Malaysia Culture

Malaysia's defining characteristic is that three major cultures and dozens of indigenous ones share it without having merged. Mosques, Chinese temples, Hindu temples and churches stand within blocks of each other in most towns, and the public holiday calendar accommodates all of them.

Islam is the official religion and Malays are Muslim by constitutional definition, while Chinese Malaysians are largely Buddhist, Taoist or Christian and Indian Malaysians largely Hindu.

The open house tradition is the most visible expression: at Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali and Christmas, families host anyone who comes, across community lines.

In Borneo the picture differs entirely — Iban, Kadazan-Dusun, Bidayuh, Melanau and Orang Ulu peoples, many with living longhouse traditions, and a markedly different religious mix.