The federation of fourteen states that comprises Malaysia was formed in 1962. A country of mountains and jungles where the blowpipe is as common as the television antenna, Malaysia is rapidly emerging as a modern nation of Southeast Asia. As with many of its neighbors, Malaysia's recent history has been marred by violence and social upheaval. Settled by the British, conquered by the Japanese, torn by internal strife in the form of “the Emergency”1 and still later threatened by confrontation with Indonesia—a self-identity has been difficult to achieve. Surmounting all these obstacles, Malaysia has emerged a one of the most progressive countries of the East. Thus it is interesting for us as mathematical educators to examine mathematics education in such a developing nation.