Business Communication (2) Chris Larsen

Malaysian Business Etiquette

Rozailina Othman 201103884 English Interpretation and Translation Department

Malaysia Business Etiquette 1. Malaysia Background Malaysia is located in South-east Asia and share borders with Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei. The capital city of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government and have tropical climate which is based on southwest monsoon from April to October and northeast monsoon from October to February. By 2010 the population in Malaysia exceeded 27.5 million with over 20 million living in Peninsular. The country is multi-ethnic and also multi-culture that consist of 54% Malay, 24% Chinese, 7% Indian and rest. The constitution declares Islam the state religion while protecting freedom of religion. The head of state is the King, known as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. He is an elected monarch chosen from the hereditary rulers of the nine Malay states every five years. The head of government is the Prime Minister. Bahasa Malaysia also known as Bahasa Melayu or Malay Language is Malaysian official language. However English is widely use especially in school and office as second language. Bahasa Malaysia is use during business with government and daily usage. Some private ethnic-based institution and school use Chinese and Tamil as well. The native tribes of East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) have their own languages which are related to, but easily distinguishable from, Malay. 2. The Concept of Face A vital element of Malaysian culture, as with most Asian cultures, is the concept of face. In Malaysian society to lose face, that is to lose control of ones emotions or to show embarrassment in public, is perceived as a negative display of behavior. For Malaysian, face can be lost by openly criticizing, insulting, or putting someone on the spot; doing something that brings shame to a group or individual; challenging someone in authority, especially if this is done in public; showing anger at another person; refusing a request; or disagreeing with someone publicly. Do not create a situation that causes a Malaysian to become emotional or confrontational, or that embarrasses them. They will "lose face" and this will probably be the end of any business between you. Malaysians will use a number of methods in order to save face. Laughter, for instance, is often used to mask ones true feelings and can reveal numerous emotions including nervousness, shyness or disapproval. business dealings. Saving face is particularly crucial in business contexts as causing your Malaysian counterpart to lose face may influence the outcome of your future

3.

Meeting and Greeting Greetings in a social context will depend upon the ethnicity of the person you are meeting. In general, most Malays are aware of Western ways so the handshake is normal. There may be slight differences though and a few things to bear in mind. Usually Malay women may not shake hands with men. Women can of course shake hands with women. Men may also not shake hands with women and may bow instead while placing their hand on their heart. The Chinese handshake is light and may be rather prolonged. Men and women may shake hands, although the woman must extend her hand first. Many older Chinese lower their eyes during the greeting as a sign of respect. Indians shake hands with members of the same sex. When being introduced to someone of the opposite sex, nodding the head and smiling is usually sufficient.

4.

Names and Business Card With such an array of cultures in Malaysia addressing Malaysians properly can be difficult. It is advised to find out in advance how you should address the person you are to meet. Generally speaking, a Malays first name is individually given, while the second and third name indicate those of the father and the grandfather. In some cases the words bin (son) or binti (daughter) can be added after the given name. The Chinese traditionally have 3 names. The surname (family name) is first and is followed by two personal names. Many Chinese adopt more Western names and may ask you to use that instead. Many Indians do not use surnames. Instead, they place the initial of their father's name in front of their own name. The man's formal name is their name "s/o" (son of) and the father's name and women use "d/o" to refer to themselves as the daughter of their father. Business cards are customarily exchanged after an initial introduction in Malaysia. Since a large proportion of Malaysian business people are Chinese, it will be useful if your card is printed in both English and Chinese and that details of your education, professional qualifications, and business title are included. Cards should be presented and received with both hands, and time should always be spent examining the information before placing it on the table or in a briefcase.

5.

Business Meeting When scheduling business meetings in Malaysia one must take into consideration the importance of prayer times in this predominantly Muslim country. Fridays are a particularly religious day of the week and if possible meetings should not be scheduled for this time. Attitude to punctuality varies according to which nationality you are doing business with. The Chinese for example expect punctuality, whereas both ethnic Malays and Indian business people have a more relaxed attitude towards time. As a general rule, you will be expected to be punctual; therefore it is advised to arrive to business appointments on time. Regardless of the size or nature of the company, hierarchy is an integral part of Malaysian business culture. Malaysian companies generally follow a vertical hierarchical structure where authority is directed from the top. In keeping with Malaysian culture, titles and job descriptions play a significant part in many Malaysian companies. They are important for employees in order to emphasize the line of authority within the business. It is a good idea for the most senior person on your team to enter first so that he or she is the first to greet the most senior Malaysian. This gives face to both parties as it demonstrates respect towards the Malaysian and shows that you respect hierarchy within your company. It is customary for leaders to sit opposite each other around the table. Many companies will have their team seated in descending rank, although this is not always the case. Expect the most senior Malaysian to give a brief welcoming speech. You need not reciprocate. There will be a period of small talk, which will end when the most senior Malaysian is comfortable moving to the business discussion. Meetings may be conducted or continue over lunch and dinner. Meetings, especially initial ones, are generally somewhat formal. Treat all Malaysian participants with respect and be cautious not to lose your temper or appear irritated. At the first meeting between two companies, Malaysians will generally not get into in-depth discussions. They prefer to use the first meeting as an opportunity to get to know the other side and build a rapport, which is essential in this consensus-driven culture.

6.

Gift Gifts are not usually exchanged as they may be perceived as a bribe. However, in the event that you are presented with a gift, it is customary to accept it with both hands and wait until you have left your Malaysian colleagues before opening it. Be sure to reciprocate with a gift of equal value in order to avoid loss of face.

Gift giving to Malays:

If invited to someone's home for dinner, bring the hostess pastries or good quality chocolates and never give alcohol. Do not give toy dogs or pigs to children and do not give anything made of pigskin. Avoid white wrapping paper as it symbolizes death and mourning. If you give food, it must be halal (meaning permissible for Muslims). Offer gifts with the right hand only or both hands if the item is large. Gifts are generally not opened when received.

Gift giving to Chinese:

If invited to someone's home, bring a small gift of fruit, sweets, or cakes, saying that it is for the children. A gift is traditionally refused before it is accepted to demonstrate that the recipient is not greedy. Do not give scissors, knives or other cutting utensils as they indicate a desire to sever the relationship. Flowers do not make good gifts as they are given to the sick and are used at funerals. Do not wrap gifts in mourning colors like white, blue, or black but preferably wrap the gifts in happy colors like red, pink, or yellow. It is best to give gifts in even numbers since odd numbers are unlucky. Like Malay, Chinese too are generally not opened the gift when received.

Gift giving to Indians:

If you give flowers, avoid frangipani as they are used in funeral wreaths. Money should be given in odd numbers. Offer gifts with the right hand only or both hands if the item is large. Do not wrap gifts in white or black but instead wrap gifts in red, yellow or green paper or other bright colors as these bring good fortune. Do not give leather products to a Hindu. Do not give alcohol unless you are certain the recipient drinks. Gifts are generally not opened when received. 7. Communication In high context cultures such as Malaysia meaning is often more explicit and less direct than in many Western cultures. This means that words are less important and greater attention must be given to additional forms of communication such as voice tone, body language, eyecontact and facial expressions. In Malaysia, because business is personal and based on trust, developing relationships rather than exchanging facts and information is the main objective of communication. This also relates to the Malay cultural values of courtesy, tolerance, harmony and face. Direct answers, particularly negative ones, are avoided in order to prevent disagreement and preserve harmony; two very important aspects of Malaysian culture. As an extension to the need to maintain harmonious relations, Malaysians rely on non-verbal communication (i.e. facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, etc). Such a communication style tends to be subtle, indirect and. Malays may hint at a point rather than making a direct statement, since that might cause the other person to lose face. Rather than

say "no", they might say, "I will try", or "Ill see what I can do". This allows the person making the request and the person turning it down to save face and maintains harmony in their relationship. Silence is an important element of Malaysian communication. Pausing before responding to a question indicates that they have given the question appropriate thought and considered their response carefully. Many Malaysians do not understand the Western propensity to respond to a question hastily and can consider such behavior thoughtless and rude. Do not show anger in public as it makes Malaysians uncomfortable and creates a feeling of powerlessness. There is a greater chance of achieving a good outcome id you are calm, whereas little is resolved by shouting. 8. Dining and Entertainment Entertaining is an important part of doing business. Most business entertaining is done in restaurants as Muslim doesnt go to bars. Most important meetings are followed with lunch or dinner. Be sure to reciprocate any dinner with a dinner of equal value. Spouses may be invited to dinner when the meal will not involve business discussions. Do not bring spouses to a business lunch. Seating should be dictated by the host or the highest Malaysian officer in attendance. The host should be seated to the immediate left of the most senior guest. This guest should be given the best seat at the table, which is usually the farthest from the door. Allow the host to order all dishes in a restaurant. Avoid alcohol and pork if the colleagues are Muslim and no beef for Indian. Malays use only their right hand to eat, pass, touch or handle anything. Never use your left hand to eat. 9. Dress Malaysia traditional clothes are accepted as formal dress for office and formal event such dinner. Malay man also sometimes wears traditional cloth on Friday since they need to go to mosque for Friday Prayer. For non-Muslim, western formal attire are acceptable. Begin by dressing for the office: jacket, slacks, shirt and tie, but if you see that others are going without their jacket and tie you may remove these discreetly. Women should choose kneelength skirts and long-sleeved blouses but avoid pantsuits since these might be inappropriate in some offices. Although it's acceptable to wear jeans, in public, shorts are simply not worn by adults.

For business, men should wear pants and white shirts, with ties for executives. Conservative suits should be worn when meeting with government officials. You may be more comfortable wearing a jacket to a first meeting. Women should wear sleeved blouses with skirts or pants. Yellow should be avoided because its reserved for royalty. 10. Do and Donts DO be patient with your Malaysian counterparts during business negotiations. The process is often a long and detailed one that should not be hastened. DO remain polite and demonstrate good etiquette at all times. Elderly Malaysian business people for example should be treated with respect and always acknowledged before younger members of the organization. This is an essential part of achieving successful business dealings in Malaysia. DO take time to establish productive business relationships with your Malaysian colleagues. Initial meetings are generally orientated towards developing such relationships and will be maintained throughout and beyond the negotiations. Without them, your business plans may be fruitless. DONT assume that a signed contract signifies a final agreement. It is common for negotiations to continue after a contract has been signed. DONT be surprised if your Malaysian counterparts ask what you may consider to be personal questions. In Malaysia, asking people about their weight, income and marital status for example, is not uncommon and is viewed as an acceptable approach to initial conversations.