+ Malaysia is a multi-ethnic society where Malays, Chinese, and Indians are the predominant ethnic groups. The different ethnicities retain their customs and way of life, which gives Malaysia an intricate cultural fabric.

+ Malaysians can broadly be categorized into two groups: the Malay (Bumiputra) and indigenous people (Orang Asli) and the immigrant groups (Chinese, Indian and others). The approximate breakdown of ethnic groups is as follows:

Malay 50.4%
Chinese 23.7%
Indigenous 11%
Indian 7.1%
Others 7.8%
(2004 est.)

+ The most important festivals of each ethnic group, Hari Raya (marking the ending of the Muslim fasting month), Chinese New Year and Deepavali (Indian Festival of Lights) for example, are public holidays and are open to celebration by all.

+ The country’s diversity is further reflected in the many religions that are practiced. The predominant religion is Islam, which is followed by virtually all Malays as well as by some Indians and members of other ethnic groups. Here is a breakdown of religions in Malaysia:

Muslim 60.4%
Buddhist 19.2%
Christian 9.1%
Hindu 6.3%,
Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 2.6%
Other or unknown 1.5%
None 0.8%
(2000 census)

+ Hierarchy is respected in Malaysia. Older businesspeople should be greeted before younger ones and treated with deference and respect. Do not correct someone who is in a higher position or who is older than you, as this will cause both of you to lose face and may negatively affect your ability to conduct business.

+ Malaysian communication is guided by a desire to maintain face by not losing emotional control or causing embarrassment in public. In an effort to conceal uneasiness or avoid embarrassing others, Malaysians may smile at what appear to foreigners to be inappropriate moments. Try to “read between the lines” rather than take words and facial expressions at face value.

- from RW3′s CultureWizard® Country Profiles

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