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, and full of old Chinese shophouses. A favourite place to visit is the blue Chong Fatt Tze Mansion, which has now been converted into a hotel. Also of note are the beautiful mosques built by the Arab and Indian-Muslim traders. The neighbouring state of Kedah is home to the sprawling remains of a Hindu civilization, located in the Bujang Valley (Lembah Bujang), which is a fascinating place for any history buff.

But there is more to living in Malaysia than visiting historic places. Living here means learning about the different religions, the different cultures, finding somewhere to live and learning how to get around. It is a commitment, but one you’ll be happy you made.