Malaysia

   Malaysia is a country situated in the heart of Southeast Asia at one of the world's major crossroads, Malaysia has always been important to the trade routes from Europe, the Orient, India and China.  The country weather is warm and the tropical climate with abundant natural resources makes the country a blessing for immigrants as early as 5,000 years ago. The history, the formation of the country and their Religion makes Malaysia a very interesting place.

History

   The ancestors of the people now living the Malaysian peninsula first migrated to the area between 2500 and 1500 B.C. The people in the coastal regions had early contact with the Chinese and Indians; and traders from India who brought with them the Hinduism, which had blended with the local beliefs. As the Muslims conquered India, they spread the religion of Islam to Malaysia. In the 15th century, Islam acquired a firm hold on the region when the Hindu ruler of the powerful city-state of Malacca was converted to Islam.

   British and Dutch interest in the region grew in the 1800s, with the British East India Company's establishment of a trading settlement on the island of Singapore. The trade increased, with Singapore's population growing from only 5,000 in 1820 to nearly 100,000 in just 50 years. In the 1880s, Britain formally established a protectorate in Malaysia. At about the same time, rubber trees that were introduced from Brazil, mainly from the Brazilian Amazon, and with the mass production of automobiles, rubber became a valuable export, and workers were brought in from India to work in the rubber plantations.

The formation of Malaysia

   Malaysia was formed in 1963 out of a number of former British colonies: the Federation of Malaya (comprising 11 states), which had independence in 1957 and had been self-governing since 1959; and the two territories in northwestern Borneo, Sarawak and Sabah (then known as North Borneo), which by 1960 were well advanced on the road to independence.

In 1961, the prime minister of Malaya, took the initiative and suggested a plan whereby Singapore, North Borneo, Brunei (another British territory in Borneo that had achieved autonomy), and Sarawak should be brought together. The plan was approved with the consensus of the British.

Religion

   Malaysia is a multicultural and multi-religious country. The strong religion in Malaysia is Islam, which is composed of 61 percent of the population. Islam is considered the state religion of Malaysia, but the country allows many different religious. Due to Islamic forces, the government has become more Islamic, with Islam beginning to have more influence over the daily activities in Malaysia. The government is promoting Islam, which is under the control of the individual states.

    Religion often goes along racial lines, with most Muslims being Malays. The code that Islam is supporting is the Sunni Muslim. The government is promoting a moderate form of Islam and any teaching which deviates from the official Sunni code is illegal, and no other forms of Islam are allowed. It is illegal to convert Muslims to other religions, and disputes have arisen over the use of the word "Allah" for God in religions other than Islam. Restrictions on religious freedom exist, especially for Muslims, who are often not allowed to legally convert to other religions, and are forced into rehabilitation camps if they attempt

Conclusion

   Malaysia is country in which the main factor is Religion; however the relations between different religious groups are generally quite tolerant. Christmas, Chinese New Year, and Deepavali have been declared national holidays alongside Islamic holidays. Various groups have been set up to try to promote religious understanding among the different groups, with religious harmony seen as a priority by Malaysian politicians.