MALAYSIA - PAGE 2



LANGUAGE
Malaysia's national language is Malay (Bahasa Melayu) , English is widely spoken and is used all over the country in hotels, shops, restaurants and business offices. So you shouldn't have any problems communicating. Other languages spoken in Malaysia are some Chinese dialects, Tamil, Kadazan, some Portuguese and Arabic. The Malay script called Jawi is actually derived from Arabic script, which is a derivative of Sanskrit.

WHAT THE WEATHER BRINGS
Malaysia' weather is predictable in that it is hot in the lowlands and cooler in the mountains and highlands. But you never know when it's going to rain. Malaysia's seasons follow the monsoon winds which bring rain inland from September to December on the Peninsular and later in Sabah and Sarawak. The rain can be really quite refreshing. It comes down in buckets for short periods of time and washes away the heat for a while, leaving the air feeling clean and refreshed. Generally however, the weather is warm, sunny and humid with the temperatures varying between 20°C and 30°C. One item of clothing you won't need is wooly jumper.

HOW TO GET AROUND
Because Malaysia is one of the most developed countries in south east Asia, it has an excellent road system complemented by a north-south rail line with a subsidiary line heading off to the north-east. Internal flights are quite frequent and reasonably priced. This is the best way to get to Sabah and Sarawak. Local buses in any of Malaysia's town will usually get you to any kampung you wish to visit on the peninsula. The overland buses are also very reliable and quite fast. Air-conditioned buses travel express between major cities. Overland taxis are also good way to travel between towns. The taxis with yellow roofs are allowed by law to take four people. Malaysia is the perfect place to hire a car and driver yourself about. Hotels and travel agencies are the best places to enquire about hiring cars. You can of course, hire a car in Singapore and drive it into Malaysia. You will need to produce your current driver's licence and your passport before you can take the car away.

PASSPORT/TRAVEL DOCUMENT
Visitors to Malaysia must be in possession of a valid passport/travel document with a minimum validity of six months beyond the period of intended stay.

VISA REQUIREMENTS
With a number of exceptions, Commonwealth citizens generally do not need a visa to enter Malaysia. Nationals of ASEAN countries also do no require a visa for a social or business visits not exceeding three months. Further information on visa requirements should be made at the closest Malaysian Diplomatic Mission or at British Consulates when no diplomatic representation of Malaysia has been established.

CURRENCY
Foreign currency may be exchanged at banks or authorised money-changers throughout the country. Malaysian currency consists of Ringgit Malaysia (RM) which is worth 100 sen. Coins are issued in denominations of 1 sen, 5 sen, 10 sen, 20 sen, 50 sen and RM1. Currency notes are RM1, RM2, RM5, RM20, RM50 and RM100 denominations. Travellers cheques can be cashed at bank, money changers as well as large department stores and shopping centres.

CREDIT CARDS
Most establishments accept credit cards. Commonly accepted credit cards are American Express, Barclays, Visa, Diners Club and Master Card.

MAIL
Aerogrammes cost 50 sen to all countries. Postage for postcards and letters vary according to destination.

WATER
It is generally safe to drink water straight from the tap. Bottled mineral water is also easily available in shops and supermarkets.

ELECTRICAL SUPPLY
Electrical supply is on a 240-volt 50-cycle system.

NEWSPAPERS
There are several English dailies, the most popular being The New Straits Times , The Star , The Sun and Malay Mail. There are also dailies in Chinese, Bahasa Melayu and Tamil.

HEALTH
It is a good idea to take out a medical insurance policy before travelling to Malaysia as the country does not have a reciprocal health service agreement with other nations. If you do fall ill, you may visit a government hospital, private hospital or clinics in every town in the country.

TIME
Malaysia is 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and 16 hours ahead of United States Pacific Time.


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