I have cobbled together a quick relatively recent history of Malaysia to put some things into perspective. Our hosts are from all sorts of backgrounds and cultures.
The country of Malaysia began in the 1400s what it was before this I do not know. At this time it most of the Peninsula and Sumatra.
Malacca was it’s Capital and a center of spice trade being strategically positioned between East and West Asia. Islam was the main religion.
In 1511 Malacca fell to the Portuguese then the Dutch 1641. After that in 1824 through the Dutch treaty the British arrived. So 400 ish years of colonial rule. There was considerable dissent regarding British rule and many uprisings during the 1920’s and 1930s but, in 1941 they were invaded again this time by the Japanese. I heard from someone that the Japanese used bicycles to move unheard through the jungles to give them the element of surprise. The Japanese surrendered in 1945 and so the British re-established themselves and the uneasy occupation continued until the London Agreement in 1956 when The Malays, Indians and Chinese occupants of Malaya where given back the rule of the Peninsula and later went on to form Malaysia in 1963 to include Malaya, Singapore, Sabah, Sarawak.
Malayans are the indigenous peoples of Malaya, the Chinese and Indian have also been present for a considerable time and these make up the current population.
English language is a common denominator between the people who are often schooled in their own schools. There is also mixed schooling and international schools.
Political positions are held by Islamic Malay and the rising of other ethnic groups seems to be discouraged.
The Travelling Bee 