One of the pleasures of visiting villages in the rural areas of Malaysia is to watch the playing of traditional games. It is even better to participate in one of the games. Some of the simpler games played by children come from nature, such as using red saga seeds as marbles, catching a wild spider to pit it against another spider, walking on “stilts” made of coconut shells, and using rubber seeds as conkers. However, there are many games that are also zealously played by adults that often hold spectators in awe.

TOP SPINNING

Top spinning draws excited yells and shouts from both spectators and players. Strength, skill and physical dexterity are needed to launch a top, which is as big as a Frisbees and weighing as much as five kilogrames. Tops are normally of two popular designs. The gasing jantung is heart-shaped while the gasing uri is flattened in shape. There are two types of competitions: endurance and knockout. In the endurance competition, the gasing uri is launched and, once spinning, it is scooped up with a small wooden paddle. It is then transferred onto a small post and allowed to spin. The winner is the top which spins the longest – sometimes it can spin for two hours. In a knockout competition, a player tries to knock another player’s spinning top outside a circle using his own top. The ropes used for launching a top are different for each of its function. To maximize its spin, the rope is usually long and thin; while a top used for striking is usually spun using a thick and short rope. The execution of a launch by a master top spinner is done in fluid but powerful movements. Tops are usually made of the merbau and afzella trees, and top-making requires great skill. Top-spinning competitions are often organised on a state, national and international level. Brunei, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand and Japan are among the keen participants in top-spinning competitions.

KITE FLYING

Kite flying can be seen throughout the country though it is more popular in the East Coast, where farmers fly them on the levelled paddy fields after a harvest. A kite usually measure 1.7 metres in height and 1.5 metres from tip to tip of its wing. The most popular shape of the kite is the crescent moon (wau bulan) though other shapes are also found, which are abstract versions of animals such as cat, peacock, hawk, fish, eagle and quail. The tail of a kite is decorated with tassels while a bow is often attached across its neck. When the kite is flown, the bow produces a high-pitched humming noise. The bow is simply a strip of ribbon stretched over a strip of bamboo. A kite, is made of bamboo strips and foil paper, and its artwork is usually formalised by tradition. For instance, a required element in traditional design is to have a large central flower or “ibu” in the centre of the kite; furthermore, vines must emanate from the base of the kite and connect logically.

Two types of kite flying competitions are in vogue: cutting and performance. In a cutting competition, the string of a kite is glazed with glass powder so that it can cut the string of an opponenet’s kite, causing it to lose flight. In a performance competition, judges select a winner based on the flight characteristics of the kite such as a vertical launch and maximum height achieved.

PLAYING OF REBANA UBI

In the state of Kelantan, after the harvesting of paddy, the playing of rebana ubi by villagers is a popular pastime. A rebana ubi is a giant drum measuring one metre in diametre and weighing 100 kg. It is made from a hollowed-out log and is painted in bright colours. Bamboo sticks decorated with tinsel and flowers fan out from its centre like the spokes of a bicycle. The drum produces a thunderous roll when beaten with a stick. In a competition, players in traditional costumes compete in teams of six who play different sized drums. They are often dressed in traditional tunic and headgear, which enhances the gaiety and excitement of the event. They beat the drums continuously for 30 minutes, producing complex rhythms in harmony. Judging is based on the complexity and consistency of the beat and synchronized movements of the players.

CONGKAK

Played by two persons, congkak has existed since the time of the Melaka Sultanate in the 15th century. The equipment used is a boat-shaped wooden board with two rows of holes (usually 12) and one large hole (rumah) at each end. Each player’s rumah is the large hole at the left. The holes are filled with rubber seeds (or marbles). Each player’s aim is to move the seeds in a clockwise direction through the holes to his rumah while observing several rules of the game. The player who gets the most of the seeds in the rumah wins.

GALAH PANJANG

This game does not require any equipment. It is played by two teams of not less than 4 players in each team. A playing area consisting of a grid of six rectangles is required. A badminton court is an ideal place as the lines are already drawn. One team is the attacker while the other is the defender. The object of the game is for the attacking team to progressively enter the defending team’s area without being tagged by any member of the defending team. The “attack” can be done either individually or in groups.

TARIK UPIH

The flower-sheath of the betel nut or nibong palm is used in this game of speed. A team consists of a person seated on the upih and another person who pulls it. Whichever team that crosses the designated finishing line first is the winner.

SEPAK BULU AYAM

Literally meaning “kicking chicken feather”, this game requires only a simple and cost-economical equipment. A nail is inserted through a few circular piece of rubber of 2 inches in diametre. Usually, the rubber pieces are cut from the inner tube of a bicycle tyre. Five of six chicken feathers are tied to the nail with tape or rubber band. The game can now begin! The object of the game is to kick the bulu ayam for as many times as possible using only the instep of the feet. Therefore players can compete individually or as a team.

MAIN LERENG

This game requires only the metal rim of a bicycle wheel and a stick. Individuals or teams use the stick to roll the bicycle rim over a predetermined distance. The winner is the player or team who completes the distance first.

There are many reasons why you should travel to Malaysia. One of the top tourist destinations in the world, Malaysia is home to wonderful beaches and breathtaking sceneries. The country is culturally diverse and features many natural wonders that attract millions of tourists from across the world.

Why travel Malaysia?

Malaysia is a picturesque, welcoming, and culturally rich country that offers the right value of money to the tourists. The country is full of natural beauties and is home to many luxury hotels and resorts that speak the last word in comfort and class. The top reasons to travel Malaysia are given below:

Art and culture in Malaysia

Malaysia is a country of diverse culture and tradition. The blend of cultural influences in the country is the outcome of long periods of migration and business with other countries of the world, especially with China, Arabian countries, and India. Every one of these cultures has remained intact in the country i.e. none has genuinely been homogenized. Conventional churches and temples lie alongside mosques. Some of the most popular cultural festivals and events in the country are as follows:

• Colors of Malaysia Festival
• World Harvest Festival and Gawai Dayak Sarawak
• Rainforest World Music Festival
• Merdeka Month Celebration
• Ramadan Bazaar

Activities in Malaysia

Malaysia gives you the chance to take part in various activities. If you accommodate for a few of them, they will add a lot of value to your trip. You can go for caving in the Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak or diving in the tropical seawaters near Borneo and peninsular Malaysia. Touring the rainforests of Malaysia is also one of the priorities of people coming to the country. You will also find some of the best scuba diving locations of the world in this country. You can visit beautiful islands like the Langkawi, Perhentian, or Tioman Islands. Wildlife watching and shopping are two other popular activities.

Malaysian cuisine

Malaysia is famous for its diverse variety of cuisines. Malaysian cuisines are a blend of Indian, Malay, Chinese, and Peranakan cuisines. You will definitely enjoy the mouthwatering and innovative dishes of this country.

There are many things to do and see in Malaysia. Make your plan for Malaysia after taking all the events and Malaysia tourist attractions into consideration.

Newlife Malaysia was was originally started by Dr. Lynn Tan and Mr. C.K. Tan. Dr. Lynn Tan got motivated to start this company because she was very good at sports when she was younger and very health conscious. She even participated in many State Wide Sports Tournaments in Malaysia. But at the young age of 19 her health started failing and no one knew why. She was at a loss for energy, and found herself irritated and lethargic most of the time. She saw many physicians but none of them could diagnose what was wrong with her.

One day her and her husband met a Dr. Costa Deir while they were at church. By coincidence he was also a medical doctor and naturopath. Then things all of a sudden changed for the better. She was diagnosed as having Toxemia or poisons throughout her body. Dr. Lynn Tan then started using common sense, homeopathic simple principles to start detoxing her body, like eating the right types of foods. In a few short months, her health suddenly took a turn for the better. As some people get better using homeopathic remedies that traditional medicine couldn’t seem to help her with, is where her inspiration came to start Newlife Malaysia came from.

The philosophy of Newlife Malaysia is Good Health and Good Wealth without compromise. The business which was founded in 1993 was mainly setup for the founders family consumption. When they realized they could help thousands of people, they opened the business to the public and started a Network Marketing Compensation Plan. Upon browsing their website, I noticed they carry a pretty nice array of products. The main categories are Health Food, Herbal & Detox, Vitamins & Minerals, Personal & Family Care, Annemarie Borland Products and Nutritional Books.

As of this moment, with our current eating habits we are destroying our health and the health of our children by not eating the right foods. Small children are now getting diseases like diabetis that only adults use to get. Medical Facilities are filled with people with diseases and ailments and in too many cases medical doctors don’t have logical answers. With better eating habits, these diseases could easily be circumvented. It’s a childs right to be healthy and a responsibility of parents to keep them healthy. This is the main philosophy behind Newlife Malaysia. They want to not only supply you with the proper nutrients and foods but educate you on how to eat properly to live a higher quality of life.

Just by a quick glance I estimate the company sells about 100 products in all. This information wasn’t on their main site, but another website that collects leads for this company said it was a Infinity Depth (Hybrid) Pay Plan. The products are all delivered right to the customers home. To my knowledge this MLM Opportunity is only open to the people in Malaysia.

This isn’t the fanciest MLM Website I’ve seen by a long shot, but the owners have established credibility with me due to how long they have been in business and their personal experiences in health and searching for homeopathic remedies. I can personally relate to this myself and I’m sure many who read this can in one way or the other as well.

Mention beaches in Malaysia, and thought automatically goes to the East Coast of the peninsula. However, if you only have a short weekend for a break, the only snag to visiting the East Coast is the long travelling distance by road.

Despair not! The beaches in the southern coastline of Perak around Lumut, and the offshore island of Pangkor offers several unspoiled beaches that are more easily accessible. Furthermore, they can be visited all-year round, and accommodation caters to both the budget conscious and the well-heeled.

Lumut lies 78 km southwest of Ipoh; though it is a holiday destination by itself, it is also the jumping off point to Pangkor Island and its sister Pangkor Laut Island. Travelling to Lumut from Ipoh, the State capital, takes slightly more than two hours, with scenic view of road meandering through coconut plantations in the Pusing district, where many of the palms are tapped to make toddy — an alcoholic beverage with a strong kick. As one approaches Lumut, which lies on the estuary of the Dindings River, mangrove swamps with long-tailed macaques whiz past on both sides of the road.

Upon entering Lumut, an archway greets you. During the 8th and 9th centuries A.D., when the Buddhist-Hindu kingdom of Gangga Negara was at its zenith, Lumut was an important fishing village. After the collapse of Gangga Negara, Lumut declined into a hideout for pirates. In the late 1970’s, Lumut grew in importance again when the Royal Malaysian Navy established its base here. A must-visit is the Naval Museum which is filled with ancient weapons and maritime equipment.

A spin around Lumut takes only minutes, which is tucked between Ungku Busu Hill and the Manjung Straits. The hill was named after a local warrior who led a ferocious battle against Lumut’s pirates in the 1800’s. Along Jalan Sultan Idris Shah, banks, money-changers and a tourist information centre hums with life. At the northern end of Jalan Titi Panjang, yachts bob about in the marina of the Perak Yacht Club. A handful of budget hotels, two first-class resorts, stores selling coral and shell handicrafts, seafood restaurants and a seemingly incongruous eight-metre tall windmill complete the charming picture of the town. Why a windmill in Lumut? Well, in 1641, after the Dutch had conquered Malacca from the Portuguese, they made ineffectual attempts to control Perak’s tin trade by establishing a fort in Pangkor Island. At the jetty, ferries depart to Pangkor Island and Pangkor Laut Island. There are also connections to Belawan, Medan’s port, in Sumatra.

Seven kilometres from Lumut lies Teluk Batik Beach, a crescent-shaped sandy stretch. There are chalets, food stalls, public changing rooms, a children’s playground and speed-boat operators. Situated six kilometres from the main road leading to Lumut, Teluk Rubiah Beach has great appeal for golfers. The Royal Teluk Rubiah Country Club offers an 18-hole course tucked between the emerald sea and verdant hills. Another interesting mainland beach is Pasir Panjang Beach which stretches 6 km from the northern banks of the Dindings River to Pantai Remis. From January to July, the Green Turtle and Olive Ridley Turtle make this beach their breeding ground. The Segari Turtle Hatchery (opens from 10am – 5pm) is one place to be guaranteed of seeing these creatures.

Pangkor Island has great historical significance in Perak’s history as a treaty was signed in 1874 aboard a British gunboat on the waters of this island, which allowed the British to appoint a British Resident to rule the State. The island’s terrain consists of rocky promontories that form placid bays fringed by glassy sands while its forest-carpeted summit offers a panoramic view of the Straits of Dindings. There is an airstrip north of the island which serves chartered flights.

Visitors usually stop at Pangkor Town, a settlement filled with budget inns, coffee shops and operators of van taxis. A round-the-island trip can be booked with these van taxis. South of the town stand the ruins of a Dutch fort, which was built in 1670 as a garrison for soldiers. Destroyed by in 1690 by Panglima Kulub, a local warrior, it was rebuilt in 1743, but 5 years later, it was abandoned after Dutch influence in the area declined. Nearby, there is a boulder with the year 1743 inscribed on it as well as a drawing of a tiger attacking a boy — a sad memorial to the young Dutch victim who was the son of Dutch dignitary.

Most of Pangkor’s beaches are at its western coastline. The crescent-shaped Pasir Bogak is extremely popular, and has a wide range of accommodation to suit all budgets. More isolated and less crowded beaches are found at Teluk Ketapang, Teluk Nipah, Coral Bay, Tortoise Bay, Pantai Puteri Dewi and Belanga Bay.

Fringed by palms, Teluk Ketapang offers a chance to see leatherback turtles during the months of May, June and July. Pantai Puteri Dewi is associated with the legend of a Sumatran princess who leapt to her death from a cliff as a result of a failed love affair. Formerly called Golden Sands Beach, it is now a private beach owned by a five-star hotel. Non-hotel guests can also use the beach but have to pay a charge. Coral Bay is excellent for snorkelling — it is blessed with crystal clear waters and lots of marine life — but one has clamber over rocks at the northern end of Teluk Nipah to reach it.

When one is satiated with the sun, sea and sand, there are other diversions such as enjoying seafood or taking in the sights of fishing villages on the east coast where boat-building thrives.

For exclusivity, hop over to Pangkor Laut Island, just two kilometres away. In 1999, Condo Naste, an international travel magazine, voted Pangkor Laut Island as one of the most beautiful islands in the world. World famous tenor Luciano Pavarotti who performed at the opening of the island’s sole resort – and it’s extremely up-market — remarked: “It’s so beautiful that I almost cried.” – enough said about this island! There are three excellent beaches. Emerald Bay is ideal of swimming; Coral beach is a haven for snorkellers; Royal Bay is suitable for windsurfing.

About 10 nautical miles south of Pangkor Island, an archipelago of islands known as the Pulau Sembilan offers the thrill of deep-sea fishing. You can land a marlin, sting-ray or even a swordfish in the waters of these islands. Dive spots bursting with corals include the channel between Rumbia island and Lalang island; and that between Buluh Island and Saga island.

Each tourist area of Langkawi has a unique atmosphere that suits different types of travelers. Before you go ahead and book a place according to reviews alone, read the following and make sure the resort is in the right location for your personality and travel style.

Pantai Cenang

With tons of restaurants, bars, cafes, souvenir shops, spas, discount clothing, internet, guesthouses and B&Bs tightly jammed into a 2-kilometre strip by the beach, Cenang is the classic tropical island hangout for the party crowd. During peak season it gets pretty frantic and crowded, not to mention noisy from the buzzing of jetskis.

Cenang is recommended for backpackers, beach lovers, party animals and lounge lizards. It is safe for families with small children (no open drug trafficking or prostitution) but note that this strip has a very adult vibe.

Pantai Tengah

Tengah is the continuation of Cenang but the atmosphere is completely different. It is a quieter, more elegant and generally more pricey version of Cenang (but with still a few cheap restaurants and guesthouses around).

Tengah is much more appropriate for families, couples, mid-budget travelers and backpackers with less party instincts. The casuarina-lined street makes for pleasant and romantic sunset strolls and the beach here is lovely. But despite its serene ambience, Tengah is home to two raucous nightclubs, Sun Ba and Eagle Rock.

Burau Bay

This is a very scenic bay with two mid-budget resorts offering tons of watersports activities. The two resorts here are backed up against the amazing Mat Chinchang rainforest reserve, so there are lots of fabulous nature activities offered by both resorts. Berjaya is one of two resorts on the island offering chalets on stilts right out on the water.

Burau Bay is located at the northern part of western Langkawi and is quite remote, about a half hour’s drive to Cenang. It is highly recommended for families, honeymooners, nature lovers and watersports fanatics travelling on a mid-budget. However, it’s not recommended for travelers squeamish about insects, reptiles and wildlife.

Datai Bay and Tanjung Rhu

The luxury resorts at the north of the island are for those with unlimited funds. Both beaches are immaculate and gorgeous, and all the hotels here offer a level of luxury that makes you wonder if it’s worth leaving the resort at all. The resorts at Datai Bay are surrounded by dense virgin rainforest and are especially recommended for nature lovers (but those squeamish about insects and wildlife should stay away). The resorts have top-notch nature guides. Needless to say, the resorts all have great children’s activity centers and separate family swimming pools.

Kuah

Kuah is our main town centre where the banks and government offices are located. If you can live without a beach, Kuah makes the best base camp for backpackers and budget travelers. It has everything you could possibly need before you head out for the day: cheap lodging, cheap restaurants, ATM machines, banks, a post office, drug stores, shopping malls, supermarkets, money changers, doctors and dentists. Recommended for those who like small towns with a Third World vibe.

You’ll need a car or scooter if you make camp in Kuah but there are plenty of great rental deals down at Jetty Point.

Jalan Pantai Kok

On the west coast between the airport and Burau Bay lies a lovely forested hillside that is home to the Sheraton and Tanjung Sanctuary resorts. These are upscale resorts offering beautiful natural surroundings and incredible scenic views of the sea, but the beaches are not great for swimming. Recommended for nature-lovers, families and couples but beach-lovers stay away.

Ulu Melaka

Ulu Melaka is a rice-farming village in the middle of the island. The two main resorts here, Foxhill and Sunset Valley, have chalets built and furnished in traditional Malay village style and offer a variety of cultural activities. The resorts overlook beautiful rice fields that look gorgeous at sunset. Recommended only for those who appreciate traditional local culture and lifestyle.

Child abuse can be defined as intended or unintended harm to a child by another person who may be parents, relatives or guardians. There are four major categories which are physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and emotional abuse.

The cases in Malaysia are getting serious; According to Social Welfare Department of Malaysia indicated each year at least 1,000 children in Malaysia are reported as victims. With high statistics of child abuse, children rights are taken away and children also loose the opportunity to live healthy and happily.

It is a repulsive issue for the society and it would affect the image of the country. Furthermore, it is a big problem with a serious impact on the child's physical and mental health, well-being and development throughout their lives. Children should have the human rights of live free from violence, harm and exploitation.

Nowadays, government have organized Child abuse prevention campaign which help the them escape from abuse and also educate the public to love the children. Children are the hope in the future of the country and the well-being of children is very important.

There are few organization which included Protect and care the children (PS the children), Malaysian Pediatric Association (MPA), Social Welfare Department of Malaysia, The Women's Aid Organization (WAO) and The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). These few organization is playing important roles to protect the children; In addition they always concern about the issues of child abuse and try their best to give the best life for the children. Children are future leader in our country and they are innocent and have right or opportunity to stay healthy and happily.

Malaysia is an exotic country — with a blend of modern and colonial buildings weaving themselves into high tech industries and ancient cultures. As a result, it is not surprising that Malaysia is listed at one of the top 10 most visited county on earth.

One of the most fascinating things about Malaysia is the people itself. Here, we are going to look at 5 things you should know about the Dayak – a tribe living in the Borneo with the reputation for being fearful headhunters.

1. Dayak Were Headhunters of Borneo

The Dayaks were renowned for practicing headhunting, and had a fearsome reputation as a strong and successful warring tribe in ancient times. Sharing their homes by living in longhouses built on stilts, the head trophies were kept in the longhouse as a sign of valor in battle and brought prestige to the conquering warrior.

The headhunting culture no longer takes place nowadays, but the tribe was still known to be fiercely territorial. In 2001, the Dayak armed with spears, machetes and blowpipes roamed a market town in an Indonesian province in Borneo to drive out migrant Indonesian they claimed took up their jobs and land.

In less than a week of violence, 200 migrants were killed. They were either hacked with traditional Borneo swords or shot with poisoned darts from blowguns.

2. Rich Culture

The animist Dayak (the majority are now Christian) observe both Christian and traditional ceremonies, particularly during marriages or festivals.

Significant festivals include the rice harvesting festival of Gawai Dayak, the bird festival of Gawai Burong and the spirit festival of Gawai Antu.

During the festival, the Dayak gets together to drink rice wine called tuak and perform a unique war dance called ngajat (depicting a man going to war or a bird flying as a respect to Iban’s lord of war).

Visitors to the longhouses (or rumah panjang) are normally invited to witness the dances and took part into the drinking the tuak ceremony with the headman of the longhouse as their host.

3. Singer-Actress Jessica Alba was a Dayak

Jessica played a Dayak in the 2003 Sleeping Dictionary movie by Guy Jenkin. Filmed in Sarawak and is set during the British colonial rule in the 1930s, Jessica played the role of a woman who sleeps with a young and naive Englishman, John Truscott (played by Hugh Dancy) who went into Borneo to try and apply his father’s work to the Iban society.

The love story was built on the concept of ngayap which was the Iban way of courtship practised in the early 1920’s and ’30’s. Jenkins combined the story with the story of young Britons being posted to jungle outposts and being “thrown in the deep end” when they had to learn the local language in express time.

The film never went big, but received several DVDx awards, including Best Actress to Jessica Alba.

4. Courting girls at night (ngayap)

The ngayap courting activity is a test of a young boys’ courage and maturity as they have to travel at night through forest, crossing rivers or swamps to reach the girls’ longhouse. The night courtship should last no longer than 3 nights, and at the end of the courtships, the boy will be asked if he is serious about marrying the girl.

The night courtship is pre-arranged with the girl and it should not involve more than a series of talks to let the two parties know each other.

In the headhunting days, this kind of night travel could be a very risky affair as they could fall upon a band of marauding enemies. But as Dayak is known as a warrior tribe, the night courtship is accepted as a sign of a bravery of a headhunter.

5. Modernised Dayak

The Dayaks today are now to be more placid and hospitable than those during the colonial era. Some longhouses are now equipped with air-conditioners, refrigerators and the internet.

The days where headhunting is a norm is long gone and despite being a tradition, dayak tatoos is increasingly becoming just a symbol of heritage and culture. The increasingly urbanised Dayak is reduced to an exhausted past and the ancient crafts of boat building, weaving, dancing and tatooing are dying fast.

Property management is managing or maintain a particular building in a good state and repair. Property manager is the people who eligible enough to carry out the job manage the property. The property objectives and the goal need to be achieved so that it can create the optimum net return. On the other hand, the facilities and the service in the property need to be in good conditions; hence it can create a safe and functional living environment to the occupants.

Property management in Malaysia is enforced under a related act such as National Land Code 1965, Strata Title Act 1985, Housing Development Act 1966 & Regulations, Building & Common Property Act 2007 and Valuers, Appraisals and Estate Agents Act 1981. Most of the act mention about how to conduct or perform duties as a property management. It also provides the proper maintenance and management of buildings and common property and for matters incidental thereof.

There are wide functions for the property management. Firstly, maintenance management which is includes all the maintenance work and supervision of work in the property. Secondly is the financial management which is need to work on the financial and account of the property. Ownership or tenancy management was work detail in the assessment list, rental and tenancy period and etc. next, where, units need to be rented, the property manager need to market it. At the same time promotional activities are carried out to create interest in the units by the target market. This is under marketing and promotional scope. Property data management is about varies data of the property to be recorded and the property management effectiveness is depending on the availability of good record system. Lastly, general management is about managing and interact with the service providers. The registered property manager have these ability and skills to carry all the responsibility in order to give good services to the occupants.

In Malaysia, there are almost 400 different disciplines of silat under the patronage of Persekutuan Silat Kebangsaan Malaysia (PESAKA) which four of the schools and its grandmasters are recognized as the founding members of PESAKA Malaysia. They are:

1. Seni Gayung Fatani Malaysia (Grandmaster Tn. Hj. Anuar Abd Wahab A.M.N)

2. Silat Seni Gayong Malaysia (Grandmaster Dato’ Meor Abd. Rahman)

3. Silat Lincah (Grandmaster Dato’ Hj Omar Sin Mauju)

4. Silat Cekak Malaysia (Grandmaster Ustaz Hanafi Ahmad).

While, the other disciplines of silat are members of PESAKA Negeri (State members).  As there are many types of this martial art in Malaysia, the disciplines of Silat in Malaysia can be categorized into three major disciplines.

The first is known as Silat Melayu, the local traditional silat in the Peninsula that are from the same source. They are called Silat Pulut or Gayung Pulut. The Malay Peninsula traditional art has been practiced hundred of years ago in the Malay society especially in villages. The martial art had its origin from the Malay art of war that had strengthened the Malay Champa empire, Kedah Tua empire, Silat Bunga, Seri Patani, Silat Melayu Asli, Silat Kedah, Seni Gayung Fatani and there are also other forms of traditional silat that recognized as word bersilat or bergayung. These schools trying hard to maintain the original practice of martial art covering the art, self-defense, sports, music, culture and Islamic spiritualism.

The second would be Pencak Silat, a form of self defense that was brought by the early immigration of Indonesia society. Pencak Silat had been recognized as the indigenous Indonesian Art of Self Defense. On the 24th and 25th September 1979, the first meeting organized by Ikatan Pencak Silat Indonesia (IPSI) in conjunction with other countries in an effort to develop Pencak Silat internationally. On March 1980, Persekutuan Pencak Silat Antarabangsa (PERSILAT) was officially founded in Jakarta, Indonesia as its headquarters. Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore were recognized as the founding members of PERSILAT.

In an effort to develop pencak, Malaysia founded Persekutuan Silat Kebangsaan Malaysia (PESAKA Malaysia) on the 24th of September 1983 and was successfully registered on the 21st Mei 1986 to substitute the former proposal to form Majlis Seni Silat Malaysia on the 3rd of February 1978 (Minutes of meeting of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports 1978).

Finally, the third would be disciplines that were developed or created based on experiences, inspirations, guidance, mixture or consolidation of a few different disciplines of silat, pencak silat, art of self defence, or other martial arts from overseas, for example Silat Sekebun, Embun Putih, Kuntau Sendeng, Minang Jawa Kedah, Seri Minangkabau Tapak Suci and Gayung Cekak Sendeng. These schools grown from day to day as there are many experts that wanted to uniform their own martial art schools rather than stick to any one of the martial art school due to many reasons.

On the 4th of December 2006, the Malaysian Government recognized Silat as the Malaysia official art of self-defense and was gazette in the Akta Warisan Negara (National Heritage Act) (Silat Convention 3rd-4th, December 2006).

Less than 1 year since our initial posting, the Singapore Government acted fast and in Feb 2010, the Ministry of Health (MOH) declared officially that Singaporeans will be able to use CPF Medisave for payment in 12 hospitals/medical centers in Malaysia starting 1st March 2010. The nearest of these 12 hospitals/medical centers to Singapore is the Regency Specialist Hospital located in Johor Bahru (Regency is just an hour’s drive from Singapore or just 25 minutes away from the Johor Bahru CIQ).

With the medical bills in Malaysian hospitals expected to be some 20%-35% cheaper compared to Singapore hospitals, this is good news for Singapore citizens who now have an alternative in managing escalating health care costs. To top it up, these 12 hospitals and medical centers in Malaysia are actually owned by 2 health care group in Singapore: Health Management International (HMI) and Parkway Holdings. Expect a certain standard of medical health-care and facilities to be provided.

For example, Regency’s patient care facilities and medical equipment are comparable to Singapore hospitals. It has the latest state of the art medical and diagnostic equipment including a 64 multi-slice Computerized Tomographic (“CT”) Scanner and 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imager (“MRI”) from General Electric (“GE”). In addition, its new Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (“Cath Lab”) adds to the comprehensive range of cardiac care treatments for those experiencing acute coronary symptoms in need of cardiac catheterization, angioplasty, stent, balloon or pacemaker implantation.

The listing below shows the 12 medical centers and hospitals currently approved by the Ministry of Health for usage of CPF Medisave.

HEALTH MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL (HMI)

Referral centre: Balestier Clinic and Health Screening Centre (221 Balestier Road, #03-04 ROCCA Balestier)

Referred to:

1. Regency Specialist Hospital (Johor Baru)

2. Mahkota Medical Centre (Malacca)

PARKWAY HOLDINGS

Referral centre: East Shore Hospital (321 Joo Chiat Place)

Referred to:

1. Gleneagles Intan Medical Centre (Kuala Lumpur)

2. Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur

3. Pantai Hospital Cheras

4. Pantai Hospital Ampang

5. Pantai Hospital Klang

6. Pantai Hospital Ipoh

7. Pantai Hospital Ayer Keroh

8. Pantai-Hospital Penang

9. Pantai-Hospital Batu Pahat

10. Pantai-Hospital Sungai Petani