Malaysia, a country divided into two parts by the South China Sea, East Malaysia and West Malaysia. Although the two regions belong to the same country, they have very different looks and histories. Let's explore their similarities and differences, as well as their causes.
Geography and Population of Malaysia Malaysia is located in the center of Southeast Asia, covering an area of about 130,000 square kilometers, making it a small country. It is strategically located close to the world-famous Strait of Malacca and across the sea from the island of Sumatra.
Malaysia's population is also small and does not rank high among Southeast Asian countries, with more than 30 million people in the country. Among them, 80% of the population is concentrated in West Malaysia, while the population of East Malaysia is very sparse. This is because the West Malaysia region is more abundant in resources and the land is fertile, making it suitable for agriculture and habitation.
The largest state in West Malaysia is Sarawak, which occupies one-third of the country's area and is rich in natural resources. Most of its land belongs to the tropical rainforest climate zone, with high forest coverage and many precious woods, such as dipterocarp, sara, etc. It is also rich in mineral resources, such as gold and aluminum, which attract many people to come and settle down.
Although the population of East Malaysia is small, there is no shortage of resources. Sabah is a state in the East Malaysian region, and it has a lot of metal mines, especially in the coastal areas, as well as a lot of oil and gas, which are very valuable resources. In addition, Malaysia is also rich in aquatic resources, such as sea cucumbers, sea fans, lobsters, etc., which are all Malaysian specialties, bringing economic income to the country.
Malaysia's Ethnicity and History Malaysia is a diverse country with 32 ethnic groups, in addition to Asians, there are also Europeans and Eurasian mestizos, which is related to their colonial history. The history of Malaysia can be traced back to BC, when there were some ancient kingdoms in the Malay region. By the 16th century, the Portuguese invaded Malaysia, occupied Malacca, and carried out brutal ** and plunder.
Malaysia at that time was an Islamic country, and the Portuguese destroyed all the mosques, built castles and churches, and sent troops to station. They also encouraged intermarriage with local women, forming the first generation of mixed Eurasian blood. The Portuguese not only occupied the territory, but also participated in the political and economic affairs of Malaysia.
By the end of the 16th century, Portugal's maritime power was in decline and the Dutch took over Malaysia. In 1786, the British occupied Penang and later Malacca, eventually replacing the Dutch as colonists of the Malay Peninsula.
The British were initially not interested in Penang, they valued Singapore more, so they tried their best to wrest the use of Singapore from the Sultanate of Johor. With the help of the British, both Penang and Singapore have developed rapidly, attracting many foreigners, many of whom are immigrants from southern China.
These immigrants created the conditions for the British to unify the Malay Peninsula, as the native Malays could not manage these Chinese immigrants. These Chinese immigrants also did not form a sound political organization and group, and lacked cohesion.
In 1824, an agreement was reached between Britain and the Netherlands, whereby Britain gave up the island of Sumatra in exchange for all Dutch territory south of Singapore. In 1926, Penang, Malacca and Singapore formed the Straits Settlements, which became a British direct territory.
Britain did not have many colonies in the Malay Peninsula and did not have a strong desire for expansion, but territorial disputes between the Sultanates on the Malay Peninsula affected British commercial activities, prompting British intervention and control over these areas.
The Malay Peninsula was divided into three parts at that time, one was a British colony, one was the United States of Malay, and one was the other state of Malay. The United Kingdom initially focused only on these regions, adopting a policy of non-interference in politics with regard to the interior states. Later, however, the British became more expansionist, and from 1870 onwards the British adopted a policy of active intervention in these regions and meddled in their internal political affairs.
British expansion in the Malay Peninsula lasted for decades, and finally in 1914, Britain completed its domination of the Malay Peninsula and took control of the entire peninsula.
Differences and Contradictions between East Malaysia and West Malaysia As I said before, there are great differences between the two regions in terms of culture, history, politics and Xi. West Malaysia is a traditional Muslim society with a belief in Islam and conservative living Xi. Due to the long-term influence of British colonialists, the East Malaysian region has more Westernized living Xi, and most of the beliefs are Catholic.
Both East and West Malaysia have their own independent political parties that represent their own interests and aspirations. An important objective of the political parties in East Malaysia is to prevent the transformation of East Malaysia into West Malaysia and to protect the identity and rights and interests of East Malaysia. There are often some disputes and ethnic issues in the two regions, and neither side is very receptive to the other's politics.
Locally, East Malaysia and West Malaysia are collectively known as Malaysia. But in the minds of the Malaysian people, East Malaysia and West Malaysia are not equal. First of all, the population of East Malaysia is much smaller than that of West Malaysia, and the support rate of West Malaysia is naturally higher than that of East Malaysia. Secondly, East Malaysia has always been regarded as a subsidiary state of West Malaysia and has not been given what it deserves.
In conclusion, Malaysia is a country with a complex and diverse history and culture, and East Malaysia and West Malaysia are two important parts of it. Although these two regions belong to the same country, they have great differences and contradictions, which stem from their geographical, resource, ethnic, historical and political factors. The relationship between East Malaysia and West Malaysia is an issue that deserves attention and research, and is also a key factor affecting the future development and stability of Malaysia. It is hoped that the two regions can find a way of peace and cooperation to jointly build a better and stronger Malaysia.