Malaysia

This picture is the famous Petronas tower of Malaysia. This is the tallest twin tower in the whole world. By the month of march, I will see this famous tower and will touch it with my own hands. Before that happens, it is important for us to know and be familiar with this country.

MALAYSIA shares border with Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, and Indonesia. Its capital city is Kuala Lumpur. It is composed of people groups such as Malays, Chinese, Indians, and other groups. Its government is a constitutional monarchy.

The language of Malaysia is known as Bahasa Malaysia, Bahasa means language.

Malaysia is a multi-cultural society. Their main ethic  groups are the Malays. There is also a large number of population of Chinese and Indians. Each ethnic group maintain their traditions, practices, and religion. Actually  each of them has public holidays which is the most important events in their culture.

Most of the ethnic groups settled on their own groups or circle. Only few marry outside their clan. Most of the children in Malaysia educated on the same school will also worked on the same offices.
Accordingly, despite the ethnic differences there are commonalities culturally speaking.(kwintessential)


With regards to group orientation, their families are the most important social structure. They respect for elderly, unity,  and loyalty are important to them. They trusted their families not only on emotional support but also in financial. When a member of the family has financial difficulty they will help that member of their family.

These are some more information about Malaysia, and I know there are still a lot of things to be learned from them. What I wrote here is only basic informations. If we really want to know them, it is really a good idea to go personally to their country and see their culture.

I am excited to go there. I cant wait to meet the people of Malaysia.

source: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/malaysia.html

Etiquette and Customs in Singapore

Singapore is a multi-ethnic society, it is compose of its three major groups which are the Malays, the Chinese, and the Indians. Obviously, they are all different, even their language -- they have four national language: the Malay, Tamil, Mandarin, and English.

This nation is really impressive because even its people are different culturally and religiously, they become a developed country.

The Singapore as a  developed country would attract more tourists to go and visit the place. And if you are also an interested one, this might help you dealing with different ethnic groups in Singapore.

Here are some etiquettes and customs in Singapore from kwintessential.com.

1. Greetings
Accordingly, greetings is a strict protocol among the Singaporeans. When greeting, you have to consider what age and what ethnic group the person belongs (remember there are three: Malay, Chinese, Indian)

if the person is younger and not-so-conservative like Chinese, you can shake hands, but with the Muslims and elderly conservative Singaporeans shaking hands is not appropriate, rather bowing of the head is more sufficient. It is also the same with Indians, they can shake hands with the same sex, but nodding of the head is appropriate with an opposite sex. Usually, the eldest is the first one to be introduce.

2. Gift Giving

For Chinese:
Usually in receiving gift, they will refuse three times to show that they are not greedy. If they accepted the gift, it will not be opened in front of the giver. What's more, there are things that is not advisable to give to Chinese. Those are scissors, knives, or cutting utensils because it shows that you want to cut the relationship. Another one is flowers because it can give sickness and it is only a gift for funerals.

if you will wrapped the gift, use happy colors because it will give luck.

Malay:

Most of the Malays are Muslims so when giving a gift use only right hand or both hands if one hand cant carry the gift. Do not give a gift with pigskin, alcohol, and toy dogs to children. if planning to give food, be sure it is halal. Lastly, give a gift when you are leaving the house not when you just arrived. The gifts are not opened when recieved.

Indians:

Do not give leather products. do not wrapped the gift with color black or white rather wrapped it with red, yellow, or green. if planning to give money, it should be given in odd numbers. Use the right hand in giving a gift.

3. Titles and Names

Chinese: Traditionally, they have three names. The first one that should be written is the surname, next is the two other names.

Malay: They don't have surnames rather men connect their name to their father's name using the connector 'bin'. Women, on the other side connects their name with their mother using the connector 'binti'.

Indian: They also don't have surnames like Malays. They just place the initial of their father's name. Some Indians use nicknames because they have long names.

These were some of the things that we should know about the people of Singapore. if we know more about them, their culture and practices, then we can reach more easily, effectively to them. We could be their friends.

source :http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/singapore.html

HIndi of Indonesia

 There are 784 people groups of Indonesia -- one of them are the Hindi. The term "Hindi" is an Aryan-language. Many of its language were borrowed from Sanskrit. (joshuaproject.com)


The Hindi group of Indonesia are the Indians who accordingly, mostly the higher castes and educated people who leave India and migrate to other countries. 


They were involved in the rivalry between Muslims and Hindu. The history says that before there was a conflict between Urdu speakers (Muslims) and the Hindi speakers (Hindu). There had a great tension between the two, so In 1947 the Pakistan and the Indians separate. From that moment Hindi becomes India's National language and Urdu becomes Pakistan's. 


Like in India, the Hindi in Indonesia also had castes system. There is the Brahmas which is the highest, Kshatriyas the second to the highest level, Vaisyas, and last is the Sudras which is the lowest of all. 


This people group when they transfered their place and live in Indonesia, they become more westernized. They drink wine and eat all kinds of meat but not beef. Cow is a sacred animal for them.


Most of these people in this group practice Hinduism, that is their primary religion. Not only that, they treat Hinduism as not only a religion but as a life style. They worship a god of good and evil. Further, they believe in karma and reincarnation. 


These group came from a very terrible history. I remember the movie slum dog Millionaire in India. There was a part on that movie that shows how its like to have tension between Muslims and Hindus. It is really terrible and many dies.
Now, some of them who migrated, are now part of the ethnic group of Indonesia.
Their culture and beliefs form India still stands. 


I believe that these people needs our prayers. We must pray that they may feel the love of God for them even their past wasn't that good. We must pray that peace would always be present in  them. They may see visions, so that they may know the true and only on God.




source:
http://www.joshuaproject.net/people-profile.php?peo3=12106&rog3=ID

Bajau, West Coast of Brunei

 

"To be a Bajau is to be a Muslim" 

Banjau, in the west cost of Brunei believed the principle that if you are a Bajau, you must be a Muslim. For almost all the people on that community were Muslim. A person who is not a Muslim will be outcast on their community. The whole Bajau do Muslim rituals and practices.

Most of the people of Bajau refer themselves as Sama. their population was estimated

750,000 to 900,00. they were known as sea-nomads and these people scattered in Sulu Archipelago, Borneo, and eastern Indonesia.  The people in this coast was good in rice cultivation and livestock rearing. it was said, accordingly, that the Banjau were uncertain. Thousand years ago, they proposed a dispersion hypothesis according to which proto-bajau spread from north and south near Mindanao, Philippines   

Moreover, Bajau speaks only one language. Household is governed by the choce of the residence rather than the choice of family roles.it was stated that the Bajau were individualistic, but they becaome united because of their religion. Some other beliefs that they embrace is animism,

  

ASEAN Community in 2015 En-sub

SEA 'birth certificate'

Accordingly, the first people of Southeast Asia were short, hairy black-skinned race. They were commonly called Negritos.


It was discovered that the ancient people of Southeast Asia has pottery and agriculture same time as the ancient Mesopotamia. In fact, there were 126 skeleton found buried with metal tools and pottery. They believed that those things will be needed after life.


In addition to that, Southeast Asia is the world's richest source of tin. (guidetothailand.com) The research shows that the region seems good when it started. Until now, they keep on developing it. Just for instance, they made an organization called Association of Southeast Asian Nations also known as ASEAN. 


This video shows how it can benefit the nations of Southeast Asia...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiQhqN-NdQc

this is nice and inspiring video. Have time to watch. enjoy! :)

God's Blueprint for Southeast Asian Countries

God loves His creation as well as Southeast Asian people thats why when He created the world, He  constructed a detailed plan for Southeast Asian Countries.

I believe that each person living on Southeast Asian region is special to God. In fact, He created them on his own image. He made beautiful places for them to live and provided the things they need. Beautiful places such as  sandy beaches of Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, East Timor, and Vietnam; Cambodia's Angkor Wat; Laos' Mekong River; Myanmar's 1000 years old temples of  Bagan; Malaysia's Mt. Kinabalu; and Singapore's islands of Si Phan Don.

More than that, God's plan for them is not only giving what they need to live a life to the fullest. It is more than letting them know that He loves them and has concern for them. He wants them to know Him and recognize Him as God and that the name 'Christ'  be named upon them.

Sadly, most of the people on this region haven't heard of the truth, and haven't had an idea of God's plan for them. Therefore, what must we do, now that we have read this blog? One verse in the Bible says "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." Matt. 9:37

Share God's wonderful plan today. :)
I just did by writing this blog, now its your turn.

-Aubrey Gayle