10 Things You May Not Know About Malaysia

The food capital of the world is in Malaysia

Malaysia is known as the food capital of the world as it’s filled with delicious hawker stalls all over the country. There’s laksa, indian inspired roti canai, the national dish nasi lemak and so much more. The entire country is a haven for foodies with Penang being the crown jewel for it being a melting pot for Chinese, Indian and Malay mixture.

2. Shoe designer Jimmy Choo was born in here

The very famous shoe designer, Jimmy Choo was born in Malaysia to a family of shoemakers. If you were to go to Penang, you can see many Jimmy Choo inspired street art all around the city. Jimmy Choo is so highly regarded that he was made a Dato’. Other than being a home to a renowned shoe maker, Malaysia is also the home to Michelle Yeoh. She was originally from Ipoh. She has been in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and also the Bond girl in Tomorrow Never Dies.

3. Malaysia is one of the most multicultural countries in Southeast Asia

When we think of New York or London, we think of cities that are a melting pot of people from all over the world. Malaysia is well-known for having one of the most diverse cities in Southeast Asia. We can definitely feel the sense of multiculturalism in Malaysia. Therefore, over 31 million ethnic Malays live right here in the country. The rest consisted of other groups including Chinese, Indian and other indigenous people.

4. The tallest twin building in the world is in Kuala Lumpur

The iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia hold the Guinness World Record for the tallest twin building which stands proud at 452 metre ( 1483 feet) high. In fact, the Petronas Tower used to be the tallest building in the world when it was built in 1998 but it still remains the tallest twin tower.

5. Kings in Malaysia are elected

Malaysia follows a unique rotating monarchy system when nine ethnic Malay state rulers take turns to become the king of the country for a term of five years.

6. The stinkiest fruit in the world grows in Malaysia

Durian is the marmite of Asia, loved and hated by all and nicknamed The King of the Fruits. Durian has such an infamous reputation for its strong smell and taste. It is so strong that most public places and hotels around Malaysia ban it. In Malaysia, the durian is one of the most popular fruits. There are many varieties of the durian such as D24, Musang King and Udang Merah.

7. Malaysia is a major transporter of tropical fruits

Durian aside, Malaysia is a country rich in delicious fruits throughout the year where much of it is exported to other countries. Furthermore, Malaysia is blessed with two different climates in mainland Malaysia and on Borneo Island. This means many different fruits all year round making it ideal for growing tropical fruits. Fruits such as the mangosteen, longan, mangoes, jackfruit and rambutan are the people’s favourite.

8. Orangutans are native to the country

Orangutans are native to the island of Borneo. In Malay language, orangutan means “person of the forest” and the rainforest is their habitat. Unfortunately, due to severe deforestation and logging, they are forced to come into small towns and they have now become an endangered species.

9. The largest flower in the world grows in Malaysia

The largest flower in the world is called the rafflesia and they are mainly found on Borneo island in the Kinabalu National Park. These flowers can grow up to 1 metre (3 feet 3 inches) in diameter making it the world’s largest flower. It is considered a parasitic plant as it attaches itself to another plant for survival. However, the flower may have a deceiving look as it actually smells like rotten meat which will attract insects to pollinate the plant.

10. Borneo is the third largest island in the world

Borneo is the world’s third biggest island, following Greenland and New Guinea. It is interesting to note that it is made up of three countries: Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia. It is also the only island in the world that is part of three countries at the same time. Malaysia, with the states of Sabah and Sarawak, controls 26% of the island. Borneo is covered in tropical rainforests as well as mountain ranges including Malaysia’s Mount Kinabalu