Malaysia

Malaysia is a country in South East Asia in the Cyberpunk universe.

Overview
Malaysia has become the spiritual partner of Indonesia. The two separate parts, Peninsular Malaysia and Bornean Malaysia, provide for quite a bit of diversity, and conflict. Before the Meltdown, the main conflict was between the Chinese and Malays. The Chinese dominated the economic Iandscape, as they do in many other countries. Malaysia then enacted several laws giving Malays preference in employment, education, and housing, but they never went as far as Indonesia in anti-Chinese laws.

After the Meltdown, hordes of refugees poured in. Malaysia tried settling the new Muslim immigrants in Sabah and Sarawak, but they did not acclimate to the tropical setting. They were then forced to the islands, where the Malaysian branch of Sarekat Islam was building strength.

During the Second Corp War Malaysia sided with Petrochem, and lost. They now have a land lease agreement with SovOil for refineries along the North Borneo Shore and the East Coast of the Peninsula. These coastlines have been utterly ruined by the Slick, causing more problems with the residents of the region. Feeling alienated because of losing their traditional work, bitter and angry, many have turned to radical Islam.

Government
Malaysians run the government, with heavy Sov backing. It is a grouping of 13 states (Sabah, Sarawak, and 11 more on the Peninsula), and the capital Kuala Lumpur.

Nine of the Peninsular states have Sultans, and every five years they have an election as to which will become "King" of Malaysia. These sultans run the largest companies, and are immune to prosecution for anything up to and including murder.

Sabah and Sarawak have a limited degree of autonomy, which is slowly being eroded by the needs of SovOil and their refineries.

Economy
Where the Malays run the politics, the Chinese still have the economics well in hand, supplying the refineries, and running most of the stores and businesses. Most fixers in Malaysia will be Chinese. Kuala Lumpur (KL) possesses a strong Triad Influence, under the Red Spear Gang. The major cities are all on the west side of the Peninsula, where the water is still okay. A high mountain range runs down the center of the Peninsula, isolating the settled west side with the polluted east side, formerly the Islamic stronghold.

Kuala Lumpur
The capital is a very small city. Skyscrapers stand next to colonial buildings. It's a Malay city with a strong Chinatown and Indian quarter, both of which have strong problems. Cricket is still played in KL and sometimes they have tests against Australia and New Zealand. The best area for shopping is the Pasar Malam in Chinatown's Jalan Petaling district.