Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
189
peninsula was united with S ingapore and
the Borneo states of S abah and S arawak.
Singapore was ejected from the federation
in 1965, and today Malaysia continues on
its own path.
POST-INDEPENDENCE
(1960S)
As Malaysia was emerging as an indepen-
dent nation, its gr owth was stunted b y
racial tensions that ev entually led to race
riots. N ational policies fav ored ethnic
Malays—most of whom w
rural poverty—in an attempt to lev el the
playing field in terms of access to educa-
tion, jobs, and business opportunities. The
policies were oftentimes at the expense of
Chinese and I ndian Malaysians, many of
whom w ere business o wners, as w ell as
educated and wealthy Malaysians.
In 1969, follo wing a national election,
Chinese M alaysians demonstrated in
Kuala L umpur, spar king a backlash fr om
Malays. Riots and violence led to the
destruction of almost 6,000 homes and
businesses and the deaths of 184 people.
ere living in
3
THE LAY OF THE LAND
Tropical evergreen forests, estimated to be
some of the oldest in the world, once co v-
ered more than 70% of Malaysia; however,
logging and plantation establishment have
taken their toll. There are diverse terrains,
including mountainous for ests, sparsely
wooded tangles at higher elev ations; low-
land for ests, dense tr opical for ests; man-
groves along the waters ' edge; and peat
swamp for ests along the water ways. O n
the peninsula, thr ee national for ests—
Taman Negara (or “National Forest”) and
Kenong Rimba P ark, both inland, and
Endau R ompin N ational P ark, located
toward the southeastern end of the penin-
sula—are the most conv enient to visit,
especially Taman N egara, a half-day trip
from KL. S abah and S arawak step up the
adventure quotient with countless
rainforests, peculiar wildlife, and fascinat-
ing indigenous cultures.
Malaysia is surr ounded b y the S outh
China Sea on the east coast and the Straits
of Malacca on the west, and the waters off
the peninsula vary in terms of sea life (and
beach life). The waters off the east coast
house a living coral r eef, good waters, and
great tropical beaches, while mor e south-
erly parts host beach r esort areas. By way
of contrast, the waters in southern por-
tions of the S traits of Malacca are choppy
and cloudy fr om shipping traffic—har dly
ideal for diving. B ut once y ou get as far
north as Langkawi, the waters become
beautiful again. M eanwhile, the sea coast
of Sabah and Sarawak includes some resort
areas that are ideal for beach vacationing.
10
Protecting Malaysia's Rare Species
Vast tracks of primary rainforest in Malaysian Borneo are protected and believed
to contain such rare species of animals as the Sumatran rhinoc eros, the Malay-
sian sun bear, and the clouded leopard. In forest reserves, visitors can sometimes
spot large-nosed proboscis monkeys and hornbills, with their colorful beaks. A
number of rehabilitation centers on Borneo protect the orangutan from extinc-
tion in the face of their disappearing habitat. On Borneo and P eninsular Malaysia,
many species of sea turtles that use Malaysia's beaches for nesting grounds are
also protected.
