Kuala Lumpur, fondly known as KL is the capital of Malaysia. It comprises of 244 sq. km. with a population of 1.5 million people. It is inland meeting at the KLang and Gombak rivers. It is tropical all year round with annual SW(Apr-Oct) and NE(Oct-Feb) monsoons. It is the commercial and business capital of Malaysia.

Expats are treated very well because they are known for their spending power. Malaysia have 3 main ethnicities-Malays, Chinese and Indians. People of different cultures and religions are co-existing. This has led to many diverse lifestyles, languages and food. This is great exposure for anyone to witness who are interested in diversity. There are no dress codes. It's quite common to see people with shorts and tops to traditional Malay baju with tudung(headscarf) and Indian saris. Many families live on the outskirts KL-cheaper housing and less traffic congestion. There are those that prefer city living-close proximity to evrything from work and shopping to nightlife. Homosexuals and transexuals are frowned upon in this dominated Muslim country. As long as they don't call attention to themselves, they are left alone. Violent crimes are very low throughout MY. Petty crimes such as sntch thieves and housing burlgaries are quite high. Most apartments and housing will have some sort of security. High-end residences usually have 24 security an! d cctv. In my area, we have 24 hour security guards who make frequent rounds. Plus, my husband has installed an alarm system to keep out potential robbers. Houses here usually have grilled windows and fences around their compounds. It good to have commonsense and be aware of one's surroundings. Don't go out at night alone and be stuck in a dark and isolated place. Carjackings and kidnappings are quite rare. They do happen though.

Visa and work permits are a requirement for staying in Malaysia. Foreigners who are resident of the Commonwealth countries are exempted from visa application). It's best to obtain visas b/f entering the country. There are different different passes and visas to apply for: Employment Pass (EP), Visit Pass (temporary employment), Visit Pass (professional), Dependant Pass, Spouse Permit, Student Pass, Training Pass, Malaysia My Second Home http://www.imi.gov.my http://www.mm2h.gov.my

*There are many types of housing available for expats-apartments or condominiums, bungalows, linked, semi-detached.When looking for housing, location is everything. Prices and amenities (transport, dining, entertainment, medical, education etc) should also be also considered. Popular expat areas are Mont Kiara, Desa Sri Hartamas, Bangsar, and Ampang. Typical cost in rent from these areas can range btw RM3500-RM8000. Further away from KL like Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya, and Shah Alam, it could be RM1000 or more less depending on the type and size of housing. Renting a property involves the following: Signing a letter of offer and paying one month rent as an "Earnest Deposit". Pay two months rent, as a "Security Deposit", paying a "Utility Deposit" (for electricity, power etc). When negotiating for and before signing anything, make sure you review the paperwork thoroughly. Look for and ask for references from workers or friends for reputable real-estate agents.

It's very common and quite cheap to have household help. A live -in maid can cost btw RM450(Indonesian)-RM800(Phillipino). Parttime help can cost around 250-350 per month. They usually come in 2-3 times per week. RM1200 is the starting price for a driver. Many gardeners will come around for RM50 dollars to mow a lawn or trim some bushes. Nannies and babysitters are not readily available here. Since the maid also look after young children, people w/out maids usually send kids to daycare centers.

We use Telekom Malaysia(TM) for our fixed line(RM26 for basic service) and internet(RM88 for DSL broadband). There are many companies offering internet services-Maix, Digi, Jaring, Celcom and more. Prices are very competitive. We have no complaints with our services from TMNet. Maxis is excellent for mobile service. We subcribe to a local English paper(The STAR) for RM1.20 per paper. Astro is our cable network which have many channels from local and international tv. Our package includes major news channels like CNN, MSNBC, BBC, Aljazerra, sports channels-ESPN, StarSports, Supersport, Variety which shows the latest US tvand childrens channels, the Learning Channels-Discovery Living and National Geographic , History, and the Movie channels-HBO, Showtime, TMC. Had no problems so far using the local POS. Sending packages to the US are very expensive though.

English is widely used in Malaysia. There are language centers all over the place. Private tutors are also available. Knowing some Malay, Chinese dialects would help with dealing with the local folks when doing the morning marketing and for farmer's markets. Good for getting better bargains.

The tap water is supposedly safe to drink, but everyone filters their water or buys bottle water. Water is usually pumped in. We use WaterCO as our filtering and cleansing system for our main pipes. this type of system is self-maitenance and a one time fee(RM1800 and up) On top of that we use a Bio OR filtering system for our drinking water. We use Nariza and they service our drinking water every 6 months(filters cost btwRM85-RM250) depending on how much we use. Every3 years, the 4 different filters have to be changed and that can cost up to RM650.Clean water is a lucretive business. We use piped in gas from Shell. Gas trucks are always honking their tanks everyday around housing areas. Our 14kg gas tank costs RM24. This usually last me 2 months. I use my oven and slowcooker alot. Tenega Nasional Berhad is the national electricity company we use. Our is quite high, RM600+. I use the clothes dryer and oven alot, plus 3 aircons at night.

The job market is very competitive. There are many unskilled labor, but these are taken up by mostly foreign workers from Indonesia and Bangladesh.There are fresh graduates every year who cannot find work. There are many jobs for specialists in certain fields (IT, engineering, MDs). Local and international headhunters are very expensive to use. The major newspapers have classifieds for job opportunities. http://www.jobstreet.com http://classifieds. the star.com.my/bookings

The local currency is called ringget, US$1=RM3.60. It is relatively easy to set up a bank acct. Just bring along work visa and or passport to fill out the forms.

There are private and public healthcare available. I've had 3 c-sections here in a private hospital and am very confident of their high quality. I was very happy with my pre-natal and post-natal care requirements. Most doctors are overseas grads(UK, US, and Australia). Most medications are available here over the counter. Some could be under a different name and brand. Some meds need a prescription. some pharmacies are very laxed about having no prescription from a doctor. You just need to write down your address and phone number. I'm not aware of any health concerns. there is quite a high number of dengue cases this year. Just make sure you have sufficient mosquito repellent.

There are many types of schools available-private, national, Chinese, Tamil, religious and international school(Japanese, American, British, French and Australian). There are many pre-college private and a few public universities. Most people I know prefer to send their children to get an overseas education b/c of the local favoritism for Bumis(native Malays). the national local primary and secondary schools are nothing to shot about. Private schools are a little better. We send our 3 children to Chinese schools for the importance of learning Mandarin. the Enlglish and Malay lauguages are compulsory in Malaysian schools. Plus, Chinese schools focus highly on math and science. We feel that a foundation in math and science early is very important. There are privately serviced school buses and vans available, but most parents send their children to school adding to the rush hour traffic jams. I don't know much about schools for special-needs children. There is one school in Petaling Jaya specially funded for spastic and special needs children. Besides schooling, they provide therapuetic needs also. Personally, I have a very good friend who refuse to return to MY b/c Hong Kong has excellent facilities for her autistic son.

It is easy to own a car. Locally made cars are much cheaper than imported cars. Foreign cars can have up to 300% import duties. Surprisingly, I've never seen so many BMWs and Mercedes in my life. Maybe, b/c I'm from the Midwest and people like American cars. It's easy to get a local license if you have an international valid license. Holders of valid domestic driving licenses from countries with reciprocal agreement with the Government of Malaysia need these documents: Foreign driving license and its photocopy Translated script 1 coloured photograph (25mm x 32mm) International Passport/Travel Document Payment of RM60.00 for 2 years Completed JPJL1 Form People with valid foreign driving licenses from countries that do not have reciprocal agreement with the government of Malaysia but are Member/contracting countries of the United Nation Conference On Road and Motor Transport, Geneva (1949 and 1968) can apply to the Director General, RTD to be exempted for tests to obtain a driving license based on the following criteria: Expatriates with valid work permit exceeding one year from the Department of Immigration Spouses or children of expatriates with valid dependent passes exceeding one year from the Department of Immigration Spouses of Malaysians who are foreigners must have Permanent resident status to be eligible to apply Required documents: Application Form 'Lampiran B-2' duly completed Certified copy of valid foreign driving license Certified copy of passport and relevant work permits/dependent passes Translated script (if the license is in other than English language) in English or Bahasa Malaysia by the Embassy of the issuing country or licensing authority. Ketua Pengarah, Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan, Blok A, Komplek Pejabat Damansara, Jalan Dungun, Damansara Heights, 50620 Kuala Lumpur. Successful applicants will be notified, and are required to pay RM20.00 (processing fee) in addition to the license issuance fee of RM60.00 which has to be submitted together with the following documents at any RTD state office. Foreign driving license and its photocopy Translated script (if the license is in other than English language) in English or Bahasa Malaysia by the Embassy of the issuing country or licensing authority 1 coloured photographe (25mm x 32mm) International Passport/Travel Document Completed JPJL1 Form Letter of approval from the Director General, RTD . http://www.jpj.gov.my/, or call JPJ Headquarters +603-8886 6400.

Everything under the sun is availble here. The major supermarkets are Giant, Carrefour, Tesco and Coldstorage. Expats can find most things from Coldstorage. There are many places for haricuts, and manicures in shopping malls and shopping lots near housing areas. Many high-end shopping(top designer labels) are in Suria KLCC, Star HIll, and K Avenue. Regular shops are found in popular malls like MidValley Mega Mall, ONe-Utama, Sunway Pyramid, the Curve, Lot 10. Major department stores are Jusco, Isetan, Metrojaya, and Parkson. I heard Robinson's is opening a store in KL next month.

Badminton and football(soccer) are very popular here. There are many sports and gym clubs to join. Membership fees are very expensive and some have waiting lists. There's lots of entertainment for the whole family-theme parks, waterparks, and golf courses. there are many places of interest-KL Tower, Petronas Twin Towers, KL Railway Station, Sultain Abdul Samad Building, Lake Gardens with bird and butterfly parks, and orchid gardens. KL has the oldest gazetted forest reserve(Bukit Nanas) right in the middle of the city. There is the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, which is home to the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. Nearby is the Galeri Petronas, an art gallery and the Petrosains the discovery center.

There are reliable vets available and a veterinary hospital in KL and Damansara. A special license is needed with required vaccinations for pets. for specific documents, check the following website: http://agrolink.moa.my

http://allmalaysia.info

See too:

Our Expat Women Living in Malaysia page

City Experience - Kuala, Malaysia - September 03, 2007