ABOUT MALAYSIA

Malaysia is situated at the crossroads of South East Asia. The nation's natural diversity offers visitors a range of attractions including beautiful beaches, idyllic islands, cool hill stations, historic towns, a dynamic capital and the world's oldest rainforests with an astounding diversity of flora and fauna.

Getting to Malaysia

Malaysia is easily accessible from most parts of the world by air, land and sea links. There are more than 40 international airlines fly into the country while the national carrier, Malaysia Airlines, has a global network that spans six continents and a national network that covers more than 36 local destinations.

There are six international airports in Malaysia with the main gateway being the KL International Airport (KLIA) at Sepang in the state of Selangor. It is located approximately 50km south of Kuala Lumpur. The Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang serves a few domestic and regional airlines. The rest of the country including Sabah, Sarawak and the Federal Territory of Labuan in East Malaysia is well serviced by 14 domestic airports and airstrips for the rural areas.

The main entry point by sea to KL is Port Klang, about 50km away from KL. Malaysia is also accessible by rail and road from Singapore and Thailand.

Malaysia at a Glance

The People
Malaysia is a multicultural country and one of its greatest resources is its rich cultural diversity. 57% of the populations are Malays while the other half comprises of Chinese, Indians, Iban, Kadazans, and other ethnic groups.

Language
Bahasa Melayu (Malay) is the national language but English is widely spoken. The ethnic groups also speak various languages and dialects. Islam is the official religion but all other religions are practiced freely.

Climate and Clothing
Malaysia has an equatorial climate with uniform temperatures throughout the year. Temperatures range from 32°C during the day to 22°C during the night. It is slightly cooler in the hill country. Rainfall is common throughout the year, averaging 200-250 cm a year. Light comfortable clothing is the norm with lightweight woolens required for visits to highland areas.

Government
Parliamentary democracy with a bicameral legislative system. The Head of State is the Yang Di Pertuan Agong and the Head of Government is the Prime Minister.

Getting around
Malaysia has excellent domestic links and a well developed and effective public transportation system served by buses, taxis and trains. The centre of Kuala Lumpur is about 60 minutes by express bus or taxis from KLIA.

Currency and Banking
The Malaysian Ringgit (RM) is issued in notes from RM100 to RM1, and coins from RM1 to one sen (cents). Major credit cards are accepted. All commercial banks are authorized foreign exchange dealers, and licensed money changers are found in urban centres, key entry/exit point and shopping complexes. Foreign currency and travellers cheques can also be exchanged at major hotels.

Time
Standard Malaysian Time is eight hours ahead of GMT.

Entry Requirements
A valid passport or travel document with a minimum validity of six (6) months (and visa if applicable) is required for all persons entering Malaysia. A passport is also necessary for travel between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia states of Sabah and Sarawak, as well as between Sabah and Sarawak.

Immigration
All visitors and residents are required to complete an Arrival/Departure Card, a Custom Declaration, and, if required, a Travellers Declaration Form (TDF) and Quarantine Form. These are given out on all inbound Malaysia Airlines’ flights.

Travellers are no longer required to complete the TDF except under the following circumstances:

• Resident and non-resident travellers who carry Ringgit in excess of RM1,000 per person.
• Resident travellers who take out foreign currency notes and/or travellers cheques in excess of the equivalent of RM10,000.
• Non-resident travellers who bring into Malaysia more than US$2,500 equivalent.

Visas
No visa is required for nationals of Commonwealth countries except for Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nigeria.

Nationals from Republic of Ireland, Switzerland, Netherlands, San Marino and Liechtenstein do not require visas.

No Visa is required for a stay not exceeding three (3) months for nationals of Algeria, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea Republic, Kuwait, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Morocco, Norway, Oman, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Slovak, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, U.A.E., *U.S.A. and Yemen.

*No visa is required for U.S.A citizens visiting Malaysia for social, business or academic purposes (except for local employment).

No visa is required for a stay of not more than one (1) month for nationals of all ASEAN countries and Hong Kong. For a stay exceeding one month, a visa will be required, except for nationals of Brunei and Singapore.

No visa is required for a stay not exceeding one (1) month for nationals of Argentina, Angola, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Brazil, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Corsica, Costa Rica, Croatia, Djibouti, Dominica Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Gabon, Greece, Greenland, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Laos, Macedonia, Slovenia, South Africa and Zaire.

No VISA is required for a stay not exceeding fourteen (14) days for nationals of Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, and Syria.

No visa is required for a stay not exceeding seven (7) days for nationals of Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Byelorussia, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kirghistzan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldovia, Romania, Russian Federation, Tadjikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

Nationals of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Republic of China, Cuba, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Vietnam and Certificate of Identity (CI) holders must obtain a visa before entering Malaysia.

Nationals of countries other than those stated above (with the exception of Israel) are allowed to enter Malaysia without a visa for a visit not exceeding one (1) month.

Note:
Visas are issued by Malaysian Diplomatic Missions abroad. In countries where there is no diplomatic representation of Malaysia, the British Consulate acts on behalf of Malaysia.

The above regulations are subject to change.

Visit Passes
A social or Tourist Visit Pass does not permit the holder to take up employment, business or professional work in Malaysia.

The Business Visit Pass allows foreign visitors to enter Malaysia for business negotiations or inspection of business houses. However, these passes cannot be used for employment purposes, or for supervising the installation of new machinery or the construction of a factory.

No fee is charged for a Business Visit Pass issued for a period of up to three (3) months. A nominal fee is imposed for each month beyond this.

Foreign visitors, except from the Republic of Singapore, who have entered Malaysia on Social Visit Passes may contact the Immigration Department to convert their passes to Business Visit Passes.

Health Requirements
Visitors arriving from areas affected by yellow fever endemic zones (South Africa and South America) and other infected areas are required to present International Health Certificates. This regulation does not apply for children below the age of one.

Customs Regulations
TRAFFICKING OF ILLEGAL DRUGS CARRIES THE MANDATORY DEATH PENALTY IN MALAYSIA. For more information, please click here.

Transportation
Taxis use a coupon system and taxi booths are available upon exit from the arrival hall. There is a choice of an airport limousine service as well as a budget taxi service.

Public bus services to the city and hotels are available one floor down from the Arrival Hall.

For more information on public transportation, please click here.