Cultural Taboos In Malaysia

Malaysia : Celebrating Unity in Diversity

Malaysia is a very diverse in culture. There are the Malay's, Chinese,
Indians , Bidayuh, Iban, and many more. Eventhough there are many
different culture here in Malaysia but we manage to live harmoniously and
peacefully. We, Malaysian can live harmoniously because we understand and
respect other cultures. That is why I am here to explain more on the
cultural taboo between the three main races in Malaysia that is the Chinese,
Malays and Indians.

Let’s begin with the Malaysian Chinese culture. The Chinese can be
considered to many as the very hard working group and very perseverance
in what they do. There are many taboos in the Malaysian Chinese community
here are some of the taboos, the Chinese would a void the number four, for
example if they may they would change the licensed plate of they car if it has
the number four in it, or they would not keep anything that have the number
four in there house. This is because the number brings bad luck and in the
Mandarin language it has the same pronunciation as death. However, this
could be said differently for the number eight, the Chinese favoured this
number because it bring good fortune or luck. Another example of cultural
taboos is that you must not whistle at night, according to old folks this could
bring bad spirits. In addition, the Chinese also believe that you must not hang
your laundry at night because this will attached them self to wandering
spirits.
 No whistling, please !

The Malay is the majority of race in Malaysia consisting of 60% . There

are also many taboos in the Malay community for example, when entering
anyone's house you must take off your shoes, if not it may seem rude and
disrespectfully. Furthermore, in it also consider rude to point with your fore
finger instead you must point with your thumb. Another taboo in the Malay
culture is that you always eat with your right hand because the left hand is
considered dirty when eating.

Take off your shoes, please!

The Malaysian Indian can be considered the most festive out of the
many race in Malaysia. With the many Indian festivals there are bound to be
many rules that needs to follow and taboos that is need to be avoided.
Winking is considered a taboo in the Indian culture this is because they
believe winking can bring many unhealthy problems. Moreover, you cannot
cut your nails in the evening this will attract unwanted spirits. When a
boiling milk or hot milk is spilt, this can be a sign of a bad omen.
 Spilt Milk

In conclusion, there are many taboos or does and don't in every culture,
we should respect these cultural taboos in order to live harmoniously with
one another.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=YlsWtHx1L9s

What are some cultural taboos in Malaysia?

1. Don’t wear shoes inside anyone’s house OR a mosque.
2. Don’t wear your birthday suit in public.
3. Don’t copulate or be overly demonstrative of your lustful desire in public.
4. If you’re a guy, do NOT touch or shake hands or hug or kiss any Muslim ladies
unless you’ve been given permission to do so. The same goes vice versa.
5. Do not point with your finger to anyone.
6. Never make fun of anyone’s name, ethnicity, or religion.
7. If talking with someone’s older or someone of authority, don’t call them by their
name unless you’re instructed to do so. Be polite and respectful by adding the
proper title in front of their name. Safest bet if you don’t know their name or
their title: Mr, “Encik” (formal), “Abang” (very informal) or “Bang” (very informal)
for the man. Miss, Mrs, “Cik” (formal, unmarried), “Puan” (formal, married), or
Kak (very informal) for the lady.
8. Never boast or make fun of forest creatures when you’re inside a forest.
9. NEVER SMUGGLE DRUG unless you’re actually suicidal (death penalty if
caught).
10. When visiting cultural sites, especially those considered sacred to the native,
be extra respectful. If you can’t find any good info specific to the area, ask the
local OR you can just restrain yourself from doing anything weird. For example,
when you’re visiting Mount Kinabalu, DO NOT change into your birthday suit
or/and post photos of you wearing that.
Added:

 Don’t touch anyone head.

 Don’t bring any animal especially dog (guide dog is allowed in some places) or
pig inside any public building like a government agency, shopping malls,
restaurants, etc.
WORKSHEET 1
1. WHAT IS CULTURAL DIVERSITY?

2. ADVANTAGES OF MULTI RACIAL SOCIETIES?

3. DISADVANTAGES OF MULTI RACIAL SOCIETIES?

4. TABOOS IN MALAYSIAN CULTURE?

a. Malay

b. Indian

c. Chinese
CUSTOMS IN MALAYSIA
Malays, Chinese and Indians in Malaysia practice customs associated with their ethnic group.
According to destination-asia.com: “The culture in Malaysia is as varied as the diversity of its
people. Malaysians are viewed as polite and helpful people with a sunny disposition that matches
the hot tropical climate. Visitors behaving courteously stand little chance of unintentionally giving
offence, but if visiting rural areas and especially someone’s private home, it helps to know
something about the local norms. [Source: destination-asia.com <>]
Kuala Lumpur follows a normal week but the conservative state of Kelantan follows the Muslim
week. There, schools, government offices and business are closed on Friday, the Muslim
sabbath.
Do’s and Don’ts: 1) Do smile when you greet people.It is normal to see people in the tourist
industry to greet visitors by placing their right hand over the left breast. This gesture means: “I
greet you from my heart”. 2) Do dress neatly when entering places of worship. It is advisable for
ladies when entering places of worship to wear long sleeves and loose pants or long skirts. 3) Do
pay careful attention to your attire if you’re female. Wearing hot pants and vests on the islands
where Malaysians are used to foreigners has become accepted, but it may invite harassment
elsewhere. At mainland beaches, bring a wrap-around as well as a swimsuit so you won’t feel
conspicuous; Malay women usually go swimming fully dressed and some keep their scarves on.
4) Don’t bring up the topic of ethnic relations in Malaysia or the political system: They are both
sensitive subjects. As a tourist, it is best not to criticize the government or the Malay royal
families. You may hear Malaysians criticize their own government, but you do not need to take
sides; just listen and feel free to talk about your feelings about your own government. 5) Do be
wary that same-sex relationships are a taboo subject in Malaysia. Gay and lesbian travellers
should avoid any outward signs of affection, including holding hands in public. Homosexuality is
illegal in Malaysia.

Greetings in Malaysia
Malays greet each other with a salaam, in which two individuals each extend both hand and
grasp both their hands somewhat like a double handshake. The gesture is used when saying
goodbye. The salaam is only used when greeting men. It is normal to see people in the tourist
industry to greet visitors by placing their right hand over the left breast. This gesture means: “I
greet you from my heart”. [Source: The Traveler's Guide to Asian Customs & Manners by
Elizabeth Devine and Nancy L. Braganti. International etiquette expert: Mary Kay Metcalf of
Creative Marketing Alliance in New Jersey]
Men should not shake hands with women unless the women extend their hands first. Different
ethnic groups address each using different names. To avoid confusion, ask a person how they
want toe be addressed.
Malays should be addressed with a Mr., Mrs. or Miss first followed by the family name (which
comes first). Thus Anwar Ibrahim would be greeted as Mr. Anwar. In the case of the wife, both
her family name and her husband's family name is used. Anwar' wife. His wife Azizah Ismail
would be greeted as Mrs. Azizah Anwar.
According to destination-asia.com: “Don’t offer to shake hands unless you know that your
acquaintances are fairly westernized. Even then, let them offer to shake hands first and never
shake hands with a woman unless they offer to do so first. The traditional greeting or salam
resembles a handshake with both hands but without the grasp. The Chinese handshake is light
and may be rather prolonged. Many older Chinese lower their eyes during the greeting as a sign
of respect. [Source: destination-asia.com]
According to kwintessential.co.uk: “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
include: 1) 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. 2) 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. 3) 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) Among all cultures, there is a general tendency to
introduce: a) the most important person to the lower ranking person; b) the older person to the
younger person; c) women to men. [Source: kwintessential.co.uk]

Public Customs in Malaysia

1) Don't eat while walking. 2) Avoid using left hand. "Koran states the right hand is more
honorable.” 3) Public displays of affection between different sexes is frowned upon. 4) Show
respect towards elders. 5) Don't cross your legs in front of an older people and don't step over
someone with crossed legs who is sitting down. 6) Don't pat someone on the head. 7) Don't
gesture by pointing. 8) Placing the hands on the hips indicates anger. 9) Malaysians often laugh
when embarrassed. 10) Don't expose the soles of your feet. Never put your feet on a table. 11)
In some situations don't wear yellow (it is the color of royalty) and don't wear black.
Take your shoes off and dress appropriately when entering a mosque or Hindu temple. Men
wearing shorts, are sometimes given robes at the entrance. Women should have their knees and
arms covered. Inside a mosque don't walk in front of someone who is praying, don't touch the
Koran and never sit or stand on prayer rug. Ask for permission before taking photographs.
Publicly humiliating someone in Malaysian culture is considered unforgivably bad manners.
When Prime Minister Mahathir dragged Anwar Ibrahim’s name through the mud it was
considered by many Malaysians to be the ultimate violation of Malaysiam ethics.
According to destination-asia.com: “Hugging and kissing is considered inappropriate behaviour
so refrain from doing so, no matter how fond you become of someone, especially someone of the
opposite sex. Intimate behaviour in public is a definite no-no, too, particularly in rural and less
liberal areas. In traditional homes, it is rude to cross your legs when you sit down in front of the
host, particularly for women. Don’t touch the head of an adult and don’t point the bottom of your
feet at anyone. [Source: destination-asia.com]
Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country and visitors should dress respectfully, particularly in
rural areas. Wearing trousers or a long skirt, not shorts, and covering the shoulders is
recommended but not essential. In more metropolitan areas such as Kuala Lumpur and Penang,
with a significant non-Muslim population, attitudes are more liberal.
Always use the right hand to pass or accept anything. The left is traditionally “dirty” because of
its washroom connections. Pointing with the finger is considered very rude and the whole hand is
used to indicate a direction, but never a person. To point to a person, close the right hand into a
fist with the thumb on top and then point it at the subject.

Mosque Customs
Mosques and shrines are often not open to non-Muslims. Those that do welcome them expect
them to be appropriately dressed: no shorts, short skirts, revealing halter tops or exposed
shoulders. Mosques that allow women often require them to at least wear a head scarf. Some
require them to cover their entire bodies, except the face, hands and feet, and not wear trousers.
Sometimes mosque provide women who don’t have one with a head scarf. Sometimes they have
robes for men wearing shorts.
The Muslim faithful are expected to remove their shoes and wash their feet in a sacred basin
before they enter the mosque. If no water is available Muslims are supposed to wash themselves
with sand. Foreigner visitors s can usually get away with just removing their shoes and are not
required to wash their feet. In any case, make sure you feet or socks are clean. Dirty feet in a
mosques are regarded as an insult to Islam. In large mosques you remove your shoes and place
them on a shelf with a number.
Inside a mosque don't walk in front of someone who is praying, don't touch the Koran, never sit
or stand on a prayer rug and never place a Koran on the floor or put anything on top of it. Also,
don't cross your legs in front of an older people and don't step over someone who is sitting down
Show respect, remain quiet and stay out of the way. Taking photographs is frowned upon.
See Muslim Customs factsanddetails.com

Social Customs in Malaysia

Malaysians are generally punctual. Sometimes they ask a lot of personal questions.
According to kwintessential.co.uk: “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 "I’ll see what I can do". This allows
the person making the request and the person turning it down to save face and maintain
harmony in their relationship. [Source: kwintessential.co.uk]
If you are unsure about the affirmative response you received, you may want to continue the
discussion, re-phrasing the question in several different ways so that you may compare
responses. If the response was given because the Malaysian did not know how to respond in the
negative without causing offense, this may come out. Alternatively, they may have someone else
give you the bad news.
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 behaviour thoughtless and rude.
Malaysians may laugh at what may appear to outsiders as inappropriate moments. This device
is used to conceal uneasiness. 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 if you are calm, whereas little is resolved by shouting.

Home Customs in Malaysia

Malays like to entertain at home more than at restaurants. Guest often begin eating soon after
they arrive. It is part of the Muslim hospitality thing. People often drop by unannounced.
Malaysians take their shoes off and leave them on the front porch before entering a house. Don't
have holes in your socks. Inside home do not touch the Koran or sit or stand on a prayer rug. In
eastern rural areas men often eat separately from women.
People often sit on he floor. When sitting in the floor women should tuck their legs underneath
them and men should sit cross legged. Don't step over someone's cross legs.
There are often buckets of water in the toilet. Malays and Indians wash themselves every time
they go to the bathroom. Sometimes only cold showers are available. Some people take two or
three showers a day because of the humidity.
According to destination-asia.com: Malaysians remove their shoes at the door before entering a
home. You can always tell if there is a get-together at someone’s home by the number of shoes
and sandals scattered around the front door. Likewise, never enter a mosque without removing
footwear. [Source: destination-asia.com]
Gift-Giving in Malaysia
As for gifts: something from your country or fruit or chocolate is always. Don't give pork or
alcohol. People usually don’t open their gifts in the presence of giftgivers. Otherwise gifts are
usually given keeping in mind whether the recipients are Malays, Chinese or Indians.
According to destination-asia.com: For Malays: If invited to someone’s home for dinner, bring
the hostess pastries or good chocolates; Never give alcohol; Do not give toy dogs or toy pigs to
children; Do not give anything made of pigskin; Avoid white wrapping paper as it symbolizes
death and mourning; Avoid yellow wrapping paper, as it is the colour of royalty; 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. [Source: destination-
asia.com]
For Chinese: If invited to someone’s home, bring a small gift of fruit, sweets, or cakes; Do not
give scissors, knives or other cutting utensils as they indicate a desire to sever a relationship;
Flowers do not make good gifts as they are given to the sick and used at funerals; Do not wrap
gifts in the traditional mourning colours of white, blue, or black and it is best to wrap gifts in the
happy colours of red, pink, or yellow; It is best to give gifts in even numbers since odd numbers
are unlucky; Gifts are generally not opened when received.
For 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; Wrap gifts in red, yellow or green paper or other bright
colours 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.
According to [Source: kwintessential.co.uk: Gift giving to Malays: If invited to someone's home
for dinner, bring the hostess pastries or good quality chocolates.• Never give alcohol.• Do not
give toy dogs or pigs to children.• Do not give anything made of pigskin.• Avoid white wrapping
paper as it symbolizes death and mourning.• Avoid yellow wrapping paper, as it is the color of
royalty.• 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. [Source: kwintessential.co.uk]
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 colours - white, blue, or black.•
Wrap the gifts in happy colours - red, pink, or yellow.• Elaborate gift - wrapping is imperative.•
Never wrap a gift for a baby or decorate the gift in any way with a stork, as birds are the
harbinger of death.• It is best to give gifts in even numbers since odd numbers are unlucky.• Gifts
are generally not opened 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.• 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.

Eating Customs in Malaysia

Malays and Indians often eat food with their hands. Some restaurants don't have any utensils at
all to give their patrons. Instead each table comes with a water pitcher that is used to clean the
hands after the meal. Most meals come with pancake-like bread that is used to scoop up the
food which is usually something that resembles stew.
 Malays eat with only the first two of their fingers, not their entire hands. Muslim Malays have
traditionally used their left "dirty" hand to take care of wiping their dirty and other "unclean" bodily
functions. As a result, Muslim Malays never eat or touch someone with their left hand.
People are generally served a plate with rice on it. Using a serving spoon they dish themselves
food from serving bowls at the middle of the table. Don't touch the serving spoon to your plate
and pass dishes by holding them with your left hand and supporting them with your right hand
palm down.
Westerners are often offer ed forks, spoons and knives. When Malaysians eat with Western
utensils they usually hold their spoon in their right and hand and fork in their left hand and push
food with the fork onto the spoon and eat with their right hand using the spoon.
People often sit on the floor when they eat and wash their hands from a bowling before starting
to eat. Don't blow your nose, clear your throat loudly. Refusing food is considered bad manners.
Chinese in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia have the custom eating any time they feel like it.
Etiquette at the dining table of a royal family members: 1) Do not eat or drink before His Majesty
has done so; 2) Avoid opening your mouth widely when putting food into your mouth. When
chewing your food, your mouth should be closed. Do not talk when your mouth is full; 3) Make
sure that the cutlery is used correctly and do not make too much noise. Leftovers should not be
left on the tablecloth; 5) After eating, the cutlery should be arranged neatly and not scattered
about; 6) If food is stuck in your teeth, avoid picking at it with your fingers. Use a napkin to cover
your mouth when you remove it; 7) Cover your mouth with a napkin when you are coughing or
sneezing; 8) Avoid yawning or belching loudly; 9) Do not pick your ears, scratch your body,
stretch yourself, and crack your knuckle, during the dinner; 10) Do not raise your head or rest
both elbows on the table; 11) For women, when seated at the dining table, the handbag should
be hanged using a handbag holder and not placed on the table even if it is a small handbag.
[Source: malaysianmonarchy.org ]