Faces of

Malaysia

Melaka

Melaka (a.k.a. Malacca) is the capital of the Malaysian state of Malacca.
Traditionally, the spot where Melaka stands today was the center of Malaccan history. It was the capital of the Malaccan Sultanate and the center of the Malay world in the 15th and the 16th century before it fell to the Portuguese in 1511. Centuries of colonization by the Portuguese, Dutch and the British have shaped the architecture of the town.

Fraser’s Hill

Hill resort spread along 7 peaks at 1,200 - 1,500 meters above sea-level on the Titiwangsa mountain range, about 100km north of Kuala Lumpur. Originally it was set up as a tin mine in the 1890s by Louis James Fraser (hence the name) until the tin ran out in 1913. A few years later the area was rediscovered as British-colonial hill resort. The cooler temperatures made it popular getaway destination from the hot and humid weather for the British. To this day Fraser’s Hill still retains its colonial charm. The area is recognized destination for bird watching with over 250 species recorded. Other activities include jungle trekking, golf, horse riding, archery, boating and mountain biking.

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Merdeka Day

At August 31, Malaysia celebrates its annual National Day - also known as Merdeka Day. Merdeka means independence in Bahasa. On August 31 1957, power was handed over of the from British colonial administration to first prime minister of Malaysia - Tunku Abdul Rahman.

On September 16, the country celebrates Malaysia Day - in memory of September 16 1963 when North Borneo (Sabah), Sarawak and Singapore joined Malaysia. Singapore left the federation 2 years later again.

Merdeka day and Malaysia day are both public holidays.

The formation of Malaysia and its independence followed centuries of foreign influence on former Malaya. It was under Portuguese influence in the 16th century, under Dutch influence in the 17th century and eventuelly become a British colony, interrupted by the Japanese occupation from 1941 to 1945. Read more about the complex and interesting history of Malaysia / Malaya on Wikipedia: History of Malaysia

End the end of every August, the country is decorated with an overdose of Malaysian flags to celebrate Merdeka Day. Here are some images from August 2012 in Kuala Lumpur:

Sultan Abdul Samad Building on Merdeka Square