malaysia destination guide

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LEAGUE GO

VIETNAM T

DESTINATION

TRAVELERS GUIDE

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HISTORYMalaysia has a rich historical

background. Because of its

strategic position between the

Indian Ocean and the South

China Sea, Malaysia has long

been the meeting place for

traders and travelers from West

and East. Hence its history is oneof continual interaction with

foreign powers and influences

Hindu-Buddhist influence was

strong in the centuries before the

coming of Islam. By1400, when

the Malacca Sultanate was at the

height of its power, Islam had

become a major influence. By

1511, however, Malacca hadfallen to the Portuguese.

Meanwhile the Dutch had been

establishing their influence in

Java. By 1641, the Dutch had also

taken over Malacca but they in

turn lost it to the British who had

been slowly consolidating their

hold on the Malay states

following Francis Lights arrival

in Penang in 1786. In 1815

Malacca was in British hands and

in 1819, Stamford Raffles

founded Singapore. Thereafter,

through treaties, relentless

political pressure and diplomacy,

the British slowly extended their

control over all the states of the

Malay Peninsula.

Sarawak, once part of the Sultan

of Bruneis Empire, was ruled by

the British adventurer James

Brooke and his descendants since

1841. In 1888, Sarawak and

North Borneo (Sabah) became

British protectorates. By the

1920s, all the states that

eventually comprised Malaysia

were under British control. The

first stirrings of Malaysian

nationalism were felt in the 193

following the end of World War

II, the momentum of nationalism

picked up again, culminating in

independence for the Federation

of Malaya in 1957. In 1963,

Malaysia was formed, bringing

together the stats of Malaya,Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak.

Singapore, however, left the

federation in 1965.

Today, Malaysia is a strong

member of the six-member

Association of South-East Asia

Nations (ASEAN). The

association, comprising Brunei

Darussalam, Indonesia, MalaysThailand, the Philippines and

Singapore, was formed to

promote regional growth and

cooperation among member

nations.

Malaysia is a melting pot of

various races. Its population of

million people, for all of its

complex ethnic set-up, has been

remarkably peaceful. Mutual

respect for each others culture,

traditions, religious beliefs and

way of life has created a peacefu

social environment, stable

political climate and a strong

economy for the nation.

The government, headed by the

Prime Minister and members of

his cabinet, is an alliance of

parties representing differentracial groups. The Supreme Hea

of State is the Yang Di Pertuan

Agog (King). He is a

constitutional monarch elected

for a term of 5 years by his fello

rulers from the other states.

POPULATIONMalaysia has a population of

approximately 28.3 millionpeople, with the vast majority

of them living in peninsular

Malaysia. The rest live on the

Malaysian portion of the island

of Borneo.

TIMELocal time is GMT +8 hours.

VISASU.S. citizens do not need a visa for

tourist or business travel to

Malaysia for a stay up to 3 months

but a valid U.S. Passport is

required.

INSURANCEMedical insurance is

recommended. Travelers older

than one year coming frominfected areas require a yellow

fever vaccination certificate.

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LANGUAGEBahasa Malaysia is the official language. Chinese dialects and

Tamil are still widely used in their respective communities.

English is widely spoken in the larger cities and in hotels, shops

and most restaurants.

COMMON BAHASA PHRASES

Hello Halo or HeyHow are you? Apa kabar?

Thank you Terima kasih

Youre welcome Terma kasih kembali

Goodbye Selamat tinggal

Please Silakan

Im sorry Maaf

What is your name? Namamu saipa?

My name is _________ Nama saya __________

Yes Ya

No Tidak

Where is the toilet? Dimana toilet sialan?

How do I get to __? Bafaimana saya bias ke ___?

Water Air

How much is? Berapa harganya?

CURRENCYThe Malaysian Ringit (MYR), also referred to as the Malaysian

Dollar, is divided into 100 sen. Malaysian banks charge in the

region of US$2-3 for foreign exchange transactions.

Moneychangers are generally quicker to deal with and do notcharge commission; their rates however are variable. Pounds or

dollars are the easiest to exchange. Travelers cheques can be

exchanged at banks and some hotels. All major credit cards are

accepted at up market hotels, shops and restaurants. ATMs are

widely available.

CLIMATEMalaysia has a tropical, humid climate with temperatures

averaging 86F (30C), though it is cooler in the highland areas.The major change in seasons is marked by the arrival of the

monsoons that bring heavy downpours on the east coast of

Peninsula Malaysia, the northeastern part of Sabah and the

western end of Sarawak (from November to February). Boat trips

to the islands do not run during the height of the monsoon season.

The best time to visit Malaysia is between April and October.

CREDIT CARDSCredit cards are widely accecpted.

TIPPINGService charges of 10% are added to

in most leading hotels and restauran

Where it is not included, a tip of 10-

of the bill would be appropriate.

Airport porter/hotel bellboy:

$1.00 - $ 2.00 US per bag.

Your tour guide:

$10.00 - $ 12.00 US per person per d

Driver/assistants:

$ 6.00 - $ 7.00 US per person per day

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HEALTHSome tropical illnesses are prevalent in Malaysia

and travelers should seek medical advice regarding

any recommended vaccinations before traveling.

Hepatitis A and B are common, as is dengue fever,

which has no vaccination or immunization. There

has been an increase in cases of dengue fever since

January 2005. Malaria risks are isolated to the

inland regions; the exception is Sabah, where there

is an all-year risk.

Dysentery and travelers' diarrhea afflict travelers in

Malaysia so it is advisable to drink only bottled or

boiled water and avoid uncooked meat, fish andvegetables, unpeeled fruit, ice and salads. A further

health hazard in Malaysia is smoke haze and air

pollution, particularly in Kuala Lumpur, which has

the worst air quality in Asia with very high Benzene

pollution levels. This could aggravate cardiac or

respiratory problems. There have been outbreaks of

bird flu, but no human infections have been

reported, and in September 2007 Malaysia's

Agriculture Minister declared the country free of

the deadly form of avian influenza. Travelersshould still avoid contact with domestic, caged or

wild birds and ensure that poultry and egg dishes

are well cooked as a precaution. The hospitals in

Kuala Lumpur and other cities are of a high

standard.

ETIQUETTEMalaysians tend to be fairly conservative in their

approach to social interactions. It is not uncommon

to see younger people bowing their heads as a sign

of respect when passing by an older person.

Challenging a figure of authority in public would be

regarded as completely improper etiquette.

Generally, any open display of anger or outrage,

however deserved in your eyes would be met with

disdain.

When entering a Malaysian house, you should be

expected that you are to remove your shoes, and you

should greet your host with a handshake, followed

by placing your right hand over your heart. Malaysia

is largely Muslim and therefore Islamic customs

should be respected, especially during the month ofRamadan when eating, drinking and smoking in

public should be avoided, as it is forbidden by

Islamic law. Dress, particularly for women, should

be conservative, and arms and legs should be

covered when visiting places of worship. It is

customary to remove shoes before entering homes

and places of worship. When eating or exchanging

money, the right hand is used and do not point your

foot at someone, it is considered very rude.

PHOTOGRAPHSIt is polite to ask permission before taking

photographs, Some people may take offense.

DRUGSIn Malaysia, the answer is simple dont. Drug

trafficking caries a mandatory death penalty.

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PEOPLESelamat Datang is the traditional Malaysian

greeting that welcomes visitors to this vibrant and

exotic country. Ethnically diverse cultures share the

same lush landscape and create a fusion of cultural

styles, cooking and religions that is distinctly

Malaysian. Festivals throughout the year mark the

Malay, Chinese and Indian holidays, as well as

those of the indigenous Orang Asli and the tribes of

Sabah and Sarawak.

Malaysia's multi-racial society contains many

ethnic groups. Malays comprise a majority of just

over 50%. By constitutional definition, all Malays

are Muslim. About a qu