Heard of an Indian delicacy called roti canai? Never mind, but let me tell you that this dish (pronounced chinai)—something like a lachcha paratha served with dal or a non-veg curry—is among the most popular items in Malaysia. The roti canai was just one of the Indian connections I sensed in this South-East Asian country. Besides which there were the palms and plantain trees that dot the Indian landscapes. Take the Malaysian obsession with Shah Rukh Khan and the squat-style public toilets, and you have the complete picture. More striking than the similarities though, are the differences because, to me at least, so much of Malaysia is what India ought to be. Though the capital Kuala Lumpur suffers from rush-hour traffic snarls, it’s also dotted with the usual signs of a developed country—towering buildings, smooth roads, and shopping centres the size of many Indian malls combined. What also struck me is the seriousness with which Malaysia treats tourism—its second highest source of revenue. While India has been able to sell little more than the Taj Mahal to tourists, Malaysia has moved on from the Petronas twin towers—at 452 metres, the tallest building in the world—to tout native fruits like the jackfruit. Can anyone imagine India soliciting tourists through the jamun, leave alone the Alphonso? While the place has lots to offer fruit lovers, with its hairy rambutans and the you-hate-it-or-love-it durian, the streetside eateries also grabbed my attention. They have their version of a buffet, which lets you pile up five seafood delicacies over a plateful of rice for three ringit or Rs 36. Wildlife conservation is as important as tourism, a fact that came to notice on my trips to wildlife sanctuaries in Sabah. Sabah is in Borneo and belongs partly to both Indonesia and Brunei. Anyway, out there in Sandakan, a small town on the east coast, you have the Labuk Bay Proboscis Sanctuary, where a chat with a tourist guide showed me how privatisation goes beyond toll roads in Malaysia. The proboscis monkey, a protected animal in the country, is looked after by a private oil palm plantation company. The company has even built a hotel in the forest. Another interesting place is the Kinabalu Park at the foothills of the 4,095-metre-tall Mount Kinabalu. I spotted varieties of orchids, rhododendrons and the insectivorous pitcher plant. Mount Kinabalu is what gives Sabah’s capital its name of Kota Kinabalu. A day at the A’Famosa Resort in Melaka state revealed how even man-made destinations can be tourist attractions. The resort is a contrast to the main Melaka city which still retains an old Portuguese ambience. And apart from a neat golf course, there’s even a mock cowboy town. The local Filipino market gave me a chance to test my bargaining skills. It has been set up by refugees from the Philippines and besides sarongs and T-shirts, it also sells rattan baskets, beaded jewellery, wooden trays and shell-framed mirrors. Very much like Indian stuff, I thought, just before I saw a set of three wooden monkeys, displayed at most shops. The three monkeys associated with Mahatma Gandhi. Well, if the world is a global village, India and Malaysia live next door to each other.
