Culture

Composed primarily of Malays, Chinese and Indians, Malaysian culture is best described as cosmopolitan. Racial unity and interaction has formed a diverse and vibrant society that is exceptionally unique. Nowhere else in the world can one find three major races, various smaller indigenous tribes and a vast assortment of foreigners and expatriates sharing such an excellent relationship, for not only do these races tolerate each other, they actually actively share in one other's cultural richness. This has been the main catalyst for Malaysia's political stability and growth.

The shamanistic cultures and beliefs still practiced by the Malaysian aborigine's date back over 10 millennia. The presence of Hinduism in the Malay Peninsula has been documented as far back as the 3rd and 4th century AD, in Lembah Bujang (Bujang Valley) in the state Kedah. With the arrival of Arab traders during the rise of the Melaka Empire, Islam came to Malaysia. At about the same time the arrival of Chinese traders and the marriage of the Melaka Sultan and a Chinese princess added to the potpourri of cultures. The arrival of Portuguese, Dutch and English conquerors over the next 400 years also left their indelible mark on the Malaysian cultural makeup. All these influences have culminated in the Malaysian culture of today.

Many elements of Indian Hindu culture have insinuated themselves into the Malay adat the most obvious being the Malay marriage ceremony, vice versa the Indian Muslim community in the country share a common religion and hence a similar culture and religious observances as the Muslim Malays as do the Baba-Nyonya Muslim Chinese from Melaka that date back to the aforementioned Chinese princess in ancient times. The Malays have also very recently adopted an age old Chinese custom, the giving of "Ang Pows", or money gifts wrapped in colored envelopes. The Chinese use red, the Malays green.