WORLD DAY OF PRAYER 2012 MALAYSIA
THEME: LET JUSTICE PREVAIL
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
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INTRODUCTION
Malaysia is a nation of diverse cultures, races1 and religions. There are modern cities, among
which Kuala Lumpur is ever growing outwards and upwards. These are striking contrast to
idyllic resorts, historic cities such as Melaka and Penang, colonial hill resorts, longhouses of
Sabah & Sarawak, and an expanse of rainforest which covers around 70% of the land area. Parts
of this dense jungle are still unexplored because of their inaccessibility. Malaysia is also a land
of rice paddy fields, rubber and oil palm estates, human settlements on river banks and sea
shores, and high rise condominiums.
Malaysia, located in South East Asia, lies north of the equator. It consists of two parts –
Peninsular Malaysia (West Malaysia) and East Malaysia comprising of Sabah and Sarawak (in
North Borneo). Peninsular Malaysia is joined to the mainland Asia by a narrow isthmus –
Isthmus of Kra. Thailand lies to the north of Peninsular Malaysia while the island of Singapore
lies at its southern tip. The South China Sea (600km – 370 miles) separates Peninsular Malaysia
from East Malaysia. The two parts of Malaysia covers a total land area of 127,284sq miles
(329,750km). Malaysia’s name derives from its former name Malaya which comes from the
name of its dominant race the Malays, and earlier still from the seventh century Kingdom of
Melayu in Sumatera.
Malaysia2 is comprised of 13 states and 3 Federal Territories covering almost 132,000sq km.
West Malaysia is comprised of 11 states – Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka (formerly known as
Malacca), Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Selangor, Terengganu and Federal
Territory of Kuala Lumpur & Putra Jaya. Sarawak and Sabah in East Malaysia are the two
largest states occupying a total land area of about 200,000 sq. km. Labuan is the other Federal
Territory.
CLIMATE
Situated between 1º and 7º north of the equator, both parts of Malaysia lie in the equatorial
rainfall zone. The climate is tropical and humid all the year round. Temperature varies between
22ºC (70ºF) and 32ºC (90ºF). Humidity is usually high- around 80%. Rain falls almost daily
during the monsoon season (October – April), but even during the drier parts of the year there are
a couple of showers a week. The rain is not gentle watering but often a deluge, stormy with
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How is the word race used here? What are the races in Malaysia?
Shouldn’t this be East Malaysia
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lightning and thunder. The North East and South West monsoons bring the rain. Annual rainfall
ranges from 2,000 to 2,500 millimeters.
GEOGRAPHY
Malaysia’s vegetation is tropical rainforest. It is the world’s oldest, most treasured, and most
endangered ecosystem. The rain forest covers about 21 million hectares and has 2,500 different
types of trees and over 5,500 species of other plants. Types of plants include vines, creepers,
epiphytes, ferns, orchids and giant trees such as dipterocarp. In Peninsula Malaysia, the Banjaran
Titiwangsa, known as the Main Range, runs down the centre, separating it topographically into
two regions – West coast and East coast. The highest peak, Mount Tahan (2,191 metres) is along
this range. In Sabah and Sarawak, the Crocker Range is prominent and Mount Kinabalu (4,101
metres), the highest peak in South East Asia, monopolizes the Sabah sky line from every
conceivable angle. Mangroves, saline swamp forests, are found along the West Coast of
Peninsular Malaysia and most of the coast of Sabah and Sarawak.
The dense rain forest is home to an astounding collection of animals as well: a variety of species
of mammals, birds, butterflies, moths, numerous insects. Wild fruit trees are also found in the
jungles. Large scale clearing for plantations and logging (which is now restricted) have disturbed
animal habitats and opened the country to poachers seeking valuable animal parts such as rhino
horn.
ECONOMY
The mineral resources and agricultural products have contributed to the economy of Malaysia. In
the 19th century, the tin boom lured miners from China and brought in good revenue. Perak was
the home for the richest and largest tin lodes. Malaysia together with Bolivia dominated the
world’s tin industry during this period. Pewter-ware made from tin is very popular and in
demand as gifts and souvenirs till today. Huge residential developments have arisen on disused
tin mines.
Rubber which became synonymous with Malaysia was first planted in Malaysia by H.N. Ridley
in 1888 and immediately thrived. By 1913 rubber surpassed tin as the chief export and it stayed
at the top until 1980, when it was overtaken by oil palm. A new rubber clone called 1 Malaysia
which is more productive is ready for commercialization.
The multi-billion ringgit oil palm industry is Malaysia’s great success story. Around 1.5 million
hectares are under oil palm cultivation. Palm oil is one of the most popular cooking oils and it is
an important export. Malaysia is not only the world’s biggest producer of palm oil but also the
second largest supplier of palm oil. Over 53% of the world’s palm oil originates in Malaysia and
together with timber, cocoa, pepper, pineapples, tea and tobacco brings in foreign revenue.
The Government’s emphasis now is on resource-based industries. Petroleum, manufacturing,
agriculture and tourism are the most important contributors. The biggest employers in Malaysia
are the civil service and the manufacturing sector. Today, the manufacturing sector dominates. It
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includes petroleum and natural gas refineries, production of national car and car assembly parts,
and processing of domestic raw materials, timber and oil. Leading exports include
semiconductors, rubber gloves, air-conditioning units, furniture and electrical goods. The tropical
islands such as Pangkor, Langkawi, and Tioman, the rich history of Melaka, and the sandy
beaches of Penang attract tourists.
From 1990, national companies Telecoms, Tenaga Nasional (electricity) and major automobile
manufacturers have been privatized to encourage the growth of the private sector and to secure
foreign investments. Efforts are made to minimize unemployment and to eradicate poverty
especially in the densely populated rural areas. Foreign workers are employed in the construction
and agriculture sectors.
In Sabah, timber, palm oil, rubber, cocoa, sago, seafood, and vegetables are exported.
GOVERNMENT
Malaysia’s form of Government is described as a Constitutional Monarchy under an overall ruler
of the country known as the Yang di-Pertuan Agung, or King, who is also the supreme
commander of the armed forces. The highest ruler of each state is either the Sultan, the Raja, the
Yang di-Pertuan Negeri, or the State Governor.3
The King is selected every five years at a Conference of Rulers which is comprised of the
hereditary rulers or sultans of the nine states of Perlis, Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan,
Johor, Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan. This allows the sultan of each state the opportunity of
being the King. The King reigns for 5 years.
The States of Melaka, Penang, Sabah & Sarawak are headed by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri or
governor.
The Prime Minister is the head of the cabinet and makes all the main national decisions.
Parliament is the legislative arm of the Government.
Law – Under the Internal Security Act, Malaysians may be detained without being charged in
court if they are suspected of being a threat to public order or to the security of the country. The
death penalty is mandatory for persons convicted of drug trafficking. Judicial authority is vested
in the High Courts of Peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak and in appropriate lower courts. Courts
decide civil and criminal cases or settle legality of any law or act of government that is
questioned. Judiciary is structured to be independent of politics4 or any other interference.
THE PEOPLE
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Introduced the word either to show that these are different names for the same position: the Sultan, the Raja, the
Yang di-Pertuan Negeri, or the State Governor
4
Political is an adjective—so it is either independent of politics or political influence—which is better?
3
In Peninsular Malaysia, with a population of 25.9 million people, the Malays are the dominant
group, those of Chinese ancestry number one third, Indians around 10% and the rest include
various Orang Asli groups and other small minorities like the Eurasians, Portuguese, Straits
Chinese, Sri Lankans. Sarawak’s indigenous groups include Ibans, the Bidayuh, Kayan-Kenyah,
Kelabit, and nomadic Penans. In Sabah the major ethnic groups are the Kadazan, Dusun and
Murut.
The early Chinese ancestors who arrived in Melaka married Indonesian women- Bugis, Batak,
Javanese or slave girls from Sumatera. These intermarriages produced a Malay-Chinese speaking
community who speak Malay, follow Malay customs but follow Chinese religion. They are
known as Peranakan (locally born) Straits Chinese. In Melaka and Penang, men are called Babas
and women are Nyonyas. The Nynonas developed the decorative embroidery and bead work
tradition of the Malays. Their jewelry and colorful porcelains are collectors’ items.
The Eurasian Portuguese minority that resulted through mixed marriages with locals has its roots
in historic Melaka. Its cross-cultural influence on Malay language, songs and dances is
significant.
The Orang Asli (original people) are the indigenous aboriginals. They are called Orang Asli in
Peninsular Malaysia and Penan in Sarawak. Orang Asli consist of about 20 tribes- Batek, Orang
Ulu or Jakun (experts in collecting forest products like camphor, rattan and raisins), Mah Meri
Jahut tribes (creative and excellent wood carvers) etc. Malaysia’s earliest people were Semang,
who lived a nomadic life in the deep jungles previously. Senoi (formerly called ‘Sakai’) are
known for their blowpipe skills (2 metres).
The aboriginals lived a life of fishing, trapping, hunting, gathering rainforest products, and
staying in rough shelters for a few weeks before moving on (shifting cultivation). Nowadays,
they live a more settled life as farmers cultivating fruit crops, cocoa, rearing poultry and goats
having fish ponds etc and also have entered into the mainstream of Malaysian life.
CULTURE
Historically and Geographically, Malaysia is a truly multi-racial5 country with a rich cultural
heritage of friendly, hospitable and warm-hearted people. It is a nation of diversity in unity
where Malays, Chinese, Indians, the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak, and minority
communities live and work in harmony as one people yet preserving the traditions and cultures
unique to each race6. This is guided by the Rukunegara, the Malaysian Declaration of National
Philosophy with its 5 tenets – Believe in God, Loyalty to King and Country, Upholding the
Constitution, Rule of Law, and Good Behaviour and Morality. The colorful multifaceted culture
is seen in almost everything – the festivals, dances, costumes, arts and crafts, games, musical
instruments and the exotic cuisine, pastimes and the lifestyles.
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Not sure about the use of the word racial here?
Not sure about the use of the word race here?
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Some of the popular pastimes are top spinning, kite flying, wayang kulit, sepak takraw, bird
singing competition. The Wayang Kulit is shadow puppet play, the puppets being crafted from
buffalo hide and mounted on bamboo sticks. It is performed behind a white cloth and an oil lamp
creates the flickering shadows on the screen. The dances reflect harvest, weddings and other
themes.
There are myriads of festivals but six key festivals are chosen for national level celebration. They
are Hari Raya Aidifitri, Tadan Kaamatan, Gawai, Deepavali, Chinese New Year and Christmas.
It is common for ministers and others to have open house celebration whereby all other races are
welcome to feast on the Malaysian Cuisine and at the same time it provides an opportunity for all
races present to appreciate each other’s culture and traditions and foster good relationship in the
spirit of Muhibbah.
Malaysian fruits, native to the country is seen in abundance everywhere – wayside stalls,
markets. The Durian, ‘King of Fruits’ has a thorny skin with an overpowering smell.
Mangosteen, rambutan, (egg shaped, red or yellow in colour, hairy), langsat, duku, ciku are some
of the native ones. Others are star fruit, papaya, dragon fruit, pineapples etc.
WOMEN
As of 2009, women have made tangible contributions towards social & economic development
of the nation. Women have achieved higher levels of education, increased participation in the
labour force and are involved in various business activities. Women have excelled as doctors,
dentists, lawyers, architects and business entrepreneurs and politicians. To date, there is rapid
absorption of women into the manufacturing and the services sector. Various skills and
entrepreneurship, training programmes and financial assistance schemes by Government and
NGO’s have helped to reduce poverty among women, single mothers and female headed
households. AIM ( Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia) empower the rural and urban poor with
microcredit loan schemes. This scheme is based on the Grameen Bank Loan which started in
Bangladesh.
Despite the progress made in the women’s movement in Malaysia, women of all races and
classes face difficulties of discrimination and violence at all levels of society. In the working age
group, 15 to 64 years, only 40 percent of women are employed. Women’s participation in
decision making positions is low. Globally, one third of the leaders in Government position
should be women, but this has not been achieved because policy has not been endorsed by the
government. We have a Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development to look into
women’s affairs.
Some forms of violence are – infanticide, abortion, incest ( 332 cases in 2006) sexual
harassment, rape ( 243 in 2006), domestic violence, negative portrayal of women in the media
and workplace. As an example, Malaysian Indian women are descendants of the workforce
brought to Malaysia by the British to work in the rubber estates. Although wealth of the country
depended on their labour, they did not benefit from education and modern progress. When they
left the estates, they were unskilled for other jobs and so had to resort to low paid manual labour
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in the cities. Malaysian women suffer violence quietly without protest. Culturally, a girl child is
seen as less value then the male child.
Organizations in Malaysia like NCWO (National Council of Women’s Organization) AWAM,
WAO, Women’s Crisis Centre, YSS, Tenaganita educate about the value of women and about
laws against sexual harassment, rape and all forms of violence against women through
programmes that they conduct.
Malaysia is the largest destination country for Asia for migrant workers. In the country
trafficking in persons has grown and has become highly sophisticated and organized.
TENAGANITA, A Women and Migrant’s organization works closely with NGO’s, embassies
and the police to protect the rights of all women and migrant workers. They run a shelter to
house the survivors of trafficking women and children since 1983.
Single mothers, HIV and AIDS, drug addiction, stateless children in Sabah, abuse and violation
of rights of domestic workers are some of the pressing social issues facing women.
The Anti-trafficking in Persons Act was enforced in 2008 after 14 years of lobbying and
advocacy. The Act covers sex and labour trafficking.
Women’s role and status in Sarawak have undergone changes and transformation and many have
access to education, rich and poor, urban and rural. In 2009, the Sarawak Women and Family
Council (MWKS) have conducted a study on the development, achievements and the
contributions of Sarawak women during the 45 years of independence. This study is to be the
platform to strengthen and empower the status and involvement of Sarawak women in national
development.
We pray for women all over the world as they struggle to keep their families together. We
appreciate their contribution to the Family, Church and Society.
RELIGION
Malaysia is a land of diverse faiths. The country’s oldest indigenous religion is animism. The
Orang Asli and some tribal groups in Sabah and Sarawak are animists or were so until quite
recently. Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam reached Malaysia from India and China through the
traders and travelers who stopped over in Peninsular Malaysia during the monsoon season. Islam
is the official religion. Many Malaysians Chinese7 follow their traditional religions such as
Buddhism, Taoism & Confucianism.
The first Christian Church in Malaysia was built by the Portuguese in Melaka after 1511. More
Christian missionaries arrived in the late 19th century. When the Dutch took control over Melaka
in 1641, they converted the Portuguese Cathedral and renamed it St. Paul’s Cathedral. The Dutch
built The Dutch Reformed Church in 1753 – a blood red building constructed in the Northern
Renaissance style. The Anglicans took possession of this church, and they consecrated it as
Christ Church in 1858. Churches were later built in Penang, Singapore, and these served the
foreign trading Community. In the early 19th century, considerable missionary activity in
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Is it Malaysian Chinese or Malaysians who are Chinese?
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Sarawak and Sabah and the missionaries concentrated on the animist tribes. Today, Sabah and
Sarawak have a significant Christian Community.
CHURCH
About 7 % of Malaysians are Christians. The main Christian denominations are Roman Catholics
(largest group), Anglicans, Methodist, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Marthoma and Syrian Orthodox
and the Pentecostal groups. When Portuguese conquered Melaka in 1511, the first Christians, the
Roman Catholics came in. In Sarawak, the Borneo Church Mission was founded in 1857. And in
Sabah the Basil Mission Society arrived in 1900.
The Assembly of God Missionaries stepped into Malaysia in 1934 and the Baptist in 1938.
In 1948 the Council of Churches in Malaysia (CCM), an ecumenical body comprising of the
main denominations and associate members was formed. It is the oldest National Church
Organization in the country. CCM in the spirit of dialogue and goodwill has interacted in critical
relationships between church and state. The Women’s Work Committee comes under CCM. This
is the Committee that organizes the World Day of Prayer.
In 1978 the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) was formed comprising of
Evangelical, Independent and AOG churches.
In 1985 the main ecumenical body Christian Federation of Malaysia representing all the
Christian groups – CCM, Roman Catholics and NECF was formed. CFM is the body that relates
with the Government on political issues that affect Christian faith. Clergy including Bishops in
Malaysia are mostly locals.
Mentioned ought to be made of Malaysian Care ( Malaysian Christian Association for Relief)
formed in 1978. It is a local non-profit Christian agency providing social concern services to the
poor and the needy including prisoners, drug and HIV cases.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Official language of Malaysia is Bahasa Malaysia. This is the language heard on Radio,
TV and taught in schools. The Chinese have their various dialects- Cantonese, Hakka,
Hokkien etc. The Indians also have their linguistic groups. Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu,
Punjabi, Hindi & Urdu
The Malaysian Flag known as the “Jalur Gemilang” has 14 horizontal red and white
stripes with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist edge corner bearing a yellow crescent and
star – traditional symbols of Islam
Rice is the staple food and is grown throughout the country. Outdoor markets and open
air eating are a way of life in Malaysia.
Long house is the traditional dwellings of some indigenous people in Sabah and Sarawak.
A typical one has a row of 12 to 50 or even more houses built side by side on stilts with a
wall between the immediate neighbours on either side. A wide covered verandah runs
along the front of the house. Was built to protect the Community. Some have left the long
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house to village or urban areas to live. There is a notched staircase which is pulled up at
night.
Transport – The traditional mode of transport is by river and it remains important for
some settlements in Sabah and Sarawak. Malaysia has some of the best road systems with
4 major highways. Rail Transport is well developed in West Malaysia. Air Transport has
developed rapidly linking East and West Malaysia with internal services.
Education in Malaysia includes pre-school, primary, secondary, and tertiary education
and post graduate. Primary education (mandated by law) begins at the age of six. The
medium of instruction is in Bahasa Malaysia and English.
Petronas Twin Towers dominates the skyline of Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of the
Peninsula, day and night. The 452 metres metal and glass buildings have 88 floors of
offices and are linked by a bridge at the 41st and 42nd floor levels. It was the highest
building in the world till 2004 and now it’s the second highest.
Situated at the peak of Bukit Nanas is the 421 metres high KL Tower being the tallest
tower in South East-Asia and 4th tallest communication tower in the world. It is not only a
telecommunication tower but also serves as a TV and Radio broadcasting station.
National Parks
Taman Negara (formerly King George V National Park) Malaysia’s oldest and largest
national park covering 4343 square kilometers preserves virgin rainforest. Its home to
14,500 species of plants and trees including the ‘night ghost tree’ with its footprint
leaves. World’s largest ‘mother of all orchids’ Grammotophylum is found here. Large
animals as the tapir, deer, wild boars, leaf monkeys, long tailed macaques, gibbons,
rhinos, birds and butterflies and many more inhabit here.
In Sarawak the Gunung Mulu National Park is noted for its awesome cave system
including the Deer Cave and the gigantic Sarawak Chambers reputed to be the largest in
the world, with the mountainous rainforest rivers.
Mount Kinabalu Park is a Botanist’s Paradise with gigantic trees, ferns, orchids, pitcher
plants and the famous Rafflesia. Its vegetation lowland rainforest, hill forest, ‘cloud
forest’ (mossy vegetation shrouded in mist and moisture), subalpine grass patches and
bare wind-scrubbed granite. A variety of Orchid species grow on the slopes, tree barks,
crevices and underground. A portion of the park contains trails, shelters, picnic areas and
canopy walk way.
CONCLUSION
Malaysia is a good model of racial integration with its multiracial, multicultural and multireligious community living in harmony with one another. As Christians, let us continue to pray
to the Almighty that this peaceful and harmonious atmosphere with justice, stability and religious
freedom will prevail always. Vision 2020 is Malaysia’s long term goal to become a developed
nation, achieve a balanced growth and a high quality of life by 2020. Currently, the new concept
for the nation is to build “One Malaysia, People First, Performance Now.” The One Malaysia
concept is to ensure all races enjoy equal success.
“Where there is no vision, the people perish”
Proverbs 29 : 18
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Supplementary Information
PENINSULAR/WEST MALAYSIA/MALAYA
The Malay Peninsular is strategically placed for mariners and traders from Arabia, India, China,
and the Spice Islands to take shelter during the monsoon season as well as to trade centuries ago.
Malaysia’s historical era began with the founding of the Melaka port as a trading centre in the
fourteenth century. A fugitive Hindu prince, Parameswara converted himself to Islam and ruled
from 1400 to 1511. During this period many Indian Muslim traders settled here. In 1509, the
Portuguese invaded and conquered in 1511. They ruled Melaka for 130 years. They built a fort, a
church and a customs house. The Dutch defeated the Portuguese in 1641. The Dutch built the
Stadthuys and Christ Church which are the crowning glory of Melaka town square. Later the
British who acquired Penang in 1786 took Melaka from the Dutch in 1824. During the British
rule, many changes occurred – Formation of Straits settlement, Federated and Unfederated
Malay states headed by a British High Commissioner. The World War II in 1941 brought in the
Japanese and in 1945 the British regained control. There was a period of unrest and emergency
because of Communist attacks for 12 years. Then on 31st August 1957,at the stroke of midnight,
independence was declared on Selangor Padang later renamed Dataran Merdeka ( Independence
Square) in Kuala Lumpur by Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first Prime Minister. This square is
surrounded by listed buildings including the Royal Selangor Club & Sultan Abdul Samad
Building. The Clock Tower of the Sultan Abdul Ahmad Building is the most famous and
photographed landmark in Kuala Lumpur together with Jamek Mosque situated at the confluence
of the Gombak and Klang Rivers where the early settlers landed. The onion domes, mock
minarets, arches and dainty pillars reflect Moorish and Mogul architecture.
The Central Market originally built as a wet market in 1936 has been converted into festive hall
of culture all the year round. It is in the midst of quaint unique shops/stalls and cozy restaurants.
It is a heritage building.
As of 20098Peninsular Malaysia has celebrated 52 years of independence. Kuala Lumpur, once a
chaotic mining shanty town is its capital. The West and East Coast of Peninsular have distinct
identity. The West Coast is more urbanized and industrial. Tea is grown on terrace hillside of
Camerons9. The East Coast is famous for its sandy beaches and fishing is the main occupation.
Malays predominate here and Malay folk culture is generally purest here. Scattered off the East
Coast are numerous islands – well known resorts as Pulau Tioman, and Pulau Besar. Turtles are
found around beaches in Terengganu. Along the West coast the islands of Penang and Langkawi
are well known tourist sites. Production of Batek textiles and painting by using wax and dyes
onto a cloth, songket weaving, silk, arts are cottage industries in the East Coast.
SABAH
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As of what year is it 52 years
What is the Camerons?
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Sabah (old name North Borneo) known as ‘The Land below the Wind’ is where the highest
mountain, Mount Kinabalu is.
Its total land area is about 73,620 sq. km with a population over 1.3 million. Sabahans comprise
of some 31 ethnic groups, with 80 different languages and dialects. The main ethnic groups are
the Kadazan (who live around Mt. Kinabalu), Dusun , Bajau and Murut. The largest group, the
Kadazandusun are prosperous rice farmers and the Bajaus renowned for their horsemanship and
nautical skills.
Sabah as a separate state came into existence in 1880. In 1881, the Chartered Company of
British North Borneo ruled the state. After World War II in 1942, it became a British Crown
Colony. On 16th September1963, it became independent and a member of the Federation of
Malaysia. The present capital is Kota Kinabalu which was built from the ashes of its predecessor
Jesselton after World War II.
The waters on the north and east coast is well-known for its marine life and coral reefs. The
turtle islands park, harbours the green turtles and the hawksbill turtle (endangered species).
Some of the world’s best scuba diving is in Sipadan, Layang-Layang and islands off Sempoerna.
Sabah’s main rivers drain into the Sulu Sea where Sandakan, the first capital was. Kinabatangan
River is the second largest river in Malaysia.
The world’s largest flower, the parasitic Rafflesia blooms here. The blossom measures up to a
metre in width, 3 cm thick, about 7 kilogram in weight and exudes a horrible stench. This
species is also known as the Stinking Corpse Lily. Pitcher plants (Nepenthes) which can hold 7
pints of liquid and trap live insects and digest it, is found here. The flora of Mt. Kinabalu is so
diverse that it is cited five times in the Guinness Book of Records Orang Utan sanctuaries are
found in the forests of Sabah, but numbers have declined.
In Sabah, the Kadazan Harvest Festival based on Kadazan’s worship of ancient gods, is
celebrated with ‘open house’ and public gatherings and family parties. Rice-wine – ‘air tapai’
(ah-yay-tah-pie), homemade is freely served.
Everyday, if weather permits, two helicopters fly medical personnel into remote villages to
render medical aid. There are about 30 or so such remote villages. There are 291 health centres,
23 hospitals, 227 rural clinics in Sabah. 59% of the 3.1million people in Sabah live in remote and
rural areas.
SARAWAK
The largest of the Malaysian states, popularly known as “The Land of Hornbills” has a total land
area of 101,100 square feet. Only one fifth is suitable for Agriculture. It is divided into 11
administrative divisions. Has about 40 ethnic groups each with its own language culture and
lifestyle – Ibans, Kayan, Kenyah & Kelabit elderly, Bidayuh, nomadic Penans. The Ibans are the
most numerous. The Kayan and Kelabit elderly have distinctive stretched ear-lobes hung with
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This measure of square feet is too small--
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brass weights. In infancy, the ear lobes are pierced with thorn and stretched with increasingly
heavy metal earrings – an ancient decorative practice.
Sarawak has a history of civil wars, family quarrels, piracy and head hunting. Sarawak was under
the dominion of Brooke Dynasty referred to as White Rajahs. They began their rule when James
Brooke an adventurous soldier Englishman helped the Sultan of Brunei to quell an uprising /
rebellion in 1839 and for this was rewarded with the gift of, a big chunk of the land. The White
Rajahs ruled for 105 years. During their rule, they built the
Sarawak museum in Borneo and the Astana, the official residence of the Chief Minister. After
World War II, the state was taken by the Australians forces followed by the British in 1946.
Sarawak got its independence in July 1963. And on 16th September 1963 joined the Federation of
Malaysia. Kuching is the capital situated on the Sarawak river. Sarawak has its own council with
Chief Minister as head. They have their own state crest and own state anthem.
Gawai Dayak, a Harvest Festival is celebrated in towns and long houses, particularly by the
Dayaks and Iban with traditional costume parades, dances and competitions. The Iban women
display their silver jewelry and priceless antique beads. They celebrate in June with pomp and
splendor and drinking lots of tuak(t’oo-ahk) a homemade rice wine.
Sarawak is not only renowned for its rainforest (oldest and second largest after the Amazon) but
also for its animals, plants, mighty rivers and enormous cave complexes. Batang Rajang is the
longest river and Mulu is the world’s most extensive cave system. The Limestone Mount Api is
characterized by its knife shaped pinnacles rising 45 metres high. The Rajah Brooke Butterfly,
the world’s largest butterfly is found here. The Rhinoceros Horn Bill with its orange red casque
is one of the largest birds here.
Miri is one of the first areas to be exploited for petrol and the first oil well drilled in 1910.
Natural Gas is tapped in Bintulu. Rice and timber are grown. Bird’s nest collected in the caves, a
delicacy, is exported.
Niah Man, a human fossil 35,000 years or more old was found in Niah great cave.
Long boats with outboard motor are the most common method of travel in the river – riddled
interior. The women are talented in making attractive costume jewelry and other items from
beads. Local Economy is based on fishing, while factory workers mainly work at saw mills.
Belawi village is famous for its marine based products particularly smoked fish and shrimp, a
traditional product.
Some parts of Sarawak are still not linked by road. Therefore flying doctors are provided to go
into the remote areas to provide health services to young children and women.
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