Malaysia Profile

Since winning independence from Britain, Malaysia has been transformed into one of the Muslim world's most developed countries, complete with skyscrapers, such as the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, and massive highways and ports.

It has slashed poverty through stable economic growth, becoming Southeast Asia's third largest economy.

Quality of life for many Malaysians has risen considerably over the past five decades of nationhood.

Per capita income last year stood at 5,388 dollars, up from 2,335 dollars in 1990.

Malaysia's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2006 was valued at 151.4 billion dollars from 44 billion dollars in 1990.

Malaysia's multi-ethnic, multi-religious society encompasses a majority Muslim population in most of its states and an economically-powerful Chinese community.

Ethnic Malays comprise some 60 percent of the population. Chinese constitute around 26 percent while Indians and indigenous peoples make up the rest.

Islam is the official religion and religious freedom is enshrined in the constitution.

Consisting of two regions separated by some 640 miles of the South China Sea, Malaysia is a federation of 13 states and three federal territories.

It is one of the region's key tourist destinations, offering excellent beaches and brilliant scenery.

The country is among the world's biggest producers of computer disk drives, palm oil, rubber and timber.

It has a state-owned car maker, Proton.

FACTS

Head of state

Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, a former ruler of oil-rich Terengganu state, was installed as the 13th king in December 2006.

The king's role is largely ceremonial, although he is nominal head of the armed forces and all laws and the appointment of every cabinet minister require his assent.

Under Malaysia's constitutional monarchy, the position of king is rotated every five years between each of the nine hereditary state rulers.

Malaysia's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, himself a prince, devised the system after independence in 1957 to spread power among the sultans and rajas who had ruled over fiefdoms on the Malay peninsula for hundreds of years.

Premier

Abdullah has outlined ten principles towards progressive Islam, which he calls Islam Hadhari.

In 2003, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was sworn in as the fifth prime minister of Malaysia, taking over from iconic Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who served for 22 long but rich years.

Abdullah, born in Kepala Batas on Nov 26, 1939, is the eldest child of Ahmad Badawi, who was a religious teacher and politician.

He joined the government service in 1964 as assistant secretary in the Public Service Department (PSD).

Abdullah served as education minister (1984), defense minister (1986-1987) and foreign minister 1991-1999.

He was appointed deputy premier and home minister in 1999.

Abdullah, married with a son and a daughter, assumed office at a junction and a crucial moment both for the country and the ruling Malay party the United Malays National Organization (UMNO).

In 2004, Newsweek chose Abdullah as a shining example of leadership in the Muslim world.

It said he found that the key to creating a functional Muslim society is "in the nuts and bolts of good governance—promoting economic and judicial reform, stamping out corruption, opening their economies to competition and investment."

Since the election, Abdullah has tried to avoid confronting religious issues head-on. Instead, he has focused on economics and practical reforms - improving the police, enforcing the independence of the judiciary, balancing the budget.

Abdullah has outlined ten principles towards progressive Islam, which he calls Islam Hadhari.

The objectives is the creation of a just government, comprehensive and balanced economic development, improved the quality of life, care for minorities and women, and strong culture and moral values.

He believes Islam Hadhari is entirely consistent with democracy and poses no danger to non-Muslims in multi-racial and multi-religious Malaysia.

Economy:

Malaysia transformed itself from 1971 through the late 1990s from a producer of raw materials into an emerging multi-sector economy.

Growth was almost exclusively driven by exports - particularly of electronics.

As an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has profited from higher world energy prices, although the rising cost of domestic gasoline and diesel fuel forced Kuala Lumpur to reduce government subsidies, contributing to higher inflation.

Malaysia "unpegged" the ringgit from the US dollar in 2005 and the currency appreciated 6 percent against the dollar in 2006.

The country enjoys healthy foreign exchange reserves and has a small external debt.

The government presented its five-year national development agenda in April 2006 through the Ninth Malaysia Plan, a comprehensive blueprint for the allocation of the national budget from 2006-10.

The plan targets the development of higher value-added manufacturing and an expansion of the services sector.

Quality of life for many Malaysians has risen considerably over the past five decades of nationhood.

Per capita income last year stood at 5,388 dollars, up from 2,335 dollars in 1990.

Malaysia's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2006 was valued at 151.4 billion dollars from 44 billion dollars in 1990.