10 Interesting Facts about Malaysia You Need to Know

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Each country has its own characteristics and privileges. One of them is Indonesia's neighboring country, Malaysia, which has a number of unique facts that are interesting to discuss.

As is known, Malaysia is a federal country with 13 states and 3 federal territories. Malaysia is led by a prime minister to run the government. In 2022, this country held a general election in which Anwar Ibrahim was officially appointed as Malaysia's 10th prime minister. Summarized from various sources, here are 10 interesting facts about Malaysia that you need to know:

1. The Oldest Sultanate in the World

Founded in 1136, Sultan Muzaffar Shah is known as the first Sultan of Kedah. The Kedah Sultanate was the earliest sultanate on the Malay Peninsula. It is also believed to be the oldest sultanate in the world. The Kedah Sultanate was initially closely related to Hinduism before finally becoming an Islamic sultanate.

Now the country of Malaysia consists of nine sultans and four states. The four are led by Yang DiPertua Negeri (the name for the Governor in Malaysia). The nine sultanates of Malaysia include Johor, Kedah, Selangor, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis and Terengganu.

2. Had changed name

Before using the name Malaysia, the country that created the cartoon Upin & Ipin underwent a name change. A Greco-Roman geographer named Ptolemy first named Malaysia as Aurea Chersonesus. This initial name means 'golden peninsula'. It is listed in Ptolemy's book Geographia which was written around 150 AD.

3. Unique National Anthem

The national song of Malaysia is entitled Negaraku (My Country). The determination of the national anthem has gone through a quite complex historical journey. This song was chosen from the song Sultanate of Perak, which is a change to the French song entitled La Rosalie. The melody and rhythm of the song Negaraku were adapted from the song I Shall Return by Anne Shelton. King Abdulah is the figure behind the choice of the Malaysian national anthem.

4. Eight Time Zone Adjustment

The neighboring country has experienced time zone adjustments eight times. Adjustments took place in 1932, 1941, 1942, 1945, and 1982. On January 1, 1982, a figure named Tun Dr. Mahathir agreed to the final adjustments. On the same day, Singapore also took similar action.

5. Monarchy

Malaysia is a country in the form of a federal constitutional monarchy. Divided into 13 regions, namely Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Selangor, Pulau Pinang and Terengganu. Then the three federal territories or federal territories include Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan.

6. Tallest Petronas Towers

Malaysia has the most iconic building in the world, namely the Petronas towers. This 451.9 m high tower was named the tallest tower in the world from 1998-2004. In the middle of the two magnificent towers, there is a connection in the form of a bridge which is usually called a skybridge. Located on the 41st and 42nd floors, the bridge is 170 meters above ground level.

7. The majority of the population is Muslim

Similar to Indonesia, the majority of Malaysians adhere to Islam. Based on Tempo data, the percentage of the Muslim population in Malaysia is around 61.3% of the total population. Like Muslims all over the world, they also practice worship and celebrate religious days. There are also commemorations of special moments such as the month of Ramadan, Eid al-Adha, and similar Islamic religious holidays.

8. Former British Colony

Malaysia is also a country that was colonized by England from 1786 to 1957. In 1786, England or Great Britain began to establish the first colony on the Malay Peninsula, Malaysia. The arrival of the British certainly made the Dutch, who were still in power at that time, angry. Finally, there was a struggle for territory between the two.

9. Has the oldest tropical forest

Malaysia's National Park is estimated to be around 130 million years old. Entering the oldest tropical rainforest in the world. For those who want to visit this park, they need special permission from the government. Starting from the habitat of Malaysian tigers, to various other rare animals, National Parks offer an unforgettable tourist experience.

10. Longest Toll Road

Malaysia has about 66,000 toll roads combined across the country. Interestingly, the circumference of the earth is 40,000 km. This figure certainly makes Malaysia categorized as the country with the longest toll roads in the world. Apart from that, there is also the largest roundabout in the world with a diameter of 3.5 km in the Putrajaya area.

LALA DITA PANGESTU

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