2010 Edition

Background

During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore and the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo joined the Federation. The first several years of the country's history were marred by a Communist insurgency, Indonesian confrontation with Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the Federation in 1965. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw materials to expansion in manufacturing, services, and tourism.

Area

land

328,657 sq km

total

329,847 sq km

water

1,190 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than New Mexico

Climate

tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons

Coastline

4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

356 cu m/yr (2000)

total

9.02 cu km/yr (17%/21%/62%)

Geographic coordinates

2 30 N, 112 30 E

Geography - note

strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea

Irrigated land

3,650 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries

Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

total

2,669 km

Land use

arable land

5.46%

other

77% (2005)

permanent crops

17.54%

Location

Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

flooding; landslides; forest fires

Natural resources

tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

Terrain

coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Total renewable water resources

580 cu km (1999)

Age structure

0-14 years: 31.4% (male 4,153,621/female 3,914,962) 15-64 years: 63.6% (male 8,210,373/female 8,143,043) 65 years and over: 5% (male 569,245/female 724,575) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

21.41 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

4.92 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

4.5% of GDP (2007)

Ethnic groups

Malay 50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, indigenous 11%, Indian 7.1%, others 7.8% (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.5% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

3,900 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

80,000 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

12.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

17.92 deaths/1,000 live births

total

15.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai note: in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.48 years (2010 est.)

male

70.81 years

total population

73.55 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

85.4% (2000 census)

male

92%

total population

88.7%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever and malaria note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Median age

female

26.7 years (2010 est.)

male

26.4 years

total

26.5 years

Nationality

adjective

Malaysian

noun

Malaysian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal immigrants from other countries in the region (2009 est.)

Population

28,274,729 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

1.609% (2010 est.)

Religions

Muslim 60.4%, Buddhist 19.2%, Christian 9.1%, Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 2.6%, other or unknown 1.5%, none 0.8% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

13 years (2007)

male

12 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.069 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.7 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

70% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, and Terengganu; and 1 federal territory (Wilayah Persekutuan) with three components, city of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya

Capital

geographic coordinates

3 10 N, 101 42 E

name

Kuala Lumpur

time difference

UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Putrajaya is referred to as administrative center not capital; Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur

Constitution

31 August 1957; amended many times the latest in 2007

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Malaysia

former

Federation of Malaya

local long form

none

local short form

Malaysia

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Paul W. JONES

embassy

376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur

FAX

[60] (3) 2142-2207

mailing address

US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152

telephone

[60] (3) 2168-5000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador JAMALUDDIN Jarjis

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles, New York

FAX

[1] (202) 572-9882

telephone

[1] (202) 572-9700

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament with consent of the king (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

King - Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin (since 13 December 2006); (the position of the king is primarily ceremonial)

election results

Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin elected king

elections

kings elected by and from the hereditary rulers of nine of the states for five-year terms; selection based on principle of rotation among rulers of states; election last held on 3 November 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader who commands the support of the majority of members in the House becomes prime minister (since independence this has been the leader of the UMNO party)

head of government

Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak (since 3 April 2009); Deputy Prime Minister MUHYIDDIN bin Mohamed Yassin (since 9 April 2009)

Flag description

14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the flag is often referred to as Jalur Gemilang (Stripes of Glory); the 14 stripes stand for the equal status in the federation of the 13 member states and the federal government; the 14 points on the star represent the unity between these entities; the crescent is a traditional symbol of Islam; blue symbolizes the unity of the Malay people and yellow is the royal color of Malay rulers note: the design is based on the flag of the US

Government type

constitutional monarchy note: nominally headed by paramount ruler (commonly referred to as the King) and a bicameral Parliament consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house; all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers (commonly referred to as sultans) except Melaka and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by government; powers of state governments are limited by federal constitution; under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own immigration controls)

Independence

31 August 1957 (from the UK)

International organization participation

ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

civil courts include Federal Court, Court of Appeal, High Court of Malaya on peninsula Malaysia, and High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in states of Borneo (judges are appointed by the king on the advice of the prime minister); sharia courts include Sharia Appeal Court, Sharia High Court, and Sharia Subordinate Courts at state-level and deal with religious and family matters such as custody, divorce, and inheritance only for Muslims; decisions of sharia courts cannot be appealed to civil courts

Legal system

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; Islamic law is applied to Muslims in matters of family law and religion; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of Senate or Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 members appointed by the king, 26 elected by 13 state legislatures to serve three-year terms with a two term limit) and House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (222 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve up to five-year terms)

election results

House of Representatives - percent of vote - BN coalition 50.3%, opposition parties 46.8%, others 2.9%; seats - BN coalition 140, opposition parties 82

elections

House of Representatives - last held on 8 March 2008 (next to be held by June 2013)

National anthem

lyrics/music

collective, led by Tunku ABDUL RAHMAN/Pierre Jean DE BERANGER note: adopted 1957; the full version is only performed in the presence of the king; the tune, which was adopted from a popular French melody titled "La Rosalie," was originally the anthem of the state of Perak

name

"Negaraku" (My Country)

National holiday

Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)

Political parties and leaders

National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN (ruling coalition) consists

consists of the following parties

Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh]; Islamic Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang]; People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismail]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DUNDANG]

independent party

Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Saban) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]

of the following parties

Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or PGRM [KOH Tsu Koon]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [LIEW Vui Keong]; Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [CHUA Soi Lek]; Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [Govindasamy PALANIVEL]; Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu or PBB [Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti Rakyat Sarawak or PRS [James MASING]; Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam]; United Malays National Organization or UMNO [NAJIB bin Abdul Razak]; United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard DOMPOK]; People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia) or PPP [M.Kayveas]; Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party or SPDP [William MAWAN]) People's Alliance (Pakatan Rakyat) or PR (opposition coalition)

Political pressure groups and leaders

Bar Council; BERSIH (electoral reform coalition); PEMBELA (Muslim NGO coalition)

other

religious groups; women's groups; youth groups

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah - subsistence crops, coconuts, rice; rubber, timber; Sarawak - rubber, timber; pepper

Central bank discount rate

1% (31 December 2009) NA% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

5.08% (31 December 2009 est.) 6.08% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

$34.83 billion (2010 est.) $34.08 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$62.82 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $58.79 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

46.1 (2002) 49.2 (1997)

Economy - overview

Malaysia, a middle-income country, has transformed itself since the 1970s from a producer of raw materials into an emerging multi-sector economy. Under current Prime Minister NAJIB, Malaysia is attempting to achieve high-income status by 2020 and to move farther up the value-added production chain by attracting investments in Islamic finance, high technology industries, medical technology, and pharmaceuticals. The NAJIB administration also is continuing efforts to boost domestic demand and to wean the economy off of its dependence on exports. Nevertheless, exports - particularly of electronics - remain a significant driver of the economy. As an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has profited from higher world energy prices, although the rising cost of domestic gasoline and diesel fuel, combined with strained government finances, has forced Kuala Lumpur to reduce government subsidies. The government is also trying to lessen its dependence on state oil producer Petronas, which supplies at least 40% of government revenue. The central bank maintains healthy foreign exchange reserves and its well-developed regulatory regime has limited Malaysia's exposure to riskier financial instruments and the global financial crisis. Nevertheless, decreasing worldwide demand for consumer goods hurt Malaysia's exports and economic growth in 2009, although both showed signs of recovery in 2010. In order to attract increased investment, NAJIB has also sought to revise the special economic and social preferences accorded to ethnic Malays under the New Economic Policy of 1970, but he has encountered significant opposition, especially from Malay nationalists.

Electricity - consumption

99.25 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

2.268 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

103.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

ringgits (MYR) per US dollar - 3.2182 (2010), 3.5246 (2009), 3.33 (2008), 3.46 (2007), 3.6683 (2006)

Exports

$192.8 billion (2010 est.) $157.5 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals

Exports - partners

Singapore 13.9%, China 12.2%, US 10.9%, Japan 9.8%, Thailand 5.4%, Hong Kong 5.2% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

9.1%

industry

41.6%

services

49.3% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$14,700 (2010 est.) $14,000 (2009 est.) $14,500 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

7.1% (2010 est.) -1.7% (2009 est.) 4.7% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$219 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$416.4 billion (2010 est.) $388.8 billion (2009 est.) $395.5 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 28.5% (2005 est.)

Imports

$149.2 billion (2010 est.) $117.3 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals

Imports - partners

China 13.9%, Japan 12.5%, US 11.2%, Singapore 11.1%, Thailand 6%, Indonesia 5.3% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

8.5% (2010 est.)

Industries

Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging, timber processing; Sabah - logging, petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.8% (2010 est.) 0.6% (2009 est.) note: approximately 30% of goods are price-controlled

Investment (gross fixed)

20.1% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

11.62 million (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

13%

industry

36%

services

51% (2005 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$256 billion (31 December 2009) $187.1 billion (31 December 2008) $325.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Natural gas - consumption

26.27 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

31.03 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

57.3 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

2.35 trillion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

536,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

511,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

314,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

693,700 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

2.9 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

5.1% (2002 est.)

Public debt

52.6% of GDP (2010 est.) 53.3% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$104.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $96.71 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$337.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $280.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$82.65 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $75.62 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$77.44 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $74.64 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$314.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $265.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$69.03 billion (31 December 2010 est) $57 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

3.5% (2010 est.) 3.7% (2009 est.)

Broadcast media

state-owned television broadcaster operates 2 TV networks with relays throughout the country, and the leading private commercial media group operates 4 TV stations with numerous relays throughout the country; satellite TV subscription service is available; state-owned radio broadcaster operates multiple national networks as well as regional and local stations; large number of private commercial radio broadcasters and some subscription satellite radio services are available; about 400 radio stations overall (2008)

Internet country code

.my

Internet hosts

344,452 (2010)

Internet users

15.355 million (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity 135 per 100 persons

general assessment

modern system featuring good intercity service on Peninsular Malaysia provided mainly by microwave radio relay and an adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; international service excellent

international

country code - 60; landing point for several major international submarine cable networks that provide connectivity to Asia, Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2008)

Telephones - main lines in use

4.312 million (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

30.379 million (2009)

Airports

118 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

38 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 7 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

80 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 73 (2010)

Heliports

3 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 9, cargo 97, carrier 2, chemical tanker 45, container 44, liquefied gas 35, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 79, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 4

foreign-owned

35 (Denmark 1, Hong Kong 8, Japan 4, Nigeria 1, Russia 2, Singapore 19)

registered in other countries

79 (Bahamas 13, India 1, Indonesia 1, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 11, Panama 12, Papua New Guinea 1, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 27, Thailand 3, Tuvalu 1, US 2, unknown 3) (2010)

total

321

Pipelines

condensate 3 km; gas 1,965 km; oil 31 km; refined products 114 km (2009)

Ports and terminals

Bintulu, Johor Bahru, George Town (Penang), Port Kelang (Port Klang), Tanjung Pelepas

Railways

narrow gauge

1,792 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2008)

standard gauge

57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)

total

1,849 km

Roadways

paved

80,280 km (includes 1,821 km of expressways)

total

98,721 km

unpaved

18,441 km (2004)

Transportation - note

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift; increased naval patrols in 2009 resulted in significantly reduced numbers of incidents

Waterways

7,200 km note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km; Sarawak 2,500 km (2011)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 6,692,438 females age 16-49: 6,494,413 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 5,612,642 females age 16-49: 5,501,129 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

253,529 (2010 est.)

male

267,646

Military branches

Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM): Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy (Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia, TUDM) (2010)

Military expenditures

2.03% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005)

Disputes - international

Malaysia is involved in a complex dispute with Brunei, China, Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam over claims to part or all of the Spratly Islands; while the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; Malaysia was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on conducting marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; disputes continue over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in 2008, ICJ awards sovereignty of Pedra Branca (Pulau Batu Puteh/Horsburgh Island) to Singapore, and Middle Rocks to Malaysia, but does not rule on maritime regimes, boundaries, or disposition of South Ledge; ICJ awarded Ligitan and Sipadan islands, also claimed by Indonesia and Philippines, to Malaysia but left maritime boundary and sovereignty of Unarang rock in the hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea in dispute; separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts measures to close and monitor border with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo; Brunei and Malaysia agreed in September 2008 to resolve their offshore and deepwater seabed dispute, resume hydrocarbon exploration, and renounce any territorial claims along their land boundary; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Illicit drugs

drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties; heroin still primary drug of abuse, but synthetic drug demand remains strong; continued ecstasy and methamphetamine producer for domestic users and, to a lesser extent, the regional drug market page last updated on January 20, 2011 ======================================================================

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

15,174 (Indonesia); 21,544 (Burma) (2007)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Malaysia is a destination and, to a lesser extent, a source and transit country for women and children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation, and men, women, and children for forced labor; Malaysia is mainly a destination country for men, women, and children who migrate willingly from South and Southeast Asia to work, some of whom are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude by Malaysian employers in the domestic, agricultural, construction, plantation, and industrial sectors; to a lesser extent, some Malaysian women, primarily of Chinese ethnicity, are trafficked abroad for commercial sexual exploitation

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List - the Government of Malaysia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, despite some progress in enforcing the 2007 comprehensive anti-trafficking law; it has yet to fully address labor trafficking in Malaysia; there are credible allegations of involvement of Malaysian immigration officials in trafficking and extorting Burmese refugees; the government did not develop mechanisms to effectively screen victims of trafficking in vulnerable groups and condones the confiscation of passports of migrant workers by employers (2009)