ASEAN QUIZ - Indo, Malaysia, Singapore

INDO GEOGRAPHY – Island Groups

Indonesia’s islands can be grouped into four main areas.

INDO Greater Sunda Islands

• Includes Sumatra (Sumatera), Java (Jawa), the southern extent of Borneo (Kalimantan), and Celebes (Sulawesi).

INDO Lesser Sunda Islands (Nusa Tenggara)

• Includes Bali and a chain of islands that runs eastward through Timor.

INDO Moluccas (Maluku)

• Located between Celebes and the island of New Guinea.

INDO Western New Guinea (Papua)

• Refers to the western extent of the island of New Guinea.

INDO JAKARTA – Former Names

• Formerly known as Batavia (until 1949) and Djakarta (1949–1972).

INDO JAKARTA – Capital Status

• Largest city and capital of Indonesia.

INDO JAKARTA – Location

• Lies on the northwest coast of Java, at the mouth of the Ciliwung (Liwung River), along Jakarta Bay, an embayment of the Java Sea.

INDO JAKARTA – Administrative Area

• Coextensive with Greater Jakarta (Jakarta Raya) and nearly coextensive with the special capital district (daerah khusus ibukota), which also includes small offshore islands in the Java Sea.

INDO ECONOMY – Role in World Economy

"- Since the mid-20th century, Indonesia has played a modest role in the world economy.

• Its importance has been less than expected based on its size, resources, and geographic position."

INDO ECONOMY – Exports

• A major exporter of crude petroleum and natural gas.

INDO LANGUAGE – Official Language

• Bahasa Indonesia (“the language of Indonesia”) is the official national language.

INDO LANGUAGE – Purpose

• Serves as the unifying language of the world’s fourth most populous country.

INDO LANGUAGE – Diversity of Speakers

• The nation consists of nearly 18,000 islands, 350 ethnic groups, and 750 native languages and dialects.

INDO LANGUAGE – Origin

• Bahasa Indonesia is a standardized version of Malay.

INDO LANGUAGE – Global Rank

• It is the sixth most widely spoken language in the world (after Mandarin, English, Hindi, Spanish, and Arabic).

INDO LITERATURE – Scope

"- Includes poetry and prose in Javanese, Malay, Sundanese, and other local languages.

• Combines oral traditions later preserved in written form.
• Modern literature began to emerge in the early 20th century."

INDO LITERATURE – Languages of Sumatra

• Acehnese, Batak, Rejang, Lampong, and Malay.

INDO LITERATURE – Languages of Java

• Sundanese, Madurese, and Javanese.

INDO LITERATURE – Other Regional Languages

• Bali, Lombok, Makassarese, and Buginese (South Celebes).

INDO LITERATURE – Most Important Literatures

• Javanese and Malay are the most significant in both quantity and quality.

INDO RELIGION – Dominant Faith

• Islam is the main religion, followed by about 88% of the population.

INDO RELIGION – Other Religions

• Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Christianity are also practiced.

INDO RELIGION – Religious Harmony

"- Different religions coexist peacefully under the mottos:
• “Judge not, lest ye be judged.”
• “Do unto others as you would do to yourself.”"

INDO RELIGION – Indigenous Beliefs

• Many ethnic groups still follow traditional customs, wear traditional dress, and believe in animism.

INDO RELIGION – Animist Beliefs

• Animists believe gods inhabit the mountains, especially Mount Agung, Bali’s tallest stratovolcano.

INDO ARTS – Historical Roots

"- Indonesian arts trace back to the Stone Age.

• Evident in temples, architecture, and traditional timber structures built on stilts."

INDO ARTS – Cultural Influences

• Influences include animist traditions, tribal art, and Hindu-Buddhist styles.

INDO ARTS – Javanese Arts

"- Java features canvas art, wood carving, handmade silverwork, and clay and stone sculpture.

• It is a major center for batik, ikat, and songket cloth."

INDO ARTS – Sumatran Arts

• Sumatra is known for Islamic art and architecture.

INDO ARTS – Balinese and Javanese Arts

• In Bali and Java, people craft wayang kulit (shadow puppets) made from buffalo hide and painted.

INDO DANCE – Cultural Role

"- Dance plays a major role in Indonesian culture.

• Many performers train from childhood under expert guidance."

INDO DANCE – Style

• Characterized as expressive, precise, and often surprising.

INDO DANCE – Diversity

• Indonesia has over 3,000 original dances, many with tribal roots.

INDO DANCE – Bali as Cultural Center

"- Bali is the best place to experience cultural dances firsthand.

• Balinese dance dramas are linked to Buddhist and Hindu mythology from the Ramayana and Mahabharata."

INDO DANCE – Barong and Rangda’s Dance

"- Represents the battle between good and evil.

• Features demon queens and child eaters."

INDO DANCE – Legong Dance

• Known as the most graceful Balinese dance.

INDO DANCE – Topeng (Masked Dance)

"- Performers use masks to bring Balinese language to life.

• Depicts history or social issues in a comical way."

MLS NAME – Origin of “Malaysia”

• The name “Malaysia” combines the word “Malay” and the Latin-Greek suffix “-sia.”

MLS NAME – Meaning of “Melayu”

• The Malay word “melayu” comes from Tamil words “malai” (mountain) and “ur” (city or land).

MLS NAME – Ancient Reference

• Ancient Indian traders called the Malay Peninsula “Malayadvipa,” meaning “land of the Malays.”

MLS GEOGRAPHY – Location

• Malaysia is located in the southeast of the Asian continent, known as Southeast Asia.

MLS GEOGRAPHY – Population

• The country had over 28 million inhabitants (as of January 2012).

MLS GEOGRAPHY – Two Parts

"1. Peninsular Malaysia – between Thailand (north) and Singapore (south).

2. Sabah and Sarawak – located on the island of Borneo."

MLS GEOGRAPHY – Capital City

• The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, located in the western part of the peninsula, about 40 km (25 miles) from the coast.

MLS GEOGRAPHY – Administrative Centre

• The administrative capital is Putrajaya, located about 25 km (16 miles) south of Kuala Lumpur.

MLS LANDMARKS – Batu Caves

• A famous Hindu temple complex and limestone hill near Kuala Lumpur, a major pilgrimage site.

MLS LANDMARKS – Kuala Lumpur Tower

• A telecommunication tower and one of Malaysia’s most recognizable landmarks.

MLS LANDMARKS – Petronas Twin Towers

• Among the tallest twin towers in the world; a symbol of modern Malaysia.

MLS LANDMARKS – Thean Hou Temple

• A Chinese temple in Kuala Lumpur dedicated to the Heavenly Mother, Thean Hou.

MLS LANGUAGE – Official Language

• The official language is Bahasa Malaysia (Malaysian Malay) or simply Malay.

MLS LANGUAGE – Usage

• Spoken by the majority and taught extensively in public education.

MLS LANGUAGE – Common Languages

"- Other widely spoken languages include:
• English – commonly used for business and education.
• Chinese dialects – such as Mandarin and Hokkien (spoken by Chinese Malaysians).
• Tamil – spoken by Malaysians of Indian origin."

MLS LANGUAGE – Total Languages

"- Malaysia has a total of 137 languages.

• 41 languages are spoken in Peninsular Malaysia."

MLS LANGUAGE – Regional Variations

• Eastern Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) includes languages such as Dusun.

MLS LANGUAGE – Common Phrases

"- Terima kasih (te-ree-mah-ka-seh) – Thank you.

• Ya / Tidak (yah / tee-dak) – Yes / No.
• Selamat jalan (sla-mat zha-lan) – Goodbye.
• Sama-sama (saa-ma-saa-ma) – You’re welcome."

MLS CULTURE – Diversity

• Malaysia is a multi-cultural society made up of Malays, Chinese, and Indians.

MLS CULTURE – Traditions

• Each ethnic group maintains its religion, customs, and way of life.

MLS CULTURE – Festivals

• Major festivals of all ethnic groups are public holidays.

MLS CULTURE – Traditional Arts and Handicrafts

• Malaysia preserves many traditional arts, culture, and handicrafts, performed especially during religious festivals.

MLS CULTURE – Community Events

"- Communities unite for public celebrations such as:
• Chingay Parade in Penang.
• Merdeka Day (Hari Merdeka) on August 31, celebrating independence."

MLS RELIGION – Major Religions

• Three main religions: Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism.

MLS RELIGION – Type of Islam

"- Islam practiced in Malaysia is known as Islam Hadhari, which promotes:
• Open-mindedness
• Tolerance
• Inclusivity
• Hard work
• Honesty"

MLS RELIGION – Holy Book

• The Qur’an is considered the complete book of guidance for mankind.

MLS LITERATURE – Languages Used

"- Malaysian literature is written in four main languages:
• Malay
• English
• Chinese
• Tamil"

MLS LITERATURE – Themes

• Reflects various aspects of Malaysian life.

MLS LITERATURE – Early Influences

"- Early Malay literature was influenced by Indian epics, such as:
• Mahabharata
• Ramayana"

MLS LITERATURE – Islamic Influence

• The Islamic period of literature began with the arrival of Islam in the late 15th century.

MLS LITERATURE – Lost Works

• No literary works from the Hindu period (4th–15th centuries) have survived.

MLS LITERATURE – Traditional Malay Works

• An Anthology of Traditional Malay Literature includes major examples of early writings.

MLS LITERATURE – Mantera (Chant)

• A sacred text or mantra repeated during meditation; believed to carry spiritual power.

MLS LITERATURE – Pantun (Poem)

• A traditional oral form of poetry consisting of a quatrain (4-line stanza) with an ABAB rhyme scheme.

MLS LITERATURE – Syair (Poem)

• A narrative or didactic poem used to express religious, philosophical, or historical themes.

SGP NAME – Temasek

"- Singapore was originally called Temasek (from the Javanese word “tasek”, meaning “sea”).

• Ancient records (Javanese inscriptions and Chinese records, late 14th century) refer to the island as Tumasik or Temasek."

SGP HISTORY – Early Inhabitants

"- Originally inhabited by fishermen and pirates.

• Served as an outpost of the Sumatran Srivijaya empire."

SGP HISTORY – Chola Raids

"- 1025: Rajendra Chola I, ruler of the southern Indian Chola kingdom, attacked the island.

• 1068: Another Chola raid occurred."

SGP HISTORY – Javanese Attack

• 1275: Javanese king Kertanagara likely attacked Temasek during his raid on Pahang on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula.

SGP GEOGRAPHY – Location

• Singapore is a city-state at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, about 85 miles (137 km) north of the Equator.

SGP GEOGRAPHY – Islands

"- Comprises the diamond-shaped Singapore Island and about 60 small islets.

• The main island occupies all but 18 square miles of the total area."

SGP LANGUAGE – Official Languages

• Singapore has four official languages: Malay, Mandarin, Tamil, and English.

SGP LANGUAGE – Bilingual Education

• Most citizens speak two or more languages: usually English, their ethnic mother tongue, and sometimes additional languages.

SGP RELIGION – Diversity

"- Singapore has ten major religions, including Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity.

• Some people follow more than one faith."

SGP RELIGION – Public Holidays

• Public holidays reflect the diverse religious population, including Christian, Muslim, and Indian holidays.

SGP RELIGION – Challenges

• Discrimination is still a problem at times despite the multicultural policy.

SGP LITERATURE – Languages

• Singaporean literature includes works written in English, Malay, Chinese, and Tamil.

SGP LITERATURE – Writers

• Notable writers such as Tan Swie Hian and Kuo Pao Kun have written in multiple languages.

SGP CULTURE – Ethnic Composition

• The population includes ethnic Chinese, Malays, ethnic Indians, and a small number of Eurasians.

SGP CULTURE – Multiculturalism

• Singapore is multiracial and multicultural, which influences its diverse traditional dress and cultural practices.

SGP TRADITIONAL DRESS – Malay Attire

"- Baju Kurung – traditional Malay women’s attire.

• Baju Melayu – traditional Malay men’s attire."

SGP TRADITIONAL DRESS – Chinese Attire

• Cheongsam – traditional Chinese dress for women.

SGP TRADITIONAL DRESS – Indian Attire

• Saris – traditional Indian women’s attire.

SGP TRADITIONAL DRESS – Mixed/Regional Attire

• Sarong Kebaya – traditional attire reflecting regional and mixed cultural influence