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Facts of Borneo
Location Sarawak, the largest of the 13 states of Malaysia, is located on the northwestern shore of Borneo Island, between 110' and 115' longitude east and between 1' and 5' latitude north (GMT +8 ). Sarawak shares Borneo with the Malaysia State of Sabah, the Sultanate of Brunei and the Indonesian province of Kalimantan. Area 124,450km, about 70% under tree cover. Population 1.99 million (est), 16 person/km, 24 ethnic groups, including Iban (29.5%), Chinese (28.9%), Malay (20.8%), Bidayuh (8.4%), other indigenous and others. Capital Kuching City (population: 451,700) Language Bahasa Malaysia (Malay) is the official language, English is widely spoken. Other languages include Chinese dialects, Iban and several indigenous languages and dialects. Religion Malaysia's official religion is Islam, but freedom of worship is respected. In Sarawak, major religious are Christianity (29%) , Islam (26%), & Buddhism/Taoism (17%). Government Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy, with a unique system of rotation of Kings, chosen every 5 years from among nine State hereditary Rulers (Sultans). Parliament is selected every 5 years by universal suffrage and is headed by the Prime Minister. Sarawak, as every other state, has an elected parliament headed by a Chief Minister. Climate It is hot and humid, with Borneo being a little hotter and more humid than the rest of the country. Typical equatorial climate, with daily temperatures ranging between 23c and 32c throughout the year in the lowlands. Rainfall is spread throughout the year, the wettest months (Landas season) being from November to February. Depending on the areas, rainfall averages between 2600mm and 4000mm/year. Flora/ Fauna About half of all living species are found in Southeast Asias jungles- the planets oldest. Sarawak is still largely covered by primary rainforest- most under National Park status. Famous species include the Rafflesia flower, pitcher plants, the hornbill bird, the orang-utan ape and the proboscis monkey, all of which are protected. Economy Commodity based economy; Sarawak is a major exporter of petroleum, timber & agricultural products. Manufacturing is rapidly increasing with the emphasis on processing of commodities as well as electronics, information technology and bio-technology. Currency The Malaysian Ringgit (RM) is the official currency. Licensed money changers or banks give the best exchange rates. Travelers cheques and major credit cards are widely accepted. USD1.00= RM 3.75 (approx) TIPPING: Do not tip in Malaysia as it is considered rude. A 10 % service charge is already added to restaurant bills. Taxi and rickshaw drivers will, however, accept a small tip. Working Hours Government: 8am to 4; 30pm, Private sector: 9am to 5pm, Mondays to Fridays, half day Saturdays. All shops open between 10:30am and 5pm, Mondays to Saturdays, but many open earlier and close later and are opened on Sundays. Shopping complexes close at 9:30pm. Major Holidays Major national holidays are religious in nature and range from Hari Raya Aidil Fitri and Hari Raya Haji to Chinese New Year, Thaipusam, Deepavali, Christmas, Prophet Muhammads Birthday, and Maal Hijrah. Other national holidays are the Kings Birthday, Labour Day (May 1) and Independence Day (August 31). Each state celebrates its Sultan or Governors birthday while the Federal Territories mark City Day on February 1. The dates of most of the public holidays vary each year according to the lunar calendar. Telephones Local calls can be made from public phones using coins or prepaid cards. International calls can be made from public phones with card phone facilities or at any Telekom offices. Entry Visa-free entry for holiday purposes (14 days to 3 months) is given to most nationalities. It is best to check with Malaysian diplomatic missions for current situation. Passports must have 6 months validity. Health Regulations No vaccinations required, unless youre coming from Africa or South America (Yellow Fever). Most tropical diseases have been eradicated, with malaria cases being rare in Sarawak (most occur in logging camps and very remote areas.) Water Its safe to drink from the taps in towns. Hotels and restaurants provide boiled water. Bottled mineral water is widely available. Electric Current 220V/ 50 cycles. In areas not connected to the grid, generators are often used. Three pin plugs (British type) are used. Dress Code & Clothing Casual dress is the norm; light cotton clothing is recommended. Shopping Items such as films, batteries, torchlight, raincoats, slippers, etc are available in all towns. Indigenous handicrafts and textiles, potteries, antiques, etc are good bargains. Shop for batiks, silverwork, pewter, brass, gold and silver brocades, local handicrafts, kites and carvings. Be sure not to purchase anything made from pangolin, an endangered anteater. It will be confiscated by customs. Safety Sarawak is probably one of the safest places on earth. The crime rate is low and there are few dangerous animals in the jungles. General health is good, there is no earthquake, volcanoes or cyclones; and there is political stability, racial harmony & tolerance, no terrorism & no internal strife. Dos and Donts When visiting Malaysia, the visitor should observe local customs and practices. Some common courtesies and customs are as follows: · It is polite to call before visiting a home. · Shoes must always be removed when entering a Malaysian home. · Drinks are generally offered to guests. It would be polite to accept. · The right hand is always used when eating with ones hand or when · The right forefinger is not used to point at places, objects or persons. Instead, the thumb of the right hand with the four fingers folded under is the preferred usage. · Shoes must be removed when entering places of worship such as mosques and temples. Some mosques provide robes and scarves for female visitors. Taking photographs at places of worship is usually permitted but always ask permission first. · Toasting is not a common practice in Malaysia. The countrys large Muslim population does not drink alcohol.
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