Malaysia at Random by Editions Didier Millet

2nd

Forthcoming titles in this series:

Bali at Random Singapore at Random

Other books published by

Editions Didier Millet:

What is the main ingredient of torpedo soup?

An illustrated collection of Malaysian trivia,

How much is the Malaysian prime minister’s salary?

Malaysia at Random is filled with anecdotes,

When were the first fast-food outlets established in Malaysia?.

statistics, quotations, diagrams, facts, recipes,

How many taxis are there in Kuala Lumpur?

advice, folklore and other unusual and often

What are the most uncommon causes of death in Malaysia?

useful tidbits. This veritable treasure trove

What does the “P” in P. Ramlee’s name stand for? What percentage of the emails originating from Malaysia is spam? What are Malaysia’s most valuable brands? How do you artificially inseminate an elephant?

Malaysia at Random provides the answers to these and many other fun and fascinating questions about the country.

Front cover photographs (clockwise from top left): man making teh tarik (Vani Nadaraju), Malaysian kite (Ultra Dimension Sdn Bhd), RazakSAT satellite (Agensi Angkasa Negara), Rafflesia (Corbis), shell disc bead belt (Heidi Munan), Indian dancer (Corbis), lion dance (Corbis), Malay kris (Syed Ahmad Jamal), Proton Satria Neo (Proton Holdings Berhad), Durian (iStockphoto), Petronas Twin Towers (iStockphoto), orang-utan (Corbis).

JKT

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Job no: 79642 Title: Malaysia At Random Client: EDM Scn: #150 Size: 502(w)206(h)mm Co: M11(Coagl) Dept: DTP D/O: 05.10.09(Job no: 79642c1 D/O: 07.10.09 Co: CM11)

A I S Y M A L A OM AT

D N A R

i alays M n o res, quotes and anecdotes s, figu t c a f

QC Preflight Point

11 11

of information on Malaysia is arranged, as the title suggests, randomly, so that readers will come to expect the unexpected on each and every page. Designed in a charmingly classic style and peppered with attractive illustrations, Malaysia at Random is a quirky and irresistible celebration of everything you didn’t know you wanted to know about this diverse country.

U.S. $16.00

PRINTED ON 100% RECYCLED PAPER

10/6/09 1:59:34 PM

Publisher Didier Millet General Manager Charles Orwin Managing Editor Francis Dorai Project Manager Martin Cross Editors William Citrin, Gabrielle Low, Joane Sharmila and Wong Ee Laine Studio Manager Yusri bin Din Designer Vani Nadaraju Production Manager Sin Kam Cheong Artists Lim Joo and Vani Nadaraju The publisher would like to thank Thor Kah Hoong for his assistance with the early drafts of this book and Datoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Mohd Nor bin Khalid (Lat) for permission to reproduce his illustration on p. 112. ÂŠ Editions Didier Millet, 2009 Editions Didier Millet Pte Ltd 121, Telok Ayer Street, #03-01, Singapore 068590 Tel: 65-6324 9260 Fax: 65-6324 9261 E-mail:edm@edmbooks.com.sg Editions Didier Millet Sdn Bhd Pekeliling Business Centre 52-2, Persiaran 65C, off Jalan Pahang Barat, 53000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: 03-2031 3805 Fax: 03-2031 6298 E-mail: edmbooks@edmbooks.com.my Website: www.edmbooks.com First published 2009 Printed by Mainland Press, Singapore ISBN 978-981-4217-95-8 All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the publisher.

PRINTED ON 100% RECYCLED PAPER

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a i s y a l Ma dom n a r at

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Materials needed to build a basic kampong house

• Lengths of hardwood (e.g. chengal) • Strips of bamboo • Woven attap or galvanised iron sheets • Reinforced concrete bases selecting an auspicious site for a kampong house. •

A bomoh (traditional Malay healer) chants blessings and burns incense at the site.

• The

ibu rumah (woman of the house) measures both a stick and string of rattan to the length of her outstretched arms.

• The

bomoh ties the string of rattan to the stick and plants it at the site next to a bucket of water with a dish underneath it.

• The

next morning at dawn, the ibu rumah measures the length of the stick and string of rattan and checks the water. If the stick or string has lengthened, or if the water has overflowed into the dish, the site is chosen.

• The

site, if chosen, becomes the exact spot where the tiang seri (main post) is erected. It is believed that the semangat rumah (spirit of the house) resides in the tiang seri.

How to artificially inseminate an Asian elephant 1. M onitor the female elephant’s oestrous cycle—each cycle lasts four months—and identify the specific hormone surge that causes ovulation. ollect semen from the male elephant 12 to 24 hours before the insemination procedure 2. C is due to begin. 3. B athe the female in warm, soapy water, and then give a warm water enema to cleanse the rectum. 4. Place the female under ultrasound to visualise its reproductive tract. uide a catheter through the tract, and deposit semen directly into the cervix or uterus. 5. G

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TRADITIONAL SILAT STYLE tengkolok (head-cloth)

baju teluk belanga (loose shirt)

samping (waist-cloth) seluar (pants)

capal (sandals)

It’s a bird, it’s a plane Official Malaysian wau (kite) competition rules I. The competition field must comprise a minimum area of 75 x 120 metres. II. The frame and dengung (hammer) of the wau must be made using natural materials found in the country. III. Contestants are free to use any type of paper to make their wau. IV. The wau’s wingspan must measure 1.2 metres and the string should be at least 1,000 metres in length. V. All wau must be registered and certified before the beginning of the contest. VI. If the wau falls within the specified time frame, it can be flown again, provided that only the two members of the wau team are involved in repairing and raising it again. VII. Marks will be awarded by the judges according to the following criteria: A. Height B. Overall beauty -Design creativity -Patterns/decorations C. Perseverance in the air D. Hammer (vibrating and humming sound) Total

40 marks 30 marks 20 marks 10 marks 100 marks

Source: Traditional Kites of Malaysia by Muzium Layang-Layang Pasir Gudang, 2002

Number of times Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra shouted “Merdeka” on 31 August 1957:

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Survival guide: “Help me! I’ve been bitten by a...”

f you are bitten by any of the following poisonous animals in Malaysia, utter the following phrase:

“Tolong! Saya disengat... (insert name from list below).” ampai-ampai. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . stinging jelly fish

lintah

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

water leech

halipan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . centipede

pachat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jungle leech

ikan buntal pisang . . . . . . . . . . . . . silvery puffer fish

semut api . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fire ant

ikan sembilang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . catfish

ular kapak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viper

ikan buntal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . puffer fish

ikan semaram . . . . . . . . . . . . various scorpaenid fish ikan lepu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . scorpion fish ikan pari

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

kala jengking

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

stingray

small scorpion

kerengga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . red ant

keroncho. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . small king crab

belangkas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . large king crab kumbang

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

large wood-boring beetle

labah-labah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . spider

lebah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . bee

penyengat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . hornet tebuan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . wasp

ular katam tebu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . krait

ular laut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sea snake

ular mata hari. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . coral snake ular tedong abu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . king cobra ular tedong sendok . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . cobra

ular tuntong tebu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . banded sea snake

ulat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . worm, caterpillar

ulat bulu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . hairy caterpillar

ulat bulu laut. . . . . . . . . . . . . . stinging marine worm

Dos and don’ts During The Hungry Ghost Festival

uring the Hungry Ghost Festival, which falls on the 7th month of the lunar calendar, the Chinese believe that the gates of hell are opened and the hungry ghosts of the deceased return to visit the living. Do… Don’t… – leave an empty seat at your table and – go swimming or jungle trekking. prepare sumptuous meals. – allow your children to wander. – burn candles, joss sticks, joss paper and the streets at night. fake paper money (called “Hell Money”), – move to a new home, start a . and other paper items including houses, new business or get married . transportation and accessories in front of during this inauspicious period. your house. – enter a hotel room without knocking . – make food offerings (typically fruits such and asking for permission. as rambutan, mangosteen and jackfruit – sleep facing a mirror. as well as rice) in front of your house.

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How to tell what has been raiding your pantry

Asian elephant

Orang-utan

Sumatran rhinoceros

Sun bear

Clouded leopard

Domestic dog

Bearcat

Short-tailed mongoose

Hairy-nosed otter

Malay badger

Common and thick-spined porcupine

Common palm civet

Moonrat

Long-tailed giant rat

Macaque

Bearded pig

Malayan Tiger

Lesser mouse deer

Malayan tapir

Greater barking deer

Malaysian Bigfoot

Height in metres of the golden statue of Lord Murugan that stands in front of Batu Caves:

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cost of living Average monthly expenditure per household, 2005 (RM): Expenditure

Urban

Rural

Food and non-alcoholic beverages

407

365

Alcoholic beverages and tobacco

Clothing and footwear

Water, electricity, gas and other fuels

522

247

Furnishings and household items and maintenance

Health

Transport

372

200

Communication

128

Recreation

115

Education

Restaurants and hotels

260

120

Miscellaneous goods and services

200

102

2,285

1,301

Total Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia

Straits Settlements latrine, 1929

ntroduced in the Straits Settlements by Dr Victor �� Heiser, G. �� the �� “bored-hole” latrine �� was �� a significant advancement on its predecessor, the “dug pit” latrine. A Superstructure.

A B C

B C ement slab 30 x 36 inches with a hole in the centre measuring 10–12 x 5.5–6 inches. The edges of the hole were widened to prevent soiling. The surface of the slab slopes toward the hole. C Concrete cylinders. D Bamboo basket.

Source: The Malayan Medical Journal and Estate Sanitation, 1929

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Ten Malay ghosts Name

Description

orang minyak

The orang minyak (“oily man”) is a supernatural rapist who, because he is black and slippery, is hard to see and hard to catch. He preys on young women in rural areas.

hantu tetek

The hantu tetek (“breast ghost”) takes the form of an old woman who kidnaps young children playing outside their houses during the evening prayers and hides them under her cleavage.

orang bunian

Elf-like beings that live in large communities deep in the jungle. Some have been known to assist humans, while others have purportedly abducted people.

kum kum

Believed to be the spirit of an old woman who needs to drink the blood of virgin girls in order to restore her youth and beauty. She is said to knock on doors in her jibab (long flowing attire which covers the entire body), saying “kum kum” as she is unable to pronounce the Muslim greeting properly.

hantu pocong

Wrapping itself in a white shroud, the hantu pocong hops and rolls about wildly. According to Muslim burial practices, when a body is being lowered into the grave, the tie of the shroud must be opened. As legend has it, if the shroud is not opened properly, the corpse will become a hantu pocong.

toyol

A toyol appears as a naked child with red eyes and sharp teeth. It is kept by a human master in a bottle and trained to steal from others. The master of the toyol has to feed it every night by letting it suck blood from his toes.

pelesit

A pelesit takes the form of a grasshopper. Mostly reared by women, this ghost is bred to wreak destruction on its master’s enemies and obtain money. Every full moon, it feeds on blood from its owner’s fingers.

hantu raya

A hantu raya is kept by a human master in order to help destroy its master’s enemies. It usually assumes the form of its master, but it can also assume the form of other beings. The master must pass it on to another person before he dies or else his corpse will become a zombie.

hantu penanggalan

The hantu penanggalan (“ghost of detachment”) appears as a woman with the upper half of her body detached from the lower half and her intestines dangling. Her victims are pregnant women and young children.

pontianak

Pontianak (“childbearing ghost”) is a female vampire who lurks around forests and graveyards. She typically appears as a beautiful and seductive woman, accompanied by a strong scent of frangipani.

Number of passengers in millions who have flown on AirAsia as of 2008:

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A heated exchange

ormer Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had this testy exchange of correspondence with young Darrell Abercrombie from Surrey, England. Using his best penmanship, the boy wrote:

I am 10 years old and when I am older I hope to study animals in the tropical rain forests. But if you let the lumber companys [sic] carry on there will not be any left. And millions of Animals will die. Do you think that is right just so one rich man gets another million pounds or more. I think it is disgraceful. Dr Mahathir replied on 15 August 1987:

Dear Darrell, It is disgraceful that you should be used by adults for the purpose of trying to shame us because of our extraction of timber from our forests. For the information of the adults who use you I would like to say that it is not a question of one rich man making a million pounds.… The timber industry helps hundreds of thousands of poor people in Malaysia. Are they supposed to remain poor because you want to study tropical animals?…. When the British ruled Malaysia they burnt millions of acres of Malaysian forests so that they could plant rubber…. Millions of animals died because of the burning. Malaysians got nothing from the felling of the timber. In addition, when the rubber was sold practically all the profit was taken to England. What your father’s fathers did was indeed disgraceful. If you don’t want us to cut down our forests, tell your father to tell the rich countries like Britain to pay more for the timber they buy from us…. If you are really interested in tropical animals, we have huge National Parks where nobody is allowed to fell trees or kill animals…. I hope you will tell the adults who made use of you to learn all the facts. They should not be too arrogant and think they know how best to run a country. They should expel all the people living in the British countryside and allow secondary forests to grow and fill these new forests with wolves and bears etc. so you can study them before studying tropical animals. I believe strongly that children should learn all about animals and love them. But adults should not teach children to be rude to their elders.

Source: The Sultan and the Mermaid Queen by Paul Sochaczewski, 2009

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Traditional malayan remedies Medicines for violent headache accompanied by pains in the bones and the loss of vigour. 1. Take (by weight) 5 cents of cumin, 10 cents of garlic, 5 cents of hyoscyamus seeds, 5 cents of Indian hemp, 35 cents of mace, 5 cents of nutmeg, 5 cents of Chinese smilax, 5 cents of ginger and 5 cents of fresh turmeric. Pound them together. Mix with sufficient honey to make into pills. Let the patient take the pills until he has finished them. Should this fail. 2. Take 2 oz. of goat’s brain, saffron and wheat flour; 1 oz. of raw, sticky purple rice, white peppercorns, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, curcuma rhizome, coriander seeds, Java long pepper, hyoscyamus seeds, honey, ghee, and opium (a piece the size of a peppercorn); 1/2 oz. of Mossoia bark and 3 oz. of garlic. Grind them together finely. Then cook them together to form a jelly. Let the patient eat this daily, and be relieved.

Medicines for numbness of the feet. 1. Take a cupful of the milk of a black goat and a very small cupful of honey. Mix. Drink this on three consecutive mornings. Should this fail. 2. Take pure gold and pure silver. Rub each three times on stone with honey. Then mix with the aforementioned preparation of milk. Warm slightly and drink. Source: The Medical Book of Malayan Medicine, translated by Ismail Munshi, 1886 Note: The possession and use of opium are strictly prohibited under Malaysian law. (See p. 130)

When having banana leaf rice at an indian restaurant… •

Eat with right hand. Utensils are also permitted.

•

The narrow side of the leaf will be placed on your left, while the wider side will be on the right. This is so more food can be placed on your right side, since you eat with your right hand.

•

When finished, fold the leaf towards you to show you enjoyed your meal. Fold the leaf away from you to show the food was less than satisfactory, or during sombre occasions (funerals). Percentage of Malaysia’s land area still under forest cover:

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Reaching for the sky Building Height (m) Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur . . . . . . . . . . . 452 Kuala Lumpur Tower, Kuala Lumpur . . . . . . . . . . . . 421 Menara Telekom, Kuala Lumpur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 Menara Maybank, Kuala Lumpur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 Empire Tower, Kuala Lumpur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Menara KOMTAR, Penang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232 Menara Maxis, Kuala Lumpur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 Bangunan Am Finance, Kuala Lumpur . . . . . . . . . . 210 Berjaya Times Square, Kuala Lumpur . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 Menara Multi Purpose, Kuala Lumpur . . . . . . . . . . . 198

City Skyscrapers Kuala Lumpur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Penang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 Putrajaya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Petaling Jaya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Subang Jaya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Shah Alam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Johor Bahru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Kota Kinabalu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Alor Star . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Kuching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Tips for eating with your fingers at a Malay meal 1. A lways wash your hands before eating. At formal occasions such as a Malay wedding, a kendi (water pot) will be passed around the table for this purpose. 2. A lways eat with your right hand (even if you are left-handed). Scoop up the food with the four fingers, and, with your fingers facing your lips, use your thumb to push the food in your mouth. Avoid getting food on the palms of your hands. 3. Each dish which is laid out on the table will have its own serving spoon. Use your left hand to hold the serving spoons. 4. Always wash your hands at the conclusion of the meal.

Paving the way?

hen Francis Light landed on the island of Penang in 1786, on the site of the present Esplanade in George Town, the island was virtually uninhabited and covered with dense vegetation. In order to induce his sepoy forces to undertake the arduous work of clearing the site, Light, as legend has it, loaded a cannon with gold coins and fired it into the surrounding jungle. Before long, sufficient land had been cleared for a settlement, and traders and merchants began to arrive.

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pulse reading

4th finger

traditional Malay healer always begins his examination of a patient by checking the person’s pulse. 2 3 4 Patient’s Three fingers (correlating to the three regions of left hand the body) of the healer’s right hand rest on the patient’s left arm, and, by applying pressure with each finger, the healer can assess the patient’s health in the corresponding regions of the body. Healer’s Source: Royal Healer by Roland Werner, 2002

3rd finger

2nd finger

right hand

The effects of some foods according to Chinese Medicine Arrest bleeding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . black fungus, chestnut, chicken eggshell, cottonseed, cuttle bone, guava, lotus plumule, spinach, vinegar Calm down the spirits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . liquorice, lily flower Reduce perspiration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . oyster shell, peach Reduce urination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . raspberry Reduce seminal ejaculation . . . . . . . . . . lotus plumule, oyster shell, walnut, black fungus Disperse blood coagulation . . . . . . . . . . . brown sugar, chive, chive root, crab, hawthorn fruit, saffron, vinegar Eliminate sputum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chinese wax gourd, clam, longevity fruit, pear, radish, sea grass, seaweed Promote milk secretion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . common carp, lettuce Lubricate intestines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . apricot seed (bitter and sweet), banana, cow’s milk, soybean oil, peach, walnut, watermelon Promote urination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . asparagus, barley, Chinese cabbage, Chinese wax gourd, coffee, corn, corn silk, cucumber, grape, hops, Job’s tears, kidney bean Sharpen vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . abalone, bitter gourd, wild cucumber, freshwater clam, cuttlefish Tone up the heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . coffee, wheat Tone up the kidneys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . black sesame seed, string bean, sword bean, wheat, kidneys Tone up the spleen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . beef, gold carp, ham, horse bean, hyacinth bean, polished rice, Job’s tears Relieve hot sensations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . chicken egg white, crab, mung bean, sea grass in the body Source: Chinese System of Food Cures by Henry C. Lu, 1986

Year in the 1900s when the Malaysian dollar replaced the Malaya and British Borneo dollar:

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The Ramly Double Special Cheese burger

he Ramly Burger company was incorporated in 1984 under the leadership of Tuan Haji Ramly Mokni and Puan Hajjah Shala Siah, who strongly advocated pureness in the production of “halal”, clean and quality products. The Ramly Double Special Cheese Burger—comprising two burger patties, an egg and a slice of cheese—has become one of the most popular fast-food snacks in Malaysia. Ramly Burger stalls usually open at night until the wee hours—and during the day as well.

Buns—High-protein wheat flour, purified water, sugar, vegetable fat (palm oil), baker’s yeast, salt, contains permitted dough conditioners (emulsifiers and enzymes), skimmed milk powder, permitted food preservative (E282).

Mayonnaise— soya bean oil, eggs, sugar, vinegar, salt, citric acid, preservative, lemon juice, flavouring (contains peanuts), xanthan gum, calcium disodium ETA.

Chilli sauce—Sugar, chillies, salt, tomato paste, garlic, spice, contains permitted flood conditioners.

Margarine—palm oil, palm kernel oil, palm fractions, sunflower oil, water, salt and vitamins, contains permitted food conditioners, flavouring substances, antioxidants and colouring substances. Cheese slice—Cheese, butter milk powder, whey powder, sodium citrate (331), sodium phosphates (452, 339), citric acid (330), preservative (202), natural annatto (160b), water added. Ground white pepper. Beef or chicken burger patties—Beef or chicken, soy protein, spices and salt, flavouring and food conditioners.

Chicken egg. Worcestershire sauce— vinegar, molasses, sugar, salt, anchovies, tamarind extract, onions, garlic, spice, flavouring.

Vegetables—shredded or sliced cabbage or lettuce and sliced onions.

Did you know? Fresh Ramly Burger patties are banned in Singapore, but frozen patties are approved for sale in the island-state.

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taxi tally State Kuala Lumpur

Taxis

Airport taxis

Luxury taxis

Hire cars

14,634

1,946

787

478

Selangor

7,462

458

255

1,077

Johor

5,120

2,325

Sabah

2,759

149

1,708

Sarawak

1,471

664

Penang

1,239

219

176

497

126

Negeri Sembilan

1,079

Malacca

926

2,384

Putrajaya

Perak Terengganu

921

Kedah

2,699

Kelantan

2,204

Pahang

1,743

Perlis

421

Total

32,921

2,814

1,444

19,128

Source: Licensing Board of Commercial Vehicles of Peninsular Malaysia, as of 31 March 2009

how to execute a sidek serve 1. H old the shuttlecock upside down with the feathers facing the racket. trike the shuttlecock feathers with the racket 2. S or Strike the shuttlecock feathers and then the base (cork) of the shuttlecock. 3. S lice the shuttlecock into the opponent’s court, resulting in a serve with a wild and unpredictable flight pattern. Note: The dreaded Sidek serve was invented by the Sidek brothers—Malaysian badminton greats—in the early 1980s. Because of the serve’s effectiveness, it was indirectly banned by the International Badminton Federation which introduced rule 9.1.4 (“During the service the racket shall initially hit the base (cork) of the shuttlecock”).

Year in the 1900s when Malaysia’s first Islamic bank, Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad (BIMB), was established:

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traditional malay insults Malay : Hidung belang/buaya darat. Translation : Striped nosed/land crocodile. Meaning : A playboy. Malay

: Umpama anjing makan muntahnya. Translation : A dog that eats what it has vomited. Meaning : A stingy, miserly person.

Malay : Lidah bercabang bagai biawak. Translation : A forked tongue like that of a monitor lizard. Meaning : An insincere, treacherous person.

P P P

Malay : Gajah seekor gembala dua. Translation : An elephant with two mahouts. Meaning : A woman with two lovers. Malay : Puteri lilin. Translation : Wax princess. Meaning : Someone who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand being out in the sun. Malay : Buruk siku. Translation : Bad-elbowed. Meaning : Indian giver.

Malay

: Loncat-loncat bagai ulat pinang. Translation : Hopping about like a betel nut worm. Meaning : A restless person.

P P P

Malay : Lesung mencari alu. Translation : A mortar that seeks the pestle. Meaning : A loose woman. Malay : Kaki bangku. Translation : Bench-legged. Meaning : Someone who cannot play ball games. Malay

: Perempuan itu langkah ular tida lepas. Translation : If that woman treads on a snake she will not escape. Meaning : A very ugly woman.

P P

Malay : Seperti pikat kehilangan mata. Translation : Like a horse fly that has lost its eyes. Meaning : A clumsy, blundering person. Malay

: Sudah berjanggut tiada berjubah. Translation : A man who has the beard but not the robe. Meaning : An imposter or fraud.

reel history

he first Malayan film was Laila Majnun in 1933. The inspiration for the film was a classic Persian tale of two doomed lovers. The director, B.S. Rajhans, got his cast from a bangsawan (Malay opera) troupe. It was produced for the Motilal Chemical Company of Bombay (based in Singapore) by its owner, K.R.S. Christy.

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anatomical guide: Male proboscis monkeys

roboscis monkeys are known in Malay as Monyet Belanda (Dutch Monkeys). It is estimated that fewer than 8,000 of them remain in the wild in Borneo. Nose Oversized, pendulous nose Seen only in males, the size of the nose is believed to be crucial in attracting females; their noses sometimes get so large that they have to be lifted out of the way in order for food to be put into the mouth. The nose is also instrumental in creating honking sounds, the larger the nose, the deeper and more resonant the honk.

Arms The monkeys throw themselves into a freefall and then catch themselves as they land. When outstretched, the arms aid them in sailing from tree to tree.

Potbelly Large stomach with a complex, bacteria-filled digestive system aids in digesting seeds, leaves and unripened fruits (sweet fruits are typically avoided as they can lead to rapid fermentation, and eventually, to death by bloating). Altogether the stomach and its contents constitute about a quarter of the animalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weight.

Tail The tail aids in balance, but is not used for gripping.

Penis The penis is almost permanently erect and bright red.

cinema admissions by film language (million persons) Year

Malay

Chinese

Tamil

English

Indonesian

Others

Total

2003

3.27

1.39

0.49

7.57

0.04

0.07

12.83

2004

3.81

2.74

1.00

8.44

0.02

0.68

16.69

2005

3.74

4.09

1.80

15.42

0.25

0.62

25.92

2006

4.00

4.63

1.39

16.45

0.20

1.20

27.87

2007

3.73

3.30

1.57

23.26

0.40

1.29

33.55

2008

5.29

4.34

2.13

30.12

0.43

1.54

43.85

Source: National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS)

Maximum length in metres of the rectilinear barette-bored piles supporting the Petronas Twin Towers:

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THE IBAN LONGHOUSE Sadau Loft located above the bilik and ruai where the padi as well as other family possessions are stored.Young, unmarried women often sleep in the sadau.

Ruai Gallery open on three sides, used by members of the longhouse community as a thoroughfare and gathering place. Large wooden mortars, firewood, tethered fighting cocks and hanging, blackened trophy heads can be found in the ruai. At night, the ruai serves as a sleeping quarters for boys, unmarried men and male visitors.

Tanju Open hardwood deck adjacent to the ruai and joined to all sections of the longhouse to form an unbroken raised platform. The tanju is where padi is dried before being stored in bark bins in the sadau.

Bilik Private living quarters in which each individual family cooks, eats and sleeps. Each bilik is separated from other bilik and the ruai by walls, typically made of wooden planks.

Best-Selling Album

he Malaysian nasyid (Islamic-oriented music) group Raihan holds the record for the best-selling local album: 700,000 units of their Puji-Pujian album in 1996. Source: New Straits Times

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Birth rites

• The newborn is carried from the family apartment to the open-air veranda of the

longhouse, where he is shown the sky and daylight for the first time. • A pinch of salt is placed in the newborn’s mouth to awaken his sense of taste. • The elder holding the newborn utters an invocation to the gods. • Three offerings are prepared for the family spirits, water spirits and forest spirits. • Accompanied by the music of drums and gongs, the residents of the longhouse form

a procession and make a complete circuit of the longhouse, strewing popped rice as they go, and make their way to the bathing place by the river.

Death rites

• The body of the deceased is carried to the centre of the family’s room (bilik) in

the longhouse and placed on the wooden floor which is slatted to allow water to flow through it.

• The body is bathed and dressed and then three dots of turmeric are painted on

its forehead.

• As the body is carried through the doorway of the bilik to the ruai (gallery), family

members shower it with grains of rice.

• The body is placed near a fire in a lower gallery inside a rectangular enclosure made

of ritual ikat cloth.

• Throughout the night, a female dirge singer sits next to the body and sings the poem

of lamentation to accompany the soul of the dead on its journey to the next world.

• At dawn, the body of the deceased is taken out of the longhouse and buried in

a cemetery.

Source: Adapted from Posts, Hearths and Thresholds: The Iban Longhouse as a Ritual Structure by Clifford Sather, 1993

Wet, Wet, Wet Mean annual rainfall in Malaysia in 2008. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,044 mm Annual rainfall at Bintulu, Sarawak (the wettest spot in Malaysia) in 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . 5,414 mm Annual rainfall at Chuping, Perlis (the driest spot in Malaysia) in 2008. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,772 mm Source: Malaysian Meteorological Department

Amount in USD millions of Malaysia’s Gross National Product in 2008:

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2nd

Forthcoming titles in this series:

Bali at Random Singapore at Random

Other books published by

Editions Didier Millet:

What is the main ingredient of torpedo soup?

An illustrated collection of Malaysian trivia,

How much is the Malaysian prime minister’s salary?

Malaysia at Random is filled with anecdotes,

When were the first fast-food outlets established in Malaysia?.

statistics, quotations, diagrams, facts, recipes,

How many taxis are there in Kuala Lumpur?

advice, folklore and other unusual and often

What are the most uncommon causes of death in Malaysia?

useful tidbits. This veritable treasure trove

Malaysia at Random provides the answers to these and many other fun and fascinating questions about the country.

JKT

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