Why Malaysia? – The blessed land

Why Malaysia?… The Reader’s Digest Version…

Great question. And we have the answer.

See… Malaysia is blessed. And has been blessed since the beginning. Let’s start with a Reader’s Digest version of the History of Malaysia will be a great introduction to this blessed country’s story…

See Malaysia (Malaya as it was called way back) got blessed in the very beginning. It was strategically located between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, making it a “romantic” link between the West and the East. Back then, the sea-faring merchants had no choice but to meander through the narrow straits (Yes… you guessed it… the Straits of Malacca) to avoid the troublesome monsoons lurking around in the Indian Ocean. Later on, with the discovery of tin in the Malayan Peninsula and with the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in Britain and with the subsequent appetite for spices which was a natural means for preserving meat during the winter times, the waters around Malaya became a busy place. Ships from all over loitered around the waters. And this led to continuous interaction with the foreign powers and their subtle influences.

Like I said… Malaysia got blessed…

Fast forwarding in time, several other groups came over to the Malayan Peninsula to call it home. The ancestors of the Malays had traveled by sea from the South China Sea and settled down mainly in the coastal areas of the Peninsula. The Cambodian-based Funan Empire and the powerful Srivijaya Empire from Sumatra and later the Majapahit Empire laid their eyes on the fertile land too.

Then came the other groups.

Due to its location, strong trading links bloomed with China and India too. For a brief moment, the Hindu influence made its impact on the population then, as evidenced by the archaeological finds in the Bujang Valley and the Merbok Estuary in Kedah.

Of course, we cannot talk about Malacca without mentioning Parameswara, the proverbial Javanese prince who put Malacca on the map as a major trading port and made the good times then the Golden Age of Malacca. This made Malacca one of the most powerful and wealthiest real estate in the region.
The wealthy beacon known as Malacca soon caught the attention of the Portuguese. Under the command of Alfonso de Albuquerque, the Portuguese colonized Malacca in 1511. Their influence can still be seen in contemporary times with the Eurasian population that is still prevalent in Malacca. Of Course, not wanting to lose ground, the Dutch followed closely with their hands in the pot in 1641.

Their influence can still be seen in the Dutch-influenced buildings in Malacca. There is even a windmill, a Dutch icon, in the middle of town! Yes… a real-life windmill in Malaysia!

The British did not get into the picture until the mid-18^th century. But they did come.

And so ends the brief… and we mean real brief… historical report on Malaya. But the history of Malaysia… the remnants of the course she took is still around us. The unique blend of peoples from the different regions makes up the modern Malaysia with its multi-cultural and multi-racial flavors. And these folks live in relative harmony. There is religious tolerance in the region. Food of various cultures can found and enjoyed over here in Malaysia – the food paradise of South East Asia.

Now, I mention all these for a reason. With the myriad of influences from all these diverse cultures, Malaysia today has become a melting pot with a colorful potpourri of diverse lifestyles!

It has become the magnet for foreigners who are looking for a stable yet affordable place to park their lives here. They want to experience what the locals here do. And they can. Moving to Malaysia and setting up shop here (housing, schooling for the children, getting employed) in this green paradise is a painless process with the proper requirements and processing. We have great experience in helping folks with the move and transition to Malaysia and will be more than happy to help you too.

We encourage you to contact us if you would like to take a unique adventure of this great nation. We know the way and we will gladly be your host.