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Malaysia

country in Southeast Asia

68 dated entries naming Malaysia, drawn from 47 separate years between 2500 BCE and 2025 CE. Nothing here is written by us: each line is the sentence a Wikipedia year article used, and the link beside it opens the exact revision.

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25th century BC

  • 2500 BCEc. 2500 BC: Rice was first introduced to what is now modern-day Malaysiasource

6th century BC

12th century

  • 1136Sultan Mudzaffar Shah I establishes the Kedah Sultanate at Qodah Darul Aman (modern-day Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia).source

14th century

  • 1400Prince Parameswara establishes the Malacca Sultanate, in present-day western Malaysia and northern Sumatra.source

15th century

  • 1423August 2 – Ataullah Muhammad Shah I begins a 50-year reign as the Sultan of Kedah in what is now Malaysia, following the death of his father, Sulaiman Shah I, who had reigned for 50 years after becoming Sultan in 1373.source
  • 1432August 3 – The Ming Chinese expedition arrives at Malacca in what is now Malaysia and stays until September 2.source
  • 1475September 17 – At the royal capital, Pekan, Ahmad Shah I of Pahang becomes the new Sultan of Pahang (now one of the federal states within Malaysia) upon the death of his younger brother, Muhammad Shahsource

16th century

  • 1511July 25 – Afonso de Albuquerque of Portugal, Governor of Portuguese India, begins an assault on the strategic city of Malacca (now part of Malaysia) and captures it by August 15.source
  • 1511August 15 – (21 Jumada I 917 AH) Capture of Malacca: Afonso de Albuquerque of Portugal conquers Malacca, the capital of the Sultanate of Malacca, giving Portugal control over the Strait of Malacca, through which all sea-going trade between China and India is concentrated. The Sultanate then establishes rule from Johor, starting decades of skirmishes against the Portuguese to regain the fallen city. While taking the city, the Portuguese slaughter a large community of Chinese merchants living there. Malacca is the first city in Southeast Asia to be taken by a Western nation, gaining home rule only in 1957, when it becomes part of Malaysia.source
  • 1547December 6 – The Battle of Perlis River is fought between the Portuguese Navy and the navy of the Aceh Sultanate (now a province of Indonesia) at the Perlis River in Malaysia. With nine light warships and 230 soldiers, the Portuguese sink or capture 45 of the 60 ships of Aceh vessel leave 4,000 of their 5,380 soldiers dead or missing.source

17th century

  • 1697July 27 – Mahmud Shah II, the Sultan of Johor and Pahang (now part of Malaysia) takes on full power upon the death of the regent, the Bendahara Paduka Raja. Mahmud II was only 10 years old when he became the Sultan upon the assassination of his father, Ibrahim Shah in 1685.source

19th century

  • 1857Kuala Lumpur, the future capital of Malaysia, is founded as a tin mining settlement.source
  • 1880Fietas, Johannesburg is known as the 'Malay Location'. Its population is mainly 'coloured', 'Cape coloured', and Malay.source

20th century

  • 1957August 31 – The Federation of Malaya gains independence from the United Kingdom, subsequently celebrated as Malaysia's National Day. Abdul Rahman of Negeri Sembilan, Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, becomes the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaya. The country's new Constitution had come into force on August 27. The Alliance Party and its successor are the ruling coalition until 2018.source
  • 1960April 1 – Abdul Rahman of Negeri Sembilan, 1st Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaya (modern-day Malaysia), dies in office. He is replaced by Hisamuddin Alam Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah, Sultan of Selangor.source
  • 1961May 27 – Tunku Abdul Rahman, Prime Minister of Malaya, holds a press conference in Singapore, announcing his idea to form the Federation of Malaysia, comprising Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, Brunei and North Borneo (Sabah).source
  • 1963May – A&W's first store in Asia Pacific and Malaysia opened at Kuala Lumpur's Batu Road.source
  • 1963September 16 – Malaysia is formed through the merging of the Federation of Malaya and the British crown colony of Singapore, North Borneo (renamed Sabah) and Sarawak.source
  • 196316 September – The Federation of Malaysia was formed through the merging of the Federation of Malaya and the British crown colonies of North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore.source
  • 196316 September – Malaysia is formed from Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore.source
  • 1963September 18 – Rioters burn down the British Embassy in Jakarta, to protest the formation of Malaysia.source
  • 1965August 7 – Tunku Abdul Rahman, Prime Minister of Malaysia, recommends the expulsion of Singapore from the Federation of Malaysia following a deterioration of PAP–UMNO relations, negotiating its separation with Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister of Singapore.source
  • 1965August 9 – Proclamation of Singapore: Singapore is expelled from the Federation of Malaysia, which recognises it as a sovereign nation. Lee Kuan Yew announces Singapore's independence and assumes the position of Prime Minister of the new island nation – a position he holds until 1990.source
  • 19659 August – Singapore was expelled from the Federation of Malaysia.source
  • 1966May 28 – The Indonesian and Malaysian governments declare that the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation is over (a treaty is signed on August 11).source
  • 196628 May – The Malaysian and Indonesian governments declared that the confrontation was over. The peace treaty was signed in Bangkok, Thailand.source
  • 1969May 13 – May 13 Incident: Race riots occur in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.source
  • 196913 May – Ethnic riots break out in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which later spill over to Singapore.source
  • 19696 October – Sultan Muhammad V, 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysiasource
  • 1972February – Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom made her first official visit to Malaysia. She visited General Hospital at Kota Kinabalu. The hospital was then renamed in her honour (Hospital Queen Elizabeth). It is the only hospital in Malaysia named after her.source
  • 1972March – Lee Kuan Yew's first visit to Malaysia after Singapore's separation from Malaysia on August 9 1965.source
  • 1973February – KFC Malaysia opened its first restaurant at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur.source
  • 1974February 1 – Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, is declared a Federal Territory.source
  • 197428 May – Malaysia established diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China. Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak visited China for the first time and met Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing.source
  • 1975September 20 – The term of Tuanku Al-Mutassimu Billahi Muhibbudin Sultan Abdul Halim Al-Muadzam Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah, as the 5th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, ends.source
  • 1975September 21 – Sultan Yahya Petra ibni Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim Petra of Kelantan, becomes the 6th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.source
  • 1975October 31 – Tun Mustapha resigns as Chief Minister of Sabah, a state in Malaysia, bringing to an end speculation that he would attempt to lead secession for Sabah to become an independent nation.source
  • 1976June 6 – The Double Six Crash, a plane crash in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, kills everyone on board, including Sabahan Chief Minister Tun Fuad Stephens.source
  • 1977December 4 – Malaysian Airline System Flight 653 is hijacked and crashes in Tanjung Kupang, Johor, Malaysia, killing all 100 passengers and crew on board.source
  • 1979March 29 – Sultan Yahya Petra of Kelantan, the 6th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Head of State) of Malaysia, dies in office. He is replaced by Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang.source
  • 1982January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00).source
  • 1984April 26 – Sultan Iskandar of Johor becomes Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, in succession to Sultan Ahmad Shah, whose term ended the previous day.source
  • 198510 July – The first Malaysian national car Proton Saga was officially launched by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad with the first cars coming off from the production line in July 9.source
  • 198712 April – The murder of Ang May Hong happened in Jalan Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysiasource
  • 198811 March – The Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque in Shah Alam, Selangor was fully constructed. This is the largest mosque in Malaysia.source
  • 1988July – Opening of the Sultan Ismail Power Station in Paka, Terengganu, the largest power station in Malaysia.source
  • 1988July 31 – Thirty-two people are killed and 1,674 injured when a bridge at the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry terminal collapses in Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia.source
  • 1988August 5 – The 1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis culminates in the ousting of the Lord President of Malaysia, Salleh Abas.source
  • 198919 January – Planetarium Sultan Iskandar in Kuching, Sarawak, the first planetarium in Malaysia was officially opened.source
  • 1989April 26 – Sultan Azlan Muhibbudin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Yusuff Izzudin Shah Ghafarullahu-lahu, Sultan of Perak, becomes the 9th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, succeeding Baginda Almutawakkil Alallah Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail.source
  • 199320 November – AirAsia, Malaysia's first low-cost carrier was established.source
  • 1993December 11 – One of the three blocks of the Highland Towers near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia collapses, killing 48.source
  • 1994April 25 – Sultan Azlan Muhibbudin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Yusuff Izzudin Shah Ghafarullahu-lahu ends his term as the 9th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.source
  • 1994April 26 – Tuanku Jaafar ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, becomes the 10th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.source
  • 1995July – The Tengku Tengah Zaharah Mosque in Kuala Terengganu was fully constructed. This was the first floating mosque in Malaysia.source
  • 199723 May – M. Magendran (11.55 am) and N. Mohanadas (12.10 pm) were the first Malaysians to reach the peak of Mount Everest.source
  • 199827 June – Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang was officially opened as the main international airport in Malaysia, replacing Subang International Airport in Subang.source
  • 1999April 26 – Sultan Salahuddin of Selangor becomes the 11th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.source

21st century

  • 2004January 6 - Pakistan is cited as the source of nuclear weapon technology supplied to Libya, Iran and North Korea. The components intercepted at sea by Italy en route to Libya were fabricated in Malaysia. There is no evidence that the Pakistani government of President Pervez Musharraf knew about the transfer of technology of Libya.source
  • 2004December 26 – The 9.1–9.3 Mw Indian Ocean earthquake shakes northern Sumatra with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). One of the largest observed tsunamis follows, affecting coastal areas of Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Somalia, the Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Indonesia, killing 227,000 people.source
  • 2007February 12 – a tri-nation deal has been signed to protect 200,000 square kilometres of rainforest on the island of Borneo. Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei pledged to protect the area, known as the 'Heart of Borneo'. It is considered one of the most important sites of biodiversity in the world, home to thousands of species.source
  • 2008May 21 – The International Court of Justice awards Middle Rocks to Malaysia and Pedra Branca to Singapore, ending a 29-year territorial dispute between the two countries.source
  • 2013Arafat Mohammad flees Myanmar by boat to Malaysia after being targeted for assisting assault victims.source
  • 2015469 Rohingya from Myanmar on two boats reach western Indonesia have been turned away by the Indonesian Navy. Rohingya and Bangladeshi refugees also arrive in Malaysia but are detained. The Myanmar Navy rescues two boats with 208 migrants during international pressure to make the Rohingya citizens of Burma to end the refugee crisis.source
  • 2022January 1 – The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the largest free trade area in the world, comes into effect for Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.source
  • 2023August 17 – A Beechcraft 390 Premier I business jet crashes onto an expressway interchange near Elmina, Selangor, Malaysia, killing 10 people.source
  • 2024January 31 – Sultan of Johor Ibrahim Iskandar ascends the throne as the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.source
  • 2025November 26 – Cyclone Senyar causes at least 1,390 deaths and leaves 186 missing in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.source

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