Business facilities

There is a good range of international businesses based in Malaysia. These range from conglomerates like Citibank to smaller business dealing with exporting and importing. It quite easy to do business in Malaysia as most Malaysians speak a reasonably good level of English.

However, those who plan to do business in Malaysia need to be aware that a small fee is often required in order to speed up transactions or release of goods. There are also a large number of Malays who act as middlemen to bring together two or more parties so that everyone can get the most from the transaction.

Typical business hours:

Government departments: 08:00 to 12:00, 13:00 to 16:00 (may vary slightly), Monday to Friday and alternate Saturdays.

Retail: 10:00 to 18:00 (up to 22:00 in malls), every day – some traditional shops close on Sundays. Night Markets are common and close at 23:00

Banking: 10:00 to 15:30, Monday to Friday (and until 11:30 on alternate Saturdays) Many banks now offer night time services, but it is best to check with the branch and the bank for up to date information.