Malaysia - All You Need To Know

Malaysia is made up of two noncontiguous regions
1)West Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula, which consists of 11 states, and
2) East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo, which consists of two states.

 

The political coalition Barisan Nasional had been in power for more than 50 years, but was defeated by a coalition of opposition parties led by former leader Mahathir Mohamad in 2018.

 

Since Malaysia's independence in 1957, the sultans who are the hereditary monarchs in nine of the country's 13 states have selected one of themselves to serve a five-year term as king. The king's role is largely ceremonial in Malaysia, and the power to govern resides with the federal Parliament and the prime minister.

 

Population: 31,809,660 (July 2018 est.)

Capital: Kuala Lumpur

 

Ethnic Groups

 

•  Malay and indigenous 61.7%,
•  Chinese 20.8%, 
• Indian 6.2%, 
• other 0.9%,
•  non-citizens 10.4% (2017 est.)

 

Religions

 

• Muslim61.3%, 
• Buddhist19.8%,
• Christian 9.2%,
• Hindu6.3%, 
• Confucianism, Taoism and other traditional Chinese religions 1.3%, 
• Other or Unspecified 1.4%, None 0.8% (2010 est.)

Timeline

 
1942-1945 - During the WW II ,the British protectorates Malaya and Borneo are occupied by Japan

 

1946 - The Malayan Union is established and is originally comprised of 11 states. 

 

1948 - The Malayan Union becomes the Federation of Malaya. 

 

1957 - The Federation of Malaya becomes independent of Great Britain.

 

September 16, 1963 - Malaysia is established and includes the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, and the Sarawak and Sabah colonies. 

 

September 17, 1963 - The Philippines severs diplomatic relations with Malaysia due to disagreements over territory in Sabah.

May 1964 - The Philippines and Malaysia resume diplomatic relations with consular missions in Manila and Kuala Lumpur. 

 

August 1965 - Singapore breaks away from the Malaysian federation

 

July 18, 2011 - After a meeting between Najib and Pope Benedict XVI, Malaysia becomes the 179th country to establish official diplomatic ties with the Vatican

 

April 11, 2012 - Paramount Ruler Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah takes office as head of state.

 

January 2014 - Following a lengthy court battle that began in 1998, opposition leader and former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Anwar is acquitted of a sodomy charged.

 

March 2014 - After the government appeals Anwar's acquittal, ahigher court overturns the decision and sentences him to 5 years in prison

 

March 8, 2014 -  Malaysian Airlines Flight 370,traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, disappears from radar in airspace over the Gulf of Thailand. 

 

July 17, 2014 - Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in eastern Ulraine after being shot down by a surface to air missile. All 298 people aboard are killed. 

 

February 10, 2015 - Anwar's sodomy conviction is upheld in Malaysia's Federal Court. 

 

December 2016 - Muhammad V is sworn in as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Malaysia's head of state. Previously, he reigned as sultan of Kelantan province for six years.

 

January 17, 2017 - The search for Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 is suspended

 

May 9, 2018 - Former Prime Minister Mahathir, who ruled from 1981 until 2003, wins 121 seats in the country's parliament, enough to form a simple majority and take control of the House.

 

May 10, 2018 - Mahathir sworn in as Prime Minister

January 6, 2019 - King Muhammad V announces his abdication, after serving two years of his five-year term.first ever abdication in Malaysian history