Malaysia

Malaysia has one of the most ethnically diverse populations on earth. There are two underlying reasons for this. First, this California sized peninsula sticks out from the Asian continent like a sore thumb, into ancient shipping lanes between East and West, or, if you will, Europe, and oriental silk and spice. Malaysia was a convenient congregating point where these widely divergent cultures met and traded their wares, exchanged ideas, and, quite naturally, their genes. The result was a "melting pot."

To understand the second reason for this astounding diversity one must hearken back to the colonial period of the 1800s. That's when the face of Malaysia changed forever as a British colony. Forests were cleared and the timber shipped to the mother country, which was out of trees by this time in her history. And two massive industries, tin mining and rubber, were started because England needed them too, and the king and queen didn't want to get their country dirty. And for this work the always cunning Brits imported foreign labor. They brought in Chinese coolies to work the tin mines and Indians for the dreary rubber toil. And like timber, tin and rubber were also shipped to England. After all, what were colonies for but to make sure the king and queen, halfway around the world, had all the tin and rubber they needed?

By the 1900s the Malay represented 50% of Malaysian people, Chinese 30%, Indians 8%, and a hodge-podge the rest. The Chinese were mainly Buddhists who spoke Mandarin, while the Indians were Hindu who spoke Tamil, from southern India. The British knew well the principle of divide and conquer. By hardening the lines between the majority Malays and the Chinese and Indians they effectively secured their own power. The Malaysian polyglot was not likely to present a united front on anything, and the Brits knew it.

In 1957, during the anticolonial movement that swept the world, Malaysia gained its independence from England. It would be a shaky start, as would be the case for most of the fledgling nations of that era. Long-standing resentments eventually boiled over in 1969, into racial violence and ultimately civil war. Parliament and the constitution were suspended. Finally in 1971 the voices of reason spoke out and healing began. (next photo)

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Malaysia has one of the most ethnically diverse populations on earth. There are two underlying reasons for this. First, this California sized peninsula sticks out from the Asian continent like a sore thumb, into ancient shipping lanes between East and West, or, if you will, Europe, and oriental silk and spice. Malaysia was a convenient congregating point where these widely divergent cultures met and traded their wares, exchanged ideas, and, quite naturally, their genes. The result was a "melting pot." To understand the second reason for this astounding diversity one must hearken back to the colonial period of the 1800s. That's when the face of Malaysia changed forever as a British colony. Forests were cleared and the timber shipped to the mother country, which was out of trees by this time in her history. And two massive industries, tin mining and rubber, were started because England needed them too, and the king and queen didn't want to get their country dirty. And for this work the always cunning Brits imported foreign labor. They brought in Chinese coolies to work the tin mines and Indians for the dreary rubber toil. And like timber, tin and rubber were also shipped to England. After all, what were colonies for but to make sure the king and queen, halfway around the world, had all the tin and rubber they needed? By the 1900s the Malay represented 50% of Malaysian people, Chinese 30%, Indians 8%, and a hodge-podge the rest. The Chinese were mainly Buddhists who spoke Mandarin, while the Indians were Hindu who spoke Tamil, from southern India. The British knew well the principle of divide and conquer. By hardening the lines between the majority Malays and the Chinese and Indians they effectively secured their own power. The Malaysian polyglot was not likely to present a united front on anything, and the Brits knew it. In 1957, during the anticolonial movement that swept the world, Malaysia gained its independence from England. It would be a shaky start, as would be the case for most of the fledgling nations of that era. Long-standing resentments eventually boiled over in 1969, into racial violence and ultimately civil war. Parliament and the constitution were suspended. Finally in 1971 the voices of reason spoke out and healing began. (next photo)

© Danny Kimberlin 2015