•In the archipelago, too, the widespread use of Malay and an acceptance of the Islamic faith fostered continuing interaction between many coastal trading centres. The travels of ancestors, heroes, kings and religious teachers between courts which shared basic cultural elements is a recurring theme in local legends.
•With this kind of exchange it was possible for some Malays to see themselves as part of a culture which extended beyond narrow loyalties.
•the similarities which helped to draw many Southeast Asian communities into a mutually beneficial association and competition are trade and control resources