COUNTRY:
The Federation of Malaysia comprise of Peninsular Malaysia and the states of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo.
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
Located between two and seven degrees north of the Equator, Peninsular Malaysia is separated from the states of Sabah and Sarawak by the South China Sea. To the north of Peninsular Malaysia is Thailand while its southern neighbor is Singapore. Sabah and Sarawak are bordered by Indonesia while Sarawak also shares a boundary with Brunei Darussalam.
AREA:
329,758 sq km.
POPULATION:
25 Million
CAPITAL:
Kuala Lumpur (KL)
PEOPLE:
Malays make up about 57
Of the population and are the predominant group with Chinese, Indians, and other ethnic groups making up the rest.
LANGUAGE:
Bahasa Malaysia (Malay) is the national language but English is widely spoken. Malaysian also speak various languages and dialect.
RELIGION:
Islam is the official religion but all other religions are freely practice
GOVERNMENT:
A parliamentary democracy with a bicameral legislative system, the head of state is the Yang Di Pertuan Agong and the head of the Head of Government is the Prime Minister.
CLIMATE:
Malaysian has a tropical climate and the weather is warm all year round. Temperature range from 21degrees to 32degrees and the annual rainfall range from 2000mm to 2500mm.
HISTORY AND CULTURE:
Apart from the local Malays and the native groups, immigrants from china, India and Indonesia and other parts of the world have all contributed to the multiracial compositions of its population. Its interesting cultural diversity can be largely attribute to the country long and ongoing interaction with the outside world and colonial rule by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. The evolution of the country into a cultural melting pot is evident in the unique blend of religion, sociocultural activities, traditions, languages and food. The country achieved independence on august 31 as the federation of Malaya and subsequently with the entry of Sabah and Sarawak in 1963, Malaysia was formed.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
Visitors must be in possession of a valid passport or travel document with a minimum validity of 6months beyond the intended visiting period. Citizens of most countries do not require visas for social or business visits.
For further information, please visit or call the nearest Malaysian diplomatic mission or Tourism Malaysia office.
CURRENCY:
The unit of currency is the Malaysian Ringgit which is indicated as RM. Foreign currencies can be converted at banks and money changers. All travelers, both residents and non residents, are required to complete the Travelers Declaration Form (TDF). The revised TDF has two separate sections for residents – the blue section for residents and white section for non residents.
Non Residents are required to declare the exact amount of foreign currency carried when they enter and leave the country only if the amount exceeds the equivalent of
USD2, 500.00. Non residents are required to keep their TDF in their passport and surrender it upon leaving the country.
BANKING HOURS:
Most states- Monday to Friday: 9.15am to 4.30pm
Saturday and Sunday: closed
TIME:
Eight hours ahead of G.M.T and 16 hours ahead of U.S. Pacific time
ELECTRICITY:
Voltage is 220 -240 volts AC at 50 Htz cycles per second.
MEASUREMENT SYSTEM:
Metric
TELEPHONES:
Local calls can be made from local phones using coins or prepaid cards. International calls can be made from the hotels and/or your local mobile phone operator using a roaming.
GETTING THERE:
The main getaway to Malaysia is through the new International airport at Sepang which is located approximately 50 kilometers south of Kuala Lumpur. Other major international airports that serve as entry points are located in Penang, Kuching, kota Kinabalu and Langkawi.
GETTING AROUND:
Malaysia has excellent domestic air links and a well developed public transport system served by busses, taxis as well as trains. There are several car hire operators and the traffic system is based on the English system. British Commonwealth driving license are valid in this country.
