Travel Matters February 2018

The usually calm and stable multi- ethnic, multi-religious federation of 13 states and three federal territories that make up Malaysia has been shaken up in recent years by a scandal involving Prime Minister Najib Razak over the alleged US$ 4bn of taxpayers’ money being siphoned from investment fund 1MDB. Opposition parties have been making hay with the scandal but got nowhere. Meanwhile, the coalition government has been distracting and wooing voters with tax cuts, bonuses for civil servants and rural infrastructure projects that cynics say are in readiness for a general election in the next few months. A strengthening opposition after the last election in 2013 will make for an interesting outcome although observers say Najib and his UMNO party will likely win. Najib will have to allay fears from ethnic Chinese and Indian voters that UMNO will not favour Islam, the faith of the Malay majority, and discriminate against minorities. Last October, Najib and the country’s eight other sultans issued a statement deploring growing Muslim intolerance as “beyond all acceptable standards of decency”. It’s against this uncertain political climate that business people should avoid the subject of politics in any small talk. Other don’ts in Malaysia include dressing inappropriately when entering a religious site, not raising your voice, not touching the head of an adult and not crossing your legs when sitting in front of your host. Normal business etiquette includes handshakes, although some Muslim women may acknowledge introductions to men merely by nodding and smiling. English is generally understood although Bahasa Malaysia is the national language. Often used as a launchpad to SE Asia, a burgeoning middle class make it attractive for new investment into industries such as consumer products, financing, retail, infrastructure, education and healthcare. The capital city of Kuala Lumpur looks like every other world city, awash with gleaming skyscrapers, notably Petronas Twin Towers, the world’s tallest twin skyscrapers at 88 storeys high. There are also world class hotels, meeting and event facilities and a thriving central business district. The sight of colonial architecture dotted among the high rises give a sharp reminder of its past. Malaysia’s rich cultural mix gives way to an amazing array of cuisine, focused around rice, curries, fried chicken or fish and the well-known satay barbecued skewers of meat with peanut sauce. A dine around for a group works well here and for this it's best to stroll along Jalan Alor, a row of Chinese seafood restaurants and hawker stalls that are inexpensive. Shopping for gifts to take home is easy as the city has bargains galore in Chinatown, inside the handicrafts outlet at Central Market and at any one of the many shopping malls, such as Bukit Bintang. Incentive groups have an amazing choice as there are sights galore to soak up. The viewing deck of Menara KL affords spectacular city views, while travellers can marvel at the Batu Caves 11km north of the city, site of an 100-year- old temple and 400 million year-old limestone hill. Back in KL, the Sultan Abdul Samad Building is one of the city’s earliest Moorish-style buildings and the former home to the colonial British administration. The city’s expansive Perdana Botanical Gardens, best known for its Orchid Garden, is a great chill-out location. Plus the resort destinations of Penang and Langkawi - or the lush rainforests of Sabah and Sarawak - are the perfect sidetrip destinations. Getting around is easy as road infrastructure and transportation options are good. When arriving into KL international airport (KLIA), there are three options to downtown which is 55km away: a taxi, a bus shuttle or the fastest option is the KLIA Express train that takes you to KL Sentral in half an hour for RM55, from where you can taxi to your hotel. 16 | GREAT IDEAS CTMS TOP HOTEL PICKS • All Accor branded hotels • Shangri-La Hotel • JW Marriott Hotel • Mandarin Oriental • Grand Hyatt • Villa Samadhi • The St. Regis • Hotel Istana Kuala Lumpur City Centre • InterContinental • Le Méridien GREAT IDEAS | 17 The vibrant metropolis of Kuala Lumpur is a thriving world-class city which despite some political unrest offers investors great opportunities GATEWAY TO ASIA WHO FLYS UK-KL • Malaysian Airlines • British Airways • Cathay Pacific • Emirates • Etihad • KLM • Qatar Airways • Qantas • Singapore Airlines • Turkish Airlines www.travelctm.co.uk