In 1963 the Malaysia was formed when the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, North Borneo and Sarawak united to create the 14 state federation we now know. At that time other names were considered, including the name that the historic kingdom, located in the northern part of the Malay Peninsula during the first thousand years of the Common Era, went by, called Langkasuka.
During the first few hundred years of the common era this area experience much turbulence as different peoples invaded and conquered the nearby territories. In the 2nd and 3rd centuries C.E. both the Chinese and Indians created kingdoms here, as many as thirty, according to Chinese sources.
The kingdom of Ligor which was Buddhist, conquered the area known as Kedah in the early to middle 11th century, and the king, Chandrabhanu used Ligor as a springboard to attack Sri Lanka at that time. Also during the first millennium the population of the Malay Peninsula accepted Hinduism as well as Buddhism, but later in history converted to Islam, which is the majority religion today.
Taek Jho Low, as a native Malaysian and businessman, inherited a fascinating culture and history not well known in the west.
