Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

I've shamelessly nicked this idea from the Mod in the Goa forum. (Noni, let me know your commission rate.)

+ Warm all year round
+ The great variety of delicious Malaysian dishes
+ Affordable living
+ The Malaysian people
+ Nice melting pot of expats from all round the world and different races
+ Great retirement visa programme
+ The scenery
+ The beaches of Langkawi
+ The lake gardens of Taiping
+ The dusky leaf monkeys
+ All the history in Georgetown Penang
+ No or few powercuts (at least in Penang)
+ Good expressways and road system
+ Penang International airport

- A bit too hot and humid sometimes
- Renovation noise in condo :(
- The Haze
- Georgetown traffic jams
- Price of wine

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

Agree with most of that. I'll add to the negatives my pet issue:

+ Those damn 'diplomatic convoys'

Not sure if you have these but they are irritating! I live next to the highway to the airport; at least twice a day there will be a convoy of black cars with police outriders, sirens blaring, as they take some minister, diplomat or royal to or from the airport. Since I'm next to the toll plaza, they have to slow and often get stuck in the traffic. Thankfully they stopped using the sirens during 'sleeping hours' for the most part. They also seem to get free reign on any road; often cutting through busy traffic, blocking intersections and adding to the general chaos.

I can also claim to have been 'woken by the Party Chairman of China' ;-) Just as I was having a nap one night, his mammoth convoy of 40 blacked out cars, armored trucks, ambulances and assorted police units blazed down the highway. It got stuck at the toll plaza and took a good 5 minutes plus to pass me...

Still, not many other complaints are there? Even the whether isn't bad, monsoon season now (condo has been hit by lightning a fair few times) and it's just something you accept. Two years in the sandpit made me very grateful for a spot of rain ;-) I can add a lot to the positives:

+ low crime rates and general high level of safety
+ decent and affordable healthcare (especially compared to the sandpit or even the UK)
+ affordable cost of living
+ plenty to do!
+ In the heart of Asia; most countries only a short plane ride away so lots of good holidays
+ KL; good sized city, not to big but not so small that it's got nothing to write home about
+ Petronas Towers; still think they are some of the most stunningly pretty buildings in the world and I lived in Dubai

Top of the list though just has to be people.

Jack

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

Expensive cars in terms of earning power against normal citizen wages.

Thats about it really. So overall is a very good country.

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

-- Mostly love it but the really poor standard of driving is frustrating - not to mention dangerous!

-- Hate seeing children climbing around the inside of cars, untethered, while Mum or Dad is doing 100km on the motorway.

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

positives...getting to live in such a lovely country:thumbup:
..............getting a great expat package combined with cheaper living and lower taxes means that only one of us has to work to support the family:thumbup:
negatives...being the one that workswhile out here:thumbdown:

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

That's a bummer :(

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

Definitely love the weather. Rather have +30c than -30C.
Good for gardening almost all year round. Eventually when I get too senior I'll do balcony gardening I think. Don't have to bring my plants in to over winter. Orchids is so cheap here and easy to manage :thumbup:

Car repairs and servicing is very cheap by Canadian standard and the ones we went to have been very good, so no complaints. Oh, not to mention gas prices too is very favourable.

Don't like the drivers (cars and bikes) they just cut in from any directions. Pedestrians do the same and many walk at night in dark colored clothes with no 'reflectors'.

Don't like the public toilets, those in supermarkets and malls. Forever wet and stinky esp on weekends.
Those at the General Hosp of Penang are a disgrace. Dirty and filthy :eek:

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

I think I am living 5 months in the wrong place !!! Sounds a wonderful place.

p.s. can you tell me why one of my orchids bud, shrivel up and the bud drops off?

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

The car repairs are very good, unorthodox maybe but good. I think it is becuase cars are so relatively expensive people don't buy new so run their old ones into the ground. And really into the ground at that, I've seen some incredible 'cars' driving here. Still remember being in a cab where the driver had to 'crank' the engine every time it stopped to start it again. Having lived in Dubai for two years, where people used to buy a new car twice a year sometimes (seriously!) it's actually quite a relief to see this sort of resourcefulness.

I especially love when a car loses it's front or back end (in an accident for example) it's not written off. Someone just cuts the 'bad' end off and sticks it on to a 'good' end. Only time I've driven in two cars of two difference makes at once is here ;-)

Jack

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

Some thing like this you meant.

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

Bloody hell. That looks bizarre. Agree about the car places Jack.

Noni, what are you doing with your orchids m'luv? Is that in Goa or UK?

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

UK :D

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

A little diviation...:o
p.s. can you tell me why one of my orchids bud, shrivel up and the bud drops off?):

Hi Noni,
What type of orchid is that? Most require good ventilation and a sunny spot in the winter to prevent fungal attacks.
When the temp dips reduce watering or the orchid plant gets wet rot where leaves shrivel but are 'wet' and buds drop off - soft mushy feel.
One good watering once a wk to 2 wks is sufficient. Just fine spraying in between to keep leaves and stems moist. Frequencies depends on indoor temps.
On the other hand if the plant gets too dry, it shrivels and flower buds drop off - dry up, not soft mushy.
Hope this helps :)

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

Hey - what about my commission ? A large G n T in the C bar will do it Baked Bean - :rofl:

I have to say you lucky lucky people who live in Malaysia, it sounds fabulous, and I think I may have to check it out in the near future.

What is the weather like between October and May? :rofl:

Anyone want a lodger ??:rofl::rofl:
(I am well trained honest) :eek:

Dread - x

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

Thanks Columbine
I had the dried up buds - now I realise I need to spray the plant.
Once all the flowers have dropped off, can the plant be rescued?

Dread - x

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

Hi dread. Weather depends which part of Malaysia. Generally speaking Penang and the west coast of peninsula gets good winter weather. East side of peninsula will get the northeast monsoon big time about mid Dec to Feb roughly.

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

Thanks BB
When you say Penang gets good winter weather - what temperatures are we taking?
I usually lurk in Goa where it goes 80 degrees plus for most of the season, does Penang and the West coast get similar?

Dread - x

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

Sorry I've forgotten what Fahrenheit is hehe... Prob around 28 degrees + in winter but not quite as humid as other times of year. I imagine you don't get so humid weather in Goa?

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

omg............it's got to depend on how well the job was done. Usually when a car has been jigged it is never quite the same again and they have a tendency for 'crabbing'.

Would you be confident in the workmanship that the car could withstand a second impact and afford you the same level of safety that an undamaged car would?

In the UK it is known as 'cut & shut' and here is what Autotrader magazine have to say about it:

'Cut and shuts

A cut and shut is where the remains of two or more vehicles have been welded together to create a ‘new’ model.

The structural integrity of such vehicles is seriously compromised, and can lead to serious injuries in a crash.

• Examine the windscreen pillars and the middle section of the vehicle for signs of welding and pull away carpets and trims for signs of hidden welds
• Look for poor paintwork or colours that don’t match properly and check for overspray on glass seals and trim
• Watch out for badly fitting or mismatched trim
• A history check will highlight if it has been stolen or written-off – a cut and shut could be both'

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/advice/2...y/illegal-cars

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

OOH My kind of weather - fancy a lodger ?!! :rofl:
Goa is not so humid from November to about mid February, but then gets very humid for the remainder of season and during monsoon.

When I retire I am planning to do a few more places around Asia and Malaysia is one so apologies in advance I shall be back with more questions nearer the time now I know the weather suits me.

Also fancy trying Sri Lanka, Phillipines, Maldives, maybe a short trip to Thailand - as I will probably be a solo traveller I will need all the help and advice I can get.

Thanks hun

Dread - x

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

OOh eck - dangerous stuff.

Good advice there Tophattedcat

As a forensic examiner I would also advise anyone buying a new car to check a few other tell tale signs :

- measure the distances in mm of the gaps for both bonnet edges and tailgate/boot edges - if they are not identical it's had a prang
- Check under the bonnet and check the two arms which sit at an angle - many times they will be warped - a telltale sign of a prang - and if these are off make sure you get the engine mount checked before you buy.
- Run your hands accross the back paintwork below the boot or tailgate - make sure it is smooth - same on the area below the front grill and along the side lower seals
- Check chassis and engine numbers against the vehicle log book or equivalent - if applicable in said country
- If you can get it on a ramp and take a look underneath do so - often neglected when doing a cut and shut and shows giveaway marks
- See if there are any signs that numbers have been filed off the engine (depending on country as not sure every country has engine and chassis nos)

I have examined many rung cars and these are some of the common checks I start with - and there will usually be one or more present.

Dread - x

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

Thanks Dread. Yup fire away with any questions re Malaysia or Thailand. I've lived in Thailand too. Well I've lived in Singapore too but you'll need a truckload of dosh to be able to afford Singapore and not particularly good visa either.

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

This may sound like a really stupid question but there is method in the madness !

How easy is it to get non spicy foods in Malaysia? Say if someone has an allergy to peppers/chilli etc. ?

Dread - x

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

It's easy enough. Certainly in Penang there's a lot of Western and pseudo-Western outlets. We went "western" last night at a local restaurant. I had Chicken Parmigiani (very nice) and mr bb had Sausage and Mash :sunglasses:

At the foodcourts, if you want to eat local, you just need to learn which dishes are not spicy. Most people speak English at the foodstalls so you can ask them.

Dread, some of us MM2Hers meet up at a local foodcourt from time to time. We call them Makan Meetups. Makan just means Eat in Malay. If you ever visit Penang, let us know, and you can come along and get some instruction on the local dishes. A lot of dishes ARE spicy, but not all of them. There are some noodle dishes that are quite plain (non-spicy).

I think I need to revive the Penang Food thread :) What this space (forum).

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

Thanks again BB

I will definitely be visiting when I retire, which could either be in the next few months, or in just over two years time.
That would be great to meet up with a group of folks - and even better to meet up with others and EAT. :sunglasses:

Dread - x

Re: Positives & Negatives in Malaysia
 

That's great Dread. Okay.... we've started discussing non-spicy food in the Penang Food thread on here. It's 8 pages long, heh heh, that'll keep you busy, but if you just go to page 7 onwards, that should clue you in a little bit.