History of Malaysia

Malaysia's history dates back to ancient times when it was a part of trade routes between India and China. In the 15th century, the Malacca Sultanate became a powerful trading empire. The Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonized parts of Malaysia over the years, with the British taking control by the 19th century.

During World War II, Japan occupied Malaysia. After the war, Malaysia sought independence from Britain, which was achieved on 31 August 1957. The country was then known as the Federation of Malaya. In 1963, Malaya joined with Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore to form Malaysia. Singapore later separated and became independent in 1965.

Under Mahathir Mohamad's (1981-2003) leadership, Malaysia pursued an ambitious agenda of modernization and industrialization. During the 1980s-1990s development, the country shifted from being primarily an exporter of raw materials to becoming a hub of manufacturing and industry. The government introduced policies to attract foreign investment, improve infrastructure, and promote education. The iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, which were completed in 1998, symbolize this era of rapid development. Mahathir's Vision 2020 aimed to make Malaysia a fully developed nation by the year 2020.

The late 1990s saw Malaysia hit by the Asian Financial Crisis. Mahathir took controversial measures to protect the economy, including capital controls and fixing the Malaysian ringgit to the US dollar. These measures were initially criticized but later seen as stabilizing factors that helped Malaysia recover faster than some of its neighbors. Mahathir retired on October 31, 2003.

The 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal came to light in 2015 when reports surfaced about billions of dollars missing from the fund. Investigations revealed that high-ranking officials and associates were involved in embezzling funds for personal gain and political purposes. The scandal tarnished Malaysia's international reputation and led to legal actions against those implicated, including former Prime Minister Najib Razak.

In 2018, the Pakatan Harapan coalition won the general elections, which ended Barisan Nasional's long rule and marked Malaysia's first change in government since independence, with Mahathir returning as the Prime Minister. However, in 2020, Barisan Nasional returned to power, forming a new federal government once again.