Malaysian Festivals Planned

Malaysia, a developing nation marked by stunning geographical, cultural and culinary diversities, is reaching toward tourism as a new source of wealth.

After neighboring Thailand’s highly successful 1987 Visit Thailand Year, Malaysians proclaimed 1990 Visit Malaysia Year. As an incentive to attract tourist dollars, the country has added special celebrations to a calendar already crowded with festivals, feasts, dances and cultural and sports events.

So this may be a good year to make Malaysia a destination in itself, rather than just a stop on the Asian circuit.

Slightly larger than New Mexico, peninsular Malaysia reaches south from Thailand to Singapore, with two states--Sabah and Sarawak--on Borneo, the world’s third-largest island.

Separated by the Strait of Malacca from Indonesia on the west, it is blessed with vast riches in rubber (35% of the world’s output), tin (same percentage) and crude oil, and also produces palm oil, copra, rice and pepper in exportable amounts.

The man on the street in Malaysia may be Malay Chinese, Indian or European (the peninsula was under British rule for 90 years to 1957, so English is widely spoken). This ensures a mixed bag of annual festivals: 15 major ones and countless lesser celebrations.

In addition to these regular holidays, this year more than 90 events and exhibitions will be staged throughout the country, designed to show off Malaysia’s cultural heritage.

From now through March 15, Taman Negara, the 50-year-old national park, will be the site of exhibitions of aboriginal culture as well as fishing, canoeing, rafting, and mountain-climbing competitions.

Here are the highlights, month by month:

On April 8, the Sultan of Johor’s birthday will be celebrated with dances, music, shadow plays, and traditional games; 10,000 runners will race through the tree-lined streets in the Kuala Lumpur International Marathon. May brings the Penang International Boat Festival and the Royal Malaysian Navy Fleet Review.

From May through August on the beaches near Terengganu on the east coast, turtle watching is in season as the giant leatherbacks come ashore to lay their eggs. Giant tops spin for hours on June 15-17 in the National Top Spinning Competition in Kuala Terengganu.

From July 22 to Aug. 5, the old Portuguese port of Malacca will hold its 600th Anniversary Celebrations and Cultural Week, with historical shows, a carnival, songs and dances.

August will be National Handicraft Month in Alor Setar in the far north, a chance to see and shop for handmade treasures, and Aug. 31 is National Day, a commemoration of independence. In September, Kuala Lumpur hosts the Malaysia Fest ’90 (food, festivities in leading hotels and shopping centers). From Oct. 1-7, you can watch the Malay art of self-defense in Ipoh’s National Silat Championship, and from Nov. 7-14, Cameron Highlands will stage the Highland Flower and Agricultural Festival. End the year in December at the monthlong Penang Festival with its dragon boat races and giant flag shows. For information on tours within the country (some providing flights from Los Angeles on Malaysia Airlines), a calendar of events and other information, contact the Malaysia Tourist Information Center, 818 West 7th St., Suite 804, Los Angeles 90017, (213) 689-9702.