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Kuala Lumpur is the cultural and political capital of Malaysia. Whilst the nearby Putrajaya is the administrative capital, Kuala Lumpur is the focus of the country’s fast paced development.

The nearby Putrajay is the administrative capital of Malyasia. Kuala Lumpur a city with a population of 1.5 million people within the city itself and a further 4.5 million in the surround metropolitan area.

Imperative to this is the development of the MultiMedia Super Corridor (MSC) which literally stretches from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to the middle of the city. There is a purpose built community called ‘CyberJaya’ that forms the main module of MSC and is situated just outside of Kuala Lumpur itself.

The fast paced city itself has a population of approximately 1.5 million with another 4.5 million living in the surrounding metropolitan area. Kuala Lumpur has seen a recent boom in the industries of trade and commerce, banking, finance, manufacturing, transportation, Information technology and tourism.

Kuala Lumpur has very strict employment laws. Basically, all jobs must be give n to Malaysians unless an employer can specifically prove that there is no national available to cover the job in hand. Therefore, taking a flight and hoping to pick up a temporary placement would be inadvisable. However, like many other countries with such employment laws, legitimate jobs are available for skilled foreigners via traditional recruitment routes.


Kuala Lumpur; The facts.
Local Time; GMT + 8


Climate: Both tropical and monsoonal, it is consistently hot all year long. In Kuala Lumpur temperatures vary between 21 deg C (71 F) and 32 deg C (90 F) in the late afternoon. A high 80 percent humidity exists throughout the year, so air conditioned accommodation really is a necessity rather than a luxury.

Monsoon season is in November and December with violent, yet short thunderstorms in October and March. Dry season is between May and September with the rainy season traditionally between October and April. The rainiest months in Kuala Lumpur are usually March, April, October and November, with levels of rain sometimes exceeding 8 inches.


Transport: The first phase of Kuala Lumpur's ambitious public transport system is now complete, but there's still a fair amount of room for improvement. The city, like many developing cities, suffers from paralytic traffic jams periodically throughout the day. In rush hours, it may be worthwhile combining public transport by different means. For example: soar over traffic jams by monorail to the station closest to your destination and thereafter take a taxi for the final leg.

Kuala Lumpur's public transport system consists of 3 LRT (Light Rail Transit) lines operated by RapidKL, the semicircular KL Monorail looping through the Golden Triangle and the KTM Komuter for trips to the outer northern, southern & western suburbs. Fares are cheap (RM1.2 and up), although connectivity between the lines is poor (read: you will also need to buy a new ticket for the next leg of your trip, and will likely get wet if it is raining since connections are not covered). City Shuttle buses come in handy. The 10 routes cover most major areas in Kuala Lumpur city centre. The fare for City Shuttles is RM2 for the whole day. If you buy an integrated daily pass (Sepadu) for only RM7, you can ride any RapidKL bus and LRT for as many trips as you like for the whole day. Buy a ticket on your first ride and just flash your ticket at the driver for all subsequent rides.

Combining public transport with taxis can sometime make trips quicker if there are traffic jams.
Driving in Kuala Lumpur can be a nightmare, with heavy traffic, a convoluted web of expressways and poor signage to guide you through it all. Reckless drivers are common - Malaysia infamously has one of the highest road accident rates in the world. Suicidal motorcyclists will also keep you on your toes.


Accommodation:
There are several options for living in Kuala Lumpur. There are the usual bungalows or freestanding homes, condominiums (apartments with extra facilities) and apartments (usually with limited facilities). Living spaces can be leased with or without furniture although even the latter will usually have standard facilities like ceiling fans, air conditioners, stove, hot water system and fridge.

If you have school aged children, location to one of the international schools will be important and it is a good idea to determine this before looking for accommodation or your childe could have a long commute each day due to the traffic conditions. Most are direct neighbours to the city centre, known as the Golden Triangle.

As an indication of monthly rents in Kuala Lumpur; Modern, three-bedroom condominium, 2,100 sq. feet in Bangsar - RM7, 500 and a two-bedroom condominium, 1,200 sq. feet in Bangsar - RM3, 000. Semi-detached house in a central area, RM4,000 to RM6,000 and detached house, central location and pool - RM9,000 to RM15,000

1 USD = 3.52 Malaysian Ringits

By international standards, Malaysian housing is cheap. Leases are generally drawn up for yearly renewal. Occasionally, the agent may work out for you a half-year lease. But if you intend to be in town for sometime and your employer allows you to purchase property, it could be a good investment to buy and sell when you leave.


Culture:
Malaysia is a multicultural society and there are certain different cultural are certain religious characteristics one needs to recognise.

Shoes are commonly left at the front door of houses and some other buildings.
A collection of shoes at the door is a giveaway that you may have to remove your shoes. Another sign is if you notice you are the only one wearing shoes! Many Malaysians greet each other with a less than firm handshake and may then place their right hand over their heart after greeting you. Watch what happens and follow their lead.

In the city, the presentation of business cards or name cards often follow an introduction as a sign of interest in keeping contact with you, either socially or for business purposes. It is actually your prerogative; so use your discretion if it is wise to give your card or kindly excuse yourself for not carrying any of your own. But in doing business, it is a common practice though not compulsory.

Physical signs of affection in public are frowned upon and on the East Coast of Malaysia, men and women keep a safe distance from each other in public.


Entertainment:
In Kuala Lumpur, the dining scene is excellent and there are plenty of places to just drink rather than eat. The nightlife is good, but remember you are not in Manila or Bangkok! The Expat Magazine has a special Going Out Guide section full of useful information about the Malaysian entertainment scene .As one would expect, there is a wide range of cuisine available to visitors and residents. Apart from the popular local cuisines which are Malay, Chinese and Indian, you will find other Asian and western choices

There are also many familiar fast food chains operating in Malaysia with names already familiar to most expatriates. Luckily , the city’s development has seen a large increase in the number of air-conditioned restaurants opening up. You can eat very cheaply in open air "hawker stalls." Most of these stalls are open until the early hours and some stay open all night. There are also many cheap eating places in shop lots, which are not air-conditioned.