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The natural beauty. Malaysia has the advantage of being one of the lowest populated countries in Asia. This means plenty of unspoiled countryside where you can explore the jungle, hill stations and tropical islands or relax on the many beaches. There is a wealth of flora and fauna as well as wild life. The major roads are excellent and it is easy to drive around the country once you get used to some of the local driving styles. (See our annual Motoring Guide for more information about driving in Malaysia). There are also a large number of excellent hotels which have some of the lowest rates in Asia making domestic travel a pleasure and remarkably good value. |
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Sports. There is a wide range of sports for players and spectators. Malaysia hosts a number of international sports events including Formula 1, motorbike, cycling, power boat racing and golf, even international tower runs!. Malaysians are also outstanding hockey, badminton and squash players and enthusiastic football fans. For active sports enthusiasts there are many golf courses, tennis and squash courts and groups playing cricket and rugby. You will also find plenty of golf and country clubs to choose from all over Malaysia. There are no duties on boats so lovers of sailing will find that it not only less expensive but there are also many attractive places to visit. For divers there are many good spots including some rated the best in the world off the coast of Sabah, such as Sipadan and Layang Layang islands. |
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Other entertainment. If you choose to stay closer to home there is plenty to do from visiting the many food and beverage outlets to watching the latest releases at the many modern movie theatres. Most foreign newspapers and magazines can be found here and high speed internet connections are being rolled out around the country. |
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There are plenty of local festivals to watch and a number of theatre groups have been set up. The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, based in KL, is made up of international players and performs regularly. International artists from singers to dancers and even theatre groups visit quite regularly. If you prefer staying at home then satellite TV offers many channels of international entertainment. |
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Telecommunications. The country offers good telecommunications both internally and internationally. Making international calls is very easy, there is a good selection of mobile phone providers and high speed internet connections are available in most large cities and are being spread out around the country. |
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Safety and health. The crime rate in Malaysia is generally lower than in most western countries. Health services are efficient and first class medical facilities are available in all the major cities with well equipped hospitals and clinics run by highly qualified staff. Medical costs are much lower than many other countries. |
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The location. Malaysia offers an excellent mix of Asian cultures but for those who wish to discover the rest of Asia there are direct non-stop flights to every capital city in Asia. |
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It is an easy and relatively short flight to many neighbouring countries and both Singapore and Thailand can be reached by road. Although the distances to Europe, New Zealand and Australia are quite long, there are non stop flights to most major cities. You can also reach the west and east coast of The United States on direct flights. |
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Education. For those applicants with children Malaysia offers quality education facilities. There are some excellent internationals schools as well as private colleges and universities which already attract many foreigners. (See our recently published Education Supplement) |
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Seeing friends and relatives. We are confident that the same reasons which encourage people to come and live here will also persuade friends and relatives to come and visit. For friends who might not be keen to travel you have the added benefit that Malaysia offers some of the cheapest fares to all corners of the globe. For those who want to purchase a property it is possible to obtain a loan locally. If you only plan to spend part of the year here then some companies can arrange short term rentals while you are away and take care of your home. |
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This is not meant to be an exhaustive list and people will eventually make their own decisions on what attracts them to Malaysia. Certainly anyone planning to apply under this programme would be well advised to visit and discover for themselves the many attractions the country has to offer. As in every country, one can always find something to complain about but having lived in many different countries around the world it was not hard to adjust to living here or find plenty of reasons to support our choice. If you are crazy about snow and cold weather then clearly there are much better choices but for the majority of us, who are happy with warmer environs, Malaysia offers a wonderful life and your friends will probably need little encouragement to come visit you. |
