Category Archives: Tips

Gong Xi Fa Cai!!

Happy Chinese New Year!!

RED RED RED

Take out your red outfits and decorations as Chinese New Year (CNY) is just around the corner! Every year, the theme is red; therefore you do not have to crack your mind to figure out what colour you should wear. However, during CNY it is taboo to not wear the colours of black and white as they are colours that the Chinese community wear traditionally to mourn.

Red decorations everywhere! In psychology, the colour red could be associated with anger, hunger, love or passion. During the CNY however, the colour red is associated with good luck, good health, and good wealth.

Year of the Fire Rooster

2017 is the year of the Fire Rooster.

If you are born in the year of the rooster (1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993 and 2005), your luckiest things are:

Numbers: 5, 7, and 8

Days: the 4^th and 26^th of any Chinese Lunar Month

Colours: Gold, Brown & Yellow

Directions: South, Southeast

Lucky months: the 2^nd, 5^th and 11^th Chinese Lunar Month

. . . and your unluckiest things are:

Colour: Red

Numbers: 1, 3, and 9

Direction: East

Unlucky months: 3^rd, 9^th and 12^th Chinese lunar months

Spring Clean & Kitchen God

In Chinese culture, CNY is not a religious celebration, but it is a celebration to welcome Spring. It is a custom where before the day of CNY, you have to clean your home or business space spic and span, but it is a big no-no to clean your space on the first day of CNY as it is associated with sweeping the wealth away.

There are some that pray to the “Kitchen God” (Zhao Shen) as he watches over the domestic affairs of a household. He will ascend to Heaven on CNY to give his report of the family member to the Jade Emperor, who is the Emperor of Heaven. The household would “bribe” him with “Nian Gao” – a sticky cake made of sugar and honey so that a “sweetened” version of the report would be provided instead. Zao Shen is also a moral force in the lives of the family members.

Reunion Dinner

During CNY’s eve, it is a tradition for all family members to get together as it is the last year of the Chinese Lunar Calendar before venturing into the New Year. The family’s usually will cook and eat food that has a good sounding name to it in the Chinese language such as “cai tao gui” (turnip cake) is associated with the phrase “hao cai tao” which means good luck, or “nian you yu” (fish) which means ‘may the year bring prosperity”, and each dish will have its head and tail as it refers to wholeness and completion of a task.

Yee Sang Toss

Another new tradition that started about 30 years ago is the Yee Sang Toss. The Yee Sang Toss is basically Chinese salad being put on a large plate that is toss in the air while you make a wish out loud. Each person would then eat it after the toss as it is said to make all your wishes come true.

You should make reservations to any Chinese restaurant close to you and give it a try for experience with your family. Who knows your wish may come true if not, you would have a yummy salad anyways.

Ang Pow Packets

If you are either young, single or unmarried, expect to receive ‘Ang Pow’ (Red) envelopes from married couples or the elders. It is a tradition for parents, grandparents and married couples to give money in even amounts as a wish of good luck in their studies, life, career, health and happiness. In today’s culture, it is also common for the young to give ‘Ang Pow’ to their parents and elders.

Lion Dance

Lion dances are one of the most important traditions that not only families would have in their homes, condominiums and offices. The significance of the Lion Dance is to bless the home or business so that they would have a year of good wealth, health and prosperity. The Lion Dance is usually done after CNY.

Did You Know?!

That Malaysia’s Lion Dance Team from Muar, Johor (The Kun Seng Keng Lion and Dragon Dance Association) holds the world championship title for the World Championship of Lion Dance!

Check out HappyGoKL’s Guide to catch a Lion Dance performance at your nearest location:

http://happygokl.com/lion-dances-in-kl/

Gong Xi Fa Cai from us all at TEAM PATHFINDER We wish you and your loved ones a very Healthy, Happy and Prosperous Year of the Rooster!

Moving about in Malaysia without a car can be frustrating what more with inefficient public transport and waiting hours under the hot sun or drenching rain. The best way to travel in Malaysia is by using a private vehicle.

For expatriates, though purchasing a car can seem to be a better option, the prices of brand new cars or even second-hand cars can be a considerable cost. This is especially true for foreign cars as the government places high taxes on these vehicles. Car rentals then come into the picture as there are quite a few car rental companies in the Klang Valley.

Car rentals provide you a lower initial cost plus the option to upgrade your car to a newer one as the year progresses. You can be rest assured that the car you are renting is in good condition and all the paperwork is properly maintained.

There is a huge range of vehicles that can be rented out depending on your budget – from A-segment mini cars all the way to F-segment luxury cars. From Fiestas to the S-Class, your choices are endless.

Below are the benefits of renting compared to buying a vehicle:

• Lower initial cost
• No worries – insurance, road tax, repairing and maintenance all taken care of
• Complimentary spare car during vehicle servicing, accident & breakdown
• Limitless distance and open access into Malaysia
• Courtesy 24-Hour breakdown assistance in Malaysia
• 24-hour call centre to assist you
• Driving amenities such as GPS, DVD Players and Child Seats
• Cost-saving on administration, maintenance and others cost
• Ease on Disposal of car
• Let you focus on your work

If you wish to go down this route, feel free to contact us at Pathfinder Relocation Services and we will more than happy to assist.

Written by: Jeremy, Relocation Consultant at Pathfinder Relocation Services

In Malaysia, due to the multi-ethnic and religious makeup, marriages are a colourful and meaningful affair that is full of tradition and grandeur. Come as we look at the various ways each culture celebrates this celebration of love:

Malay Weddings

There are 3 main stages of a Malay Wedding which are the merisik (asking the hand in marriage), akad nikah (wedding solemnisation), and bersanding (wedding reception).

During the merisik, traditionally the parents of the young man will visit the home of a potential bride for a friendly “investigation” into the compatibility of the couple. If everything goes well, then serious wedding discussions will take place. With everything settled, the next step is the meminang (proposal) stage and the specific details like the dowry, date and time of the actual wedding, and the wedding gifts are deliberated.

The actual religious solmisation of the wedding is during the akad nikah. This is the Islamic ceremony that is required for the marriage to be considered valid.  Only the immediate family will be present and the couple will present themselves before a juru nikah (Muslim wedding official) who will provide a brief sermon on the rights and responsibilities as a married couple from the Islamic perspective. The marriage registration and certification will be finalised then.

A few days before the bersanding, the couple will undergo a henna ceremony (berinai) which signifies blessing and protection from evil. The wedding reception will then take place which starts off with the groom walking with his entourage which consists of decorative flower bearers with kompang (Malay hand-held percussions) beats resounding in the air as they journey to the bride’s home. A pencak silat (Malay martial arts) performance is done for the groom’s party as a sign of welcome and respect. The bride and bridegroom (who are known as Raja Sehari or Royalty for the Day) are then sat together on a platform (pelamin); the couple are then sprinkled with rose-scented water, henna, sandalwood paste, and rice flour paste to signify their union publically. The newly-married couple will then join their guests for lunch, and the usual entertainment are karaoke and joget (Malay dance) sessions.

What to Wear?

The bride and groom are usually dressed in their traditional Malay garb which is a baju Melayu for the groom and usually a baju kurung or baju kebaya for the bride. They will be elaborately dressed to signify them as royalty for the day. For guests, if the reception is done in a kampong, (village) it can be quite warm as it is usually held in a community hall or outdoor void decks thus semi-formal dressing is fine like a short-sleeved or a batik shirt with long pants for men, and baju kurung or anything that is decent and conservative for women. If the reception is done in a hotel however, then formal dressing is expected.

What to Give?

As for wedding gifts, guests are not exactly expected to bring anything but the hosts will be more than grateful to receive a cash token (at your discretion) in an envelope or a green packet.

Malaysian Chinese Weddings

A Malaysian Chinese Wedding differs from a traditional Chinese Wedding as it is amalgamated with Western Wedding traditions. Numerology plays an important factor in the Chinese community especially when it comes to a couple’s compatibility. If the stars align, then preparations are done for the big day.

A study is then conducted to find the best time and date for the wedding according to the Chinese Lunar calendar. The bride and groom’s birth date and time analysed by an expert, and once an auspicious date is found, that will be set as the wedding day.

On the day of the wedding, the bride will wait in her home with her wedding dress for her groom to “collect” her and bring her back to his home. The bride’s family will prepare an offering for the gods so that the couple will have a blessed wedding. When the groom arrives with his entourage, they would blast their car horns along the way to increase the mood of the wedding and to scare away evil spirits. This is a modern improvisation of the traditional olden day’s method which involved gongs and drums. The groom must wait for the bride’s brother to open the car door for him.

The groom then must go through several fun “tests” like eating weird food and playing games before he is deemed “worthy” to have access to his bride-to-be. He is then let into the house and the next step is the Chinese Tea Ceremony whereby the couple will present their parents with tea as a sign of obtaining their blessing. The parents in return will give the couple their blessing in the form of jewellery for example. Tea will then be served to all elder relatives of the bride. The couple will then go to the groom’s family and the process is repeated. A light lunch will then be served before the reception in the evening, during the toast to the bride and groom, the Chinese will usually shout Yum Seng! many times as in Cantonese, Yum Seng means “drink to victory”.

What to Wear?

The Wedding Reception is very similar to a Western Wedding reception and is usually done in a hotel ballroom or formal Chinese restaurant. The usual dress code would be formal, men should dress in suits but not necessarily black tie, for ladies a cocktail dress or long dress preferably in a light or bright colour as black and darker colours are closely associated with funerals.

What to Give?

For wedding gifts, cash is preferred and though not a must, the amount to give depends on where the reception is held. For example, if the reception is done in a 5-star hotel, then a minimum of RM200 is given. This is so that the bride and groom can cover the cost of the wedding reception which can be an expensive affair.

Malaysian Indian Weddings

Due to the number of different and diverse Indian ethnicities in Malaysia like Malayalee and Telugu, we will focus on the Tamil culture being the largest Indian group in Malaysia.

Like the Chinese culture, a Hindu priest will calculate the best date and time for the wedding according to the bride and groom’s date of birth and Indian star sign. In the Tamil culture however, the time the wedding is done is very important so it is not uncommon to have weddings at 4:00 am.

During the day of the wedding, the groom’s best man (usually the brother of the bride) will wash the groom’s feet and put a toe ring on it. The groom will then present a gold ring to his brother in law as a sign of gratitude.

The groom and the bride’s brother will then sit on a platform, and then later the bride will join. The platform is called the Manavarai which symbolises Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi. After the priest performs his duty and solemnises the wedding, the groom will tie a thali on his bride which is a golden necklace which symbolises eternal love.

The guests will then throw rice with turmeric powder to the couple three times for good luck.

The bride and groom will be dressed in the traditional Tamil wedding dress of a kurta for the groom and a saree for the bride. As with all weddings, they will be elaborately dressed especially the bride who will be decked in gold accessories.

What to Wear?

Guests may come dressed in either a kurta for men and saree for women

What to Give?

Cash is preferred and the minimum to give is RM51. Why the odd number? It is because the amount can’t have a zero in it as it will mean zero prosperity to the newlyweds. These are just three examples of the three main races in Malaysia. Being a melting pot of cultures, Malaysia has a lot more to offer and feel free to experience the joy of romance in Malaysia.

To better facilitate and meet employers needs for skilled expatriate talent, MYXpats have put in place a robust online data platform and service-driven process which have helped the new enhanced centre. The Centre, conveniently located in the Klang Valley, aims to effectively process Employment (EP) and Professional Visit Pass (PVP) applications for skilled expatriates within its five (5) working days client charter. Since 2015, MYXpats have worked hard to improve the processing time and have approved more than 90% of Employment Pass applications within this client charter.

In their continuous effort to enhance the facilities and provide improved service in processing expatriate applications, they have come out with the following new features:

1.	Online payment (Internet Banking or Credit/Debit Card) facilities for Immigration Fee which will be available on our portal. This will help reduce the need for physical payments and repeat visits to MYXpats Centre.
2.	Implementation of new online services for Transfer of Endorsement and Cancellation of Passes
3.	A new function, the MYHelp System, which will allow for online support chat between the companies and their Helpdesk officers. The system will also enable an increase in upload file sizes from 10Mb to 20Mb for each attachment.
4.	Establishment of branches outside Klang Valley, located in Penang and Johor
5.	Kiosk station facilities at MYXpats Centres
6.	Improved features on the portal and in existing processes to improve customer online experience.
7.	Simplified handbook together with a detailed version of the MYXpats Guidebook

As such, to continuously improve on these services, please be advised that the new charges will be reflected in the following structure:

ONLINE SERVICES (NEW & RENEWAL)	NEW FEE WITH 6% SST
EMPLOYMENT PASS (EP)	RM 1,060.00
DEPENDANT PASS (DP) Spouse / Common-Law Spouse Children below 18 years (Biological/Adopted/Step Child) Disabled Children (no age limit)LONG-TERM SOCIAL VISIT PASS (LTSVP-EP) Children above 18 – 25 years (Biological/Adopted/Step Child) Parents/Parents-in-law	RM530.00
PROFESSIONAL VISIT PASS (PVP) Position Exempted to charges processing fee: Invited Lecturer, Invited Professor, Visiting Professor & Visitor Lecturer	RM 1,060.00
TRANSFER OF ENDORSEMENT (TOE), CANCELLATION OF PASSES	FREE OF CHARGE
NOTE: For rejected applications, MYXpats shall refund 60% of the Application charges subject to Terms & Conditions.

(NOTE: The amount stated above is solely for the skilled expatriate talent application charges and excludes Immigration fees)

We thank you for your continuous support.

(Just in case you don’t already know!)

Malaysia has been growing in increasing popularity as a tourist destination and the host country for expatriate staff who now choose to take up their assignments in Malaysia for many good reasons:

 An Unique Offering in Diversity 

Malaysia is a truly multi-ethnic, multi-cultural society where the three main Malaysian races live in harmony and tolerance towards each other. Each of the ethnic groups has thus maintained their unique cultural and religious lifestyles and traditions thus contributing to this unique diversity in our offerings of an abundance of food, flavours, colours, architecture, handicrafts, traditions etc.

Malaysian cuisine is world-renowned for its variety and excellence. Malay, Chinese and Indian food is available everywhere, and food from all over the world can be found in restaurants and hotels in the main urban centres. Some of the best food can be bought very cheaply at roadside stalls and small restaurants and cafes, and hygiene is generally good.

English is Widely Spoken and Religions are Freely Practiced 

Although Malaysians are schooled in the Malay language, many speak English and are very conversant in it. Also, in most major cities and towns expatriate communities or enclaves have sprung up to cater specially for this growing community. In Kuala Lumpur, Mont Kiara, Bangsar, Bangsar South, Damansara Heights, Kenny Hills and Ampang are the expat hotspots with peripheral facilities and infra-structure springing up to cater for these needs.

Also, there is freedom of religion and religious practices although the main religion in Malaysia is Islam. Churches, temples and other places of worship of the mainstream religions enjoy freedom of belief and practice unencumbered by major restrictions.

Good Health Services & Health Tourism

Health services are efficient and relatively inexpensive. In recent years the number of international standard private hospitals throughout the country has increased dramatically. All doctors speak very good English and most specialist doctors (and many family practitioners) were educated overseas in Australia, India, Russia, Ireland or Great Britain. Private hospitals and medical practices are clean and well run, there is a comprehensive range of specialists available and you can be confident of the medical care that will be provided to you and your family.

International Schools

A number of excellent International Schools and private tertiary colleges are available in Kuala Lumpur, Johor and Penang. Various curriculums are available including British, American, Australian, French, German, Japanese, Indian and Indonesian. There is no shortage of education options for children. However if possible, this decision should be made prior to the final move as places are limited.

Tropical Climate and Endless Local Vacation Treats

Malaysia’s climate is tropical and with year-round sunshine. When the country is not experiencing rainfall from the monsoon winds, it can be quite hot and humid during the day but in most homes, offices and shopping centres, air-conditioning provides the welcome respite. Outdoors, the weather is very suited for sports and games that can be conducted throughout the year.

Malaysia is blessed with an abundance of vacation and adventure treats – the natural rainforests, pristine beaches, wildlife, unspoilt countryside, mountain retreats and more.

Written by: Jeremy, Relocation Consultant at Pathfinder Relocation Services