ElectricityElectrical current is 240 volts, 50Hz. UK-style
three-pin plugs are used. LanguageBahasa Melayu is the national language, but English is
widely spoken and is the language of business. Cantonese, Hokkien
and Hakka are spoken by the Malaysias Chinese population and Tamil,
Malayalam and Hindi among the Indian population. TippingAlthough tipping is not customary in Malaysia, the more
expensive hotels and restaurants add a 10% service charge to their
bills and further gratuity is unnecessary. All hotel rooms are
subject to a 5% government tax, though many cheaper hotels quote a
price inclusive of this tax. Safety InformationMalaysia shares with the rest of South East Asia a threat from
terrorism, including places frequented by Westerners. The US State
Department updated its warning in November 2003 and stressed extra
caution in the troubled eastern Malaysia state of Sabah, where the
risk of kidnapping is high. Terrorists are believed to be planning
to kidnap foreign tourists from the islands and coastal areas of
Eastern Sabah and boats travelling to dive sites and between the
islands are possible targets. Tourists wishing to visit the resorts
and islands in the state should stick to larger resorts and
exercise extreme caution. Visitors should be aware that street
crime such as bag snatching, pick-pocketing and scams are a
problem. Local CustomsMalaysia is largely Muslim and therefore Islamic customs should
be respected, especially during the month of Ramadan when eating,
drinking and smoking in public should be avoided, as it is
forbidden by Islamic law. Dress, particularly for women, should be
conservative, and arms and legs should be covered when visiting
places of worship. It is customary to remove shoes before entering
homes and places of worship. When eating or exchanging money, the
right hand is used. Homosexuality is illegal. BusinessArray CommunicationsThe international access code for Malaysia is +
| 
RSS Feeds
Find a Restaurant in Your City
