Flag – Jalur Gemilang (“Stripes of Glory”)
- It consists of 14 alternating red and white stripes, a blue rectangle carrying a crescent moon and a 14-pointed star known as the Bintang Persekutuan (Federal Star)
- 14 stripes represent equality in a federation of 13 Member States and federal territories
- The 14-pointed star represents the unity of beings
- A crescent moon shows Islam as the religion of the country
- The blue rectangle means the unity of the Malay people
- The yellow star and the crescent represent the royal color of the Malay monarchy
The Malay flag was approved by King George VI. in 1950. On 31 August 1957, it was shown on Merdeka Square (Square of Independence) instead of the British Union flag.
Coat of arms – Jata Negara in Malay
- Includes shield, 2 tigers, crescent moon, 14-pointed star, and motto
- Yellow crescent moon, star, and motto symbolizes the monarchy of the country
- The crescent moon represents Islam as the official religion of the country
- The star represents 13 states and federal territory
- The shield shows states unified under the Malaysian Federation
- Tigers are traditional symbols showing strength and courage
- The motto that is under the shield bears the inscription “Unity is Power” (Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu)
The Hymn – Negaraku (My country)
- In translation – My country
- It was selected during the independence of the Federation of the Republic of Malaysia in 1957
- Originally, the melody was the national anthem of the Perak state
- The melody is from the popular French melody “La Rosalie”
Currency – Ringgit (MYR)
- (Before Malaysian dollar), ringgit and sen were officially adopted as the sole official currency in 1975.
- Banknotes (ringgit) – values are 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100
- Coins (sen) – values are 5, 10, 20, 50
- 1 ringgit (RM or MYR) = 100 sen
- Ringgit is issued by Negara Malaysia
- 1 MYR = 5,36 CZK
Banks, ATMs, and payments
- International Banks – CITIBANK, HSBC
- Local banks – MAYBANK, CIMB
- ATMs are available in most cities and can sometimes be found in stores (in 7/11)
- VISA or MASTERCARD cards are accepted in larger stores
- Money is preferred in rural areas and on smaller islands
- American debit cards – due to the high number of frauds, many bank machines do not allow us to cancel US debit card payments
Prices
Compared to the neighboring countries (Thailand and Singapore), Malaysia is cheaper. Items for everyday use are just as expensive or even cheaper than in the Czech Republic.
Prices of food:
- 1 portion of food in the night market: 2 – 6 RM
- 1 portion of food in the local restaurant: 5 – 7 RM
- 1 portion of food in Kuala Lumpur: 8 – 9 RM
- Sushi restaurant (2 people): 40 RM
- 0.5 kg chicken breast: 20 RM
- Eggs (30 pieces): 10 – 15 RM
- 1 liter of water in the machine: 20 sen
- Sweet drink (330 ml): 2,50 RM
- Large toast bread: 3,55 RM
- Instant noodles 1 pack (5 portions): 3,90 RM
- Cheddar cheese 200g : 14,90 RM
- Butter 200g : 20 RM
- Full cow’s milk 1 liter: 6,50 RM
- Yogurt Greek 500g : 6,90 RM
- Soy milk 1 liter: 2,50 RM
- Chocolate bar: 7-15 RM
- Chips: 3,50 RM
- 1 can of cider (Strongbow): 5 RM
- 1 can of beer (Tiger, Chang): 5 RM
- Alcohol is more expensive
Prices of other things:
- Toothpaste: 6 RM
- Deodorant AXE: 15,90 RM
- 2 liter of shower gel: 9,90 RM
- 0.5 liter of hair shampoo: 18,90 RM
- 1kg of washing powder: 13,90 RM
- Washing up to 8kg of laundry in the public laundry (without service): 4 RM
- Drying up to 8kg of laundry in a public laundry (without service): 4 RM
- T-shirts and shorts on the market: 10 to 25 RM
- Dresses, long pants, tunic on the market: 30-60 RM
- Beach shoes on the market (slippers, flip flops, sandals): 15 – 35 RM
- Price per 1 liter of gasoline: 2,20 RM
- 6GB Internet + unlimited 30-day social networking package: 35 RM
Of course, you will see higher prices in the vast majority, but if you avoid touristic areas, you can save significantly. The same is true in Kuala Lumpur, where prices are considerably higher. But even at the Food Court shopping center at Suria KLCC (under the Petronas Twin Towers), we paid 8 RM for one portion of food.
As for the international chains (McDonald, KFC, PizzaHut, Starbucks, etc.), their prices are comparable to those in the world, and therefore they rank among those more expensive places. A tip is not common in Malaysia.
Gasoline has a uniform price throughout Malaysia and you pay 2,20 RM per 1 liter. We certainly recommend a local Sim Card. Their prices with a large Internet package are cheap compared to the Czech Republic and the sim card costs about 10 RM.
The accommodation is varied and it depends which category you prefer. But surely there are places for small budget travelers, families with children who want to rent a large spacious apartment or villa for 3 weeks as well as for demanding travelers who wants to enjoy a relax in luxury.
