Malaysia

     Malaysia is a country made up of thirteen states and three federal territories. These are split up among two regions that are separated by almost 640 miles of the south China Sea. It is just north of Singapore and south of China and Thailand. The capital is Kuala Lumpor. The population is approximately 28 million people. About 57% of the population is made up of Malays. The rest of the population is made up of Chinese, Indian, and other races. It is because of their part in the international spice route hundreds of years ago that they display a mosaic of cultures. The national language is Malay, although English is widely spoken as well. Islam is the official religion, however, Buddhism, Christianity, and other religions are freely and widely practiced too. Because Malaysia is so close to the equator, they experience tropical weather all year round. They are the biggest producers of computer disk drives, palm oil, rubber, and timber. Malaysia has some of the toughest censorship laws in the world, exerting control over the media. They can impose restrictions in the name of national security.

                When I first started researching Malaysia, it seemed like a paradise with its tropical weather, beautiful beaches, and rich and diverse culture, but then I came across articles of the type of power the government tends to exert in people’s personal lives and it seems that women are not treated equally, and so it seemed a little less appealing. I found it interesting that it is such a diverse country. I also found it interesting that it has an official religion (Islam). I wonder how much of an issue other religions may have practicing their beliefs when a country has an official  religion. I read that in 2009, there was anger with a law that said other religions could use the word Allah to refer to their God. It has since been overturned and now only Muslims can use the word Allah to refer to God. It is said that all religions in Malaysia used to use Allah to refer to their God. These are the things that frustrate me with religion and people; the seems to put so much effort and attention to the mediocre thins and miss the whole point completely.