Living in Malaysia For International
Students

Malaysia is a peaceful country and free from war. The country has a very good diplomatic relationship with other countries all around the globe that helps to build a good reputation. Other than that, Malaysia is also free from any natural disaster(s) such as earth quake and volcano eruption.

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Language

Kuantan is a multi-cultural state where a variety of languages and dialects are spoken. The dialects here are unique as it is a blend of Kelantan and Terengganu dialects.

English is widely used especially as medium of communication in business, trading and education. Thus, communication will not be an issue if you are coming here to study at Widad University College.

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Malaysia Time Zone

Malaysia is eight hours ahead of GMT. (GMT/UTC +8)

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Climate

• The country is generally warm throughout the year with temperatures averaging between 21°C and 33°C (and 15°C to 25°C in the highlands);
• Rainfall average between 2,000mm to 2,500mm per year;
• The humidity level is around 80% throughout the year;
• Predominantly sunny weather throughout the year.

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Suitable Clothing

• Bring apparel suitable for warm and humid weather;
• Linen, light cotton and cotton blend clothing are a good choice;
• Sandals for informal occasions;
• Covered leather shoes for more formal situations;
• For men, lounge suits or shirts with a jacket are perfect for occasions that call for formality outside of school;
• For women, modest dresses work well, and you will see traditional costumes worn in everyday life, both at work and after working hours.

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Malaysian Culture

Malaysia is a multi-religious and multicultural country. It is a very unique and interesting country. It has a diversity of races, religions and cultures. Malaysians celebrate many festivals based on their varied religion and cultures. For instance the Malaysian celebrates Aidilfitri, Aidiladha, Chinese Lunar New Year, Deepavali, Christmas, Gawai Day and others. These festivals are celebrated by all races. This helps to strengthen the bond among the citizens of the nation. The government has set aside national and state public holidays to cater to all the major ethnic groups.

There is also respect for the various cultural and religious norms such as dress codes and it is not unusual to see Malaysians attired in various styles of cultural attire at the office and institutions of higher learning. All these are modest and welcomed even in professional circles.

You will also hear an interesting variety of languages, including:

• English;
• Malay (in different dialects);
• Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow)
• Indian languages/dialects (Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Hindi, and Bengali)
• Other native tongues.

If the locals speak in their own languages in your presence, do not feel embarrassed to ask for a translation – they will quickly switch to English to accommodate you.

Studying in Malaysia can provide you with opportunities to learn many things such as the social customs of various ethnic group and on how to handle lifestyles, beliefs and worldviews which may differ greatly from yours. This could help to broaden your outlook and understanding, which is important for both personal growth as well as for business purposes.

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Food

This diversity of cultures also leads to an enormous variety of food available and it is one of the attractions in Malaysia and Kuantan is its food. A few popular dishes are nasi lemak, char kuey teow and roti canai. Other than these three popular dishes, there are also other appetizing cuisines worth trying. Plenty of restaurants and stalls are available to serve you with fantastic food and friendly service.

We have fast food outlets like Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Macdonald and many more. Some of the restaurants are opened 24 hours, so you won't get hungry living here. Food has become a culture for the Malaysians.

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Financial Matters

Malaysia has an internationally linked banking and financial- services sector, including Islamic banking services. There are usually banks and ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines) at all major HEIs in Malaysia where you can withdraw money using your credit cards, or ATM cards which are PLUS and Cirrus affiliated. All major shopping malls and large restaurants in Malaysia accept credit cards like VISA and MasterCard, and some also accept American Express and Diners Club cards.

If your study sponsorship include offers an allowance or stipend, you can either make arrangements to have the payment deposited directly into your account back home or open an account in Malaysia. Check with your sponsors regarding this matter.

There are many international banks in Malaysia such as HSBC, Citibank, Standard Chartered, Al-Rajhi, UOB, OCBC, etc.

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Insurance and Hospitalisation

All insurance and hospitalisation matters will be explained to the students during the orientation week.

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Emergency Management

The students will be given certain contact numbers in an event of emergency. The students can contact the person in charge to help them to handle the problem or emergency cases.

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Employment

You are only allowed to work during long vacations and then only for up to 20 hours per week in a very restricted category of jobs.

Under no circumstances should you undertake unofficial employment as this could result in your Student Visa being revoked.

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Transportation

Transportation would not be an issue since Kuantan is facilitated with public buses and taxis and they charge a reasonable rate. Air-conditioned express busses are the cheapest means of transportation to travel within Malaysia. Travel to and fro WUC to Hostel will be provided. (Please get the transport schedule from Student Affairs Department)

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Living Expenses

Kuantan is suitable for people with an average income. Costs per month for student are around MYR 600 to MYR 1,000. This cost includes food, transportation and personal needs.

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Religion

The official religion of Malaysia is Islam. However, the other religions such as Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism, are all given the freedom to worship as it is guaranteed by the Malaysian Constitution. The prayer houses such as mosque, temple and church are easily accessible in Kuantan.

Religious festivals such as Adil Fitri, Adil Adha, Chinese Lunar New Year, Deepavali and Christmas are public holidays so that every Malaysians will have the opportunity to celebrate with their friends.

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Driving in Malaysia

You need a licence to drive cars and ride motorbikes in Malaysia. If you prefer to drive, street directories can be purchased from your university bookshops or other major bookshops and even at some petrol stations. Also check out www.streetdirectory.com.my, waze for online maps. Cars can be easily rented from car rental companies.

As common in most commonwealth countries, Malaysians drive on the left side of the road, and all cars are right-hand drive. Some driving licenses from foreign countries and also international driving licenses are accepted for use in Malaysia for up to three months. Please check with your university international office for related advice.

For those wishing to acquire a Malaysian license, it is possible to convert your driving license from your country. To find out the procedure to do so, please get advice from your university’s international office or check with the Road Transport Department of Malaysia.

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Places of Interest in Malaysia

Malaysia’s holiday destinations Malaysia has many getaway places catering to a variety of tastes and budgets.

There are many beautiful and admirable beaches, islands, mountains and rain forests in the country. The examples of beautiful and majestic mountains that are quiet popular in Malaysia are Mount Kinabalu and Mount Tahan. The islands such as Langkawi Island and Redang Island are the examples of islands that are well known by foreigners. The beaches such as Pantai Teluk Chempedak and Pantai Port Dickson managed to attract thousands of visitors each year to spend their holiday there. For further information of Malaysia's tourist spots and activities available, please visit the tourism web sites Tourism Malaysia and Tourist Attractions in Malaysia.

Malaysia also has many historical sites that can be visited. There are many interesting artefacts that can be found in Malacca. Malaysia also achieves many accomplishments that are recognized in the global scale. The examples are PETRONAS Twin Tower, Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur Tower, Penang Bridge and many more.

In short, Malaysia is unique with as it comprises of various races, religions and cultures, a stable and peaceful environment, places of interest and some world class achievements. Those are important characteristic of the nation.

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Living in Kuantan

Kuantan is the capital of the State of Pahang Darul Makmur. It is located on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It is about 245km east of Kuala Lumpur and it is a 3 hour drive along a four lane highway. This resort town which boasts of miles and miles of sandy beaches is the gateway to the delightful East Coast states of West Malaysia.

Kuantan has grown into a bustling modern town due to the rapid development of Malaysia. However, it still retains its delightful cultures, traditions and values. It has both modern and traditional characteristics which make it a unique and versatile town.

There are many places of interest in Kuantan such as Teluk Chempedak beach, Batu Hitam beach, Sepat beach, and Cherating beach. We also can go to Pahang Museum to learn more about Pahang political and social history.

There are also many interesting recreational parks and waterfalls that can be visited for leisure activities. We also can go for a river cruise along Kuantan River where we can appreciate the beauty of untouched mangroves swamp along the river bank.