USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT MALAYSIA

The Country                   

Divided into East Malaysia on Borneo Island comprising the states of Sabah and Sarawak, and West or Peninsular Malaysia. Her northern neighbour is Thailand while her southern neighbour is Singapore.

Time Zone

GMT + 8 hours

Capital City              

Kuala Lumpur. The other major cities are Johor Baru, Ipoh, Penang, Kota Kinabalu  and Kuching.

Population               

23 million. Made up of Malays, Chinese, Indians and Indigenous people.

Major Religions             

Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism

Language

National Language is Bahasa Melayu and almost everyone speaks English

Currency 

Ringgit (RM). Divided into 100 sen (cents). Approximately RM3.80 to USD1.00       

Climate   

Tropical.  Generally 28 to 32 Celsius by day.  24 to 26 Celsius by night. Sunny with intermittent showers between February and October.  Rainy from November to January on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia; and Sabah and Sarawak on the Bornean side of the country.

Natural Catastrophes

Malaysia is one of very few blessed country on Earth where there are no natural disasters.  Minor floodings and landslides occur infrequently in the rural hills of the interior during the rainy seasons.

Travel Documents

Valid passport is mandatory. Visa is not required for most countries and usually no health check when entering the country. It is recommended that you check with your travel agent or your nearest Malaysian diplomatic mission.