Suggested formats for collecting agricultural economic data on smallholders agricultural and recommendation for establishing and agricultural economic branch in The Department of Agriculture of Malaysia

Malaysia covers an area of about 130,000 square miles occupying two distinct regions: (1) the Malay Peninsula, and (2) the northwestern coastal area of the Borneo Island. The two regions are separated by about 400 miles of the South China sea. Malaysia lies close to the equator between latitudes 1 and 7 degrees north, and longitudes 100 and 119 degrees east (Figure 1). The average rainfall is between 120-160 inches, and average temperatures vary from 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Relative humidity is generally high. The Malay Peninsula consists essentially of an east and west coastal plain between which the central mountain ranges run roughly north to south. The Borneo Territories consist in general of an alluvial and often swampy coastal plain, more hilly country further inland, and mountain ranges in the interior. The greater part of Malaysia is still covered by dense tropical rain forest, the proportion of forest land being higher in the Borneo Region than in the Malay Peninsula which is more developed. The coastal plains have been cleared, but development is more advanced on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula than elsewhere. The major towns and cities are found in the Malay Peninsula where large areas of land are given to mining, rubber plantings, oil palm, pineapple, and rice cultivation. The population of Malaysia is about 8.3 million according to the census and population estimates of 1961. About 7.2 million people are in Malaya, 0.78 million in Sarawak, and 0.47 million in Sabah. In Malaya, the Malays form about 50 percent of the population, the Chinese 37 percent, the Indians and Pakistanis 11 percent and people of other origins make up the rest. The Chinese are concentrated mostly in the West Coast States, and particularly in the towns and industrial areas. The Malays are predominantly located in the East Coast States and in rural and agricultural areas. The Indians are either town dwellers or workers in rubber estates.