With its strategic position in the heart of South East Asia Malaysia is the perfect place to establish a business in this part of the world. Malaysia’s has a fascinating national culture and challenging business environment but the country is a straightforward place to start a business in. But be ready that it can take time. And do not forget that Malaysia is a real multi-cultural society so be aware of the cultural differences.
Among the established more than 4000 foreign companies there is a high confidence for the future. One proof is the foreign investments in the country, another the diversification and expansion of their operations. Another notable aspect is China´s growth has the last year benefited Malaysia due to the demand of commodities such as oil/gas and palm oil.
But most important for the coming years is the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), announced in April 2006 which covers the period 2006-2010. The Malaysian economy is projected to grow by an average of 6% annually. This plan continues to emphasize the need to strengthen small and medium-sized firms but also economic growth to improve the global competitiveness of the Malaysian economy.
The key words of Malaysia’s business success are efficiency and the technological infrastructure. Malaysians in the business sector are well educated and all that enter the labour market have 11 years of school education. English is one of several languages in which Malaysians are proficient, and it is the language they use in their international business relations.