The Malays
The Malaysian Constitution defines a Malay as a person who practices Islam, speaks Malay, conforms to Malay customs, and is the child of at least one parent born within the Federation of Malaysia prior to independence on August 31, 1957.
The Malays are found throughout the country, but are concentrated mainly on the Malay peninsula. Traditionally farmers, they have remained largely untouched by the urbanization movement that began in the 20th century. Many still live in the kampungs. Most are farmers or fishermen, and are devout Muslims.
In the 1970s, however, a new economic policy introduced numerous measures to create a Malay middle class. The concept of bumiputra reached its zenith. The term means "son of the soil". This is the official Malaysian term for Malays. This definition excludes from the outset the Chinese and Indians, the Orang Asli and the indigenous people of Borneo. The concept was enshrined in the Constitution in order to grant certain favors to this population group: scholarships, government employment, company acquisitions, etc. The aim was to establish positive discrimination against the Malay population, which felt threatened. It goes without saying that ethnic minorities did not appreciate this. Until then, most companies and businesses had been in Chinese hands.
The Malays who have settled in the city hold positions in the administration and work in industry, while remaining deeply imbued with tradition. They regularly return to their kampung for various religious festivals. Men's traditional clothing consists of baju melayu, a suit made up of shirt and pants. They wear the songket, a brocade scarf tied around the hips, and sometimes the songkok (skullcap). Women wear the baju kurung, a loose-fitting tunic worn over a long skirt, and a tudong, a scarf that covers the hair and frames the face. Traditional garments have been replaced by Western ones, except in the kampung, where the elderly continue to proudly display their origins.
The Chinese
Originally from southern China, the Malaysian Chinese wished to escape the misery of their homeland. But it was the continued presence of Chinese traders in the 14th and 15th centuries, during the rise of Malacca, that enabled them to make a lasting mark on the population. At the end of the 14th century, the princess Hang Li-Po was offered to the Sultan of Malacca to establish a strong commercial alliance between the free port and China. The Chinese continued to use this trade route for centuries, even after the fall of Malacca, but few settled in Malaysia. These early Chinese immigrants are known as Peranakans. They sided with the British on their arrival, making their trade prosper. The Peranakans settled permanently by marrying local non-Muslim girls. The fusion of Chinese and Malay cultures, combined with Western influences, gave rise to a unique culture. Ancestral Chinese traditions, such as marriage, birth, ancestor worship and funeral rites, have been preserved. Food, language and clothing, on the other hand, have been particularly influenced by Malay culture. In Penang as in Malacca, the houses bear witness to this heritage, so take time to stroll the streets.
It wasn't until British rule that the Chinese settled in large numbers. Large numbers of Chinese coolies arrived on the peninsula to work in mining, construction and transport. The Chinese played a major economic role, controlling most of the trade and industry. They are especially present in the cities, where their way of life is very similar to that of the West, with its strong corporate culture. They do, however, scrupulously respect their traditions, particularly the Chinese calendar. A majority in the states of Penang and Kuala Lumpur, the Chinese are also concentrated in Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Malacca and Johor, i.e. the states on the west coast. They have little presence on the coast, which is left to Malay fishermen and farmers. They also colonized East Malaysia, where they prospered in the timber industry.
The Chinese colony is divided between Hokkiens from Fujian (37%), Hakkas (Chinese mountain dwellers living inland in Guangdong and Fujian, 22%), Cantonese (20%), Teotchious (13%) and other marginal ethnic groups from other parts of China.
The Hokkiens were the first to settle on the peninsula. Originally from Amoy (now Xiamen), they immediately placed themselves at the service of the British on their arrival, notably in Penang, Malacca and Singapore. As there were no Chinese women, and they could not marry either Muslims or Hindus, the animist aborigines gave them beautiful children. They formed a rich and powerful bourgeoisie until the departure of the English protector. Today, they are primarily traders. The second wave of Hokkians, who arrived in the 19th century, are the ancestors of the wealthiest Chinese in Singapore and Malaysia.
The Hakkas, Chinese nomads who were already married to Chinese mountain women, invested in the mining sector. The Cantonese are mainly cooks and craftsmen. As for the Teochious, originally from Swatow (Shantou), between Amoy and Hong Kong, they were among the coolies who came to work on the peninsula and stayed on. You can recognize the origin of the Chinese by their cuisine. The Hokkien loves noodles in all their forms. The Cantonese is an all-round cook: anything that crawls, jumps, flies or swims can be cooked and eaten. The Hakka uses soy sauce everywhere. The Teochiou prefers his congee, which is a kind of rice porridge in which vegetables or meat are bathed according to his means.
The Indians
Indians have also played a central role in Malaysia. 85% are Tamils. The rest are Malayalis from Kerala, Punjabis from northern India and Telugus from Andhra Pradesh. They sailed along the coasts of the Malay Peninsula as early as the 2nd century. Fervent traders, they traded with local populations. Many Sanskrit words were adopted into Bahasa Malaysia. By the 15th century, they had established themselves as a political power; the Hindu religion and Indian traders were an integral part of the landscape. During the British colonial period, they came to work on the plantations, particularly the rubber plantations. Hard-working, they also built roads and railroads. Today, the community is concentrated in urban areas and around rubber and palm oil plantations.
Malaysian Indians are the smallest of the three ethnic groups. They are often scorned, even though their contribution to Malaysian culture is just as important. They are small business owners, construction workers or agricultural laborers, but some play an influential role in the business world. However, there is a real divide between the well-educated and influential middle and upper classes, and the less-educated, lower-income working class. They retain their values, traditions and religion. Indians are very religious, most being devout Hindus, while others are Christians, Sikhs or Muslims. The Western way of life has influenced Indians, especially in the cities. Women are wearing the traditional sari less and less. The English language is most widespread and deeply rooted in the Indian community. Indians are also considered the most open to other communities. Although smaller in numbers, the Indian community has contributed as much as any other to making Malaysia what it is today. Indians are particularly concentrated in Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Perak and Negeri Sembilan.
The Orang Asli
Residing on the Malay Peninsula, these aborigines are Malaysia's oldest inhabitants. They were once called Sakai (savages, slaves) by the Malays, or Negritos by the Europeans, because of their dark skin, curly black hair and short stature (they measure between 1.47 m and 1.60 m). They were more respectfully renamed Orang Asli, the term meaning "aboriginal people" in Malay. Estimated to number 140,000, they are made up of different ethnic communities spread across the interior of the peninsula. Traditionally nomadic, living by gathering and hunting, they have gradually become sedentary and many have been absorbed into modern Malaysia, while remaining the poorest group. They care little for the country's modernization and continue to live in the jungles as they did 10,000 years ago. They are very touchy, and for them killing an enemy (and enemies are all those who come to disturb their rustic life) is the easiest way to solve a problem. A few Orang Asli have converted to Islam and Christianity; in reality, they all practice animism, with its thousands of spirits and gods who must constantly be pleased and appeased.
The natives of Borneo
Most of Malaysia's indigenous tribes come from Borneo, in the states of Sabah and Sarawak. The Sarawak Ibans (or Sea Dayak) are the largest tribe, numbering around 600,000. They still live in the jungle in traditional longhouse villages along the Ai, Rajang and Lupar rivers and their tributaries. They have converted to Christianity, but retain their animist practices. The Bidayuh (Land Dayak) number 170,000 and are concentrated in south-west Sarawak, notably around Kuching, where many have settled. Their villages have modernized and longhouses have almost disappeared, and like the Ibans, they have been Christianized.
In the state of Sabah, the largest indigenous group are the Kadazan, mostly Christian peasants who are increasingly turning to city life. They are known for their rites presided over by female priests, the bohohizan. The Bajau are fishermen and rice farmers; as they are also the only ones to raise ponies, they are nicknamed the cowboys of the East and live around Kota Belud. The Muruts come mainly from inland. They are the head-choppers of Borneo legend. They are still good hunters, using spears and blowpipes fitted with poison darts.
Language
Bahasa Malaysia (Malay) is the official language. It's a fairly simple idiom, easy to learn. The Latin alphabet is used. This national language has been an indispensable tool in the unification of the country, helping to overcome community barriers. English, the language of business, is the second most widely used language, especially in the cities.
