Take The Path Less Ordinary

Geographical Location
Located between 2º and 7º north of the Equator, Peninsula Malaysia is separated from the states of Sabah and Sarawak by the South China Sea.

To the north of Peninsula Malaysia is Thailand while its southern neighbour is Singapore. Sabah and Sarawak are north of Indonesia in Borneo while Sarawak also shares a border with Brunei.

Flag

The 14 red and white stripes represent the 14 states of the country. The gold crescent and star are symbols of Islam, the official religion, and the blue field represents the unity of the people.

Area
329,758 sq km

Population Clock
The year 2000 statistics says 1 person is added to Malaysia’s population every 59 seconds and 1 death every 4 minutes 36 seconds. It simply means expiries aren’t keeping up with additions - population is growing. 2007 estimates put the population at roughly 27.5 million.

Capital
Kuala Lumpur

People
Malays who make up about 57% of the population are the predominant group with Chinese, Indians, ethnic groups and aborigines making up the rest.

Religion
Islam is the official religion but all other religions are freely practised.

Language
Bahasa Melayu (Malay) is the national language but English is widely spoken. The ethnic groups also speak various languages and dialects.

Government
Malaysia is governed by a Parliamentary democracy with a bicameral legislative system. The Head of State is the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong (King), a position that is awarded to a different State Monarch (Sultan) every five years and the political Head of Government is the Prime Minister.

Climate
Tropical climate with warm weather all year round. Temperatures in the lowlands range from 21ºC (70ºF) to 32ºC (90ºF). The highlands are cooler, where temperatures range between 15°C (59° F) to 25°C (77°F). Annual rainfall varies from 2,000mm to 2,500mm.

Major Holidays
New Year’s Day Hari Raya Aidiladha* Federal Territory Day ** Chinese New Year* Awal Muharam* Birthday of Prophet Muhammad* Labour Day* Wesak Day* King’s Birthday* National Day* Deepavali# Hari Raya Aidilfitri* Christmas*
Note: (*) - National holidays (**) - Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur & Labuan only (#) - Except Labuan & Sarawak

Economic Profile
Manufacturing constitutes the largest single component of Malaysia’s economy. Tourism and primary commodities such as petroleum, palm oil, natural rubber and timber are other major contributors to the economy.

Currency
The unit of currency is Malaysian Ringgit indicated as RM. Foreign currency can be converted at banks and money changers.

Banking Hours
Most states: Mon - Fri: 9.15am to 4.30pm. Sat & Sun: Closed (Selected banks and branches are open on Sat). Kelantan & Terengganu: Sun - Wed :9.15am to 4.30pm. Thurs :9.15am to 4.00pm. Friday/Saturday*/Public Holiday: Closed

Post Offices
Open from 8.30am to 5.00pm daily except the first Saturday of each month, Sundays and public holidays.
In Kelantan and Terengganu post offices operate during the same hours but are closed on Fridays and public holidays.

Time
8 hours ahead of GMT and 16 hours ahead of U.S. Pacific Standard Time.

Electricity
Voltage is 220 - 240 volts AC at 50 cycles per second.
Standard 3-pin square plugs and sockets.

Weights and Measures
Malaysia follows the metric system in weights and measures.

Telephones
Local calls can be made from public phones using coins or pre-paid cards. International calls can be made from public phones with card phone facilities or at any Telekom office. There is a growing trend of travellers buying second-hand mobile phones from shopping malls and loading the phones up with pre-paid call time to keep in touch with family and friends during longer stays.