The Malays
The Malays , a Mongoloid people believed to have originated from the meeting of Central Asians with Pacific islanders, first moved to the west coast of the Malaysian Peninsula from Sumatra in early times. But it was the growth in power of the Malay sultanates from the fifteenth century onwards - coinciding with the arrival of Islam - that established Malays as a significant force. They developed an aristocratic tradition, courtly rituals and a social hierarchy which still have an influence today. The main contemporary change for Malays in Malaysia was the introduction, some time after independence, of the bumiputra policy, which was designed to make it easier for the Malays, the Orang Asli of the Peninsula, and the Malay-related indigenous groups in Sarawak and Sabah, to compete in economic and educational fields against the high-achieving Chinese and Indians. But as the policy has developed, it's only really been the Malays who have gained, taking most of the top positions in government and in state companies.
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