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| About Malaysia |
GENERAL INFORMATION
ABOUT MALAYSIA The country of Malaysia comprises 13 states and two
federal territories - Kuala Lumpur and Labuan (an island off the coast
of Sabah). The country of Malaysia is split between West (or Peninsula)
Malaysia and East Malaysia. Peninsula Malaysia is connected to the Southern
Thailand and is adjacent to the island nation of Singapore in the south. East
Malaysia consists of the states of Sabah and Sarawak, located on the northern
part of the island of Borneo, which is shared by Malaysia with Brunei and
Indonesia.
The government is based on parliamentary
democracy. The head of the government, the Prime Minister heads the Cabinet
of Ministers. Nine of the states also have a hereditary ruler respectively from
which the Supreme Head of State, the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong (King) is elected
every five years. The Agong is a constitutional monarch and functions in
roughly the same way as the Queen of Great Britain. Malaysia is 8
hours ahead of GMT.
Malaysia’s climate is
easily described as hot and wet. Malaysia lies between one and seven degrees
north of the Equator. The country has a tropical climate where the
average temperature is around 27°C. However, temperature in the highlands can
drop to about 18°C. Annual rainfall is heavy at 2500mm (100 inches) and rains
on average of 200 days a year. Rain frequently occurs in the late afternoon and
evenings. Frequently, thunder and lightning often accompany a heavy downpour,
which normally lasts for about an hour or two.
Malaysia has a high
humidity level, averaging 80% throughout the year. Due to this, your wardrobe
should consist mainly of light and sweat-absorbent material like
cotton or linen. Malaysia has two distinct seasons, hot & dry
(less rain) and hot & wet (more rain, slightly cooler temperatures due to
the rain). The dry season occurs during the southwest monsoon from May to
September. The northeast monsoon comes during mid-November till March, which
brings the rainy season (monsoon) to the country. However, it rains even during
the dry season, there’s just less of it. It never hurts to carry a small
umbrella that can fit into your backpack with you whenever you are out.
(Kindly visit these websites: http://allmalaysia.info & http://www.geographia.com/malaysia for more information about Malaysia)
(Kindly visit these websites: http://allmalaysia.info & http://www.geographia.com/malaysia for more information about Malaysia)
THE PEOPLE
The population of
Malaysia currently stand at over 29 million. The country offers a diverse
mix of peoples, cultures, and religions. The Malays, Chinese, Indians and other
indigenous tribes make up the population. The Malays along with the oldest
indigenous peoples they form a group called bumiputra, (which
translates as “sons” or “princes of the soil.”), comprise 58% of Malaysia’s
population, with the Chinese making up 24 %, and the Indians at 8%. The
other smaller groups make up the other 10%. Included in the 10%
are also the Eurasians, where their European ancestors settled down in
Malaysia centuries ago and married the locals.
Due to the long
history of immigration in Malaysia, don’t be surprised to find that there are
many Chinese and Indians who do not know how to speak their so-called
“mother tongue” and there are also some who are fluent in another race’s
language and dialect. Each culture in its own has a separate and distinct way
of life. Yet, it is the interaction between each individual group that actually
creates the unique fusion of the Malaysian culture.
Islam is the official
religion of Malaysia, but other religions are practised freely. Much of
Malaysia’s cultural diversity stems from religion and religious festivals.
SELANGOR
Selangor is Malaysia’s
most developed and prosperous state. It lies on the central west coast of
Peninsula Malaysia. The state capital is Shah Alam. The Federal Territory of
Kuala Lumpur (KL) is located in the centre of Selangor. Petaling Jaya (PJ) is
one of the biggest city in Selangor. Life College, along with many other
colleges are located in PJ. PJ is one of the most popular residential areas in
Malaysia, thanks to its proximity to both KL and Shah Alam. The Klang Valley
area, consisting of KL, PJ, Shah Alam and Klang, is the largest urban region in
Malaysia, with a population of over 3 million people living in the area. This
also makes the Klang Valley the most developed and mordernized part of
Malaysia.
GENERAL MALAYSIAN
SOCIAL ETIQUETTES
When greeting
another person, it is common practise to shake hands when you are first
introduced to the person. You should call beforehand when you want to
visit someone.
It is customary for
Malaysians to remove their shoes before entering someone’s home. Some people
leave their shoes outside, others choose to place their shoes inside, next to
the door. A quick glance will let you know which to do, but if you are
uncertain, don’t hesitate to ask the host.
If you are uncertain
what is acceptable behaviour or speech, be sure to ask beforehand, it could
save you a lot of embarrassment and confusion.
LANGUAGE
Bahasa Malaysia or
Malay, is the country’s official language and is spoken by practically
all Malaysians. Each race also speaks specific languages indigenous to them –
the Chinese speaks Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien, and other dialects while the
Indians generally speak Tamil, Hindi, Punjabi, and other dialects. Indigenous
tribal peoples generally communicate in Bahasa Malaysia as well as their tribal
dialect. English is also widely used as a second language and generally spoken
in cities and major towns by every race.
When it comes to
writing down and reading the dates, Malaysia follows the day / month /
year format. If you are uncertain of the format, just write out the month in
full.
FOOD AND DINING
Food and eating seems
to be a central part of Malaysian life and culture. It has become a form of
greeting. Instead of asking “How are you?”, sometimes, you may hear Malaysians
ask “Have you eaten?”. Malaysia’s rich racial and cultural diversity is
reflected in the mind-boggling variety of foods. You can find all kinds
of food, from Mediterranean to Thai to Japanese. Each culture has foods
indigenous to its race and religion, including some unique fusion foods like
Nyonya and Malaysian Portuguese. Due to Malaysia’s tropical weather, the
country is also home to colourful array of juicy and unique fruits. Different
months will produce different types of fruits, depending on the season. From
the juicy red rambutan to the thorny, fragrant (or smelly depending on the
person) durian to the giant green jackfruits, you’ll find something you’ll
like. Malaysia is truly a haven (or heaven as some visitors have said) for food
lovers and gourmands.
Eateries in Malaysia
range from fine dining restaurants in posh hotels to roadside food stalls. Food
courts, restaurants, and fast food joints are usually found in shopping
complexes. Then, there are the hawker centres that can be found
practically everywhere in Malaysia and serve a wide range of food. There are
also Mamak (Indian Muslim) stalls which serve halal (food that is safe for
muslims to eat) food and many are open only at night or open 24 hours. The
mamak stalls are very popular among the students who frequently gather there
for supper and to watch major sports events on the television at the stall.
For those of you who
are not used to spicy and/or greasy food, you may find yourself making frequent
visits to the toilet. You will want to slowly familiarize yourself with
Malaysian food until you get used to the food.
The cost of a simple
meal at the hawkers, mamak stalls or food courts will come up to around RM6
inclusive of a drink. Restaurants are slightly more expensive, ranging from RM8
to RM20, depending on what you order.
COST OF LIVING
The cost of living in
Malaysia is low. As it will cost less than RM18 per day for 3 meals, you should
not have a problem with finances if you live within a reasonable budget.
Clothes, shoes, and other Malaysian-made products are well within your budget,
especially during sale. Basic clothes like a normal T-shirt can cost around
RM15 to RM 30, depending on the brand. There are even night markets (pasar
malam), which sell everything, including clothes, a wide range of food (raw and
cooked), kitchenware, jewellery, etc. Of course, the quality of what you buy is
related to how much you pay for it. Imported products and famous brand
names are available but are more expensive. Be careful if you think the bargain
is too good to be true, it usually is. There are quite a number of imitation
goods sold at the pasar malams and other street vendors like Petaling Street
(KL’s Chinatown). So be sure to check the quality before you buy. ‘Caveat
Emptor‘ – Let the buyer beware.
For the truly elite
brands like Tiffany and Co., Gucci, Armani, etc; they can be found in
major shopping complexes like KLCC, Mid-Valley Megamall, Starhill, Gardens, 1
Utama, Pavillion etc.
MONEY AND CURRENCY
Currency in Malaysia
is called Ringgit Malaysia (RM) and sen (100 sen equals 1 Ringgit). The
Malaysian currency is differentiated not only by size but also colour. The
denominations of the notes are :1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100. Denomination of 2 is
not printed anymore but some can still be found in circulation. With the
different colours and sizes, it will be easy for you to adjust quickly to using
Malaysian currency.
The coins are slightly
different. Coins are denominated in 5, 10, 20 and 50 sen. The 5 sen coin is the
smallest and thinnest coin, smaller than even the 1 sen coin. The rest of the
coins are proportional in size to their value. Some confusion between the 20
sen coin and the 50 sen coin may arise when you are in a hurry or in a dark
place searching for change. Be sure to check carefully before you pay for your
goods.
The exchange rate is
presently pegged at RM 3.40 to US$ 1.00. Due to the pegging of the
Ringgit to the US Dollar, it may be difficult for some students to change
money before entering Malaysia. Students from ASEAN countries (Association of
South East Asian Nations) should not face this problem. For those who have
difficulty changing money, we suggest using US dollars, credit cards and / or
travellers’ cheques to ensure that money won’t be a problem upon arrival in
Malaysia. There are plenty of authorized money changers and banks where you can
exchange your foreign currency, US dollars and/or travellers cheques into
Ringgit. Credit cards are widely accepted among departmental stores, hotels,
restaurants, and travel agencies.
We highly recommend
that every student open a bank account. There are several banks to choose from,
but their services to students who just want to open a savings account are
basically the same. You should choose a bank based on how near the bank is to
where you live, near the college and the availability of ATMs (automated teller
machines) in both the areas.
The banking hours in
most states are Mondays to Fridays 9:00-4:30 pm, 2nd and
4th Saturdays of the month 9:30-12:00 noon, and closed on Sundays and
public holidays. In certain states, banks are closed on Fridays and Saturdays.
A few banks even open on certain Sundays of the month. You will need to check
out the times yourself.
There are some
differences in the types of accounts in Malaysia compared to overseas :
·
Current Account
In Malaysia, it is
difficult to open a current account. You not only need to have an introducer,
but also quite a large sum of money to get approval for this type of account.
There is a new form of
current account called i-accounts where you can get a cheque book for a minimal
fee and deposit a minimum of RM500 to open the account. No introducer is needed
and your bank statements will only appear online. Only a few major banks
currently offer this option.
·
Savings Account
This is one of the
most common accounts for students and young people. It is the easiest account
to open and money withdrawals are pretty hassle free. You can opt to apply for
an ATM card, which allows you to withdraw money at most machines throughout
Malaysia. You will also be issued a savings passbook.
If you need a bank
account that has international branches all over the world, HSBC, Standard
Charted, Citibank are just some of the international banks that have
established branches here in Malaysia. For these banks, you will need at least
RM 1000 to open a savings account. Most of them will require more than
RM1000. You will have to contact the banks about the various services
they offer and the fees they charge.
Currency Declaration Since 1997, Malaysia has required both
resident and non-resident travellers who carry large amounts of currency to
declare the amount they carry.
For all non-resident
traveller bringing in more than US$2500. Non-residents must also obtain
permission and declare Ringgit exceeding RM1000 when leaving or entering the
country. Failure to declare your currency notes is an offence. Declaration
forms can be obtained on the airplane or at the airport upon arrival and should
be completed prior to arrival or departure. The customs officials will not only
check your luggage, but will also check your currency declaration form.
WATER
The water in most
parts of Malaysia is safe to drink straight from the tap, although,
depending on which area of the country you live, you are generally advised to
either boil the water or use a water filtration system before drinking. Filters
for the taps are relatively cheap, ranging from RM 50 to RM100. A cheaper
alternative would be to just buy a big kettle. Bottled water is easily
available in most shops and supermarkets. A 500ml bottle will cost around
RM1.20 to RM2.00, depending on the brand and if it is plain drinking water or
mineral water.
ELECTRICITY
The electrical current
is 220-240 volts AC at 50 cycles per second.
Electrical plugs used
here fall under two categories :
‘B’ Pattern – 2 round
pins usually used by audio-visual electrical appliances
‘C’ Pattern – 3
rectangular prongs
Please check for
compatibility before bringing your electrical appliances with you.
POSTAL SERVICES
Post offices are open
from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Mondays to Fridays, 8:00 am – 12:00 noon on Saturdays,
and closed on Sundays and public holidays (For the states of Kedah, Kelantan,
and Terengganu, the post offices close on Fridays and public holidays).
Mail is delivered
daily, Mondays through Saturdays. Letters overseas may take anywhere from 1 to
2 weeks to arrive, depending on the country. A postcard sent internationally,
with the exception of nearby Asian countries, will cost RM 0.50. Packages sent
overseas can be brought to any post office to be weighed and mailed.
The post office in
Malaysia also serves as a payment collection centre for many government and
government-linked agencies. All phone, electricity, and water bills can be paid
at the post office. The post office also offers telegram, telex, and fax
services
INTERNET FACILITIES
In the Klang Valley,
broadband internet access is widely available. The basic 56k modem access
is available anywhere that has regular telephone line access. You will need to
sign up with a broadband internet service provider for broadband access. The
College has 2 computer labs that have a 1 megabit broadband line. There are
many Internet and email facilities available for public use. Cyber-cafes
are everywhere and cost a mere RM 2.00 – RM 5.00 an hour (about 79 cents –
US$ 1.30). Note that there is also an internet facility at the hostel while the
College has 1Megabit line
TELEPHONE SERVICES
Local calls can be
made from public phones, whether they are coin or card operated, with a minimum
payment of 10 sen. International calls can be made from phone booths with card
phone facilities, any Telekom (Malaysia’s telephone company) offices, or from a
home phone. You will have to purchase a prepaid phone card to make an
international call from a public phone. Discount rates for international calls
differs from country to country. To get directory information or an operator,
dial 103.
The country code for
calling into Malaysia is 6 followed by the city code (03 for Kuala Lumpur /
Petaling Jaya) and then the phone numbers (7 or 8-digit number).
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
There are public
buses, trains, and taxis available for people to get around in
Malaysia. There is also the newly developed LRT (Light Rail Transit) and
Monorail train system. From the LRT stops, you can board one of the
feeder buses or taxis for your destination. There are 2 buses that stop
near Life College. They are the white, blue and red Putra LRT line feeder buses
and the blue, yellow and red Triton buses. Both buses will take you to the
Taman Jaya LRT station.
There are plenty of
taxis available in Klang Valley. You can hail a taxi at bus stops or wait in
line at taxi stands. Taxi stands are usually found outside big shopping
centres, train and bus stations, airports and LRT stations. One can also
call for a taxi to pick you up but it will cost you a RM1 surcharge. Taxi
drivers need not be tipped. When taking a taxi, check that the meter is running
and pay the taxi driver according to the fare displayed in the meter. Toll
charges will be added to the fare if the taxi route takes you past a toll gate.
Taxis in major cities
are usually fitted with meters. The rates are currently at RM2 for the first
two kilometres and 10 sen for every subsequent 200 metres. However, there’s a
surcharge of 50% levied between midnight and 6am.
TIPPING
The custom of tipping
is not practised in Malaysia. To tip or not depends entirely on you. Most
hotels and large restaurants have already included a 10% service charge in addition
to the 6% government tax to the bill (indicated by the ++ sign on menus and
rate cards) so tipping is unnecessary.
VACCINATIONS
The only vaccinations
that are suggested for Malaysia are those against Malaria and Typhoid, but only
if you see yourself going out of the urban centres or making extended trips to
East Malaysia. If you enjoy seafood, especially cockles and other shellfish, it
is highly advisable that you get vaccination against Hepatitis A & B.
Otherwise, the Klang Valley area is safe against such diseases.
NOTE: Students from South America or sub-Saharan African countries
will need to get a yellow fever vaccination before arriving in Malaysia. You
will need to produce a medical certificate confirming when you got the vaccine
at the Immigration check point. Please check with the Malaysian Embassy in your
country to confirm if you need a vaccine. Failure to do so will mean that you
will have to spend up to 14 days in quarantine at the airport.
Medical Services
Medical services are
available in cities and most towns at government-run hospitals and
private clinics. Doctors and specialists are well-trained and speak good
English.
If you need medical
care, there are private clinics in the cities and most towns. You may want to
buy medical/health insurance before coming to Malaysia as Malaysia does not
have reciprocal health service agreements with other countries. Depending on
the exchange rate, it may be cheaper for you to buy health/medical insurance
here in Malaysia.
For over-the-counter
prescriptions, there are modern pharmacies and Chinese ‘medical halls’ for more
traditional herbal remedies. If you are on medication before you arrive in
Malaysia, it is highly recommended that you bring a copy of your prescriptions
in English with you.
If you are unused to
the humid climate of the tropics, you may suffer from cases of
dehydration and sunburn. Take precautions if you are new to the tropics.
Precautions you can take include using sunscreens or suntan lotion with a high
Sun Protection Factor (SPF), the fairer you are, the more prone to sunburn you
will be. Be sure to use sunscreen according to where you are. If you intend to
swim, make sure you use water-proof lotions. Wear sunglasses and a hat, using
an umbrella will also help. Remember to drink lots of water and fluids!
Clinics And Hospitals
The basic consultation
fee for private clinics, just for seeing the doctor is around RM50 per visit.
Medication will cost extra. Most private hospitals are very expensive and a 1
night stay can come up to RM10,000 depending on the nature of the complaint.
There are much cheaper government hospitals and university hospitals available,
but the waiting queue is very long and you will be sharing a ward with many
other patients.
Non-prescription drugs
are available over-the-counter at pharmacies, supermarkets, and shopping malls.
DENTAL SERVICES
Dental services are
readily available. You should make an appointment ahead of time for whatever
service required. The basic fee you pay for a check-up is standard. Please
inquire on the cost of the service you require beforehand.
OPTICIANS
If you need to get a
pair of contact lenses or glasses, you will not be charged a consultation fee
for the eye test. You pay for the price of the glasses / contact lenses. It
will help if you can get the prescription for your eyesight from your own
optician before you arrive in Malaysia. Get an English translation of the prescription
if necessary.
CRIMINAL PENALTIES
While visiting or
residing in a foreign country, regardless of nationality, you are subject to
that country’s laws and regulations. These laws may differ significantly from
those of your home country. Your home country may be able to offer assistance,
but cannot offer protection or immunity should you be charged with a criminal
offence.
Should you violate the
law in any way, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.
The Malaysian criminal code includes a sentence of caning for certain crimes as
well as death sentences for serious crimes.
NOTE: There is a
mandatory death penalty for anyone caught trafficking drugs in Malaysia.
TRAVELLING WITHIN
MALAYSIA
Please make sure that
you carry your passport with you whenever you go out of the house. If your
passport is with Malaysian Immigration, please make sure you carry a certified
true copy of your passport photo page and the latest entry visa/ student pass,
your student card and a letter from the college certifying that your passport
is with immigration. If you fail to do so, the police are authorized to
place you in a lock-up cell in the police station.
A passport/travel
document is also necessary for travel between Sabah and Sarawak. Visitor passes
issued for entry into Peninsular Malaysia are not valid for entry into Sarawak.
Fresh visit passes must be obtained on arrival at the point of entry in
Sarawak. However, subject to conditions stipulated, visit passes issued by the
Immigration Authorities in Sabah and Sarawak are valid for any part of
Malaysia.
TRANSPORTATION
Malaysia has an
extensive transportation network that is modern and well-kept, providing access
to every part of the country as well as its neighbours. Peninsula Malaysia is
linked via road, rail, sea and air to Singapore in the south and Thailand in
the north.
Road
Malaysian highways and
roads are among the best in the region. The North-South Highway extends from
Johor in the south to the border of Thailand in the north, while the East-West
highway in the north and the Karak Highway in the south brings you to the
beautiful coastal beaches and island paradises on both ends of the peninsula.
Car rental services are easily available. Buses, taxis, and coaches are
available for interstate, as well as international travel to Singapore and
Thailand (for West Malaysia) and Brunei & Indonesia (for East
Malaysia) Buses are an inexpensive way to travel in Malaysia. Most, if not
all buses in Kuala Lumpur (KL) are air-conditioned but there are still
non-air-conditioned buses in smaller towns around the country. Buses plying
routes within towns and cities typically charge fares according to the distance
covered while interstate buses have fixed rates.
Remember: Malaysians drive on the left side of the road.
Rail
The national railway
system, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTM) connects the major towns and cities of
Malaysia. KTM also travels to Singapore and Thailand. The KTM commuter has fast
electric trains shuttling between KL and the surrounding areas. A Light Rail
Transist (LRT) system also connects the major parts of PJ and KL. Plans are in
place to connect the entire Klang Valley via LRT and KTM Commuter.
Air
Malaysia has 5
international airports, with the largest and most important being the Kuala
Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), which lies about 35 – 40 miles away from
the city centre. Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is the national airline and offers both
domestic and international flights. MAS services over 100 international routes
across 6 continents. There are also over 40 international airlines frequenting
Malaysia. Finding an airline servicing your country should not be a problem for
you.
Besides MAS, there is
Air Asia. Air Asia is a low-cost, no frills airlines where you can make your
bookings online at www.airasia.com.my. Besides Malaysia, Air Asia also flies to
Brunei, Singapore and a few major cities in Thailand and Indonesia.
Sea
There are several
ports of entry in Malaysia, namely Penang, Port Klang, Kuantan, Kuching and
Kota Kinabalu.
Coastal ferries sail
frequently between Penang and Butterworth, carrying both passengers as well as
vehicles from the mainland to the island. Apart from that, there are many
ferry/ boat services available for mainland-to-island and island-to-island
travel around the country.
Fast boats and small
river crafts are a popular way of getting about in Sabah and Sarawak especially
to the more isolated settlements.
There are also sea
cruises and river-cruises run by local tour agents. For sea travel within the
country there are services available from Port Klang (Selangor) to Kuantan
(Pahang) and to Sabah or Sarawak. Besides that, there are also holiday cruises
that take passengers to neighbouring countries.
COMMUNICATION
There is a wide
variety of daily newspapers in the four main languages of Malaysia. Most cost
RM 1.20, while The Sun newspaper is free but only available at certain places.
The state-run Radio
Malaysia operates 6 radio networks, while Television Malaysia (RTM) operates 2
television networks, TV1 and TV2. There are also many other privately-owned
radio stations that are also available in the 4 main languages of Malaysia and
4 privately-owned television networks. The television station programmes are
run mainly in English, except for TV1 and Channel9. TV1 is run mainly in Malay
while Channel 9 divides its main programmes evenly between the 4 main languages
and shows dramas from other countries. For the rest of the tv stations,
programmes in the 4 main languages are run different times of the day.
Please check the
newspapers for TV schedules and Radio Station information.
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