MALAYSIA
Malaysia is a Southeast Asian country occupying parts of the Malay Peninsula and the island of Borneo. It's known for its beaches, rainforests and mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian and European cultural influences. The capital, Kuala Lumpur, is home to colonial buildings, busy shopping districts such as Bukit Bintang and skyscrapers such as the iconic, 451m-tall Petronas Twin Towers.
When it was established on September 16, 1963, Malaysia comprised the territories of Malaya (now Peninsular Malaysia), the island of Singapore, and the colonies of Sarawak and Sabah in northern Borneo. In August 1965 Singapore seceded from the federation and became an independent republic.
Since gaining independence in 1957, Malaysia has undergone a profound economic transformation, transitioning from a predominantly agricultural and commodity-based economy to a robust manufacturing and service sector. This evolution has positioned Malaysia as a leading exporter of electrical appliances, parts, and components, driving remarkable growth that elevated the nation from low- to upper-middle-income status within a single generation.
Malaysia experiences humid weather throughout the year. The average daily temperature across Malaysia is between 21°C and 32°C. Typically, the Malaysian climate is influenced by the winds blowing from the Indian Ocean (Southwest Monsoon - May to September) and the South China Sea (North-Eastern Monsoon - November to March). Its annual rainfall is 80 per cent a year which is between 2000mm to 2500mm.
Source: Malaysia 2016 (Department of Information)
Sports in Malaysia are an important part of Malaysian culture. Sports in Malaysia are popular from both the participation and spectating aspect. Malaysians from different walks of life join in a wide variety of sports for recreation as well as for competition. In the broadest definition of sports—physical exercise of all sorts—the four most popular recreational sports among the general population of Malaysia are exercise walking, aerobic exercise, strength training, and running. Other most popular sports are bicycling, swimming, climbing, camping, bowling, hiking, fishing, scuba diving and paragliding.
In the spectating aspect, the spectator sports with most fans are association football, field hockey, rugby union, badminton, volleyball, handball, basketball and mixed martial arts. Malaysia has hosted several major sports events including the Commonwealth Games in 1998.
One of the best reason to go to Malaysia is the food. The diverse culture of Malaysia reflects the multi-ethnic on traditional cooking. This resulted that Malaysian food is enormously mixed which flavors are a unique combination of sweet, sour, rich and spicy.
Malaysian cuisine was influences from many different cultures from around the world. The food is mainly influenced by Thai, Chinese, Indonesian and Indian cuisine. These influences manifest themselves in a variety of ways, from the cooking techniques and tools used, to the exotic flavors and spices used in dishes.
Being a multicultural country, Malaysians have over the years adopted each other's dishes to suit the taste buds of their own culture. The Malaysians of Chinese descent have adapted the Indian curry, and made it more dilute and less spicy to suit their taste. Chinese noodles have been crossed with Indian and Malay tastes and thus Malay fried noodles and Indian fried noodles were born. Malaysians have also adapted famous dishes from neighboring countries, or those with strong cultural and religious ties, and in the absence of an established community from said countries have made it completely their own, a notable example being tom yam, one of Thailand's most well-known dishes.
Places to Eat
Standards of hygiene are usually good, and as most food is cooked to order (or, in the case of rice-with-toppings spreads, only on display for a few hours), it’s generally pretty safe. Note also that tipping is not expected in restaurants where bills include a service charge (as they usually do) – and is never the practice in kedai kopis or food courts.
The national language of Malaysia is Malay, apart from being one of the two official languages. Also called Malaysian Malay or Malay, it is spoken by over 80% of the population. The second official language of Malaysia is English, which is also one of the most commonly spoken languages.
The Malaysian Ringgit is the currency unit of the Malaysian currency with the code MYR. Ringgit have banknotes worth RM100, RM50, RM20, RM10, RM5, RM1 and 50 sen (cent) coins, as well as 20 sen, 10 sen, and 5 sen coins. The Name “Ringgit” derived from the Spanish silver money which was widely used in ancient times. Since August 1975, the name “Ringgit” was officially accepted as the proper name for the Malaysian currency. Earlier, money was known as dollar in English and ringgit in Malay. However, the “$” symbol continued to be used until it was changed to “RM” in 1993 and continue to be used until today.
Source: Malaysia 2016 (Department of Information)
Various modes of transport are available in Kuala Lumpur. You can easily travel within the country and to or from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA 1 & 2).
Kuala Lumpur boasts an extensive public transportation network that includes various modes of transport, such as: MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) system: A high-capacity rail network with three lines covering key areas of the city and its suburbs, such as:
MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) system: A high-capacity rail network with three lines covering key areas of the city and its suburbs.
LRT (Light Rail Transit) system: Comprises three lines (Ampang, Sri Petaling, and Kelana Jaya) providing connections to many popular destinations in the city.
Monorail Lines: Two lines serving the city center, offering an alternative to the LRT system.
KTM Komuter train services: Connecting the suburbs and outskirts of Kuala Lumpur to the city center.
BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) system: A bus-based transit system providing fast and efficient services in dedicated lanes.
ERL (Express Rail Link) stations: A high-speed rail connection between Kuala Lumpur city center and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
Bus Services
The bus network is a convenient way to travel as it connects from the KLIA 1 & 2 to various destinations across and within Kuala Lumpur. There are several options for you to pay your fare when travelling on rapidKL busses and the rapidKL rail network.
MyRapid TouchandGo.
KL TravelPass.
MyCity Pass.
Concession Cards.
Regular Journey Token.
Concession Journey Token.
Taxis
There are different companies that provide taxi services to and from KLIA or to move around Kuala Lumpur or states outside Kuala Lumpur. Grab are widely available and are operated by Mowasalat, the national transport company.
The taxi counters are located to the KLIA arrival hall. All taxis are metered and the minimum flag-down fare at the airport starts from RM XX (US$7). Cash payments are accepted in Qatari Riyal only. Transfer time to the city centre from KLIA is 45 minutes on average.
Car rental / Driving
There are many local and international car hire firms operating in Malaysia and several of them have branches at KLIA.
Malaysia has six international airports, 16 domestic and 18 airport aerodrome (short take off landing ports -STOLports) to accommodate growing passenger demand and sustain the operation of various types of aircraft.
List of International Airports
Kuala Lumpur International Lumpur (KLIA)
Langkawi International Airport
Kuching International Airport
Penang International Airport
Kota Kinabalu International Airport
Senai International Airport
For more information: https://www.mot.gov.my/en/aviation/infrastructure/list-of-airports
For important phone numbers you may need during your visit to Malaysia:
Police, ambulance, fire department: 999 or 112 (without SIM card)
Kuala Lumpur Tourist Police: + (60 3) 296-590
Emergency Services: 994
Malaysia Tourism Association: + (60 3) 928-768-81