Way of Life

[ Introduction ] [ History of Malaysia ] [ The Land ] [ The People ] [ Transportation and Communications ] [ Way of Life ] [ Acknowledgement ][ Back ] [ Next ]

Rural life.

Most people in the rural areas of Peninsular Malaysia are Malays who farm or fish. Rural Malays live in villages called kampongs, also spelled kampungs. Their houses are built on stilts with wooden or bamboo walls and floors, and thatched palm roofs. Such raised construction prevents flooding in the rainy reason and allows air to circulate more freely to cool the interior. Well-to-do families may have tin or tile roofs. Most rural families grow rice as their staple food. They supplement the rice by raising fresh vegetables and by fishing in flooded rice fields or nearby streams. Most farm families also raise a few rubber trees and sell the rubber to add to the family income. The Malays along the coast earn their living primarily by fishing. In Sabah and in Sarawak, many people live in isolated villages. Several families often live together under one roof in a large dwelling called a long house. They have vegetable gardens, and they also hunt, fish, and gather edible plants in the nearby jungles. Most rural villages have one or more small shops run by Chinese merchants, who sell many articles that the people cannot make for themselves. In Sarawak and Sabah, Chinese peddlers travel upriver by boat to isolated settlements to exchange goods for forest products. City life. Malaysia is rapidly becoming an urbanized society. More than half the population lives in urban areas. A lack of jobs in the countryside and an economic boom in the cities have contributed to urban growth. Kuala Lumpur is a bustling, modern city with lofty skyscrapers, including the world's tallest building, Petronas Towers. This office building, the headquarters of the national oil company, stands 1,483 feet (452 meters) high. Wealthy Malaysians live in large, comfortable homes with yards and servants. Most urban dwellers, however, live in modest apartments or town houses like those in American and European cities. Many rural Malays who have recently moved to the city live in shacks and other makeshift shelters in temporary squatter settlements. Clothing. In everyday life, most Malaysians wear clothing similar to that worn in North America and Europe. Nearly all Malays are Muslims, and many of them choose modest styles favored by Islam. For example, many Malay women wear a loose, long-sleeved blouse, a long skirt extending to their ankles, and a shawl or kerchief over their heads. Many Malay men wear a black hat called a songkok. For ceremonies and other formal gatherings, both men and women may don traditional Malay dress, which includes a tunic or blouse and a length of batik cloth worn as a skirt. Batik is a traditional process of dying cloth in elaborate patterns. Chinese, Indians, and other groups in Malaysia also wear their traditional dress for special occasions. Many Indian women wear saris, and some Chinese women wear a long, tight-fitting dress called a cheongsam. Food and drink. Rice is the mainstay of the Malaysian diet, supplemented by vegetables, fish, and meat, mainly lamb, mutton, or chicken. Fruit or cake is often served for dessert. Tea and coffee are popular beverages. Two principal ingredients in many Malay dishes are coconut milk and hot chilies. Malaysians also eat many Chinese and Indian dishes, some combined with Malay ingredients to create tasty combinations. Malaysian cities also have fast-food restaurants that serve hamburgers, pizza, and other kinds of American and European foods. Middle-class young people are the chief patrons of such restaurants. Recreation. Among the Malays, kite flying and top spinning are traditional sports practiced by skilled adults rather than children. Pencak silat, the martial art of the Malays, has become part of Malaysian national culture. Silat practitioners fight not only with their hands but also with sticks and knives. Congkak is a traditional Malay game of skill using a board with holes and pebbles or marbles. Sepak takraw is a popular game like volleyball using a rattan or plastic ball. Unlike volleyball players, however, sepak takraw players use mainly their feet. They cannot touch the ball with their hands. The most popular Western sports in Malaysia are soccer and badminton. Malaysian teams have won several international badminton championships. The arts. Malaysia has attempted to preserve its traditional art forms despite the immense popularity of American and European rock music, television, and motion pictures. A traditional form of Malay drama is mak yong (also spelled mak yung or ma'yong), in which the performers sing, dance, and act out heroic tales about sultans and princesses. An orchestra called a gamelan accompanies most performances. A gamelan consists chiefly of metal percussion instruments, including gongs, xylophones, and drums. Malaysia has had an active motion-picture industry since the founding of Malay Film Productions in the 1940's. Among its most famous stars was an actor, director, producer, singer, and composer named P. Ramlee. Ramlee appeared in films during the 1950's and 1960's.