Given its geographical location, Malaysia was bound to be a land of diversity. Situated along the trade route choke point known as the Straits of Melaka, peninsular Malaysia has benefited and suffered from its strategic location. During the 12th to 14th Centuries, a powerful sultanate established along the shoreline named Melaka obtained an impressive amount of wealth and contact from far away kingdoms such as Ming China, the island kingdoms in Java and Bali, the Arab World, and the Kingdom of Siam. It is telling that one of the highest ranked officials in the administration of the Melaka sultanate was the Harbor Master.
Eventually the Sultan was overthrown by the Portuguese who were later overtaken by the Dutch who were finally replaced by the dominion of the British Empire. Such European imperial transitions were common in this area of the world, of which only Siam (modern day Thailand) remained immune. This area of the world was a strategic jackpot for imperial powers, since these narrow straits provided the most direct route between India and China, the two abundant sources of products and consumer goods from the Orient. In fact, looking at the old sea trade routes on the map reveals a striking similarity to strategic interests of the US grand strategy to this day.
Under its imperial occupation, Malaysia developed profitable industries in tin, rubber, coffee, and coconut oil. But more importantly, Malaysia organically developed large foreign communities of Arabs, Indians, and Chinese. Upon arrival to to Malaysia, the sight of ethnic diversity was not only evident but striking. Malay culture was so shaped by Chinese, Indian, and Arab communities that the image of an ethic tossed salad became the country's very identity.
The first place I stayed was in the former trade center that had put Malaysia on the map, Melaka. The street of my hostel was a narrow road called Tukang Emas Street. Within a mile of this stretch of concrete there was a Mosque, a Hindu Temple, a Chinese temple (including Buddhist and Taoist influences), an Episcopal Church, and a Sikh Temple. Tukang Emas was adjacent to another road called Jonker Street, which sat at the heart of Melaka's historical Chinatown. Across Melaka's small river could be heard the sounds of Bollywood music being blasted from music/movie shops in Little India. Within a short walk down the river side I came across the old Dutch quarter complete with the old Red Brick Presbyterian Church, a windmill, and a Hard Rock Cafe. Colonial and Modern crossroads had left a colorful mosaic on the face of the city of Melaka. It was a town of minarets and masks, of cafes and curries, of Hindus and hymns, and of Durians and Dutch pastries.
Whats more, the people, regardless of color, creed, cross or crescent were hospitable and friendly. To give an example, my girlfriend and I were invited to eat a vegetarian meal at the Sikh Temple. We appeared as obvious tourists, walking into the donation ceremony very awkwardly. But despite this naivety, the religious community welcomed us into their house of worship without turning an eye of annoyance or an appearance of regret. It was obvious that they wanted us there despite our foreign appearance. Of course, being foreign was as applicable to them as it was to us, seeing that they were Indian Malaysian citizens.
Our next stop was the capital of Malaysia Kuala Lumpur. KL differed from any other Southeast Asian capital I have visited, and had significantly diverged from the image of the dirty and vagrant filled streets of Manila, Philippines. KL's skyline resembled that of Shanghai's, Tokyo's or Taipei's with glittering monuments of Asian modernity that retained the right to ascetic pleasure in the art of structural pragmatism. The center piece landmark of the city is KL's Petronas Towers, headquarters of Malaysia's largest state owned natural gas and oil company. Upon their completion, these towers were the tallest buildings in the world surpassing the Sears Tower in Chicago. They were overtaken by Taipei 101 in 2004. While modern in appearance, the towers had a visual quality similar to Hindu temples with a beehive-esque stupa at the top of each tower. The lobbies of each tower contained Islamic influences with a geometric circular ceiling with perfectly designed linear ripples echoing from the center glazed with a metallic material as a nod to the contemporary.
Just like Melaka, the city was teaming with diverse religious establishments, although here Mosques outnumbered all others. The main mosque in the city was the National Mosque, open for viewing for visitors of all faiths. Built in the 1960s, the mosque was incredibly modern. Unlike the round features commonly found in mosque architecture, this mosque was dominated by sharp linear designs. It appeared to me that the mosque's design was as much a recognition of the progress Malaysia had made in the transition from colonialism to modernity as an attribution to the Muslim world's academic contributions to the study of geometry and algebra. The outer courtyard contained a forest of columns neatly lined in harmony with the buildings centerpiece, a magnificent blue and turquoise shell defined by multiple corners and crevices colliding on one point at the top, forming a unique rounded triangle. The minaret was one tall and thin white tower with a sharp pointed roof that resembled a church steeple. Truly a remarkable structure that reflected the face of a city that valued religion and progress equally, almost as if one was incapable without the other.
Across town there was another religious sight, the scared Batu Caves, a holy sight for Hindus celebrating the family of Shiva and Pavarti. Built in the late 19th century, these caves contained numerous colorful statues of different figures in the Hindu pantheon as well as a large population of monkeys scavenging amongst the trash and seeking donations from naive tourists. Yet another example of the religious diversity that shapes the social landscape of Malaysia.
The Batu Caves also serve as a reminder of the strong presence of nature in the city of KL. KL had numerous large scale and well managed parks, including an eco rainforest preserve located in the center of the city in the shadow of KL's tallest freestanding tower. Silver Tailed Monkeys can be frequently spotted in this area as well, mischievously trying to dash into a cafe or restaurant for a meal without compensation. There is an area of town that has a Banyan Tree reserve as well. But KL's most impressive green area is Tun Abdul Razak Heritage Park. This park contains the world's largest Bird Aviary, a free roaming deer park, the Royal Botanical Gardens and a lake front for leisure. Just walking through the park makes you forget that you are in a capital city. There are also plenty of natural parklands such as rain forests, wetlands, and coastal habitats within a few hours dry of the city.
Like Melaka, KL had a thriving market in the center of China town where one can sample Chinese, Indian, and Malaysian cuisine. There is also a large and prosperous Little India that was within walking distance of my hostel. The hostel itself was administered by a Chinese man and an Indian man named Ballah. The multicultural makeup of Malay society could be seen everywhere, especially its transportation systems. A ride on the KL Metro was like going to the UN, with people in traditional Indian Saris, Muslim caps, headscarfs, and modern global styles of clothing. It all seemed perfunctory by the end of it.
Malaysia was a lot like China, a diverse country with multiple ethnicities, resulting in mutual tolerance. However, unlike China, Malaysia was very clean and for the most part economically equal. I saw only two beggars on the street during my 4 days in KL, and none in Melaka. The skies in KL were consistently clear without the heavy haze that usually fits the stereotype of most Asian cities. Malaysia transportation infrastructure seemed more like Japan's than China's. It was clean, concise, and ordered. The metro was rarely crowded and more strictly regulated. The taxi system for entering the city even had customers register with a taxi administrator to ensure that no one was cheated. By the end of my stay there, I thought that Malaysia could serve as a model for Asia. A land of tolerance, with a clean environment, reliable infrastructure, a drive towards progress, and altogether a recipe for success.
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