Bunga Raya : The Hibiscus

The National Flower

The Hibiscus “Bunga Raya”

The national flower of Malaysia is the hibiscus, or bunga raya. The flower is found in abundance throughout the country, and for this very reason, was chosen to be the national flower (in 1960) by Malaysia’s first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. There are many varieties of the hibiscus, but the five-petaled Hibiscus rosa sinensis was chosen above the others, as the most symbolically relevant. The five petals of the bunga raya symbolize the (the Five Principles of Nationhood), while the color red represents courage. It is believed that the flower first arrived in Malaysia via trade from its original home in the Far East sometime before the 12th century.

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20 Apr 07 | Gallery | Read on | Comment (1)

Windy Terengganu shores and Keropok Lekor

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Terengganu Beaches

Terengganu lies on the east coast of peninsular Malaysia, toward the north but not reaching the Thai border. Scuba divers go there, especially to a couple of islands. The long, quiet mainland beaches remain unspoiled. The state as a whole is rural and mostly undeveloped. Malaysians tell foreigners to visit Terengganu and the neighboring state Kelantan to see the Malay kampung (village) way of life.

Most Malay men wear songket at their wedding, wrapped around their waist like the short (above-the-knee) sarong they wear with baju melayu (a silky pajama-like suit of long pants and long-sleeved shirt, buttoned to the throat). For normal wear, the men’s sarong is cotton plaid rather than songket. Women sometimes wear sarong made from songket, but as it is quite expensive and the top half of a woman’s sarong is hidden by her baju (shirt or blouse), this is not very common.

Keropok lekor comes in two forms: a cracker or chip that is thin and deep fried, and a chewy hot dog that is boiled. Either one can be dipped in a very tasty red-brown sauce (a little like a bottled hickory-smoke barbecue sauce in the U.S.), but the sauce (tamarind, chili, sugar, vinegar) is definitely required for the sausage. Both the chip and the sausage have an unappetizing dark gray color, like fish scales. “Keropok” means “cracker,” and many varieties are available all over Malaysia. Some are very mild and some are expremely fishy in flavor. The color can be white, orangey, or brown. I have not been able to find a definition for “lekor.”

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20 Apr 07 | Gallery, Interesting Places | Read on | Comment (1)

Beach of Balok, Pahang

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Beach of Balok, Pahang

Balok beach is about 15km north of Kuantan and is a paradise for avid wind surfers. Truly perfect and serene with soothing tropical breezes, swaying casuarinas, and unending white sands in harmony with the azure blue sea. Relaxation is never easier.

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20 Apr 07 | Gallery, Interesting Places | Read on | Comment (1)