Malaysian History: A Story of Evolvement

One of the vibrant and happening countries ofdramatic change was noticed when Europeans
Southeast Asia, Malaysia, has an impressivearrived there in 1511. Portuguese captured Maleka
historical background. The warm tropical climateand they had to escape to Johor where they
and natural prosperity of this country has invitedtried to establish a new kingdom. Resistance from
many immigrants since it was discovered. Almostthe Europeans, Acehnese, Minangkabau and the
5,000 years ago, the ancestors of Oranf Asli whoBugis resulted in sovereign units of the
are the locals of Peninsular Malaysia, settled here.present-day states of Peninsular Malaysia. In 1641,
They were the pioneers of general movementthe Portuguese tasted a defeat by the Dutch
from China and Tibet. Malays followed themwho colonized Melaka. British people acquired
around the first century BC and they establishedMelaka from the Dutch in 1824. Thereafter the
a strong trading links with China and India. Theirinfluence of British kingdom reflected throughout
arrival brought about major cultural and socialthe region and political integration of Malay states
changes in the country. Along with Hindu andof Peninsular Malaysia started taking place.When
Buddhist culture, Islam also spread. Melakathe World War II got over in 1945, the British
Sultanate ruled both straits of Malaka over acreated the Malayan Union which was abandoned
hundred years.Malaysian history is full of ruling andin 148 and Malaya Federation emerged in its place.
dethroning of several foreign kingdoms. A