Welcome to JTB Asia.


It seems that you do not have Adobe Flash Player or the right version of the player installed.

Get Adobe Flash player

Malaysia As MICE Destination

Malaysia has a growing population of more than 27 million people.  The country consists of East and West Malaysia separated by the South China Sea.   It borders Indonesia and is joined to Singapore-Johor causeway. 

Key developments have taken place in its major cities where upgrading of infrastructures is eminent.  Its capital city, Kuala Lumpur is a robust city that is central to all major transportation networks.  The Kuala Lumpur International Airport marked is a prominent landmark and is a hub to many international airlines.

more

The city is brimming with commercial buildings, busy streets and the modern day entertainment and highlights.  A well-known destination for MICE groups, Kuala Lumpur has plenty of options for accommodation, cuisines, entertainment and relaxation.

Another prominent destination is Penang which has welcomed many international and national MICE delegates.  A unique city, it offers guests the options to conduct MICE business in the city or on the beach.  There is a string of world-class accommodation which offers facilities for discerning travellers.

Other destinations include Langkawi and Kota Kinabalu which are seemingly popular for its diversity in culture and destination offerings.  Laid-back, the cities are no short of modern amenities to facilitate small and large groups.

 

Experience Malaysia, Truly Asia. The one destination that will take you on a refreshing Asian experience. The perfect place for deserving travellers looking for a sense of reward in one incentive holiday.

Malaysia is a melting pot of cultures. It offers unique gamut of colourful festivals, fascinating sounds and other irresistible culinary specialties all from some of Asia's ancient cultures - Malay, Chinese, Indians and other ethnic communities. These are the things that make Malaysia, Truly Asia.

Enrich your incentive experience and reawaken world-weary senses in this tropical paradise. Experience the magnificent world of our nature - a divine existence awaiting discovery. With primeval rainforest, pristine white beaches, coral-fringed islands and magnificent caves, Malaysia offers limitless opportunities for adventure and sightseeing.

History of Malaysia

Early History
Situated in the heart of Southeast Asia, at one of the world's major crossroads, Malaysia has always been pivotal to trade routes from Europe, the Orient, India and China. Christian Europe. To the north-east are China and Japan. The shipping routes from China to the west pass through the region, and the most direct route passes through the Strait of Malacca.

more

This has made Malaysia a natural meeting place of trade routes and cultures, something which has brought the area great wealth, but has also made it difficult for the local peoples to resist foreign influence and domination.

Abundant natural resources made Malaysia a natural meeting place for trade and a congenial destination for immigrants as early as 5,000 years ago when the ancestors of the Orang Asli, the indigenous peoples of Peninsula Malaysia, settle here, probably the pioneers of a general movement from China and Tibet. They were followed by the Malays, who brought with them skills in farming and the use of metals.

Around 1st century BC, strong trading links were established with China and India, and these had major impact on culture, language and social customs on the country. The rise of the Hindu-Buddhist culture is still evident from the temple sites of the Bujang Valley and Merbok Esturary in Kedah in the north west of Peninsular Malaysia, near the Thai border.

The spread of Islam introduced by Arab and Indian traders brought the Hindu-Buddhist era to an end by the 13th century. With the conversion of the Malay-Hindu rulers of the Melaka Sultanate (The Malay Kingdom which ruled both side of the Straits of Melaka for over a hundred years), Islam was established as the religion of the Malays and remained so till this day.

Melaka was chosen to be the port of call, based mainly on its advantageous location. It was sheltered from strong monsoon winds, thus the port was able to operate year-round. Spices and other precious goods were the main commodities traded at this new port, which flourished as the world's new major maritime trade point, especially for Indian, Arab and Chinese traders.

Melaka profitable position was envied by many In 1511, the Portuguese capture Melaka and the rulurs of Melaka Sultanate fled south to Johor where they tried to establish a new kingdom. They were resisted not only by the Europeans but by also by the Acehnese, Minangkabau and the Bugis, resulting in the sovereign units of the present-day states of Peninsula Malaysia. The Portuguese were in turn defeated by the Dutch, who colonized Melaka until 1815 when the British Empire took over.

The British acquired Melaka from the Dutch in 1824 in exchange for Bencoolen in Sumatra. Melaka, Penang and Singapore became collectively known as the Straits Settlement. Through the British influence and power, they began the process of political integration of the Malay states of Peninsula Malaysia.

INDEPENDENCE

In August 31 1957, Tunku Abdul Rahman became the first Prime minister of independent Malaya. He united Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore, all of which had been British colonies to form Malaysia.

This idea received mixed opinions from different states in question. Majority of Singaporeans supported the idea of the merger. Most political parties in Sarawak were against the merger, and in Sabah, where there were no political parties, community representatives also stated their opposition. Political party in Brunei opposed to the merger strongly, staging an armed revolt and pulled out of the merger.

more

The formation was opposed by neighboring countries such as Philippines and Indonesia with fears of neocolonialism.

Malaysia formally came into being on 16 September 1963, consisting of Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore.

The Chinese emigration to Malaya had drastically dropped after the Japanese occupation, which has stabilised the demographic situation and ended the prospect of Malays becoming a minority in their own country. At the time of independence in 1957, the Malays were 55% of the population, the Chinese 35% and the Indians 10%.

This equation was upset by the inclusion of Singapore, which increased the Chinese proportion to close to 40%. Both UMNO and the MCA were nervous about the possible appeal of Lee's People's Action Party (then seen as a radical socialist party) to voters in Malaya, and tried to organise a party in Singapore to challenge Lee's position there. Lee in turn threatened to run PAP candidates in Malaya at the 1964 federal elections, despite an earlier agreement that he would not do so (see PAP-UMNO Relations). This provoked Tunku Abdul Rahman to demand that Singapore withdraw from Malaysia, which it did in August 1965.

Location
Its geographical location is between 20 and 70 north of the equator, separated from each other by the South China Sea and sharing a large similar landscape in that both West and East Malaysia. The federation of Malaysia comprises of Peninsula Malaysia and the states of Sabah and Sarah on the island of Borneo.

To the north of Peninsula Malaysia is Thailand while its Southern neighbour is Singapore. Sabah and Sarak are north of Indonesia in Borneo while Sarawak also shares a border with Brunei.

Land Area
Malaysia is a federation of thirteen states and three federal territories with a total landmass of 329,758 sq km.

The capital city of Kuala Lumpur while Putra jaya is the seat of the federal government.

Climate
Tropical climate showers all year round. The temperature in the lowlands ranges from 21 degree Celsius (70ºF) to 32 degree (90ºF). The highlands are cooler, where temperatures range betweens 15 degree Celsius (59°F) to 25 degree Celsius (77°F). Annual rainfall varies from 2,000 mm to 2,500 mm.

Malaysia is a multi - religious society and Islam is the official religion. The Malays forms the majority of the population while followed by second largest ethnic group is Chinese.

The Chinese immigrants arrived at Malaysia during 19th century, the Chinese are known for their diligence of doing business. There are three sub-groups who speak different dialect of Chinese. Hokkien speaking is living predominantly on the northern island of Penang. The Chinese who speaks Cantonese are predominantly stays in the capital, Kuala Lumpur. The Mandarin speaking group majority lives in the southern state of Johor. 

more

The number three largest ethnic group is Indian communities. Most of the descendents of South Indian immigrants are Tamil speaking and they came to Malaysia during the British colonial rule.

In Peninsular Malaysia, Orang Asli is a general term used for any indigenous. In Sabah and Sarawak, there are a myriad of indigenous ethic groups with their own unique culture and heritage. Such as, Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, Kadazan Dusun, Bajau and Murut.

Population The population of Malaysia is approximately 29 million. The Malay, Malaysia's largest ethnic group, makes up 57% of the population. They followed by second largest ethnic group, Malaysian Chinese 25%, Malaysian Indians 10%.

Religion Islam is the official religion, approximately 60.4 percent of the population practices Islam. 19.2 percent Buddhism, 9.1 percent Christianity and 6.3 percent Hinduism.

Language Bahasa Melayu is the national language, while English is also widely spoken by all nations, especially in the capital and the big cities. The ethnic groups also speak various languages and dialects. As such, the nation can speak Malay, Mandarin and English.

Politics Malaysia is governed by a Parliamentary democracy with a bicameral legislative system. The federal head of State is the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, who is awarded to a different state Monarch every five years. The country has been governed by a multi-party coalition known as the Barisan National, and the head of government is the Prime Minister.

Executive branch
Chief of state: King - Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin (since 13 December 2006); the position of the king is primarily ceremonial
Head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak (since 3 April 2009); Deputy Prime Minister MUHYIDDIN bin Mohamed Yassin (since 9 April 2009)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament with consent of the king
Elections: kings elected by and from the hereditary rulers of nine of the states for five-year terms; selection based on principle of rotation among rulers of states; election last held on 3 November 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader who commands the support of the majority of members in the House becomes prime minister (since independence this has been the leader of the UMNO party)
Election results: Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin elected king

Political parties & leaders
National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN (ruling coalition) consists of the following parties:
Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or PGRM [KOH Tsu Koon];
Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [LIEW Vui Keong]; Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [CHUA Soi Lek];
Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [Govindasamy PALANIVEL];
Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP];
Parti Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan];
Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu or PBB [Abdul TAIB Mahmud];
Parti Rakyat Sarawak or PRS [James MASING];
Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam];
United Malays National Organization or UMNO [NAJIB bin Abdul Razak];
United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard DOMPOK];
People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia) or PPP [M.Kayveas];
Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party or SPDP [William MAWAN])

People's Alliance (Pakatan Rakyat) or PR (opposition coalition) consists of the following parties:
Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh];
Islamic Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang];
People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismail];
Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DUNDANG]

Independent party: Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Saban) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]

Source of information: The World Fact Book (Malaysia) 2011

Malaysia, a middle-income country, has transformed itself since the 1970s from a producer of raw materials into an emerging multi-sector economy. Under current Prime Minister NAJIB, Malaysia is attempting to achieve high-income status by 2020 and to move farther up the value-added production chain by attracting investments in Islamic finance, high technology industries, biotechnology, and services.

The NAJIB administration also is continuing efforts to boost domestic demand and reduce the economy's dependence on exports. Nevertheless, exports - particularly of electronics, oil and gas, palm oil and rubber - remain a significant driver of the economy. As an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has profited from higher world energy prices, although the rising cost of domestic gasoline and diesel fuel, combined with strained government finances, has forced Kuala Lumpur begin to reduce government subsidies.

The government is also trying to lessen its dependence on state oil producer Petronas, which supplies more than 40% of government revenue. The central bank maintains healthy foreign exchange reserves and its well-developed regulatory regime has limited Malaysia's exposure to riskier financial instruments and the global financial crisis.

GDP (Purchasing power parity)
$416.7 billion (2010 est)

GDP (Real growth rate)
7.2% (2010 est)

GDP – per capita (PPP)
$14,700 (2010 est)

Unemployment rate:
3.5% (2010 est)

Source: CIA The World Fact Book (May 17' 2011)

Malaysia Corporate tax rate
Taxable income of firms in Malaysia is subject to corporate tax at the rate of 25%. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that qualify for the conditions are subject to tax at 20% for the first Ringgit Malaysia (RM) 500,000 taxable income.

Source: MIDA Malaysian Industrial Development Authority

 

Quick Facts for visitors

Access to Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

By Plane
The main gateway is the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at Sepang in the state of Selangor. Located about 50km from the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, other gateways including Sabah, Sarawak and the Federal Territory of Labuan in East Malaysia, is well serviced by 14 domestic airports and airstrips.

Over 45 international airlines fly into the country while national carrier Malaysia Airlines has a global network that spans six continents and a national network that covers more than 36 local destinations. AirAsia, Malaysia's budget airline also services certain domestic and regional routes.

By Train
From KLIA, KLIA Express is available to Kuala Lumpur, 28 minutes journey away with a high-speed rail service.

Located 48km north of Alor Star in the northern state of Kedah, Bukit Kayu Hitam is the main entry point into Malaysia for visitors from Thailand. Situated on the main rail route with a daily train service from Bangkok, Padang Besar - in Malaysia's northernmost state of Perlis - is another entry point.

Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) or Malayan Railway provides an international express from Butterworth to Haadyai in Thailand, and regular services from Padang Besar to Singapore via Kuala Lumpur. The exclusive Eastern and Oriental Express also romances the route from Bangkok to Singapore via Kuala Lumpur. Covering the entire length of the Peninsular - over 2,000 km, this two-day journey has frequent stops at scenic locations.

For visitors entering from the Singapore, Johor Bahru is the main southern entry point. A rail and road causeway connects Johor Bahru to Singapore. Immigration and customs checkpoints are based at the entrance to the Causeway. A second bridge links Tanjung Kupang - 30km south-west of Johor Bahru - to Tuas in Singapore.

By Car/Coach
By road, visitors may travel via the ELITE highway or the North-South Expressway. The North-South Expressway also links the main towns on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The peninsular is accessible by car rental, public buses, private coaches, taxi, limousine and rails.

The North-South Expressway links Bukit Kayu Hitam to Kuala Lumpur - 490km away. Near the Malaysian immigration and customs post are restaurants, shops, car parks and a duty-free shopping complex. From Singapore causeway, the North-South Expressway links Johor Bahru with Kuala Lumpur is 220km to the north.

By Sea
Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia are easily accessible via sea ports. Located just outside the capital city of Kuala Lumpur on the west coast of the Peninsular, Port Klang is Malaysia's largest modern sea port. With excellent harborage, it is also a major shipping and cargo terminal. Other major sea ports are located on the islands of Penang and Langkawi, in the north of the Peninsular; at Johor to the south; at Kuantan on the East Coast; and at Kota Kinabalu in Sabah.

Currency/Exchange Rates
The monetary unit of Malaysia is the Ringgit Malaysia (RM).

Exchange rate: 1USD = 3.41 MYR
1 MYR = 26 JPY
updated as of 30 December 2008

(Exchange rate is subject to fluctuation and the figure shown served as a guideline)

Electricity
<The electric current is generally 220 - 240 volts, AC at 50 cycles per second.
Standard 3-pin square plugs and sockets.

Time
GMT +8hours

County Dialing Code
60

Visa
Visitors to Malaysia must be in possession of valid passport/travel documents with a minimum validity of six months beyond the period of intended stay. In the case of a national passport not recognized by the Malaysian Government, the holder must be in possession of a document in lieu of passport obtainable at the nearest Malaysian Mission abroad. The national passport must also ensure his re-entry into the country of his citizenship.

Every visitor to Malaysia has to fill in a Disembarkation Card (IMM. 26). The card has to be handed over to the Immigration Officer on arrival together with the national passport or other internationally recognized travel document endorsed for travel into Malaysia.

Customs & Immigrations (www.imi.gov.my)
A passport/travel document is also necessary for travel between Sabah and Sarawak. Visitor passes issued for entry into Peninsular Malaysia are not valid for entry into Sarawak. Fresh visit passes must be obtained on arrival at the point of entry in Sarawak. However, subject to conditions stipulated, visit passes issued by the Immigration Authorities in Sabah and Sarawak are valid for any part of Malaysia.

Most nationalities do not require visas for social or business visits.

For further information, please contact the nearest Malaysian diplomatic mission or Tourism Malaysia office.

 
Print This Page  |   Add to Bookmark