Malaysia Town And Village - Explore Historical And Natural Beauty Of Malaysia

Write about the Malaysia Town and Village.

Kuala Lumpur - The Capital City

Malaysia is a federal and constitutional monarchy which is situated in Southeast Asia. It constitutes of 13 states and 13 federal territories and constitute of a total landmass of 330803 square kilometers, which is detached by the South China Sea into two equal halves of Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia. Peninsular Malaysia on one hand, shares the land and border with Thailand and marine borders with Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam on the other hand. Again, East Malaysia share their land and maritime border with Brunei and Indonesia on one hand and a marine border on the other hand with Philippines and Vietnam [1].

Kuala Lumpur is the capital city of Malaysia and the federal government is situated in Putrajaya. Malaysia has a population of 30 million which makes it the 44^th most populous country. It lies in the tropical region and is one of those 17 mega diverse countries in the world which has a large collection of endemic species. Malaysia is a multi- ethnic and multi- cultural country which takes interest in politics. Most of the people in Malaysia are Malay along with a large minority of Malaysian Chinese, Malaysian Indians and Islam is considered as the main religion of the country.

More than 8 million people stay in the greater Kuala Lumpur area which can be easily understood by the huge traffic that the city experiences every morning and fades away in the evening [2]. The place has many interesting locations such as Merdeka square, Petronas twin towers, Chinatown and so on. This place is considered as a great shopping arena as there are several shopping malls where people can shop until they get exhausted.

Another remarkable town in Malaysia is Georgetown which was recognized as a world heritage site in 2008 by the UNESCO and it houses many colonial shopping stores. It not only shelters the beautiful historical buildings but also has many skyscrapers which consist of shopping malls. Georgetown also has many fun places which are a big miss if not visited.

Another beautiful island in Malaysia is Perhentian Island which constitutes of a big and small island. Both these islands allow outstanding scuba diving and snorkeling facilities for entertainment. The islands are more attractive to the tourists for their lazy and laid- back ambience. Across the beaches, there are lodges, guest houses, comfortable and luxurious resorts, dive centers, best restaurants, and boat operators advertising for promoting their services which vary from water taxis to snorkeling trips [3].

Georgetown - A World Heritage Site

Kuching is the biggest Malaysian city in the Borneo area and the capital city of Sarawak. It is a famous destination area for the tourists because of the several great attractive places that are situated in the mid of the city. The tourists can have an amazing and thrilling experience if they stay there for two days. Other attractive places around the area include Semenggoh Rehabilitation Centre and Bako National Park. Kuching can be travelled from Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bharu by regular flights.

Kota Bharu is the capital of the north states of Kelantan. This is the prime city which needs to be crossed by the visitors when they are on their way to the tropical island of Perhentian. Tourists can take the daily flights from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Bharu. Buses are also available along with the mysterious jungle train to get to the place. The attractions in the city which pulls the tourist are the Islamic museums and the day and night markets. Most of the tourists do not stay in this place although there are many accommodations available [4].

Malaysia takes pride in housing some of the wonderful cities which are major tourist destination areas. In the recent years the country has seen a lot of urbanization with the increase in the town population and the establishment of satellite towns in and around the area. Due to its glamorous city landmarks and cosmopolitan progress, many historical and old towns have been kept untouched and still possess the rustic and regal charm.  There are UNESCO world heritage sites of Melaka town and George Town in Penang in the same country which succeeds in offering a piece of nostalgia through diverse culture and rich trade history of Malaysia [5].

There are less popular towns in the country such as Kuala Kangsar, a royal and historical town in the heart of the country. The visitors should know about all these big and small towns in the country before setting their foot forward.

Miri is a coastal town located in the city of Sarawak. It forms the border Brunei on the island of Borneo. The first people to settle in the town were Chinese businessmen which are significant from the fact of Chinese influence on the city even in the recent days. There is Chinese architecture across the shopping stores in the downtown of Miri. Other remarkable locations in the area include Al Taqwa mosque, Tamu Muhibba and others.

Perhentian Island - The Perfect Getaway

Allor Star is the capital city of Kedah and the last significant town before the entry in Thai border. The town is popular for its transport route to Langkawi or Thailand. The city gives the feeling of a true aesthetic charm as it has most of the beautigul buildings of the town [6].

Ipoh is popular for the enormous Chinese mansions and the majestic buildings which are spread all over the town. It is the best point to start from for exploring the other scenic beauties of the country which are added essence in the tour plan of the visitors.  

Malaysia treasures not only glorious towns but also traditional villages. Spoah is such a village in the Sarawak district of Malaysia which is situated between Betong and Debak. The population of the village is engaged in the occupation of agriculture where the farmers mostly cultivate rice, legumes, wheat and other crops [7].

Kampong Ceruk Tuk Latah is another wonderful village situated in the district of Mukim Wang Tepus near the Jitra area in the Kedah metropolitan area of Malaysia. This area takes pride for their blossoming orchards and lush green parks around every household. There are 100 small houses in the area and the total population is approximately 350 people.

Bandar Puncak Alam is a huge village compared to the other two as its population is around 1000 people. It lies in the Kuala district of Selangor in Malaysia. The place has a small community who believes in the local culture and lifestyle and takes part in the role of agriculture for local economy.  

Parit is a small town of around 2000 people situated in the Perak state in the core of the rural hub of Malaysia. This village is located on the banks of a muddy river which was shown in the backdrop of a popular 90’s movie, Anna and the king. It is an easy, busy and convenient stoppage on the way back from Ipoh, the capital state to the north in Taiping [8].

Parit had to suffer due to the construction of North- South Expressway in the early 90s which was then diverted to the passage far from the town. The stores that are situated along the lines of the streets are closed or sometimes open and the colors have faded with the accumulation of moss on the wall. This scenario reflects the current destruction of the rustic life in the glossy country of Malaysia.

Kuching - A Famous Destination Area

Parit is not the only village but there are many more which were ruined due to the urbanization process. This growing urbanization also had an impact on the local economy of the country from the late 1980s. Most of the people who were born or grew up in the villages of Malaysia have moved to the cities of Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru or Singapore for higher education or employment opportunities. It has taken a toll on Malaysia to transform from a laid- back British colonial area to an upper middle income country [9].

It is impressive the way Malaysia grew in 25 years at the rate of 6% and became the richest state in Southeast Asia. There has been a huge difference in the last 50 years, when two- thirds of the total population used to live in villages and at present 74% live in the cities.

The remarkable growth in the country of Malaysia has been an organizational challenge for the larger cities of the country. In most of the days, the busy traffic in the capital city makes life almost stagnant for the citizens. In the suburban region such as Petaling Jaya, the traffic is no less. The vehicles stop at less than an inch distance from each other which is a strange fact. The number of registered cars is twice the population in the Federal territory and the administrative region including the capital city of Kuala Lumpur [10].

With the soaring population the country has been under the threat of increasing crime rates. The real estate prices have also been on the rise with 5% increase in 2 years which is making it difficult for young professionals for home ownership. The flourishing middle class of Kuala Lumpur has got enough reasons for complaining. But those complaints related to the problems are nothing compared to those faced by the underprivileged or rather the urban vulnerable group of the country. The slums of the area have been shifted from central Kuala Lumpur for the establishment of a bunch of townships made out of fragile zinc- roofed housing has filled the borders of the city [11].

In the edge of the village Setapak, the children have to play in the shabby area around dumpsite which is made of wood planks and tin. The lower income areas of Sentul and Taman Medan, there are unaffected youths recognized as mat rempit who are involved in the illegal activities of street racing on the jazzed- up bikes and scooters [12].

Kota Bharu - The Capital of North Kelantan

The growing urbanization in Malaysia needs to be thought of as it is having an impact on the regular life of the Malaysian people. The citizens are in a dilemma if they are a nation of privileged urbanites or a country of rustic folks who are in the constant run of moving to the city life but in demand of more time, space and leisure.

Reference

[1]J. Abdullah, R. Azam and R. Bustami, "Socio-economic and Cultural Sustainability of Muslims in Georgetown World Heritage Site", Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 85, pp. 217-226, 2013.

[2]B. Andaya and L. Andaya, A History of Malaysia. Palgrave Macmillan, 2016.

[3]E. W, A. Li and S. Ma, "Resistance, engagement, and heritage conservation by voluntary sector: the Case of Penang in Malaysia", Modern Asian Studies48,, 2014.

[4]D. Goh, "Between History and Heritage: Post-Colonialism, Globalisation, and the Remaking of Malacca, Penang, and Singapore", TRaNS: Trans -Regional and -National Studies of Southeast Asia, vol. 2, no. 01, pp. 79-101, 2014.

[5]M. Shukery, L. Shinn, H. Siong and H. Yusof, "Eco village concept for green economic development: Iskandar Malaysia as a case study", Green Energy for Sustainable Development, 2014.

[6]J. C, G. Liew, J. Ong and B. Quek, "The use of urban built heritage for boutique hotels: examples from Malaysia and Singapore.", Tourism Review International, 2013.

[7]N. Jasme, M. Othuman Mydin and N. Sani, "Investigation of Adaptive Reuse of Heritage Buildings in Penang", SHS Web of Conferences, vol. 11, p. 01007, 2014.

[8]J. Jusoh, T. Masron, N. Hamid and N. Shahrin, "Tourist Expectation and Satisfaction towards Physical Infrastructure and Heritage Elements in Melaka UNESCO World Heritage Site", Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2013.

[9]A. Roberts, "Book Review: Black Georgetown remembered: A history of its black community from the founding of “The Town of George” in 1751 to the present dayLeskoK. M.BabbV.GibbsC. R.Black Georgetown remembered: A history of its black community from the founding of “The Town of George” in 1751 to the present day. Washington, D.C. : Georgetown University Press. 232 pp. $27.95. ISBN: 9781626163263.", Journal of Planning Literature, p. 088541221770749, 2017.

[10]I. Mat, Y. Ahmad and B. Raja, "SOCIAL QUALITY IN THE CONSERVATION OF THE MARGINALIZED LIVING HERITAGE OF GEORGE TOWN, MALAYSIA", ADVANCING INCLUSIVE RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFORMATION IN A CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT, 2016.

[11]A. Rahman, S. Hasshim and R. Rozali, "Residents’ Preference on Conservation of the Malay Traditional Village in Kampong Morten, Malacca", Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 202, pp. 417-423, 2015.

[12]W. Hew, D. Tong and G. Goh, "Revitalisation of the Old Township of Ipoh, Malaysia", Journal of Place Management and Development, 2014.