Malaysia is a multiethnic, multicultural, and multilingual society, and the many ethnic groups in Malaysia maintain

separate cultural identities. The society of Malaysia has been described as "Asia in miniature". The original culture
of the area stemmed from its indigenous tribes, along with the Malays who moved there in ancient times. Substantial
influence exists from the Chinese and Indian cultures, dating back to when trade with those countries began in the
area. Other cultures that heavily influenced that of Malaysia include Persian, Arabic, and British. The structure of the
government, along with the racial balance of power caused by the idea of a social contract, has resulted in little
incentive for the cultural assimilation of ethnic minorities in Malaya and Malaysia. The government has historically
made little distinction between "Malay culture" and "Malaysian culture".

The Malays, who account for over half the Malaysian population, play a dominant role politically and are included in
a grouping identified as bumiputra. By definition of the Malaysian constitution, all Malays are Muslims. The Orang
Asal, the earliest inhabitants of Malaya, formed only 0.5 percent of the total population in Malaysia in 2000, but
represented a majority in East Malaysia. In Sarawak, most of the non-Muslim indigenous groups are classified as
Dayaks, and they constitute about 40 percent of the population in the state. Many tribes have converted to
Christianity.[2] The 140,000 Orang Asli, or aboriginal peoples, comprise a number of different ethnic communities
living in peninsular Malaysia.

The Chinese have been settling in Malaysia for many centuries, and form the second-largest ethnic group. The first
Chinese to settle in the Straits Settlements, primarily in and around Malacca, gradually adopted elements of Malaysian
culture and intermarried with the Malaysian community and with this, a new ethnic group called emerged, the
Peranakan ("Straits Chinese").[3] These Chinese have adopted Malay traditions while maintaining elements of Chinese
culture such as their largely Buddhist and Taoist religion. The more common Chinese varieties spoken in Peninsular
Malaysia are Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainanese, and Fuzhou.

The Indian community in Malaysia is the smallest of the three main ethnic groups, accounting for about 10 percent
of the country's population. They speak a variety of South Asian languages. Tamils, Malayalees, and Telugu people
make up over 85 percent of the people of Indian origin in the country.[4] Indian immigrants to Malaysia brought with
them the Hindu and Sikh cultures. This included temples and Gurdwaras, cuisine, and clothing. Hindu tradition
remains strong in the Indian community of Malaysia. A community of Indians who have adopted Malay cultural
practices also exists in Malacca. Though they remain Hindu, the Chitties speak Bahasa Malaysia and dress and act as
Malays.

Parameswara. He was a prince from Palembang. Palembang was situated at the east of Sumatera. It was under the rule
of Majapahit empire. When the Majapahit empire became weak and disintegrated, Parameswara took the opportunity to
release Palembang from Majapahit. However, he failed in his mission and he was attacked by the majapahit army.
Parameswara and his associates fled from Palembang to Temasik. Parameswara reached a fishing village at the mouth
of Bertam river. He founded that the village was perfectly located for trade. It was situated midway along the trade
routes between india and china. He named the village Melaka
The friendly diplomatic relations between China and Malacca culminated during the reign of Sultan Mansur Syah,
who married the Chinese princess Hang Li Po. A senior minister of state and five hundred youths and maids of noble
birth accompanied the princess to Malacca.[11] The descendants of these people, mostly from Fujian province, are called
the Baba (men) and Nyonya (women).

Indians initially went to the Malaysian peninsula in search of a mystical place known as the "Land of Gold." Although
the places in Malaysia may not have been what they were looking for, they didn't leave, but continued to arrive in
search of gold, spices and aromatic wood. In addition to trade (with goods), the Indians introduced Hinduism and
Buddhism to the peninsula, thus bringing temples and other cultural traditions from India. As a result, local kings in
Malaysia combined what they considered to be the best aspects of India's government with their own structure, thus
resulting in "Indianised kingdoms." Today, the Indian influences can best be seen in a traditional Malay wedding
ceremony, which is similar to those in India.

Today, the Malays, Malaysia's largest ethnic group, make up more than 50% of the population, although this drops to
less than 25% in East Malaysia. In Malaysia, the term Malay refers to a person who practices Islam and Malay
traditions, speaks the Malay language and whose ancestors are Malays. Their conversion to Islam from Hinduism and
Theravada Buddhism began in the 1400s, largely influenced by the decision of the royal court of Melaka. The Malays
are known for their gentle mannerisms and rich arts heritage.
The Orang Asal, the earliest inhabitants of Malaya, formed only 0.5 percent of the total population in Malaysia in
2000, but represented a majority in East Malaysia. In Sarawak, most of the non-Muslim indigenous groups are
classified as Dayaks, and they constitute about 40 percent of the population in the state. Many tribes have converted to
Christianity. The 140,000 Orang Asli, or aboriginal peoples, comprise a number of different ethnic communities living
in peninsular Malaysia.

The second largest ethnic group, the Malaysian Chinese form about 25% of the population. Mostly descendants of
Chinese immigrants during the 19th century, the Chinese are known for their diligence and keen business sense. The
three sub-groups who speak a different dialect of the Chinese language are the Hokkien who live predominantly on
the northern island of Penang; the Cantonese who live predominantly in the capital city Kuala Lumpur; and the
Mandarin-speaking group who live predominantly in the southern state of Johor. In Sarawak this 25% is made up of a
mix of dialect groups including Foochow, Hakka, Hokkien, Teochew, Hainanese and Puxian Min while in Sabah the
population of Chinese drops to around 10% who predominantly speak the Hakka language.

The smallest of three main ethnic groups, the Malaysian Indians form about 10% of the population. Most are
descendants of Tamil-speaking South Indian immigrants who came to the country during the British colonial rule.[17]
Lured by the prospect of breaking out of the Indian caste system, they came to Malaysia to build a better life.
Predominantly Hindus, they brought with them their colourful culture such as ornate temples, spicy cuisine and
exquisite sarees, and most of the indian population in Malaysia is located on the Pulau Pinang.
Traditional Malay architecture employs sophisticated architectural processes ideally suited to tropical conditions
such as structures built on stilts, which allow cross-ventilating breeze beneath the dwelling to cool the house whilst
mitigating the effects of the occasional flood. High-pitched roofs and large windows not only allow cross-ventilation
but are also carved with intricate organic designs.
Traditional houses in Negeri Sembilan were built of hardwood and entirely free of nails. They are built using beams,
which are held together by wedges. A beautiful example of this type of architecture can be seen in the Old Palace of
Seri Menanti in Negeri Sembilan, which was built around 1905.
Today, many Malay or Islamic buildings incorporate Moorish design elements as can be seen in the Islamic Arts
Museum and a number of buildings in Putrajaya - the new administrative capital, and many mosques throughout the
country.

In Malaysia, Chinese architecture is of two broad types: traditional and Baba-Nyonya. Examples of traditional
architecture include Chinese temples found throughout the country such as the Cheng Hoon Teng that dates back to
1646.
Many old houses especially those in Melaka and Penang are of Baba-Nyonya heritage, built with indoor courtyards
and beautiful, colourful tiles.
A rare architectural combination of Chinese and Western elements is displayed by Melaka's Terengkera mosque. Its
pagoda-like appearance is a fine example of Chinese-influenced roof form, combined with Western detailing in its
balustrades and railings.

With most of Malaysian Hindus originally from Southern India, local Hindu temples exhibit the colourful architecture
of that region.
Built in the late nineteenth century, the Sri Mahamariamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur is one of the most ornate and
elaborate Hindu temples in the country. The detailed decorative scheme for the temple incorporates intricate carvings,
gold embellishments, hand-painted motifs and exquisite tiles from Italy and Spain.
The Sikhs, although a small minority, also have their temples of more staid design in many parts of the country

Malay
Before the 20th century, Malay women still wore kemban, just sarongs tied above the chest, in public. As Islam
became more widely embraced, they started wearing the more modest yet elegant baju kurung. The baju kurung is a
knee-length loose-fitting blouse that is usually worn over a long skirt with pleats at the side. It can also be matched
with traditional fabrics such as songket or batik. Typically, these traditional outfits are completed with a selendang or
shawl or tudung or headscarf.
The traditional attire for Malay men is the baju melayu. The baju melayu is a loose tunic worn over trousers. It is
usually complemented with a sampin - a short sarong wrapped around the hips.
Chinese
Samfoo bring intent 'shirt and pants' in Cantonese. It is ethnically Chinese women everyday clothes than 'cheong
sam'. He is loved by aged women and work in the fields, stope or at home. Samfoo made from lemon cloth patterned
or smooth flowering. Samfoo used by men helped Chinese descent but has little difference with samfoo worn by
Chinese women. This outfit consists of loose clothing and divisions at the front and high and share berkolar loose
pants suit pants as Malay. This outfit is usually done rather than soft fabrics such as silk. Traditional clothing is rarely
worn by people in the Malaysian Chinese descent.
Cheongsam Qipao Also called a woman's skin with clothing Enjoying the success of the Chinese nation and the heart
of the international fashion world. The name "cheongsam" means "long dress", translated Into English From dialect of
Guangdong Province (Canton) in the typical dress Tiongkok.Cheongsam 'Inherent in Chinese society which includes
Body Shape The body of the wearer. Many traditional Cheongsam using Satin silk patterned Yang Typical. Some
motifs That Works Used to review the cheongsam is a flower, a bird, a dragon, etc.

Indian
The saree is the world-renowned traditional Indian garment. A length of cloth usually 5-6 meters in width, the saree
is worn with a petticoat of similar shade and a matching or contrasting choli or blouse. Typically, it is wrapped around
the body such that the pallau - its extensively embroidered or printed end - is draped over the left shoulder. The
petticoat is worn just above or below the bellybutton and functions as a support garment to hold the saree. Made from
a myriad of materials, textures and designs, the saree is truly exquisite.
The kurta is the traditional attire for men on formal occasions. It is a long knee-length shirt that is typically made
from cotton or linen cloth.
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