MALAYSIA

We went on an 8 day trip to Malaysia recently.

We visited Kuala Lumpur, Putra Jaya, Genting Highlands, Penang and Langkawi.

The country is divided into 9 Malay states and 4 others. The Malay states have hereditary rulers. These rulers become the King on a rotation basis for a period of 5 years each. 

All ethnic Malays are considered to be Mulims. There are 63% Muslims, 20% Budhists, 9% Christians and 6% Hindus and others in the country. Quite a lot of Hindu festivals like Pongal, Divali are celebrated by everyone.

In order to achieve national integration between the Chinese, Malays, Tamilians and others it was decided to adopt Roman script for the Malay language. Punishments for crossing roads at other than zebra crossings, spitting, loitering, littering, even honking is very severe. So the roads are neat and clean, no honking anywhere. Driving is difficult some time due to heavy traffic but is very orderly. Everyone waits patiently. Roads are excellent. I learnt that Tamilnadu government has invited some technologists and contractors from Malaysia to lay roads in their state.

Interestingly, the second richest person in Malaysia is an Indian, Mr. Ananda Krishnan, who owns Air Asia, a major part of Petronas( the oil company),Maxis communication ( which is in the news for fraudulently acquiring 3G spectrum in India with Murasoli Maran's help by troubling Aircel)and many other industries.

                                             KUALA LUMPUR

The most famous tourist attractions in Kuala Lumpur are the KL tower, Petronas Tower, the Batu caves and the Mariamman Temple.

One can go to the top of KL Tower. From here the view of the city is panoramic.

It is difficult to go up the Petronas Tower as they allow only 250 persons per day and there is a long queue from early morning.

In addition to the Mariamman temple the most famous religious place is the Murugan Temple in Batu caves.

Batu caves are naturally formed. There are 272 steps to climb to reach the Murugan Sannidhi. There are formations of stalagmite and stalactites at the top.

Thai poosam is the greatest festival here. This falls on the full moon day in the Tamilian month of Thai ( between 15th Jan and 15th February). Poosam, the star is at its highest altitude on the day. Worshippers carry a palanquin (Kavadi) with Murugan idol to the temple. The kavadi is decorated with peacock feathers, peacock being the carrier of Lord Murugan. Some pierce their tongues/backs. There are many rituals like fire walking that day. It is not only the Hindus who take part in this. I have seen quite a large number of Chinese taking part. Interestingly a friend of mine who is Irish also takes part every year in Thai Poosam with his wife and two children. 

Petronas Towers

Night View of a commercial building

KL Tower

Mariamman Temple

Palace

Palace

War Memorial

Some Buildings in KL

Batu Caves-Murugan temple

Murugan Idol at the foot of the hhill

Devotee with mouth pierced

Murugan here is called as Velayudhar (means carrier of VEL or the spear given to him by his Mother Parvati to fight the demon Soora Padman).

                                                  PUTRA JAY

PUTRA JAYA is a new township coming up 25 kilometers South of the capital

Kuala Lumpur. It is expected that the capital will shift to PUTRA JAYA by 2015.  Quite a lot of interesting buildings and infrastructure are already complete. Every structure is unique and is adopted from the design of structures in various other countries like Egypt, UK, Saudi Arabia etc. One bridge even though quite small was very interesting. The whole place can be seen by going around in a car or by boat which plies in a canal around the place. As you travel in the boat, there is a commentary describing each of the structures.

                              GENTING HIGHLANDS

From Kuala Lumpur we went to Genting Highlands. This is about 53 kms from KL. This place is like Las Vegas in USA. This is an integrated resort developed by the Genting Group. It is situated strategically at an altitude of 1860 m. on top of two hills on the border between the states of Pehang and Selangor of Malaysia. It is accessible by road or by cable car (3.38 kms) from the bottom of the hill. This is one of South East Asia's longest gondola lifts and travels at a speed of 22 kmph.

The resort was conceived by Lim Goh Tung. He was a visionary and was then the richest man in Malaysia with interests in land, shipping, oil, and mining. He passed away in 2007. His wife Lee Kim Hua is the fourth richest person in Malaysia. She owns the Star Cruises shipping.

Work on the Resort started in 1965 and the first part of the resort was completed in 1971. Today there are six hotels.

The late Tunku Abdul Rehman, Malaysia’s first Prime Minister was so impressed  that  in the private sector, without the assistance of the Government, someone could develop a mountain resort for the enjoyment of all Malaysians, he granted  a gaming licence to help accelerate the development of this remote area. Thus the casinos were started. Today it covers an area of 20000 sqm. Islamic law Prohibits casinos.. This remains till today the only casino in Malaysia.

In addition later a theme park, partly indoor and partly outdoor was also started.

We stayed at the First World hotel. This used to be the largest hotel in the world in terms of number of rooms till recently (6118 rooms) .The Palazzo and the Venetian in Vegas have over taken this hotel. There are two towers one of 25 and the other of 28 storeys. The ground floor has a 50000 sq.m Plaza with shopping malls and the indoor Theme park. There are a few theaters showing various shows.

Checking into the hotel is a monstrous task. The reception looks like a big bus stand. When you report you are given a token and asked to come after 3 hours. We left our luggage with the concierge and went out to visit the places around. When we returned after about 4 hours our room key was handed over to us. The rooms are very small and have virtually no amenities.

 I learnt that no one is interested in the rooms. All are busy playing in the casinos. Checking out is easy. You have to drop your room key(a digital card) in designated drop boxes.

Theme park is not so great for those who have seen even those in Mumbai or Chennai. After seeing casinos in Nepal and Vegas I found the casinos also very dull.

The clients are mostly from South East Asia. Being the only one in this part of the world Genting has a very large gathering.

Cable Car to Genting highlands

First World Hotel

                                                PENANG 

We took a flight from KL to Penang. The flight takes about an hour.

Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. The name Penang comes from the Malay word Pinang, means the betel nut tree (Areca catechu). The name Pulau Pinang translated literally from Malay means "betel nut island". The capital, Georgetown, was named after King George III of Great Britain.

 In 1790, the Sultan of Kedah, of which Penang was then a part, was forced to cede the island to the East India Company for an honorarium of 6,000 Spanish dollars per annum. The annual payment to Sultan of Kedah was increased to 10,000 Spanish dollars per annum from 1880. The Penang state government still pays RM 18,800.00 to the Sultan of Kedah annually.

In 1796 Penang was made a penal settlement when 700 convicts were transferred from the Andaman Islands. At the turn of the century, Penang, with her large population of Chinese immigrants, was a natural place for the Chinese nationalist SunYat Sen to raise funds for his revolutionary efforts in Qing China.

On 7 July 2008, George Town, the historic capital of Penang, was formally inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fort Cornwallis was constructed by Captain Francis Light, who landed here in 1786, is named after the late 18th century Governor-General of Bengal, India, Charles Cornwallis, 1^st Marquess Cornwallis.

The Indian Ocean tsunami which struck on Boxing Day of 2004 hit the western and northern coasts of Penang island, claiming 52 lives (out of 68 in Malaysia

The island was, since colonial times, a free port until its sudden revocation by the federal government in 1969. Despite this abrupt setback, from the 1970s to the late 1990s the state built up one of the largest electronics manufacturing bases in Asia, the Free Trade Zone in Bayan Lepas located at the South Eastern part of the island.

Highly urbanised and industrialised Penang is one of the most developed and economically important states in the country, as well as a thriving tourist destination.

·    Wat Chayamangkalaram

This is a Thai Temple which was built in 1845 on the land granted by Queen Victoria. The Temple has one of the largest Reclining Buddhas in the world. The Statue is Gold plated and measures 33 meters in length

This Thai temple was built in 1845 by a Buddhist monk, who came from Thailand.
As you enter, probably the first thing you notice are the two guards with two mythical dragon-headed serpents at their feet. Inside is the 33metre gold-plated reclining Buddha. With a peaceful, smiling face, this Buddha lies on his right side with his head resting in the palm of his right hand.
The reclining Buddha represents the historical Buddha at his death. It is said that the Buddha knew death was approaching, and asked his disciples to prepare a couch for him in a grove!
Behind the Buddha there are a lot of niches that contain the ashes of the devotees and there are 12 idols, each representing an animal in the Chinese zodiac.

A small Malaysian-Thai community lives around this temple.

·     Dhammikarama

This beautiful Burmese Temple is located at Burma Lane (Lorong Burma) just opposite The Chayamangkalaram, was founded in 1st August 1803. The Temple was known as Nandy Moloh Burmese Temple, and was purchased by Nonya Betong from George Layton for 390 Spanish Dollars. The Temple was named Dhammikarama Burmese Buddhist Temple.

The entrance to this Burmese temple is guarded by a pair of elephants. Inside the pagoda grounds you'll find a Boddhi tree & a wishing pond. The temple is a delight to look round, it is beautifully designed & the colours are amazing. There is a giant standing Buddha in a beautifully carved wooden hall and with different Buddhas from different countries of Asia. You will notice that facial expression of Burmese Buddhas are different, more serene.

The oldest part of the temple is the stupa which was consecrated in 1805. It is enshrined within an outer stupa which was constructed in 1838, together with the ceremonial hall guarded by a pair of stone elephants.

Mythical figures and religious icons dot the spacious compound. Among them are bell-bearing acolytes, myriad buddhas, chimeras and flying beings. Two huge and imposing-looking chinthes (mythical beings that are a cross between a dragon, a dog and a lion) flank the entrance to the main prayer hall. At a disused 200 year-old well is a huge pond filled with carps. Buddha statues in different meditative poses nestle in grottos marked with the names of individual donors as well as signs of the zodiac. A pair of winged chimeras called Panca Rupa, look resplendent in the rolle of "Guardian Protectors of the World."

A huge mural depicts the Great Renunciation of Prince Siddharta. The future Buddha is shown riding his steed Kanthaka in mid-air with his faithful servant Channa . Evil beings try to discourage him from his noble quest while good ones welcome him with open arms. 

 George Town

All the major heritage buildings and clan houses are in the George Town inner city.
The architecture and colonial past has earned George Town a place in UNESCO’s heritage site listing. With grandeur of a priceless religious and cultural legacy, every building represents a page of history.

Kek Lok Si Temple

Construction for the temple started in 1890 and to date, is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia. Known as the Temple of Supreme Bliss, Kek Lok Si ranks among the best known temples in the region.  It is overlooking the town of Air Itam. Its 7 storey handcrafted “Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas” was completed in 1930.This was followed by a 30.2 Metre high bronze statue of Kuan Yin. The temple is lit in remarkable fashion during the Chinese New Year. Over 200000 decorative lights and lanterns illuminate the temple during the festival.

·    The Weld Quay Clan Jetties

The clan jetties perched on the backwaters of George Town are home to five main Chinese clans – Lim, Chew, Tan, Lee and Yeoh who migrated to this place from main land china and established colonies. Today, the young ones, who no longer depend on the sea for a living, have moved out of the settlement while their elders continue to enjoy the wooden jetties in laidback lifestyle. These humble, rickety jetties are a living heritage that serves as a reminder of the island’s stature as an important maritime port and the pioneer Chinese immigrants who came to seek their fortune here more than a century ago.

·     Penang Hill

Situated at an altitude of 821m above sea level at Penang Hill visitors will be privy to some of the grandest colonial mansions (which are now restaurants and guests houses) while enjoying the cool, refreshing air and bird’s eye view of the island.

The hill (originally known as Strawberry Hill) was first cleared by Captain Francis Light (who established Penang as a British colony) to plant strawberries – hence its original name.

                                               LANGAKAWI

From Penang we took a ferry to Langkawi. It takes about 3 hours and very enjoyable.

Langkawi, officially known as Langkawi, The Jewel of Kedah (Malay: Langkawi Permata Kedah) is an archipelago of 104 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of Northwestern Malaysia. Langkawi means reddish brown eagle in colloquial Malay. The Malay word for eagle is helang - shortened is "lang". Kawi means the colour reddish brown.·         

      Dataran Lang

Also known as Eagle Square, Dataran Lang is one of Langkawi’s best known manmade attractions, a large sculpture of an eagle poised to take flight. A sight that greets visitors to the island by ferry, the 12 metre-tall statue is one of the island’s most instantly recognizable monuments.

Located at the southeast corner of Pulau Langkawi, besides offering beautiful view of Kuah Bay, Dataran Lang has beautiful miniature fountains, terraces and bridges, making it the ideal place for those postcard-perfect holiday photos. The square is a good place to watch ferries ply across the harbour.

As we were going round the sculpture, a Malaysian with a huge python, just walked upto me and put the python around my neck. I was shocked, but the fellow started assuring me it is harmless and not to worry. After a while I became comfortable.

Dataran Lang(Eagle Square)

Shoe shaped Island

·     Underwater World ,Langkawi

Spread across nearly six acres, Underwater World Langkawi is one of the island’s best-known attractions. Located at the southern end of Pantai Cenang (almost at the border of Pantai Tengah), beside the Zon duty-free shopping centre, it is Malaysia’s largest aquarium. The huge white-washed structure houses more than 200 different species of marine and freshwater fish including harbour seals, rockhopper penguins, sharks, giant rays and the enormous Amazonian arapaima – the biggest freshwater fish in the world.

·        

      The Langkawi Sky Bridge

One of the island’s highlights, it is a 410 ft long curved pedestrian bridge above Mount Mat Cinchang.

Located 2,300ft above sea level, the Sky Bridge is easily accessible by the Langkawi Cable Car. The journey to the top starts out at the Oriental Village in the upper northwest of Langkawi Island, near Pantai Kok. Once the cable car gets going it gets a little chilly as winds flow through the ventilation slits at the top.

The view on the way to the top of Langkawi’s second-highest peak include those of the Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls and the rainforest. After travelling a few hundred feet upwards, the cable car levels outs and stops at the Sky Bridge, the final stop. There are dozens of stalls selling souvenirs, toys, snacks and drinks. Those with a fear of heights might be a little afraid of the altitude, but it is a very safe bridge with double steel railings and an enclosed wire mesh. The 1.8m wide bridge has two triangular platforms that act as Viewers gallery where you can stand and admire the view and rest your feet.