TRAVELER

About the pics

I am sorry if the pics are not too clear. I do not like to carry anything when I am walking around, specially a camera. So I had a tiny camera that could fit in my pocket.

Hi Monda

I am not sure about the Iranians living in Malaysia. Here is an interesting point about Malaysia

Although the country is economically booming, they are suffering from lack of technology and brain drain. The country is way behind in education and health care. Specially education. I would say Iran is at least thirty years a head in technological advances and education. In field of medicine, and production Iran is also way a head. However, economically speaking Malaysia is ten years plus a head of Iran.That's becuase of foreign direct investment in Malaysia.

The reason Iranians are in Malaysia is because Malaysia enjoys a good relation with the Islamic Republic. Malaysia also doesn't have any political relations with Israel. 

Thanks Sid Sarshar and Obama

I am glad that you find the report useful.

Great report

Informative and very beautiful.

1) Do you happen to know the population of Iranians living there?  2) What is the purpose of the above-mentioned spies there? (technological monitoring cannot be it, or is it?)

Dear Abarmand

Thanks for Malaysia 101.  Very informative.  I like this kind of essay, educational and more.

Sid.

Abarmand, Sepaasgozar for your response(s)! Very educational.

As for agents, I assume US is watching Iran (and china) not to acquire any parts for their nuclear... . That explains why the persian food wasn't good. They were not real cooks, and don't need the money. 

There is a commentary in today's LA Times from a chinese American saying to watch for chinese domination of the world. It's good to know a chinese agrees with me. 

Thank you Abarmard! These pictures are fantastic.

And so is Malaysia. It's beautiful. Thanks for sharing. I hope I can go one day too.

About IRI agents in Malaysia-to Farah Rusta

You are correct about the IRI agents. I saw them operating in the "Kabab" restaurant in Kuala Lam Pur, and the cook even came out of the kitchen a few times to "check" out the "situation".

The Agents are in shopping malls, Universities, and streets and some acting as "tourists". I even saw the IRI embassy, which proves your claim that they have diplomats there.

But what is more interesting is that other countries have taken notes from IRI strategy and one can see Indians, Pakistanis, British, Indonesians, Chinese, New Zealanders, and American agents all over the country. I even saw some Military agents from New Zealand doing some agent work with Malaysian Navy! To top the agent issue, I saw many other embassies ranging from Iraq and US (NEXT TO EACH OTHER!!) to Pakistani and British embassy. Agents all over Malaysia ;)

A few points that went amiss

First, there isa huge and  an unmistakable presence of the IRI agents, "diplomats", traders, go-betweens and so on in KL.

Second, the largest and official religion in Mayasia is Islam (Shafei sect) but they were not converted to Islam by force.

And finally the so-called elected monarchy is not elected by the people but by a council of nine local monarchs in a secret ballot and on a 5-year rotational basis.

ps - Reza Shah was an elected monarch

FR

Hi No Fear

The durian is illegal to carry around public places now. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

It sure has changed a lot since 1989.

I was there and took a third class train from KualaLumpur to Singapour in 1989.  I bought the ticket because it was the only fare available for that day. No one told me that the entire trip i had to sit on a bench made of wood in the train!  I felt i would die in the train among the locals whom brought their live stocks with them on train. ( No Air conditions obviously ) LOL

And that strong durian ( sp?) fruit smell. Oh my god... If you know what i mean. Just horrible. My head was out of the train window all the time while my face was bombarded with malaysian insects. I was almost sure that i will end up catching malaria or some unknown diseases. Thanks god the whole trip was only 11 hours!  The train was stopping at each village. Now i look back and it cracks me up. LOL

Overall, i enjoyed the entire trip. Nowdays malaysia is completely different.

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Hi! Abarmard,

     Actually I love Dim Som very much! Thank you for the Dim Som pictures! Sorry that Persian food was no good, you must be a good cook. :O)

    I just read your post to Obama.........a couple of years ago, I read an article in WSJ...the article said that in Indonesia there are 5% Chinese, but Chinese control 60% of Indonesian economy, there are Chinese bankers and Chinese rubber plantation owners.....

   Your essay says that Malaysian government wants to educate the Malay people......it makes sense.....When I was in Graduate school, I had a Chinese Malaysian friend.....she told me that it is hard for Chinese to get scholarship, but easy for Malay people.....

Thank you again for your photo essay!

Dear Yolanda

I did eat in a Persian restaurant there. I had ran out of battery by then and needed to recharge my little camera. However the food was not good.

I ate mostly Chinese because our host were Chinese companies. Almost all of the major manufacturing and international business is ran by Chinese Malaysians.

Dear Obama

-I am not moving there, this was a research related trip.

-The Chinese are truly powerful economic force in Malaysia.

You might be right about 7/11 stores since that picture was taken in "little India". I did not get a chance to take too many pictures to show that their little India looks just like India.

Chinese do even better now that China is booming, since they can use their language and cultural know-how/linkage to bring business to Malaysia. This perhaps works against them in their society, as some of the Chinese told me that they are the "Jews of south east Asia".

What impressed me the most was their ability and openness to speak about their most intimate social issues such as racial divide and wrong policies.

....

Thank you for your photo essay. Very pretty! I heard 100,000 Iranians live in Malaysia, but your photos show mostly of Chinese restaurants and food! :O)

Thank you for sharing!

Merci 4 sharing the photos and they essay!

My cousin who is petro engineer lives there with his family. I always wondered how the place looked like, comes your great photos.

Questions for you Abarmand, if you don't mind! 1. Are you moving back there?  2. Your essay sounded like a research paper. Was the trip job related? 

24% chinese - That explains the China like expansion. I noticed 11 of those high rises were under construction! China is taking over the rest of the Asia by controlling the major businesses, and discriminating against the natives. You can see that in Indonasia, the philipines, Tibet, some African countries.

Of course, the expansion is going all over the world including the US (40% of California universites are chinese who would control the whole state in no time) and canada (Vancouver 50% chinese), especially now that they got the moeny! Thanks to the west!

I know there are resentment by the natives against the chinese. That is why Indonasia forced them to use indonasian names  including last names instead of chinese.

I saw a 7-11 in the photo. I guess, that is owned by the indians. Knowing what I know about the indians - they want to be in charge as well. I can see that can cause another problem for them and chinese. 

Unless, chinese want to share their successes with the natives, I am not sure if the future would be as bright as it looks to a tourist. I wish them the best! 

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Thank you Abarmard jan for sharing ... i liked some of those pics ...

Thanks for Sharing Abarmard Jaan

Thanks for sharing Abarmard jaan,

Lovely Pictures.

Beautiful People and country. Would love to visit it one day too.

Their political system is very interesting indeed:

RESTORATION: Elected Monarchs of Malaysia

However JJ I Don't want to curb your enthusiasm but Not sure everything is as rosey for the country's opposition though :

Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's opposition leader, is on trial for sodomy for a second time. The BBC's Vaudine England investigates the political ramifications.

What the Anwar sodomy trial could mean for Malaysia  (bbc) 18-Feb-2010

It was an interesting country

I was lucky to be able to get information about their health care, education, production and finance from hospitals admins and doctors, CEO of the banks, COO of factories, and University professors. They are very kind and proud of their achievements. I tell you, I felt like Iran would have been very similar if Shah remained in power.

However, things were not as rosy as it appeared. As I got closer to some of those individuals, I began to see a merging divide within the society. How the system will fix this issue would be an interesting story to watch. Regardless, it's a great place with fantastic weather and people.

Democratic monarchy

Thank you so much Abarmard. I've been interested in Malaysia for some time. A couple of my nephews went to university there. But I hardly know anything about that country. All I know is that they have found a way to keep their cultural and religious diversity under a functioning democratic monarchy. It gives me hope. Thanks again.