About 500 years ago, Malaysia was the crossroads of the world. Those were the days of the Melaka Empire, when Melaka, a port town on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, ruled the region and controlled the global flow of trade between East and West. (The Straits of Malacca is still one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.)

Today, Malaysia is again emerging as one of the world's important meeting points. Malaysia has played host to, and even chaired, many international conventions, such as the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, Asia Pacific Life Insurance Council Congress, Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmalogy Congress, FIGO World Congress of Gynecology & Obstetrics, World's Savings Banks Institute's World Congress, and the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, Post-Ministerial Conferences and ASEAN Regional Forum, as well as many world entertainment and sporting events.