Malaysia At A Glance

MALAYSIA AT A GLANCE.

COUNTRY  The Federation of Malaysia comprises Peninsular Malaysia, which is made up of 11 states, three Federal territories as well as the states of Sabah and Sarawak situated in Borneo.

CAPITAL CITY  The capital city of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur.

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION  Located between 2 and 7 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 share a common border with Indonesia while Sarawak also shares a border with Brunei Darussalam.

AREA  329,758sq km.

POPULATION  27 Million.

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 language and dialects.

RELIGION  Islam is the official religion but other religions are practiced freely.

GOVERNMENT  Malaysia practices parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. The Head of State is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Head of Government is the Prime Minister. The country has a bicameral legislative system.

CLIMATE  Malaysia has a tropical climate and the weather is warm all year around. Temperatures range from 21 degrees to 32 degrees and the annual rainfall varies from 2,000mm to 2,500mm.

ECONOMIC PROFILE  Manufacturing constitutes the largest component of Malaysia’s economy while tourism and primary commodities such as petroleum, palm oil, natural rubber and timber are major contributors to its economy.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Visitors must be in possessions of a valid passport or travel document with a minimum validity of six months 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.

BANKING HOURS In most states, banking hours are from 9.30am to 4.00pm from Monday to Friday. Banks in the states of Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu operate from 9.30am to 4.00pm from Saturday to Wednesday.

POST OFFICE Most post offices are open from 8.00am to 5.00pm daily except Sundays and public holidays. In Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu, they are closed on Friday and public holidays.

WORKING DAYS Government offices all in states, with the exception of Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu, operate on five-day week from Monday to Friday. Some private establishments are open for half day a day on Saturday. Government offices in Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu are open in Sunday to Thursday. They are closed on Friday and Saturday.

TIME The standard Malaysian time is eight hours ahead of GMT and 16 hours ahead of the U.S Pacific Standard Time.

ELECTRICITY The voltage used throughout Malaysia is 220-240 volts AC, at 50 cycles per second. Standard 3-pin square plugs and sockets are used.

MEASUREMENT SYSTEM Malaysia uses the metric system.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS Malaysia is linked nationally and internationally by telephone, facsimile, telegraph and via the Internet. Most hotels provide International Direct Dial 9IDD) telephone services.

GETTING TO MALAYSIA The main gate to Malaysia is through the new Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at Sepang, which located approximately 50km south of Kuala Lumpur. Other major international airport that serve as entry points are situated in Penang, Johor Bahru, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and the island of Langkawi. Malaysia has two Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT), which are situated in Sepang and Kota Kinabalu.

Over 40 international airlines fly into the country while the national carrier, Malaysia Airlines, has a global network that span six continents. It is complemented by the budget airlines AirAsia as well Firefly. The main entry point by sea is at Port Klang, about 50km away from Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia is also accessible by rail and road from Singapore and Thailand.

GETTING AROUND Malaysia has excellent domestic air links services by Malaysia Airlines and low-cost carriers such as AirAsia and Firefly. The country has a well-develop and efficient public transportation system served by buses, taxis as well as train.

ACCOMODATION Malaysia has a wide range of accommodation with competitive rates. International star-rated hotels, beach resort, chalets, youth hostels and timeshare apartments are just some of the types of accommodation available. Head of State