Kuala Lumpur...what's it like to live & work?

Hello Rana,
I think you will find that living in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) is not bad at all. I have a lot of friends from UK & Korea working in Kuala Lumpur. I myself work in the same environment (automotive-engine/powertrain related) But currently I am in the UK for 2 or 3 years working with the UK car consultant under my company based in Kuala Lumpur. What I heard from the UK guys overthere, they are quite happy and some of them easily extending their contract. If your partner/wife and family willing to live there it is better. 2 or 3 guys form UK are already returned to the UK because their partner simply don't like the environment. I would say, may be the heat and humidity is relatively high compare to the UK. But most of them is already get used to it. For the school, an international schools are available not far from where you will work (if my assumption is correct--not many UK based car company in KL). Accomodation--most of my friends stay in area called Bangsar. A lot of English people live there. You can get good western food there, but our food is also good. May be a bit spicy. The English people there have like a society where they meet during weekend and they also playing football together.

Hopefully it help.

Hello Man

Thanks for your reply. Maybe in the future we will become colleagues, if things turn out right Small world!

As for spicy Malaysian food, it's the main reason I was attracted to this job (I used to have a Malaysian aunt when I was a kid).

Cheers

Rana

Rana - just sent you a PT

Derek

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HI chaps,

I too am interested in the cost of living in KL as having almost completed an airline pilot training course there seem to be a lot of expanding airlines out there offering work to Brits. So how much do you need to earn to live comfortably there? How much does a decent house cost to rent or buy? What does an average meal out cost fopr two?

Just curious and grateful for any indications.

Many thanks,

Jonathan

Check to see if the UK Foreign Office has fact sheets on Malayia - I know that the equivalent department in the US provides a great wealth of information for people or firms that want to do business with Malaysia

Also check out
Malaysian Expat Web

and also do a search on the

British ex pats web site serch

Derek

<< >>

I did some work for Petronas at Dayabumi several years ago, on a gig from a (then) Big 8 firm. I had some advantages, since I spoke a little Mandarin and my wife had a cousin in Ipoh.

The work sucked - my client was an idiot - but I enjoyed Malaysia, but note that the Firm paid for my 3 BR airconditioned apartment and utilities at Bangsar Puteri.

Getting Western food in markets was difficult, but eating out was cheaper anyway.

Coming from Chicago, it was a very pleasant novelty to sweat and swim in January, and since I stayed only 7 months, I never got tired of the standard heat and humidity. Of course, I left a day before the 3-day blackout, which killed the aircon and the elevators (15th floor apt, 27th floor office).

The people are very pleasant and friendly. The ex-pat community is diverse, friendly, and interesting. My scholarly, introverted wife enjoyed the women's clubs - American Club, Canadian Club, Malaysian Cultural Association (ex-pat and Malaysian members). The British club required British ancestry for membership, but non-Brits (at least white ones) were welcome at events.

The work life was difficult. 5.5 days for Muslims, slow pace, little focus on achievement. (My job was to improve the mainframe environment on a SAP R2 engagement.) Managemenent was hierarchical, never the best way in a technical environment, so getting the boss to change his mind was a tremendous challenge, especially when HIS boss directed me NOT to bring him any differences of opinion I had with the idiot.

The culture is amazing - a mixture of Chinese, Indian, and Malay. The Malays are Muslim, so the women dress modestly, and pork, gambling, and alcohol are proscribed. The Hindus proscribed meat and booze, but not miniskirts. And the Chinese couldn't seem to live without pork, gambling, liquor, and miniskirts. And the Indians and Chinese often ate lunch at their desks during Ramadan.

Listening to Malaysians was really fun. In business, everybody is fluent in English, in terms of grammar and vocabulary, so they speak fast...but the accent is quite a bit different from what I was used to hearing, and every day it would take me some time to readjust.

And some Malay got into common speech. It's really fun to listen to folks speaking 1000 words/minute, with phrases from English and Malay in every sentence! (I'm not making fun of them here - Malaysians need to learn at least 2 and usually at least 3 languages to get along in the society.)

In terms of recreation, I certainly could have spent more time in Penang and Melaka and Kuantan - the beaches on the East coast are fantastic. Driving there on the cross-Malaysia highway was a real trip - I guess the American aversion to passing on curves (when you can't see what's coming at you) is simply a superstition.

My wife's cousin took us to a beach - about a mile long, we were the 3rd (and last) party to arrive. We were at least a quarter of a mile from the closest other party - Karen (who went to coney island when she was growing up) expressed disgust that there were so many people there.

The politics, however, sucks big time.

Regards.

Phil

Oh yeah. Naim was very expensive there.

Live Western classical music was hard to find and semi-pro at best. Indian classical music and dance was easy to find, at least in the amateur version, and it was a great intro for my wife and me. Occasionally, artists were imported from Singapore, China, and Europe. This probably hasn't changed much. We heard some good cabaret singing, for example, at the fancy hotels.

I couldn't find any vinyl. CDs were expensive then. This might have changed.

Western books and journals were accessible, though one had to wait a bit. I couldn't find Stereophile, but Absolute Sound and the British hifi mags were available, thouugh they came by sea.

Finally, check on cost of living - my per diem was about 75 ringgit/day, and 2 adults who had been married a long time lived on that pretty easily...given that the Firm picked up the apt and utilities! That is, we didn't do a lot of bar hopping. Booze is not cheap in Malaysia.

Regards.

Phil

Don't talk about it ! DO IT :

Thanks for all your replies. Wife and I really appreciate it.

Best regards

Rana

Hi Rana,

I would strongly echo Man's point regarding the role of wives/partners in determining the success of the forgeign placement. In general, you will be working the usual 10-12 hours per day, you come home to your wife and kid, eat your dinner and go to bed exhausted. You could be anywhere ! Your wife however, will be stuck at home, looking after the house/caring for the kid, and will feel isolated and lonely, friends and family network out of reach. Your wife will determine how long you remain in KL. I've seen it time and time again here, so would recomend this is treated as the biggest issue.

The existing ex-pat network will be a useful resource and hopefully provide support for your wife, but do try to keep a foot in both camps otherwise you will never remotely integrate into normal KL society.

It's worth giving some thought to the terms of your contract - what will happen if the currency exchange rate fluctuates during your assignment ? What provision is there for family flights back to the UK ? How will healthcare and pension plan be addressed ? If it's the consultancy I assume it is, it is important to clarify what happens if your contract is terminated early ? Who covers the transfer cost back to UK ? All in writing. If it's verbal, assume they'll try and do the opposite...

Try to work towards becoming an integral part of the host company, rather than a temporary rep. from a subsiduary. This will give you more leverage if there is a difference of opinion about when you return home.

The way you describe the posting, it seems tailor made for you ! I would recommend taking the position if it's offerred. It's a golden opportunity to get another perspective on work, life, the world etc.

Best wishes, take the shot.

Brian

Hi Brian

Nice to communicate with you again!
Yes WAF is THE paramount issue especially as a LOT of travel is involved, but she seems keen to try KL-life out. Anyway, initial contract is only for 2 years. After 5 years of huffing and puffing for Ricardo and their clients, I'm ready for anything!
The job is more managing design, component engineering and business development, not much engine development at all but that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned. The money initially appears to be a lot less and nothing yet in writing - all terms & conditions are verbal but main portion of salary is UK pounds with a local living allowance for apartment, schooling etc. So essentially I'm taking Berlin Fritz's advice to "just do it" and hopefully, if all goes well, we'll be visiting KL in 3-4 weeks time.
I'm really excited.
Hope things are whizzing along for you. I wait to be overawed by Munich's new raft of engines!

Cheerio

Rana

quote:

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So essentially I'm taking Berlin Fritz's advice

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Blimey!