Table Of Content© Lonely Planet Publications
13
Contents
South of Kuala Lumpur 129
On the Road 4 North of Kuala Lumpur 131
Highlights 5 Melaka 134
MELAKA CITY 135
History 135
Destination Kuala Orientation 137
Lumpur, Melaka Information 141
& Penang 15 Sights 141
Activities 147
Walking Tour 148
Getting Started 17 Courses 150
Melaka for Children 151
Wacky Melaka 151
History 20 Tours 151
Festivals & Events 152
Sleeping 152
The Culture 30
Eating 156
Drinking & Entertainment 160
Shopping 161
Food & Drink 42
Getting There & Away 162
Getting Around 163
AROUND MELAKA 163
Environment 56
Ayer Keroh 163
Pulau Besar 163
Activities 61 Alor Gajah 164
Tanjung Bidara 166
Kuala Lumpur 69
Penang 167
History 70
History 168
Orientation 70
Orientation 170
Information 74
Festivals & Events 171
Dangers & Annoyances 76
Getting There & Away 172
Sights 76
Getting Around 174
ACTIVITIES 94 GEORGETOWN 175
Walking Tours 96 History 175
Quirky Kuala Lumpur 98 Orientation 177
Courses 98 Information 178
Kuala Lumpur for Children 99 Dangers & Annoyances 179
Tours 99 Sights 179
Festivals & Events 100 Activities 184
Volunteering 100 Walking Tours 185
Sleeping 100 Courses 187
Eating 106 Georgetown for Children 188
Drinking 115 Peculiar Penang 188
Entertainment 118 Tours 188
Shopping 121 Volunteering 189
Getting There & Away 124 Sleeping 189
Getting Around 126 Eating 193
AROUND KUALA L UMPUR 129 Drinking 198
© Lonely Planet Publications
14 C O N T E N T S
Entertainment 199 Titi Kerawang 206
Shopping 200 Teluk Bahang Language 246
Getting There & Away 201 & Around 206
Getting Around 201 Batu Ferringhi 209
THE REST OF THE I SLAND 201 Tanjung Tokong 212 Glossary 252
Penang Hill 202 Tanjung Bungah & Pulau
Tikus 212
Kek Lok Si Temple 202
SEBERANG PERAI 212 The Authors 254
Botanical Gardens 203
Butterworth 213
Muzium & Galeri Tuanku
Fauziah 203 Pulau Aman 213 Behind the Scenes 255
Bukit Jambul Orchid
& Hibiscus Garden &
Reptile H ouse 203 Directory 215 Index 259
Pulau Jerejak 204
Snake Temple 204
Southern Fishing Vilages 204 Transport 227 World Time Zones 266
Balik Pulau 205
Sungai Pinang to Pantai
Acheh 205 Health 237 Map Legend 268
Regional Map Contents
Penang
p169
Kuala
Lumpur
pp72–3
Melaka
p135
© Lonely Planet Publications
15
Destination
Kuala Lumpur,
Melaka & Penang
T he story of Peninsular Malaysia is painted large in the historic cities of Kuala
Lumpur (KL), Melaka and Penang. Many of the pivotal e vents in Malaysian
history – the first Chinese s ettlements, the rise of the Melaka sultans, the
arrival of the British, the declaration of Malaysian independence in 1957 –
took place in these three fascinating cities. Here, the stories of Malaysia’s
diverse ethnic groups and colonial empires are intertwined – South Indian
cooks serve fiery curries from the doorways of Sino-Portuguese houses built FAST FACTS
as part of trade deals between European powers and the sultans of Melaka.
The diversity of the peninsula is perhaps Malaysia’s biggest drawcard – this Population: Malaysia
is not one country but three, the best of Malay, Indian and Chinese culture 27.17 million; Kuala
united under o ne flag. Lumpur 1.8 million;
In April 2007 the rulers of the nine Malaysian states selected Sultan Mizan Melaka 688,694; Penang
Zainal Abidin as the 13th king of Malaysia – the first king to be born after 1.31 million
independence from colonial rule. Later the same year Malaysia celebrated 50 Rate of population
years of independence with a string of festivals and special events. However, increase: one person
Malaysia’s famous policy of unity in diversity is showing signs of strain. every 56 seconds
Ever since independence, the Malay community has been strengthening its Rate of popula-
control over the government, police and military, and Indian, Chinese and tion increase due to
tribal Malaysians are facing increasing marginalisation and discrimination. international migration:
Simultaneously, the syariah (Islamic) courts are growing in power, threaten- one person every five
ing the secular foundation of M alaysian democracy. minutes.
In recent years Malaysia’s sedition laws have been used to detain growing
numbers of bloggers, journalists and other critics of the Malay-dominated GDP: US$12,900
government. In late 2007 police used tear gas and water cannons to break Rate of inflation: 3.2%
up antidiscrimination protests by thousands of Malaysian Indians in KL – Literacy rate: 89%
the ringleaders were even charged with attempted murder before the gov-
ernment backed down under local and international pressure. The same Private car ownership:
year Malaysian Chinese student Wee Meng Chee (aka Namewee) caused a 195 cars per 1000 citizens
major political storm by posting a satirical rap criticising the government Average noise level
to the tune of the Malay national anthem on the video website YouTube in Kuala Lumpur: 70
(see p38 ). decibels
Malaysia’s increasingly strict stance on public morality has also caused a Hokkien (Fujian Chinese)
few casualties – Malaysia’s first reality-TV pop star, Faizal Tahir, was cen- speakers in Penang:
sured for exposing his chest at a concert in early 2008, and the organisers of 638,900
a
cp
loi uctveboedln i scpt eouprrbety lrbi fcByo drrtomhekceae Pbnnaucccesyks oay sMfc a‘sotnu uD egnxogtcelalusisnt sfie.va ceAfoe dldrla boana fmc newna rhisonsiciugvh teAi n ifnsie ngsa e’ L. l ieiMntet ’la2sel0 ai0ywr6soa infarodi’scr- awccleolinonnswnsoiidrnnsegg ra gitlnhasogye PMKoreirslttauakgnaug: e 5(sp0ei0)d 0sg pine akers in
that the Malaysian health minister, Chua Soi Lek, was forced to step down
in 2008 after appearing in an amateur p ornographic DVD.
Another hot potato in Malaysian politics is economic migration. Migrant
workers are one of the main causes of population growth in Peninsular
Malaysia, placing a growing strain on jobs and resources; the government
is taking an increasingly hard line on illegal workers from India, Thailand,
Indonesia and the Philippines. There’s an inevitable ethnic angle to the
© Lonely Planet Publications
16 D E S T I N AT I O N K UA L A LU M P U R , M E L A K A & P E N A N G l o n e l y p l a n e t . c om
debate – as part of its immigration crackdown, the government introduced
new restrictions on visas for Indian migrant workers, widely perceived as a
punishment for Indian protests against discrimination i n 2007.
But the prognosis is not entirely gloomy. Malaysia continues to ride a
wave of e conomic optimism, despite declining profits at some of the big
state corporations. In a bid to revitalise the ailing fortunes of the Proton –
the first Malaysian car – local designers have come up with a new concept
in driving: the Muslim automobile. Built to appeal to drivers from Islamic
countries, the revamped Proton features a compass pointing to Mecca and
other must-have religious accessories. And Malaysia continues to embrace
the digital age with aplomb – KL is already one of the most connected
cities in Southeast Asia and free wi-fi hotspots are due to blossom across
Penang i n 2008.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s new administrative capital continues to rise at
Putrajaya, 20km south of Kuala Lumpur. Budgeted at US$60 billion, this
futuristic enclave is slowly filling with politicians and civil servants, though
the much touted Putrajaya monorail is years away from being completed.
On one level, the glistening federal capital is a perfect symbol for the aspi-
rations of the nation, but many see parallels with Malaysia’s wider ethnic
crisis. The new inhabitants of Putrajaya are overwhelmingly Malay and
the new city features numerous Islamic institutions, but few concessions
to Malaysia’s other e thnic groups.
Communal relations seem less strained in Melaka, where Malaysians
from all backgrounds are injecting new money into old rubble as part
of an ambitious project to resurrect the ruined fort, Porta de Santiago
(A’Famosa). This is positive news considering the damage caused by the
floods that hit Melaka in 2006 and 2007, leaving thousands homeless. With
more heavy rainfall predicted, the municipality voted to replace the official
2008 New Year celebrations with special prayers for divine intervention to
prevent a repeat of t he floods.
It may take more than divine intervention to prevent sparks flying in
the new Malaysian parliament. The 2009 elections saw a massive drop
in support for Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the ruling
National Front coalition. Returning to politics after a four-year politi-
cal ban, former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has emerged as
the effective leader of the opposition, in charge of a coalition of Islamic,
Chinese and secular parties. The new Chinese-dominated administration
in Penang has already announced its intention to abandon the policy of
positive discrimination towards Malays – the next few years are likely to
see some radical changes to the Malaysian political system...
Nevertheless, from a visitor’s perspective, Malaysia continues to more
than satisfy the tourism department slogan: Malaysia, Truly Asia. Kuala
Lumpur is the same captivating theme park of historic monuments and
city-sized shopping malls; Penang remains a fascinating hodgepodge of
British-era monuments and Chinese temples; and Melaka is the museum
of Malaysia, preserving not just the buildings but the culture of the diverse
groups who helped found the nation. Factor in some of the best food and
retail therapy in Southeast Asia and there’s only one question left: what
are you w aiting for?
© Lonely Planet Publications
17
Getting Started
M alaysia is one of the easiest countries in Southeast Asia for international
travellers – English is widely spoken, good accommodation is easy to find,
restaurants serve up some of the finest f ood in Asia and locals are used to
dealing with people from all over the world. Kuala Lumpur (KL), Melaka and
Penang have hotels, restaurants, attractions and transport options to suit all
budgets. KL is the main international hub for Malaysia, though a few inter-
national flights go directly to Penang. Getting from KL to Melaka or Penang
is a breeze with plentiful and inexpensive buses, trains a nd flights.
WHEN TO GO
Peninsular Malaysia is part of the wet tropics, but the monsoon is only a
minor obstacle to travel: rain falls fairly evenly throughout the year and
the October-to-April rainy s eason is only marginally wetter than the rest
of the year. As a general rule, the lowest rainfall is from May to August.
Temperatures rarely dip below 30°C so bring plenty of loose-fitting cotton
clothes. Note that the peninsula is periodically affected by haze from fires
in Indonesia (see p60) , particularly in September and October. The haze
can trigger respiratory complaints and asthma, as well as creating a pall of
u rban smog.
M alaysia’s diverse ethnic groups hold celebrations throughout the year.
The f estivals can be a great spectacle, particularly Thaipusam and Chinese See Climate (p 217) for
New Year in January or February (p 219) . Many locals travel to visit friends more information.
and relatives during this period, so hotels and seats on buses, trains and
planes can be in short supply. Most things run as normal during the Muslim
holy month of Ramadan, but Hari Raya Puasa (see p 220 for dates) and
Christmas can get very busy. Beach and hill resorts get crowded at weekends
throughout the year but are generally quiet during t he week.
COSTS & M ONEY
KL, Melaka and Penang have hotels, restaurants and transport options to suit
all budgets. At the bottom of the accommodation scale, cheap backpacker
hostels offer dorm beds with hot and cold running bedbugs for as little as RM9
per night. Considering the exchange rates, it’s usually worth upgrading to a
cheap hotel or trying one of the new breed of upmarket traveller guesthouses –
double rooms with bathroom start from RM60. In the midrange category,
RM70 to RM200 will get you a clean room with a TV and air-con plus a hot
shower in the bathroom. Top-end hotels can be bona fide bargains, with
promotional rates as low a s RM250. HOW MUCH?
Cheap food is one of the delights of Malaysia. Don’t be afraid to step Double room at a mid-
out of your comfort zone and sample the excellent street food and local range hotel RM70-200
restaurants – a meal that costs RM10 can be just as delicious as a meal Cup of kopi (coffee) or teh
that costs RM300. The top-end hotels offer world-class cooking at prices tarik (hot tea) RM2-4
that bring tears to the eyes. Soft drinks, juices, tea and coffee are the local
quaffs of choice. Beer, wine and spirits are widely available but much more Bowl of laksa RM5
expensive – if cost is an issue, buy your beers from convenience stores Restaurant meal RM20
rather t han restaurants. Designer label shirt RM70
G etting from A to B will never cost a fortune. KL has an extensive public
transport system, and Melaka and Penang have inexpensive buses, taxis and
rickshaws. With persistence you can usually get drivers to use the meter
or bargain to a reasonable fixed fare. Buses, trains, long-distance taxis and
international flights are all e xcellent value.
© Lonely Planet Publications
18 G E T T I N G S TA R T E D • • T o p 1 0 l o n e l y p l a n e t . c o m l o n e l y p l a n e t . c o m G E T T I N G S TA R T E D • • T r a v e l L i t e r a t u r e 19
DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT…
TOP 10 Checking the visa situation (p 225) . Note that citizens of Israel can only enter Malaysia with a
visa – which is granted at the discretion of the Malaysian embassy in the country where you
F ESTIVALS & EVENTS apply.
Malaysia has loads of fast-paced festivals and special events (see p 219) . Plan your travels around Checking government travel advice (see p 219) .
the following, but remember to book ahead during peak holiday seasons. Your credit card – major cards are accepted at many shops, restaurants and hotels, but keep
1 Thaipusam, Batu Caves and Penang, 6 Por Thor (Hungry Ghosts Festival), Penang the emergency lost-or-stolen number handy.
January/February and Melaka, August An umbrella for sudden showers.
2 Chinese New Year, countrywide, January/ 7 Hari Kebangsaan (Malaysian National Day), A torch or headlamp, a pair of binoculars, mosquito net and leech-proof socks – essential
February countrywide, 31 August gear for jungle treks.
3 KL International Tower Jump, KL, March 8 LPaentaenrgn, FSeesptitveaml, bceoruntrywide, particularly A fleece or light jacket to beat the air-con on chilly bus journeys.
4 Malaysian Grand Prix Formula, Sepang near 9 Hari Raya Puasa, countrywide, September/ A swimming costume (Malaysian pool rules: one-piece for women, tight shorts for men).
KL, April October A sheet, blanket or sleeping bag liner – many cheap hotels do not provide a top sheet.
5 Dragon Boat Festival, Penang, June to August 10 Deepavali, countrywide, October/November An appetite – Malaysia is heaven for foodies!
Besides the travel essentials, luxuries are very moderately priced. Your
EATING & D RINKING money will go a lot further here than in most Western countries, particularly
Junk the diet – e ating is a reason to come to KL, Melaka and Penang all by itself. Allow your ap- when shopping for clothes and e lectronics.
petite to steer you towards the following taste sensations:
1 Start the day with roti canai (unleavened 6 Fancy a midnight snack? Many of KL’s excel- TRAVEL LITERATURE
bread and curry) and teh tarik (tea with con- lent mamak restaurants (see p 110) are The Consumption of Kuala Lumpur by Ziauddin Sardar is an evocative
densed milk), the classic Malay tiffin (p 106) . open 24/7. meditation on the once-sleepy capital evolving into a technological marvel.
2 K
crLa’sm fmooedd sintrteoe tosn oef fleorc adtoiozenn –s torfy rJeasltaanu rAanlotrs 7 Sthluer pre snoomwen esdp iscpy escoiualri tays oafm P elankasnag .(p 194) , aIncdi sFivreo mco mMmajeanpta ohnit mtoo dPeurtnra Mjaaylaa y–s iaS ecaarnc hbien fgo ufonrd t hine TOhteh Oert hMera Mlayasliaay sbiay
(p 106) for top-notch Malay-Chinese food. Malaysian journalist Farish A Noor.
3 L
Toryo tkhineg r efostra suormanetws hoenr eth teo Sttaakreh ail ld Gatael?le ry 8 Lceoaorkni ntog mcoaukres eyo (up r1 5o0w) n in N Moneylaak cau. isine on a chaMpatelar yosfi aI’asn c oBmurpulemxa r’es lGatoiodn’ss Dhiups wt, ibthas reedli goino na ivsi seixt ptolo are hda irnd -thlien eM Iaslaymsiac
Feast Level (p 107) . 9 No meal is complete without pudding – commune near KL in the 1980s. Although the commune has since been
4
oDnrien ko fi nK Lth’se s vkiyeswc raasp were lbl arss y (op u1r1 c6o) .cktail at mceankdeo tli m(p e4 5fo) ra snhda aveird b iacetu d ceassmeprtus rs u(p c4h5 a) .s VdiSs bNanaidpeadu, lm oaffneyr eodf thhies ioswsune si nrasigsehdts a irne tsot iMll paelarytisniaen tI tsoladmay .i nL iTtehrea rBye klineivgehrst
5
mMakrek eat sn i(gp h9t1 ) o.f it at KL’s food-tastic night 10 fHuoslsd o yvoeur rd nuorsiaen a n(p d8 d1) is icso avbeor uwt.hat all the (19F8o2r) a nmd oBreey ohnisdt oBreicliaelf (p1e9r9sp9)e.ctive, try The Golden Chersonese and the
Way Thither, written by Isabella Bird in 1883 after a stiff-upper-lip journey
through the jungles of Peninsular Malaysia. A less romantic take on jungle
life is given in The Jungle is Neutral by Spencer Chapman, a British soldier
UNIQUE EXPERIENCES who helped train Malayan forces to resist the Japanese invasion.
Asia is never predictable. Here are some of the quirkier experiences on offer in Kuala Lumpur,
Melaka and Penang: INTERNET RESOURCES
1 Crossing the Skybridge (p 86) between the 6 Lighting a 2m-long stick of incense at Pen- Kuala Lumpur Tourism (www.kualalumpur.gov.my) KL-centric website from the Kuala Lumpur
Petronas Towers. ang’s Kuan Yin Teng (p 181) temple. Tourism Action Council.
2 Riding a roller coaster through a shopping 7 Riding the cable car (p 203) to Kek Lok Si, Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com) Succinct summaries on travel to Malaysia, the Thorn Tree
mall at KL’s Berjaya Times Square (p 96) . Malaysia’s biggest Buddhist temple. forum and much more.
3
eWsatl kRiensge ainr cth eI nrastinitfuotre sot fc Manaolpay saita t(hp e1 3F2o) r.- 8 Tbreeakckhinesg atth oPuenghan tghe N jautnigolnea tlo P eamrkp (tp y2 07) . MToaulraiyssmia Mkianlia (ywswiaw (.wmwalway.tsoiaukrisnmi.cmoamla) yMsial.agyosvi.am’sy b) eOsftf iocnialiln geo nvewrnsm seitnet. tourism site, with list-
ings of domestic and international tourist offices.
54 CMW
tCioaluitmnvrne uabesgtsi nas(Tp i.gnh1 gat3h i1gpe) ru u2bse7aes2smoi dms (tep e 2p aa2 sc4 1t3) so.m ot-fht reae llBli gsatitoautuuse d oefv o- 910 TRMdanouoadunlrl renksidinen-gatgu c ( pop kthl 1dtve5re iM8ngs) hdae. uaolanwrksta l(ae p titn 1 Jo 5oaf1 nf) o k.oreutrut’nsra eWg teaeollkue srNsly ig ht TVT oirutruiasml M PMaeelnalayksniaga (www.mtvoierutlruaiskamalm.pgaeolnva.aymnsigya).g cSotmva.tm)e G yino) fvGoeorrmvnemartneimonnte pnot rttoaul rfiosmr tM osuietlreai skfmoar. iPne Mnaanlagy.sia.
Strait of Melak
PENANG
Malaysia
KUALA
LUMPUR
© Lonely Planet Publications
4
On the Road
JOE BINDLOSS Coordinating author © Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
This wasn’t what I was used to in the wet tropics. Perfect blue skies, brilliant sunshine overhead, duck-
ing into the shade of palm trees to escape the glare. In fact, Kuala Lumpur (KL) probably has the best restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
weather of all the Southeast Asian capitals. In five weeks I saw only half a dozen rain showers; although, only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
admittedly, one left me knee-deep in black murky water, the origins of which I didn’t want to speculate everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
about. The sunny days provided perfect opportunities to try and capture the space-age magnificence of
the Petronas Towers on film – I just wish I’d packed a wider lens. the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’
CELESTE BRASH Notice the giant cicada blending
perfectly into my wrinkled brown shirt? My son
found this guy dying in a gutter so we kept him
for the day and named him Chirpy. He (or she?)
seemed happy just clinging onto one of our shirts
and if you touched his back gently he would sing
beautifully. Cicada nymphs live underground for
several years, then survive only a few weeks in
this adult stage. They do bite (not poisonous) but
Chirpy never bit us. If any Malaysians thought we
were strange carrying around a giant bug, they
kept it to themselves.
For full author biographies, see page 254
© Lonely Planet Publications
20 lone l y p l a n e t . c om H I S T O R Y • • T h e M e l a k a E m p i r e 21
A HISTORY OF P IRACY
H istory From the start of maritime trade to the present day, the Strait of Melaka has provided rich pick-
ings for pirates. The earliest recorded seafaring pirates were the Orang Laut (Sea Gypsies), who
A s a modern independent nation, Malaysia has only been around since 1963, were employed to police the trade routes by the Srivijaya Empire, but soon turned to piracy
though the peninsula became independent of British colonial rule in 1957. themselves. Parameswara, the founder of Melaka, also staged daring raids on traders from his
The early history of the peninsula is hazy because of a lack of written records temporary base of Temasek (Singapore); see p 136 . A millennium later and piracy is still a problem
but events from the rise of the Melaka Sultanate in the 16th century were in the Strait of Melaka. There were 50 attacks in 2006, down from 79 in 2005, despite coordinated
well documented by the nations which came here to trade with, and later sea patrols by the Malaysian, Singaporean and Indonesian coast guards.
rule over, the Malay peninsula. The following sections sketch in the main The tradition of piracy continues on land. Malaysia is one of the world’s most notorious centres
events – see the history sections of Kuala Lumpur (KL), Melaka and Penang for pirate goods – clothes, software, DVDs, auto parts, you name it. For many visitors, this makes
for details of the rise of these destinations. Malaysia a shopping mecca. Convincing fakes of big name brands cost a fraction of the price of the
real thing. Unfortunately, it’s not just big business that suffers – the trade in pirate software, films
O RIGINAL PEOPLE and music increases the price of legitimate goods for everyone and reduces the amount of money
The first evidence of human life in the region was a 40,000-year-old skull available to new artists and film makers. In response to international pressure, the government
found in Sarawak in 1958, but the oldest human relics found on the penin- is slowly starting to crack down on the counterfeiting industry; take a walk around Chinatown’s
sula date back about 13,000 years. ‘Perak Man’ was genetically similar to the Petaling Street Market ( p77 ) and judge for yourself how successful this has been…
There are estimated Negrito people who still live in the north of the peninsula. The Negritos were
to be 560 Christian joined by Malaysia’s first immigrants, the Senoi, from southern Thailand,
missionaries striving and later by the Proto-Malay, ancestors of today’s Malays, who came by sea Langkasuka (from the Sanskrit for ‘resplendent land’); see o pposite. Many
to convert the O rang from Indonesia between 1500BC and 500 BC. For more information on key Malay words such as bahasa (language), raja (ruler) and jaya (success)
Asli (Original People; Malaysia’s indigenous people s ee p 25. are also S anskrit terms.
indigenous Malaysians) F rom the 7th century to the 13th century, Malaya become dominated
in Malaysia. Muslim E ARLY TRADE & EMPIRES by the Srivijaya Empire, based in southern Sumatra. This Buddhist empire
groups are working just By the 2nd century AD, Malaya was known as far away as India and Europe. controlled the entire Malacca Straits, Java and southern Borneo and became The Other Malaysia by
as hard to convert Orang P tolemy, the Greek geographer, labelled it Aurea Chersonesus (Golden fabulously rich from trade with India and China. Under the protection of the Farish A Noor is a collec-
Asli to Islam – several Chersonese) and Indian traders referred to the land as Savarnadvipa (Land Srivijayans, a significant Malay trading state grew up in the Bujang Valley tion of articles in which
state governments have of Gold). Malaya soon became a trading stop for Indian merchants in search area in the far northwest of the Thai-Malay peninsula. The growing power the writer uses forgotten
allegedly offered cash of precious metals, tin and aromatic jungle woods. The first formalised re- of the southern Thai kingdom of Ligor and the Hindu Majapahit Empire of gems of Malaysia’s his-
rewards for every Orang ligions on the peninsula – Hinduism and Buddhism – arrived with Indian Java finally led to the demise of the Srivijayans in the 1 4th century. tory to comment on and
Asli converted. traders, giving rise to the first recorded Hindu kingdom on the peninsula, critique contemporary
THE MELAKA EMPIRE Malaysian politics.
Founded around the 14th century, Malaya’s greatest empire was the brain-
THE LOST KINGDOM OF LANGKASUKA child of the renegade H indu prince P arameswara (see p 136) , from Sumatra,
We should not really be surprised that the early k ingdom of Langkasuka was lost. Even at the who declared himself independent from the Javanese Majapahit Empire
time, people were unable to agree on its exact location. Chinese explorers claimed it was on and was forced to flee to Temasek (Singapore). On arrival, Parameswara
the east coast, while Malay histories place it on the west coast near Penang. Probably there befriended the local chieftain, then killed him and pronounced himself
was just one kingdom extending right across the peninsula. Between the 3rd and 6th centuries, ruler over the peninsula. From his base at Temasek, Parameswara and
Langkasuka’s power dwindled and the Funan Kingdom, centred in what is now Cambodia, took his pirate army wrought havoc on shipping and trade, until a huge Thai
over control of the region, before they were in turn supplanted by the Srivijaya Empire. The force drove Parameswara north to Melaka. As a seafarer, Parameswara
kingdom of Langkasuka disappeared from the map, though part of its name lives in on in the recognised a good port when he saw it and he immediately lobbied the
islands of Langkawi. Ming emperor of China for protection from the Thais in exchange for
generous t rade deals.
2nd century AD 700 1400 14th century 1445 1509
First trade recorded between The Buddhist Srivijaya Empire Foundation of Melaka, the most The Srivijaya Empire comes to Islam becomes Melaka’s state The Portuguese land on the
Malaya and the ancient world. dominates Malaya, Singapore, successful Malay sultanate. an end. religion and spreads through- Malay Coast.
Indonesia and Borneo for six out Southeast Asia.
c enturies.
22 H I S T O R Y • • E a r l y I s l a m l o n e l y p l a n e t . c om l one l y p l a n e t . c om H I S T O R Y • • E a s t I n d i a C o m p a n y 23
T hus the Chinese came to Malaysia. Equidistant between India and China,
Melaka became a major stop for freighters from India loaded with pepper MEANWHILE IN BORNEO…
and cloth, and junks from China loaded with porcelain and silks, which were
While the East India Company was furthering its interests on the peninsula, B orneo was left
traded for local metal and spices. The Indian ships sailed in on the southwest
largely to its own devices, until the arrival of British adventurer James Brooke. In 1835 Brooke
monsoon, berthed in Melaka and waited for the northeast monsoon, which
inherited £30,000, bought a ship and sailed from London to Borneo, where he helped the local
blew in the Chinese junks; both then sailed home when the winds reversed.
sultan suppress a tribal rebellion and took personal control of part of the island, founding his
Business boomed as regional ships and perahu (Malay-style sampans) arrived
capital at Kuching. Through a combination of force and negotiation, Brooke gained control of
to take advantage of t rading opportunities.
large parts of Sarawak, founding his own dynasty of ‘white Rajas’, which ruled right up until
1941. The British obtained Sabah as down-payment on a debt from the Sultan of Brunei in 1865,
E ARLY ISLAM
Peninsular Malaysia was though Brunei itself was preserved as a British protectorate.
T he first record of Islam on the peninsula was a stone plaque dated 1303
Buddhist and Hindu for
found i n Terengganu. Islam came to Malaysia with Indian-Muslim traders
a thousand years before
and was quickly adopted by locals. In the mid-15th century, the third ruler came to Malaya to make money and negotiated directly for spices with the sul-
the local rulers converted
of Melaka, Maharaja Mohammed Shah (1424–44) converted and his son, tans of the local spice islands from their new base at Batavia ( now Jakarta).
to Islam in the 15th
Mudzaffar Shah, took the title of sultan and made Islam the state religion. A joint force of Dutch and Johor soldiers and sailors besieged Melaka in
century.
With its global trade links, Melaka became a hub for the dissemination of 1641 and wrested the city from the Portuguese. In return for its coopera-
Islam and the Malay language across the region. The Melaka sultans soon tion, Johor was made exempt from most of the tariffs and trade restrictions
ruled over the greatest empire in Malaysia’s history, successfully repelling imposed on other vassal states. Despite maintaining control of Melaka for
S iamese attacks. about 150 years, the Dutch never really realised the full potential of the city.
High taxes forced merchants to seek out other ports and the Dutch focused
THE PORTUGUESE ERA their main attention on Batavia as their r egional headquarters.
By the 15th century, Europe had developed an insatiable appetite for spices,
ostensibly to the mask the f lavour of rotten meat in the days before refrigera- E AST INDIA COMPANY A History of Malaya by
tion. At the time spices were conveyed via a convoluted trade route through Britain entered the fray in the 18th century. With increasing British involve- Barbara and Leonard
India and Arabia, but the Portuguese decided to cut out the middle man ment in t rade between India and China, the E ast India Company (EIC) Andaya brilliantly
and go directly to the source. They quickly established fortified depots needed a depot in Southeast Asia, and Francis Light negotiated a deal with the explores the evolu-
along the sea route to Malaya, reaching the Malay coast in 1509. At first, the sultan of Kedah in 1786 to establish a settlement on the largely uninhabited tion of ‘Malayness’ in
Portuguese were greeted warmly by the local sultan, but relations soon soured island of Penang. Light immediately instituted a free-trade policy, which Malaysia’s history and the
A government-sanctioned and the Portuguese laid siege to Melaka in 1511 under Viceroy Alfonso de attracted massive trade from across t he region. challenges of building a
v ersion of Malaysian Albuquerque, capturing the city and driving the sultans back t o Johor. Meanwhile, events in Europe were conspiring to consolidate British interests multiracial, post-
history is given on the The Portuguese secured Melaka by building the robust Porta de Santiago on the Malay peninsula. When Napoleon overran the Netherlands in 1795, independence nation.
(A’Famosa fortress; see p 142) , and expeditions were sent to the Moluccas the British, fearing French influence in the region, took over Dutch Java and
website Sejarah Malaysia
to secure trade deals for Moluccan spices. The Portuguese domination of Melaka. When Napoleon was defeated in 1818, the British handed the Dutch
(sejarahmalaysia.pnm
Melaka lasted 130 years, though the entire period was marked by skirmishes colonies back – but not before leaving the fortress of A’Famosa b eyond use.
.my).
with local sultans. Compared with Indian-Muslim traders, the Portuguese The British lieutenant-governor of Java, Stamford Raffles – yes, that
contributed little to Malay culture; attempts to introduce Christianity and the S tamford Raffles – soon persuaded the EIC that a settlement south of the
Portuguese language were never a big success, though a dialect of Portuguese, Malay peninsula was crucial to the India–China maritime route. In 1819, he
Kristang (see p 147) , is still spoken i n Melaka. landed in Singapore and negotiated a trade deal that saw the island ceded
to Britain in perpetuity, in exchange for a significant cash tribute. In 1824,
THE DUTCH PERIOD Britain and the Netherlands signed the Anglo-Dutch Treaty dividing the
Vying with the Portuguese for control of the spice trade, the Dutch formed region into two distinct spheres of influence. The Dutch controlled what
an allegiance with the s ultans of Johor to drive the Portuguese from Melaka. is now Indonesia, and the British controlled Penang, Melaka, Dinding and
The Dutch East India Company had no interest in God or national glory; they Singapore, which were soon combined to create the ‘ Straits Settlements’.
1511 1641 1786 1795 1824 1841
The Portuguese conquer The Dutch wrest Melaka from The British open a free-trading The British take over Dutch Java Britain assumes control of James Brook becomes the first
Melaka. the Portuguese. port in Penang. and Melaka before returning Melaka as part of the Anglo- White Raja of Sarawak.
them after the defeat of Napo- Dutch Treaty.
leon in 1818.
