Need Advice About Vacations – Read Free Materials About Why Malaysia is Truly Asia
MALAYSIA IS TRULY ASIA
Malaysia is a unique nation in Asia. In many ways, there is no other country in Asia quite like Malaysia. In order to appreciate this remarkable fact, you need to understand Asia in comparison to the other continents like North and South America, Europe, Africa and Australia.
In terms of people, most parts of the other continents comprise of a dominant race, be it the European Caucasians in Europe, North America and Australia or the Black Africans in Africa. This is largely due to the fact that most of the countries in these continents share a common history. In Europe, for example, many of the royal families of each country are related to one another. But this is not the case in Asia. In Asia, every country has its own dominant race. Although there are similarities (Koreans, Japanese and Chinese for example) but nothing as large-scale as found in Europe.
People in Asia have a very different mindset and worldview compared to those in the continents in the West. The people in the American, European and Australian continents are much more individualistic whereas those in Asia are much more communal. The people in Western continents place great importance in personal satisfaction and desires. Asians emphasize the importance of family and social groups over personal desires. Even the Africans are very different from Asians. Africans tend to be much more expressive whereas Asians are more reserved.
Nowhere is this diversity of race, culture, religion and lifestyle more evident in Asia than in Malaysia. No one race dominates another. There are approximately 60% of the Malay race and 40% non-Malays, comprised of Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans and a host of minority ethnic groups. Likewise, nowhere is there a greater blend of tradition, family values, respect for the community and self-effacement in Asia than in Malaysia. Truly, Malaysia typifies Asia to the greatest extent among all other Asian countries.
Nowadays with globalization, there is an increasing cross-cultural influence in every country. It is no different in Malaysia. Western influence is rising, especially in the main cities like Malaysia’s capital city, Kuala Lumpur and other major cities like Penang, Ipoh, Malacca, Johor Baru, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. For example, where once you need an interpreter to communicate, nowadays English is spoken everywhere in the cities and even smaller towns. Walking around Kuala Lumpur you would feel like you were in New York or London, except for the people around you. The skyscrapers, freeways (called highways in Malaysia), facilities and activities are no different from any metropolis in Europe, America or Australia. In fact you would probably find more people having cell phones in Kuala Lumpur than say, in Austin, Texas.
But despite the Western influence brought about by globalization, Malaysia still retains many Eastern values typical of Asia. Honoring elders, respecting parents, modesty of females and the importance of family are ingrained among Malaysians. These, coupled with the basic Asian virtue of hard work, not expecting handouts (there is no dole system or government unemployment welfare in Malaysia) and tenacity (never giving up) are part and parcel of the Malaysian culture.
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