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Malaysia Local Customs

by SLLiew

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Local Customs
by SLLiew
Religion
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I am lucky to capture this :D
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Weaving a tempok
by AngMimi
Looks like a princess
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Most Viewed Local Customs in Malaysia

76.

Dress Kuala Lumpur

13 Reviews I was really nervous about what to wear when I went to KL. Because they are a majority Muslim country I wasn't sure if I would be offending them if I wore shorts or a skirt. I spent the first two days...

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77.

Food Culture Penang

15 Reviews Those who travel around Penang, you should try out Penang Local food like Hokkien Mee, Laksa, Char Koay Teoh. This 3 is the top famous local food for penang. One of the restaurant had been operate for...

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78.

Festivals Melaka

5 Reviews Merry Christmas from the Portuguese Village, one of the last places on earth where Kristang is still spoken! Malaysia's national Xmas celebration this year (with the King in attendance) is being held...

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79.

Currency Kuala Lumpur

3 Reviews the Malaysian Ringgit ( RM) is the official currency of the federal states of Malaysia. the malysian currency was named the Malaysian Dollar before 1975 and since then, the Ringgit (which means jagged...

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80.

chinese religious practices Penang

14 Reviews Traditionally, if a person donate a certain amount of money to the temple, his/her name will be appeared on the wall forever, this is to let later peoples know this, this and this person donated this...

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81.

Religions Melaka

4 Reviews Shoes must be removed when you enter places of worship such as mosques and temples. In some mosques female visitors are expected to wear scarves. Taking photographs at places of worship is usually...

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82.

At The Dinner Table Kuala Lumpur

12 Reviews again Roti is a flat bread that originated from North India and Pakistan and brought here by Indian Immigrants and is available everywhere. the roti is also an unleavened flat bread unlike the Naan...

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83.

Traditional costumes Penang

10 Reviews In Malaysia many of the women wear head dresses because a large part of the country is muslim. They have to be worn when out in public. These do not have to be worn by women who are not muslim that...

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84.

GREETINGS ! Melaka

1 Review Greetings can be a slightly complicated affair. ‘Selamat’ is the greeting word, but you must specify the time. • Selamat pagi = Good Morning • Selamat tengah hari = Good Afternoon (from noon to...

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85.

Etiquette Kuala Lumpur

14 Reviews When you meet a Malaysian, especially a Malay, the right way to shake hand is to offer both your hands and gently grip the other person's hand. He or she would definitely do the same. Of course, the...

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86.

Taboo for gifts .... Penang

2 Reviews Another world - another culture - another habit... our top-model learned her lesson when changing her clothes in the centre of Georgetown. She got pushed into the van at the moment we all could see...

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87.

Weather & Climate Kuala Lumpur

5 Reviews It is very hot and sticky in Kuala Lumpur. Luckily the shopping centres and even some of the street vendors have icy cold aircon - the best aircon i have ever experienced. Travelling must still go...

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88.

Buddhism in Penang Penang

1 Review ►Wesak Day (May 25) This is the most important day of the Buddhist Calendar as it marks the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha. Buddhist devotees will gather in temples throughout the...

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89.

Religion Kuala Lumpur

12 Reviews Going to the main mosque in a major urban center in Muslim majority nation is bound to be interesting. One suddenly realizes that he is in a constant stream of walking men in one direction; men, men...

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90.

Chinese business Penang

2 Reviews When we were children, travelling through Malaysia and Borneo, in all towns, the stores would be owned by the Chinese, usually by the family and we always saw the student, son or daughter sitting in a...

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91.

National Mosque Kuala Lumpur

6 Reviews Although there are some pamphlets inside the Mosque, the attendants enforce a policy that the toilets at the main entrance to the Mosque are FOR MALAYSIANS ONLY! The attendants prevented my...

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92.

Art and performances Penang

1 Review well the Chinese Opera is only featured mainly during the Hungry Ghost festival or during the birthday of Chinese Gods or Deity....and mainly cater to older folks ...perhaps its because the younger...

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93.

Festivals Kuala Lumpur

6 Reviews We just happened to be in KL during the Ramadan Celebration. Those that celebrate fast during the day and then at around 7.20pm break the fast for dinner. On our way out of KL heading south to...

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94.

Language Kuala Lumpur

3 Reviews This is one of the most facinating experiences during the visit to Malaysia. As Bahasa native speaker (which has similarity with Malay Language), we understand each other when we speak in Malay....

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95.

Cultural Mix & Ethnicity Kuala Lumpur

7 Reviews The drive from the airport to the city at night means a great chance to see all the fairy lights set up along the roads. Roundabouts have them hanging from long poles, they are draped over fences and...

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96.

Bartering Kuala Lumpur

3 Reviews When at Petaling street on the last day of our visit i felt guilt for batering too low. When you ask to pay 30.00 aust instead of 40.00 aust and they say they will not make any money and will lose...

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Master & Slaves Culture

by l_joo

Based on a true story, my ex-manager once explained to me that many Malaysians rather selling Char Kuey Teow than working for local bosses. Many Malaysians rather not working for local bosses, they prefer self-employ Char Kuey Teow (local fast cooking noodles), a kind of street vendor food where the boss/owner is yourself, you can survive selling Char Kuey Teow anywhere in Malaysia as long as the food is delicious.My ex-manager said, a Char Kuey Teow seller can make RM3000-4000 monthly, a professional writer earn RM3000 monthly.The good thing is, although Malaysia a law-controlled country, but law is not working due to corruption, bad education & poverty, so it is ok to start your own business anywhere you like. Many peoples setup shanty-restaurants (mostly without approval) at anywhere they like, to make a living. Anyone can do it, it is totally free, including the ministry peoples....

Mat Rempit - a truly local culture

by l_joo

Mat Rempit is a special unique name invented by Malaysian. A Mat Rempit is a biker who is riding a small motorcyle (low cost US$800-1500) and race illegally on the street, the top speed is approximately 140-160kph which is too fast for a small bike.Mat Rempit is a super low cost entertainment, according to the "Interview with Mat Rempits", they only spent RM10.00 in fuel/petrol on Saturday night, with just RM10.00, they can play a whole night on the street.The winner of the illegal race (King of Mat Rempits), usually, get the opportunity to fetch a beautiful girl who are watching the race.Youngsters, especially those coming from unlucky backgrounds, usually those coming from non-English schools, usually those with poor command of English, they joined Mat Rempits, they unintentionally became Mat Rempits. English in Malaysia A person who speaks read write good fluent English = RM4000 or...

Littering habits

by l_joo

Littering habits is cureless in this country. Observe carefully, especially cars driving on the road, usually the car window wind down, someone throws garbage out of the window, watch out, sometimes they throw heavy objects.I was shocked when I read this signage in a Penang-KL bus, it was placed right in front of me and I was staring at it for nearly 5 hours.The bus had to remind passengers not to throw garbage out from the bus.It must be too many passengers threw garbage out of bus windows, no choice, the bus company had to put this signage here, in big. Report them Ok, sir, please come to live in Malaysia for 10 years and please try to make reports about throwing garbage, and you see if it works.I once made a garbage report about my residential area, I thought maybe I should care about the environment, so I made a report to DBKL, no replies at all. Then I saw banners of a political...

Ancient Chinese beliefs

by l_joo

Roughly 25% of populations in Malaysia are descendant of Chinese, Qingese and Mingese.They emigrated to Old British-Malaya or the Old Malacca Empire in different period (from 1400s-1900s). Majority immigrants came to Old British-Malaya during the war days from 1800s to 1949. The year 1949 is the year China Communist establish, the border closed, it marked the end of Chinese emigration to British-Malaya.To visit Malaysia is to visit the traditional community of ancient traditional Chinese, because all the Malaysian-Chinese never experienced the cultural revolutions in China, the Malaysian-Chinese did not know anything that occur in China, therefore Malaysian-Chinese, mostly, still remain conservative, old thinking, still living like an ancient Chinese, interesting ??

Ugly Names - a culture

by l_joo

Malaysian-Chinese has a weird custom, to give 'Ugly Names' to their children, in order to avoid falling into the 'Name list of Hell'.Interesting eh, wanna know?Ok, many Malaysian-Chinese came to Malaysia during the industrial revoulutionary days and also the Sino-Japanese war days. Many of them were villagers or labourers without proper educations. When they landed in old Malaysia (1800s-1900s), they feared many things and one of the things they feared most was their lifes and their children's lifes because many died of diseases, etc.To avoid that, they figured out an idea which is to give 'Ugly Names' to their own children, they believe by doing so, it can avoid the invitation of hell department. They believe there is a hell department and also a King Yen-Lo which is the king of hell department. This King is in charge of the name list of all humans, when Yen-Lo wants you to die, he...

Car number plate culture

by l_joo

Car number plate is significant, especially the Malaysian-Cantonese. Some of them are extremely superstitious, they strongly believe a good car number plate would represent one's whole life and fortune.In a nutshell, "Good number plate = Good luck good fortune to the car owner."This photo is taken from a car in Malaysia with number plate W?? 168 (I deleted the W?? to avoid unnecessary problems). 168 means One-Six-Eight in English, the meaning does not matter much in English, but 168 in Cantonese is "Yard-Loke-Part", it sounded similar to Yard-Loke-Fart which in its actual meaning is "All the way rich prosper / Prosper the entire life".Cantonese spent RM10000-RM50000 just to buy/own this car number plate simply for the pronunciation of "Part - Fart". Please look out for car with number plate 168.

Banana trees

by l_joo

If you see Banana trees inside the garden of someone's house or at the backyard, it tells you this house is 99% not a Malaysian-Chinese own.Okay let me explain to you, Malay peoples and Indian peoples like to have banana trees but not the Malaysian-Chinese, the reason is banana trees can bring ghosts to them. Hello, this is not a joke sir, Malaysian-Chinese never have banana trees inside their garden because they believe, if you tie a red string on the banana tree with the other end of the string tie to your bed at night, ghosts will come to you.Banana trees = ghost trees (Malaysian Chinese belief)Absolutely local custom.

Trying to look like a Merz 2

by l_joo

Now if you look at this national Proton Waja after modified by glueing 2 pieces of triangular-shaped reflexible red backlight to form an illusion or misconception of exotic luxury products of Germany. This kind of illusion cars are not small numbers but a lot. Superiority Please bear in mind, in Malaysia, a person who is driving a German made Mercedes-Benz is always superior than aperson who is driving a local made car, although nobody willing to admit, but it was already a common local custom & culture.A businessman who is driving a Merc is a 'more capable person', most peoples trust them, trust their ability in business. A person who is driving a local made Proton car is, a worker, a social status issue. Social status It is all determined on the cost of cars you drive.Status 1 - Successful businessmen/women drive a German made MercStatus 2 - Mid income worker drive a Toyota or a...

Turned your house into SHOPS !

by l_joo

Turning your residential house into SHOPS is very common in Malaysia.Although I don't know how you can achieve that but I am very sure a residential house can be turned into shop and office, as long as you know 'the way'.Imagine a residential area, suddenly someone transformed their own house into a hardware shop or into a lawyer office.Quickly, tourists, come to invest in Malaysia, your own house can be a shop, double purposes.

Renovations & Remodelings (cheap labors)

by l_joo

It is very common to see residential houses in complete remodelings. What I mean is, after a person purchased a house, he/she hired construction workers to break down the house and rebuild it into a bigger house.Remember Malaysia has trillions of cheap labors imported from neighbor countries, they earn US$150 monthly as construction workers in Malaysia.So, with so many manpowers, House Renovations & Remodelings became a popular local custom. It is so cheap, one day renovate the kitchen, another day rebuild the roof, extend the backyard to maximun without approval, etc, it was cheap anyway, small matter.There are so many advertisements of Renovations & Draftings pasted at roadside, pick up your phone and call, tell them your ideal designs. Adding a piece of Greco-Roman pillar, an Egyptian roof, Babylonian walls, Chinese pond with Fengshui, Japanese gate, Nusantara corridor, etc, doesn't...

Top 3 Hotels in Malaysia

Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur

23 Reviews and 1115 Opinions Had a comfortable night sleep in the hotel. Nice Bathroom and bedsheets. Wide spread of Breakfast....

Hotels in Kuala Lumpur

Eastern And Oriental Hotel Penang

16 Reviews and 473 Opinions Like other reviewers, we didn't actually stay here, we had a drink the bar which overlooks the...

Hotels in Penang

Aldy Hotel Negeri Melaka

1 Review and 55 Opinions Aldy Hotel is situated in centre of Melaka Town next to the Police Station and opposite the...

Hotels in Negeri Melaka

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Questions and Answers

Q: Hello, I am traveling to Malaysia for the first time, at the end February beginning of March, this is my first trip there and I...

A: 1: Malaysia is a very developed and safe country to travel for anyone. 2: Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Penang and Camerom highlands are some very nice places. 3: That i...

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