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Malaysia |
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Facts and Statistics
Location: Southeastern Asia. Shares borders with Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei. Capital: Kuala Lumpur Climate: tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons Population: 24,821,286 (July 2007 est.) Ethnic Make-up: Malay 50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, indigenous 11%, Indian 7.1%, others 7.8% Religions: Muslim 60.4%, Buddhist 19.2%, Christian 9.1%, Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 2.6%, other or unknown 1.5%, none 0.8% Government: constitutional monarchy |
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Language in Malaysia
The Malay language is an Austronesian language spoken not only by Malaysians but all Malay people who reside in the Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, central eastern Sumatra, the Riau islands, parts of the coast of Borneo, Cocos and Christmas Islands in Australia. It is also very similar to Indonesian, known locally as Bahasa Indonesia. In Malaysia, the language is officially known as Bahasa Malaysia, which translates as the "Malaysian language". The term, which was introduced by the National Language Act 1967, was predominant until the 1990s, when most academics and government officials reverted to "Bahasa Melayu," which is used in the Malay version of the Federal Constitution. Malay Culture and Society A Multi-Cultural Society Malaysia is a multi-cultural society. The main ethnic groups are the native Malays as well as large populations of Chinese, and Indians. When visiting the country it is clear that the ethnicities retain their religions, customs and way of life. The most important festivals of each group are public holidays. Although growing up, children are educated in the same schools and will eventually work in the same offices, few marry outside their own ethnicity. Families tend to socialise within their own ethnic group – all part of retaining their individual traditions and lifestyles. Despite the ethnic differences there are commonalities culturally speaking. Group Orientation The family is considered the centre of the social structure. As a result there is a great emphasis on unity, loyalty and respect for the elderly. The family is the place where the individual can be guaranteed both emotional and financial support. When one member of the family suffers a financial setback, the rest of the family will contribute what they can to help out. Families tend to be extended, although in the larger cities this will naturally differ. The Concept of Face Malays, Chinese and Indians all strive to maintain face and avoid shame both in public and private. Face is a personal concept that embraces qualities such as a good name, good character, and being held in esteem by one's peers. Face is considered a commodity that can be given, lost, taken away, or earned. On top of this face also extends to the family, school, company, and even the nation itself. The desire to maintain face makes Malaysians strive for harmonious relationships. Face can be lost by openly criticizing, insulting, or putting someone on the spot; doing something that brings shame to the group; challenging someone in authority, especially if this is done in public; showing anger at another person; refusing a request; not keeping a promise; or disagreeing with someone publicly. Conversely, face can be saved by remaining calm and courteous; discussing errors or transgressions in private; speaking about problems without blaming anyone; using non-verbal communication to say "no"; and allowing the other person to get out of the situation with their pride intact. Etiquette and Customs in Malaysia Meeting and Greeting Greetings in a social context will depend upon the ethnicity of the person you are meeting. In general, most Malays are aware of Western ways so the handshake is normal. There may be slight differences though and a few things to bear in mind include: • Malay women may not shake hands with men. Women can of course shake hands with women. Men may also not shake hands with women and may bow instead while placing their hand on their heart. • The Chinese handshake is light and may be rather prolonged. Men and women may shake hands, although the woman must extend her hand first. Many older Chinese lower their eyes during the greeting as a sign of respect. • Indians shake hands with members of the same sex. When being introduced to someone of the opposite sex, nodding the head and smiling is usually sufficient. Among all cultures, there is a general tendency to introduce: • the most important person to the lower ranking person. • the older person to the younger person. • women to men. Names The way names are used also varies between ethnicities: Chinese • The Chinese traditionally have 3 names. The surname (family name) is first and is followed by two personal names. • Many Chinese adopt more Western names and may ask you to use that instead. Malays • Many Malays do not have surnames. Instead, men add their father's name to their own name with the term "bin" (meaning ‘son of’). So Rosli bin Suleiman, would be Rosli the son of Suleiman. • Women use the term "binti", so Aysha bint Suleiman is Aysha the daughter of Suleiman. Indian • Many Indians do not use surnames. Instead, they place the initial of their father's name in front of their own name. The man's formal name is their name "s/o" (son of) and the father's name. • Women use "d/o" to refer to themselves as the daughter of their father. Gift Giving Etiquette Here are some general gift giving etiquette guidelines: Gift giving to Malays: • If invited to someone's home for dinner, bring the hostess pastries or good quality chocolates. • Never give alcohol. • Do not give toy dogs or pigs to children. • Do not give anything made of pigskin. • Avoid white wrapping paper as it symbolizes death and mourning. • Avoid yellow wrapping paper, as it is the color of royalty. • If you give food, it must be “halal” (meaning permissible for Muslims). • Offer gifts with the right hand only or both hands if the item is large. • Gifts are generally not opened when received. Gift giving to Chinese: • If invited to someone's home, bring a small gift of fruit, sweets, or cakes, saying that it is for the children. • A gift is traditionally refused before it is accepted to demonstrate that the recipient is not greedy. • Do not give scissors, knives or other cutting utensils as they indicate a desire to sever the relationship. • Flowers do not make good gifts as they are given to the sick and are used at funerals. • Do not wrap gifts in mourning colours - white, blue, or black. • Wrap the gifts in happy colours - red, pink, or yellow. • Elaborate gift - wrapping is imperative. • Never wrap a gift for a baby or decorate the gift in any way with a stork, as birds are the harbinger of death. • It is best to give gifts in even numbers since odd numbers are unlucky. • Gifts are generally not opened when received. Gift giving to Indians: • If you give flowers, avoid frangipani as they are used in funeral wreaths. • Money should be given in odd numbers. • Offer gifts with the right hand only or both hands if the item is large. • Do not wrap gifts in white or black. • Wrap gifts in red, yellow or green paper or other bright colors as these bring good fortune. • Do not give leather products to a Hindu. • Do not give alcohol unless you are certain the recipient drinks. • Gifts are generally not opened when received. Business Etiquette and Protocol in Malaysia Meeting and Greeting Within the business context most Malaysian businesspeople are culturally-savvy and internationally exposes. Your experience may very well depend upon the ethnicity, age, sex and status of the person you are meeting. The best approach is always friendly yet formal. A few tips include: • Initial greetings should be formal and denote proper respect. • If in a team, introduce the most important person first. • Many Malays and Indians are uncomfortable shaking hands with a member of the opposite sex. • Foreign men should always wait for a Malaysian woman to extend her hand. Foreign women should also wait for a Malaysian man to extend his hand. • To demonstrate respect Chinese may look downwards rather than at the person they are meeting. • It is important that professional titles (professor, doctor, engineer) and honorific titles are used in business. Malays and Indians use titles with their first name while Chinese use titles with their surname. Business Card Etiquette • Business cards are exchanged after the initial introductions. • If you will be meeting Chinese, have one side of your card translated into Chinese, with the Chinese characters printed in gold. • If you will be meeting government officials, have one side of your card translated into Bahasa Malaysia. • Use two hands or the right hand only to exchange business cards. • Examine any business card you receive before putting it in your business card case. • The respect you show someone's business card is indicative of the respect you will show the individual in business. Act accordingly. • Never write on someone's card in their presence. Communication As an extension to the need to maintain harmonious relations, Malaysians rely on non-verbal communication (i.e. facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, etc). Such a communication style tends to be subtle, indirect and. Malays may hint at a point rather than making a direct statement, since that might cause the other person to lose face. Rather than say "no", they might say, "I will try", or "I’ll see what I can do". This allows the person making the request and the person turning it down to save face and maintain harmony in their relationship. If you are unsure about the affirmative response you received, you may want to continue the discussion, re-phrasing the question in several different ways so that you may compare responses. If the response was given because the Malaysian did not know how to respond in the negative without causing offense, this may come out. Alternatively, they may have someone else give you the bad news. Silence is an important element of Malaysian communication. Pausing before responding to a question indicates that they have given the question appropriate thought and considered their response carefully. Many Malaysians do not understand the Western propensity to respond to a question hastily and can consider such behaviour thoughtless and rude. Malaysians may laugh at what may appear to outsiders as inappropriate moments. This device is used to conceal uneasiness. Do not show anger in public as it makes Malaysians uncomfortable and creates a feeling of powerlessness. There is a greater chance of achieving a good outcome id you are calm, whereas little is resolved by shouting. Business Meetings • It is a good idea for the most senior person on your team to enter first so that he or she is the first to greet the most senior Malaysian. • This gives face to both parties as it demonstrates respect towards the Malaysian and shows that you respect hierarchy within your company. • It is customary for leaders to sit opposite each other around the table. • Many companies will have their team seated in descending rank, although this is not always the case. • Expect the most senior Malaysian to give a brief welcoming speech. You need not reciprocate. • There will be a period of small talk, which will end when the most senior Malaysian is comfortable moving to the business discussion. • Meetings may be conducted or continue over lunch and dinner. • Meetings, especially initial ones, are generally somewhat formal. Treat all Malaysian participants with respect and be cautious not to lose your temper or appear irritated. • At the first meeting between two companies, Malaysians will generally not get into in-depth discussions. They prefer to use the first meeting as an opportunity to get to know the other side and build a rapport, which is essential in this consensus-driven culture. Being a Manager in Malaysia To ensure successful cross cultural management in Malaysia, you need be aware of the strict protocols and rituals that exist. It takes time to understand the nuances of communication because much is conveyed subtly and non-verbally. Since it is imperative that you not do anything to make a Malaysian lose face, observe people's facial expressions and body language. There are often rules of behavior governing specific business situations. Although this is changing, it is still common for employees to behave harmoniously and subjugate their personal desires to the needs of the group. The Role of a Manager In Malaysia, as in other hierarchical societies, managers may take a somewhat paternalistic attitude to their employees. They may demonstrate a concern for employees that goes beyond the workplace. This may include involvement in their family, housing, health, and other practical life issues. Approach to Change Malaysia’s intercultural adaptability and readiness for change is developing all the time. Malaysia is seen to have a medium tolerance for change and risk. It is important for innovations to have a track record or history noting the benefits if they are to be accepted and implemented. Failure in Malaysia causes a long-term loss of confidence by the individual as well as by others. Because of this attitude, intercultural sensitivity is going to be required, especially when conducting group meetings and discussing contributions made my participating individuals. Approach to Time and Priorities Malaysia is a fluid time culture, and as is the case with many fluid time cultures, it is also very relationship-oriented. People in Malaysia will not want to upset others in order to force adherence to a deadline. When working with people from Malaysia, it’s advisable to reinforce the importance of the agreed-upon deadlines and how that may affect the rest of the organization. Global and intercultural expansion means that some managers may have a greater appreciation of the need to enforce timescales and as such, agreed deadlines are more likely to be met. Decision Making Although the most senior people have absolute decision-making authority, they generally develop a consensus before making a final decision. This is especially true if several departments must work together to accomplish a goal. Malaysian managers are treated with the same respect subordinates show their parents. In more entrepreneurial companies, or those where the management team has been educated abroad, the line of demarcation between manager and subordinates may not be as extreme, but they still believe that rank has its privilege. Employees are never criticized publicly; they are counseled in private in much the same way a father would speak to a child so for successful management some cross cultural sensitivity will be essential. Managers show a paternalistic concern for their subordinates. In turn, subordinates view looking good in the eyes of the manager as important since it indicates a good relationship. Publicly criticizing the boss would cause both the boss and the subordinate to lose face. Boss or Team Player? If you are working in Malaysia, it is important to remember that face and reputation play an important role. The risk becomes amplified in a team or collaborative setting and if you would like to encourage participation it is important first to clearly establish a non-threatening work environment and communicate fully that their participation is desired. Cross cultural sensitivity is essential and you must avoid exposing or potentially embarrassing anyone in public. Communication and Negotiation Styles Cross cultural management will be more effective if you understand the importance of adhering to strict protocols. Remain standing until told where to sit. The hierarchical culture has strict rules about rank and position. Business discussions usually start after a fair amount of small talk and it takes time to develop a comfortable working relationship. You will need patience, perseverance and persistence. Decisions are reached by the person with the most authority; however, they will generally reach a consensus first, which slows down the decision making process. Saving face is important. If you lose your temper you lose face and prove you are unworthy of respect and trust. Malaysians may pause up to 20 seconds before answering a question; therefore, do not immediately start to speak or take their silence as agreement. Summarize and clarify points frequently during negotiations. Negotiations may continue after a contract has been signed since contracts are not viewed as cast in stone. Personal relationships are more important than written agreements. If you are signing a contract with ethnic Chinese, the signing date may be determined by an astrologer or a geomancer (feng shui practitioner). Useful Information and Links about Malaysia * Currency - the currency of Malaysia is known as the Ringgit. Use the free currency converter to compare to dollars, GBP or Euro. * Weather - visit Yahoo!'s up to date Weather for Malaysia. * News - check out all the latest Google news on Malaysia. * Dialling Code - the international dialling code is +60. * Time - Malaysia is + 8 hours GMT. * History - read about the long and rich history of Malaysia. |
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