ECONOMY
Business etiquette
Suits or safari suits are appropriate clothing for business meetings. According to philosophynearby, most Malaysians are Muslim and religious customs and practices should be respected. Punctuality is expected and it is common to make appointments in advance and use business cards.
Opening hours
Business hours: Generally Mon-Fri 9 am-5pm with lunch break between 12pm and 2pm, Sat 9 am-1pm. Authorities Mon-Fri 8.30 a.m.-4.30 p.m.
Economy
Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MGCC)
Suite 47.01, Level 47 Bangunan AM Finance 8 Jalan Yap Kwan Seng 50450 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Postal
address: PO Box 11683, MY-50754 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: (03) 20 78 35 61.
Internet: www.mgcc.com.my
Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI)
C-8-8, 8th Floor, Block C, Plaza Mont ‘Kiara, 2 Jalan Kiara, MY-50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: (03) 62 01 77 08.
Internet: www.micci.com/
National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (NCCIM)
37 Jalan Kia Peng, MY-50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: (03) 21 41 96 00.
Internet: www.nccim.org.my
Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA)
Level 3A, Block 4, Plaza Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 5, MY-50470 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: (03) 22 67 36 33.
Internet: www.mida.gov.my
Business contacts
Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MGCC)
Suite 47.01, Level 47 Bangunan AM Finance 8 Jalan Yap Kwan Seng 50450 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Postal
address: PO Box 11683, MY-50754 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: (03) 20 78 35 61.
Internet: www.mgcc.com.my
Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI)
C-8-8, 8th Floor, Block C, Plaza Mont ‘Kiara, 2 Jalan Kiara, MY-50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: (03) 62 01 77 08.
Internet: www.micci.com/
National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (NCCIM)
37 Jalan Kia Peng, MY-50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: (03) 21 41 96 00.
Internet: www.nccim.org.my
Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA)
Level 3A, Block 4, Plaza Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 5, MY-50470 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: (03) 22 67 36 33.
Internet: www.mida.gov.my
MONEY
Currency
1 ringgit = 100 Sen. Currency code: RM, MYR (ISO code). There are bank notes worth 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 RM. Coins are in circulation in denominations of 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 Sen. Many commemorative coins in different denominations are also valid means of payment. The ringgit is also sometimes referred to as the Malay dollar.
Credit cards
Visa and MasterCard, but also Diners Club and American Express, are accepted in hotels, restaurants and shopping centers. Details from the issuer of the credit card in question.
ATMs
ec- / Maestro-Karte / Sparcard
Cards with the Cirrus or Maestro symbol are accepted in Europe and worldwide, in Malaysia especially in larger cities, also for cashless payments. Signs at the ATMs indicate which cards are accepted. Further information from banks and credit institutes.
Attention: Travelers who pay with their bank customer card abroad and want to withdraw money should find out about the options for using their card from their bank prior to departure.
Bank opening times
Mon-Fri 8.30 a.m.-5 p.m. (often with a lunch break that varies in time) and Sat 8.30 a.m.-12 p.m. (variations possible).
Foreign exchange regulations
The import or export of amounts over 10,000 US dollars (including travelers checks) must be declared. To do this, a Travelers Declaration Form (TDF No. 22) must be completed, which is available from Malaysian embassies and consulates, from Tourism Malaysia and at all entry and exit points and airports.
Export of foreign currencies only up to the amount declared on entry.
Currency Exchange
Most currencies can easily be exchanged in the tourist centers and in larger hotels as well as generally at banks and exchange offices. Exchange offices usually offer the cheapest rates here.
COMMUNICATION
Phone
The country code is 0060. International calls can be made from one of the many public telephones operated by the TM telephone company (Internet: www.tm.com.my) or from a local telecommunications office. Public telephones can be found in supermarkets, various stores and shopping malls, kiosks and post offices, and train stations. They are mostly used with coins and prepaid cards, which are sold in many shops and also by petrol stations. Emergency numbers: Police and Ambulance: 999, Fire Department: 994. Kuala Lumpur Tourist Police: (03) 21 66 83 22.
Cellphone
Mobile phone companies include CELCOM First (GSM 900) (Internet: www.celcom.com.my), DiGi (GSM 1800) (Internet: new.digi.com.my/home) Maxis Mobile (GSM 900) (Internet: www. maxis.com.my) and TIME (GSM 1800) (Internet: www.time.com.my). International roaming agreements exist. Otherwise, prepaid SIM cards and inexpensive mobile phones can be purchased on site.
Internet
Main provider: Ua Maxis (Internet: www.maxis.com.my). There are numerous internet cafes, especially in the larger cities. Larger hotels and hostels also usually have Internet access. Wireless access to the Internet via Wi-Fi is also available in chain cafes, in shopping centers and at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. An overview of the hotspots can be found at www.hotspotlocations.com.
Post Office
Post offices can be found in the business districts of most cities, opening hours: Mon-Sat 8 am-5pm.
Radio
Since the use of shortwave frequencies changes several times over the course of a year, it is advisable to contact Deutsche Welle customer service directly (Tel: (+49) (0228) 429 32 08. Internet: www.dw-world.de) to request.