Business and Market Research Snapshot on Southeast Asia

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Currency Exchange. Name of local currency: Malaysian Ringgit (MYR or RM). US$1.00 equal to RM3.80 in 2003, RM3.80 in 2004 and RM3.66 in June 2006.

Hotels. Hotel rates in Malaysia range between 30 and 80 Malaysian Ringgit (RM30 – RM80) for budget accommodation, RM80 – RM200 for mid-range and RM200 – RM300 for higher end hotels. Luxury hotels cost RM300 and above per night.

Airports. The Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is located in Sepang, which is about 55km south of Kuala Lumpur city. Taxi services to and from KLIA cost about RM65 one-way while the KLIA Express which is a dedicated express rail service costs RM35 one-way. International airports are also located in Penang, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and Langkawi. Departure tax is RM40 for international flights and RM5 for domestic flights.

Business Hours. Malaysia generally follows an eight-hour work day, five days a week. Working hours are 8:30a.m. to 4:30p.m. in the public sector and 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. in the private sector. Saturday and Sunday are rest days, except in the states of Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu (Thursday and Friday).

Common Courtesies. Malaysia is a multi-racial country and as such common courtesies are influenced by various cultures. A “salam” greeting is considered polite in Malay culture and resembles a handshake but using both hands to touch another person’s outstretched hand. It is also done without the grasping action of a traditional handshake. Gifts of liquor are not given to Malays as alcohol is prohibited by Islam. Similarly white flowers or clocks are not given to Chinese as these are associated with death in Chinese culture.

Travel. Metered taxis are widely available and usually used for travel over short distances. Buses and trains are generally preferred for long-distance travel as these are cheaper compared to taxis over longer distances. Malaysia has an extensive bus system as well as a rail network connecting Thailand to the north, Singapore to the south and other parts to the east of Peninsular Malaysia. A sole railway line in Sabah is popular with tourists.

Pegasus Business and Market Advisory (PBMA) provides business and marketing research and advisory services focussing on Southeast Asia namely Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei. Contact corporate@pegasus-asia.com for further information.

Business Travel Snapshot - Malaysia

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