Work in Malaysia

By Caroline Couronne

When my parents proudly tell their friends that I am working in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the most common reaction is a puzzled gaze. They built the Twin Towers and now they have their F1 circuit, right? My father commonly has to draw a map vaguely locating Malaysia above Singapore and below China. 

There are three kinds of work in Malaysia: you can work for an international company, for a local company, or for an embassy or chamber of commerce. While a company will take care of obtaining your work permit, it is possible to work with only a tourist visa. The problem is you will not be protected in case your employer decides not to pay you, and you will be taxed as an expatriate—more than 27 percent. 

Getting a work permit can be a hassle, if you are not in a very specialized field. However, if you speak another European language, if you are specialized in e-business, if you have lived in Southeast Asia, or if you speak the local language you will have an extra edge in the competition for local employment. See the local newspapers, the New Straits Times and the Star, for ads. 

Working for a local company will be a tremendous experience. However, career prospects are low and salary increases are rare. Local pay is about MR4,000 to MR6,000 a month (between $1,000 and $1,500). It is possible to live on this salary in Malaysia; however, forget the idea of heading home for holidays. 

The Malaysian economy is in a steep recovery, and Malaysia is becoming one of the most sought-after countries of Southeast Asia. Play your game well, by capitalizing on your experience, which will be highly valuable to companies wishing to import or export to or from Malaysia. You might be able to land a job in an international firm involved with Southeast Asian markets. What we wrongly call a third world country is in fact a transition economy, with many characteristics of developing countries but the aspirations of a developed country.

CAROLINE COURONNE writes from Malaysia.

List of tallest buildings in Malaysia

This is a list of tallest skyscrapers in Malaysia. The skyscrapers are ranked by structural height.

Rank	Name	City	Height (m)	Storeys
1&2	Petronas Twin Towers	Kuala Lumpur	452	88
3	Menara Telekom	Kuala Lumpur	310	55
4	Menara Maybank	Kuala Lumpur	244	50
5	Empire Tower (redeveloped as Vista Tower)	Kuala Lumpur	238	62
6	Menara KOMTAR	Penang	232	65
7	Menara Maxis	Kuala Lumpur	212	49
8	Bangunan AM Finance	Kuala Lumpur	210	50
9&10	Berjaya Times Square	Kuala Lumpur	203	48
11	K Residence	Kuala Lumpur	202	52
12	Menara Multi Purpose	Kuala Lumpur	198	40
13	Cap Square Condominiums	Kuala Lumpur	198	42
14	Maju Tower	Kuala Lumpur	196	50
15	Menara Standard Chartered	Kuala Lumpur	193	46
16	Menara Citibank	Kuala Lumpur	190	50
17	Menara PNB	Kuala Lumpur		47
17	Marinara Financial Centre	Kuala Lumpur	186	36
18	Grand Seasons Hotel	Kuala Lumpur	184	40
19	Menara Dato'Onn	Kuala Lumpur	175	40
20	Menara Public Bank	Kuala Lumpur	170	36
21	Bangunan Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka	Kuala Lumpur
22	CAHB Corporate Office Tower	Kuala Lumpur	168	42
23	Wisma Goldhill	Kuala Lumpur	168	36
24	The Binjai Tower A	Kuala Lumpur	158?	45
25	The Binjai Tower B	Kuala Lumpur		44
26	Maju Perdana , Tower 2	Kuala Lumpur		40
27	Menara Keck Seng	Kuala Lumpur		39
28	Kompleks Dayabumi	Kuala Lumpur	157	35
29	Dynasty Hotel	Kuala Lumpur	155	41
30	The Pavilion Service Apartment 2	Kuala Lumpur	154	44
31	Menara Dion	Kuala Lumpur		37
32	Meridian KL Sentral	Kuala Lumpur	154	38
33	Hilton KL Sentral	Kuala Lumpur	154	38
34	Faber Imperial Court	Kuala Lumpur	152	38
35	Bangunan Lembaga Urusan Tabung Haji	Kuala Lumpur	152	38
36	Menara TA One	Kuala Lumpur	151	37
37	Park View Service Apartment	Kuala Lumpur	150	43
38	Mont Kiara Damai	Kuala Lumpur	150	43
39	Menara DBKL, (Vision City Tower 3)	Kuala Lumpur	132	33
40	Wisma Sanyan	Sibu, Sarawak	126	26
41	Kuala Lumpur University, (Vision City Tower 2)	Kuala Lumpur	124	31
42	Cendana	Kuala Lumpur		45
43	Tun Mustapha Tower	Kota Kinabalu	122	30
44	Bank Pembangunan Tower, (Vision City Tower 1)	Kuala Lumpur	116	29
45	MBf Tower	Pulau Pinang	111	43
46&47	The Oval Twin Towers	Kuala Lumpur		41
48	The Avare	Kuala Lumpur		40
49	Menara BHL	Pulau Pinang	108	30
50	Menara Promet	Kuala Lumpur		38
51	City Square	Johor Bahru		36
52	Menara Landmark	Johor Bahru		35
53	Bangunan KWSP	Kuala Lumpur		31
54	Bangunan MARA	Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia nice place

Travel in Malaysia - Malaysia has fervently embraced modern technology - it boasts two of the world's tallest skyscrapers and a huge center for computer businesses. But it still has some of the world's most remote jungle (in Sabah and Sarawak). There are also dramatic limestone outcrops, fascinating caves and spectacular waterfalls at the mountain of Malaysia. You will not disappointed when Travel in Malaysia.

 

In Malaysia, there are a lot of places a tourist can go. Whether you enjoy the night life of big cities, the beautiful underwater world of the islands, or the lush tropical rainforests, Malaysia has it all. In this article, allow me to give you a preview of the 9 places you must visit in Malaysia.

Urban Life

Kuala Lumpur

The capital and largest city of Malaysia. It is located in the heart of Selangor state, in Peninsular Malaysia.

Some interesting places to visit:

Petronas Twin Towers (Suria KLCC), KL Tower, Petaling Street (Chinatown), National Museum, Central Market

Estimated population: 1,887,674

Geographical coordinates: 3° 7′ N, 101° 42′ E

Putrajaya

Located south of Kuala Lumpur, this newly developed city is the home to most of Malaysia’s government offices.

Interesting places to visit:

Perdana Putra, Putra Bridge, Putra Mosque, Seri Wawasan Bridge

Estimated population: 50,000

Geographical coordinates: 2°55′ N, 101°40′ E

Culture and Historical

Penang (or Pulau Pinang)

Located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, it is a paradise for culture and food lovers. Be sure to try the famous Asam Laksa, Chinese Dim Sum, and other Chinese food.

Interesting places to visit:

George Town, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang Bridge, Snake Temple, War Museum, Fort Cornwallis, Penang Hill

Estimated population: 1,503,000

Geographical coordinates: 5° 25′ N, 100° 19′ E

Malacca (Melaka)

One of the oldest cities in Malaysia. It is famous for its rich history and multi-cultural community. Don’t forget to try some of the unique food such as Chicken Rice Ball, Satay Celup and other Peranakan delicacies.

Interesting places to visit:

A’ Farmosa Fort, St. Paul Hill, Jonker’s Walk, Portuguese Settlement Village, Muzium Budaya, Poh San Teng temple

Estimated population: 733,000

Geographical coordinates: 2° 11′ 49 N, 102° 14′ 53 E

Islands & Underwater World

Perhentian Islands (Pulau Perhentian)

Located in the state of Terengganu, it consists of 2 islands – Big Perhentian and Small Perhentian. Both the islands are part of the Pulau Redang National Marine Park, which means this place is a heaven for scuba divers and snorkelling fans.

Interesting things to do: Sunbathing, scuba diving, snorkelling, turtle and shark watching.

Geographical coordinates: 5° 55′ 0 N, 102° 43′ 60 E

Sipadan Island (Pulau Sipadan)

Located to the east of Tawau in Sabah state, this island was formed by living corals growing on top of an extinct volcano. This island has ample rare diving scenes and there is also a mysterious turtle tomb underneath the island. Voted by many divers as one of the best diving spots in the world.

Interesting things to do: Scuba diving, snorkelling, sunbathing

Geographical coordinates: 4° 6′ 52.86” N, 118° 37′ 43.52” E

Back to Mother Nature

National Park (Taman Negara)

Encompasses 3 states in Peninsular Malaysia namely Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu. This park is home to some rare mammals such as Indonchinese Tiger, the highly endangered Sumatran Rhinoceros, and Asian Elephant.

Estimated area: 4,343 km²

Interesting things to do: Enjoy the tropical rain forest, jungle trekking, bird watching, river views

Geographical coordinates: 4° 7′ N, 102° 46′ E

Kinabalu National Park (Taman Negara Kinabalu)

Located in Sabah, it covers around 750 square kilometres, surrounding the tallest mountain in Malaysia and South East Asia – Mount Kinabalu. One of the most popular tourist spots in Malaysia.

Estimated area: 754 km²

Interesting things to do: Enjoy the tropical rain forest, jungle trekking, mountain climbing, plants watching (home to rare plants such as Nepenthes rajah and Rafflesia)

Geographical coordinates: 6° 09′ N, 116° 39′ E

Gunung Mulu National Park (Taman Negara Gunung Mulu)

Located near Miri of Sarawak, it is the home to many incredible cave systems including world’s largest cave chamber. It is the favourite spot for cave adventurers, bat lovers and jungle trekkers.

Estimated area: 754 km²

Interesting things to do: Enjoy the tropical rain forest, jungle trekking (required for certain cave systems and the wondrous Pinnacle), cave adventuring, bats watching

Geographical coordinates: 4° 03′ N, 114° 56′ E

Malaysia map

Malaysia Map

Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. locates the important cities, administrative divisions, countries and water bodies bordering Malaysia. Malaysia is surrounded by Vietnam, Borneo, Cambodia, Thailand, Sumatra, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore and Philippines. The capital city of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia Map shows all the islands that makes the country of Malaysia. 

It shows that Malaysia is a south-east Asian country that is located on the geographical coordinates of 2°30′ North and 112°30′ East latitude and longitude respectively. Malaysia map shows that this peninsular country borders Thailand and one-third of the northern Borneo Island. Indonesia and South China Sea also borders Malaysia. Malaysia lies in the south of Vietnam. Malaysia Map features the important divisions along with the countries and water bodies surrounding Malaysia. 

Religion in Malaysia

Islam is the largest and official religion of Malaysia, although Malaysia is a multi-religious society and the Malaysian constitution guarantees religious freedom. Despite the recognition of Islam as the state religion, the first 4 prime ministers have stressed that Malaysia could function as a secular state. According to the Population and Housing Census 2000 figures, approximately 60.4 percent of the population practised Islam; 19.2 percent Buddhism; 9.1 percent Christianity; 6.3 percent Hinduism; and 2.6 percent practise Confucianism, Taoism and other traditional Chinese religions. The remainder was accounted for by other faiths, including animism, folk religion, and Sikhism while 0.9% either reported having no religion or did not provide any information.

The majority of Malaysian Indians follow Hinduism (84.5%), with a significant minority identifying as Christians (7.7%), Muslims (3.8%), over 150,000 Sikhs, and 1,000 Jains. Most Malaysian Chinese follow a combination of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and ancestor-worship but, when pressed to specify their religion, will identify themselves as Buddhists. Statistics from the 2000 Census indicate that 75.9% of Malaysia's ethnic Chinese identify as Buddhist, with significant numbers of adherents following Taoism (10.6%) and Christianity (9.6%), along with small Hui-Muslim populations in areas like Penang. Christianity is the predominant religion of the non-Malay Bumiputra community (50.1%) with an additional 36.3% identifying as Muslims and 7.3% follow folk religion.

Malaysia holidays

One of the significant characteristics of Malaysian culture is its celebration of various festivals and events. The year is filled with colorful, exhilarating and exciting activities. Some are religious and solemn but others are vibrous, joyous events. One interesting feature of the main festivals here is the 'open house' custom. This is when Malaysians celebrating the festival invite friends and family to come by their homes for some traditional delicacies and fellowship. 

Multicultural Malaysia celebrates a vast range of festivals, but the ones to look out for nationwide are Islamic holidays, most notably the fasting month of Ramadan. During its 30 days, devout Muslims refrain from passing anything through their lips (food, drink, smoke) between sunrise and sunset. People get up early before sunrise for a meal (sahur), and take off early to get back home in time to break fast (buka puasa) at sunset. At the end of the month is the festival of Eid ul-Fitr, known locally as Hari Raya Puasa or Aidilfitri, when many locals take one to two weeks off to 'balik kampung' or return to their home towns to meet family and friends. Accordingly, this is the one of the many times in a year when major cities like Kuala Lumpur has virtually no traffic congestions. Traveling around Malaysia is usually avoided by the locals. Another important festival is the Muslim festival of Eid ul-Adha, known locally as Hari Raya Haji or Aidiladha. It is during this festival that Muslims perform the Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca. In local mosques, cows and lambs are donated by the faithful and sacrificed, after which the meat is distributed to all. Family reunions are also celebrated during other main festivals in the country. Locals usually put on traditional costumes and finery as these festivals are an integral feature of Malaysia society.

During the month of Ramadhan, non-muslims are expected to be courteous of those fasting. Non-Muslims, as well as Muslims traveling (musafir), are exempt from fasting but it is polite to refrain from eating or drinking in public. Public school systems also adhere to this occasion thus assisting non-muslims to refrain from eating in front of those who are practicing. Many restaurants close during the day and those that stay open maintain a low profile. Business travelers will notice that things move rather more slowly than usual. The upside for foreign travelers are the Ramadhan bazaars in every city and town, bustling with activity and bursting at the seams with great food. Hotels and restaurants also pull out all stops to put on massive spreads of food for fast-breaking feasts. During the month of Ramadhan, fast-breaking meals are usually considered as grand feasts.

Other major holidays include Chinese New Year (around January/February), Deepavali or Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights (around October/November), the Buddhist holiday of Wesak (around May/June), and Christmas (25 December).

During Chinese New Year, Penang and Ipoh become the major cities as many local Chinese working and living in KL originated from there. However this situation is changing gradually, as more and more people are making Kuala Lumpur their hometown. While visiting during such festivals, travelers will be able to experience many wonderful celebrations, but the downside is many ethnic shops/eateries will be closed. The best option is to visit during the period just after the first two days of the major festival (Hari Raya/Chinese New Year), when shops will open, and the festive mood has still not died down.

Another major celebration is Deepavali, celebrated by the Malaysian Indians. Due to the small number of Indian population, Deepavali is not as publicized amongst the other ethnic races when compared to Hari Raya or Chinese New Year. Deepavali is the festival of light orignitaing from classical India and one of the main cultural celebration amongst Indians. In Malaysia, locals practice this tradition by wearing new clothes and receiving token gifts of money. This practice has been adapted by all Malaysians without regards of the religion. The red packets or ang pow during Chinese New Year, green packets or 'duit raya' for Hari Raya Aidilfitri and multi-coloured packets during Deepavali.

Some uniquely Malaysian festivals of note include the Harvest Festival at the end of May each year and the 'Pesta Gawai' in early June, both thanksgiving celebrations held in East Malaysia.

Thaipusam is a Hindu festival that falls in January or February and is one of the must-see events. The largest procession in the country takes place at Batu Caves, north of Kuala Lumpur. Devotees carry decorated altars or kavadi up a flight of 272 steps towards the temple, all this while also having religious spears and hooks pierced through external surfaces of their bodies. The ability is attributed to divine intervention and religious fervor. 

Culture

Composed primarily of Malays, Chinese and Indians, Malaysian culture is best described as cosmopolitan. Racial unity and interaction has formed a diverse and vibrant society that is exceptionally unique. Nowhere else in the world can one find three major races, various smaller indigenous tribes and a vast assortment of foreigners and expatriates sharing such an excellent relationship, for not only do these races tolerate each other, they actually actively share in one other's cultural richness. This has been the main catalyst for Malaysia's political stability and growth.

The shamanistic cultures and beliefs still practiced by the Malaysian aborigine's date back over 10 millennia. The presence of Hinduism in the Malay Peninsula has been documented as far back as the 3rd and 4th century AD, in Lembah Bujang (Bujang Valley) in the state Kedah. With the arrival of Arab traders during the rise of the Melaka Empire, Islam came to Malaysia. At about the same time the arrival of Chinese traders and the marriage of the Melaka Sultan and a Chinese princess added to the potpourri of cultures. The arrival of Portuguese, Dutch and English conquerors over the next 400 years also left their indelible mark on the Malaysian cultural makeup. All these influences have culminated in the Malaysian culture of today.

Many elements of Indian Hindu culture have insinuated themselves into the Malay adat the most obvious being the Malay marriage ceremony, vice versa the Indian Muslim community in the country share a common religion and hence a similar culture and religious observances as the Muslim Malays as do the Baba-Nyonya Muslim Chinese from Melaka that date back to the aforementioned Chinese princess in ancient times. The Malays have also very recently adopted an age old Chinese custom, the giving of "Ang Pows", or money gifts wrapped in colored envelopes. The Chinese use red, the Malays green.

Malaysia

Malaysia is made up of 13 states and three federal territories. These are divided between two regions, with 11 states and two federal territories on Peninsular Malaysia and the other two states and one federal territory in East Malaysia. As Malaysia is a federation, the governance of the states is divided between the federal and the state governments, while the Federal government has direct administration of the federal territories.

The 13 states are based on historical Malay Kingdoms, and 9 of the 13 states, known as the Malay states, retain their royal families. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is elected by and from the nine rulers to serve a five-year term. Each state has a unicameral legislature known as the State Legislative Assembly. The states of East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) have separate immigration policies and controls, and a unique residency status. For citizens of one of these states or Peninsular Malaysia, the other areas of Malaysia are considered foreign countries under immigration laws. Each state is further divided into districts, which are then divided into mukim. In Sabah and Sarawak districts are grouped into "Divisions".

The federal parliament is permitted to legislate on issues of land, the Islamic religion and local government, in order to provide for a uniform law among different states, or on the request of the state assembly concerned. The law in question must also be passed by the state assembly as well, except in the case of certain land law-related subjects. Non-Islamic issues that fall under the purview of the state may also be legislated at the federal level for the purpose of conforming with Malaysian treaty obligations.

Malaysia History

Situated in the heart of Southeast Asia at one of the world's major crossroads, Malaysia has always been pivotal to trade routes from Europe, the Orient, India and China. Its warm tropical climate and abundant natural blessings made it a congenial destination for immigrants as early as 5,000 years ago when the ancestors of the Orang Asli, the indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia, settle here, probably the pioneers of a general movement from China and Tibet. They were followed by the Malays, who brought with them skills in farming and the use of metals. Around the first century BC, strong trading links were established with China and India, and these had a major impact on the culture, language and social customs of the country. Evidence of a Hindu-Buddhist period in the history of Malaysia can today be found in the temple sites of the Bujang Valley and Merbok Estuary in Kedah in the north west of Peninsular Malaysia, near the Thai border. The spread of Islam, introduced by Arab and Indian traders, brought the Hindu-Buddhist era to an end by the 13th century. With the conversion of the Malay-Hindu rulers of the Melaka Sultanate (the Malay kingdom which ruled both side of the Straits of Malaka for over a hundred years),, Islam was established as the religion of the Malays, and had profound effect on Malay society.

The arrival of Europeans in Malaysia brought a dramatic change to the country. In 1511, the Portuguese captured Malaka and the rulers of the Melaka Sultanate fled south to Johor where they tried to establish a new kingdom. They were resisted not only by the Europeans but by the Acehnese, Minangkabau and the Bugis, resulting in the sovereign units of the present-day states of Peninsular Malaysia. The Portuguese were in turn defeated in 1641 by the Dutch, who colonized Melaka until the advent of the British in the Dutch exerted any profound influence on Malay society. The British acquired Melaka from the Dutch in 1824 in exchange for Bencoolen in Sumatra. From their new bases in Malaka, Penang and Singapore, collectively known as the Straits settlements, the British, through their influence and power, began the process of political intergration of the Malay states of Peninsular Malaysia.

After World War II and the Japanese occupation from 1941-45, the British created the Malayan Union 1946.This was abandoned in 1948 and the Federation of Malaya emerged in its place. The Federation gained its independence from Britain on 31 August 1957.In September 1963, Malaya, Sarawak, Sabah, and initially Singapore united to form Malaysia, a country whose potpourri of society and customs derives from its rich heritage from four of the world's major cultures - Chinese, Indian, Islamic and Western.

Etymology

The word Melayu is thought to derive from the Sanskrit term Malaiur or Malayadvipa which can be translated as "land of mountains", the word used by ancient Indian traders when referring to the Malay Peninsula. Other theories propose it originates from the Tamil word "Malai", meaning mountain. The term was later used as the name of the Melayu Kingdom, which existed between the 7th and the 13th centuries on Sumatra.
Following his 1826 expedition in Oceania, French navigator Jules Dumont d'Urville invented the terms Malaysia, Micronesia and Melanesia, distinguishing these Pacific cultures and island groups from the already existing term Polynesia. In 1831, he proposed these terms to The Société de Géographie. Dumont d'Urville described Malaysia as "an area commonly known as the East Indies". In 1850, the English ethnologist George Samuel Windsor Earl, writing in the Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia, proposed naming the islands of Southeast Asia as Melayunesia or Indunesia, favouring the former.
In 1957, the Federation of Malaya was declared as an independent federation of the Malay states on the Malay Peninsula. The name "Malaysia" was adopted in 1963 when the existing states of the Federation of Malaya, plus Singapore, North Borneo and Sarawak formed a new federation, with "si" being added to Malaya in honour of the three joining states. Prior to that, the name itself had been used to refer to the whole Malay Archipelago. Politicians in the Philippines once contemplated naming their state "Malaysia", but in 1963 Malaysia adopted the name first. At the time of the 1963 federation, other names were considered: among them was Langkasuka, after the historic kingdom located at the upper section of the Malay Peninsula in the first millennium of the common era.

Our Pride

Malaysia

Malaysiais a federal constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia. It consists of thirteen states and three federal territories and has a total landmass of 329,847 square kilometres (127,350 sq mi) separated by the South China Sea into two regions, Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo. Land borders are shared with Thailand, Indonesia, and Brunei, and maritime borders exist with Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. In 2010 the population exceeded 27.5 million.

Malaysia has its origins in the Malay Kingdoms present in the area which, from the 18th century, became subject to the British Empire. The first British territories were known as the Straits Settlements, with the other states forming protectorates. The states on Peninsular Malaysia, then known as Malaya, was first unified as the Malayan Union in 1946. Malaya was restructured as the Federation of Malaya in 1948, and achieved independence on 31 August 1957. Malaya united with Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore on 16 September 1963, with 'si' being added to give the new country the name Malaysia. However, less than two years later in 1965, Singapore was expelled from the federation. Since independence, Malaysia has had one of the best economic records in Asia, with GDP growing an average 6.5% for almost 50 years. The economy has traditionally been fuelled by its natural resources, but is expanding in the sectors of science, tourism, commerce and medical tourism.

The head of state is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, an elected monarch chosen from the hereditary rulers of the nine Malay states every five years. The head of government is the Prime Minister. The government system is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system and the legal system is based on English Common Law. The country is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural, factors that influence its culture and play a large role in politics. Islam is the state religion, although freedom of religion is protected by a secular constitution.

Malaysia contains the southernmost point of continental Eurasia, Tanjung Piai, and is located near the equator and has a tropical climate. It has a biodiverse range of flora and fauna, and is considered a megadiverse country. It is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and a member of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the Non-Aligned Movement.