Malaysia
History

It is thought that Malaysia was one of the earliest sites inhabited by man. This is evident in discoveries at the Niah limestone caves in Sarawak where relics date back as far as 50,000 years. Kedah is the most ancient state with findings at Bujang Valley showing evidence of a Hindu-Buddhist civilisation dating back to AD 300.

The Portuguese came to Malacca in 1509 and were defeated by the Dutch in 1641. The British already had two ports, Penang and Singapore, and took over from the Dutch so that by the 1920s all the Malay States on the peninsular were under British protection. 

The Japanese overran Malaya in WWII. Communist guerrillas, who fought the Japanese throughout the occupation, began an armed struggle against British rule in 1948 and Malaya achieved independence in 1957. Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore combined with Malaya to establish Malaysia in 1963, but two years later Singapore withdrew from the confederation. The formation of Malaysia was opposed by both the Philippines and Indonesia, as each had territorial claims on East Malaysia.

Tension rose in 1963 during the 'Confrontation' with Indonesia. Indonesian troops crossed Malaysia's borders but were repelled by Malaysian and Commonwealth forces. In 1969, violent riots broke out between Malays and Chinese, though the country's racial groups have since lived in relative peace together. The United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) has been in power since 1974. Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is keen to exert his influence on the world stage as a pan-Asian leader, presided over a booming economy until 1997, when tumbling Asian currencies dragged the ringgit down with them.

In September 1998 the country hosted the Commonwealth Games, but the public relations aspect of the competition came apart when students and citizens protested against the unfair sacking and later imprisonment of deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim. Continuing street protests,calling for the resignation of Dr Matahir Mohamad, have unsettled Malayasia's reputation as one of the most politically stable of South-East Asian countries. By the time the 21st century rolled around, social upheavals had faded to a distant rumble and the Malaysian economy had clawed its way back into the game, 'tho it remains a little proppy.