anyone here living in Malaysia?

[sanam2010]

can we have a thread to get together British expats in Malaysia? am thinking of moving there with two preschoolers and would love to chat and exchange ideas about places, kindergartens, etc etc...

[aaronwb]

The tuition culture still exist today but having lived in PJ for 12 years with MM2H visa I agreed that Malaysia is a great place to live!

[BeesWax00]

Ugh what an a*hole! I can't stand people like that. I don't have a UK license and was debating getting it done here vs. over there. It sounds like getting it done in the UK is a much better prospect especially if it doesn't convert the other way! I was looking up The Highway Code yesterday :) Thank you!!

[BookWitch]

If you have a British licence you can just convert to a Malaysian one with no test.

If you don't, my DD learnt to drive at a driving school in Subang. SHe had to sit through a theory day - lots of videos and a very sexist instructor with very misogynist views on women drivers, then practical lessons and a test. She has a Malaysian licence now, but is in uni in the UK and you can't convert the other way so she will still need to pass her UK test (at some point!)

[BeesWax00]

Hi, I know its been a while since the last post so I'm hoping someone will be able to help me with this question. Have any of you done the driving test in KL? Where did you go to? What was it like? This is one of the things I have to get done and I've read online that the English book for the theory test is a mess. I've also set up a new thread called 'Thinking of moving to Malaysia' but I'm not getting much traffic there so I'm posting here as well.

[Whyarentthere25hoursinaday]

Hi and welcome to kl. Good advice here to avoid dengue is to use plenty of repellent and you cannot get Deet here. It is banned because they don't want the mossies to get immune to lots of different kinds of repellents I believe.
Agree with bras, shoes etc in larger sizes but really there's not much you cannot get here. I've even seen creme eggs this year!
I usually get children's school shoes in the UK but that might not be an issue for a 3yo.
Good luck with the move.

[fatowl]

Good quality sunscreen is expensive . I stock up on boots 3 for 2s when in the UK.
If you are very worried about dengue, bring deet, we use the local brands now, but it might help your peace of mind

There was a discussion further upthread about things to buy - bigger bras was one (for those of us who are not elfin Asian lady proportions)

[fatowl]

It's true that getting it for a second time can be more serious.
Honestly most of the cases I hear of is like a bad case of flu that you feel wiped out for a few weeks. People do get hospitalised so they can be in a rehydration drip.
It may be that a person a day dies, more likely very old or already immunocompromised. A normally healthy person will throw it off if correctly treated.
There is a fair amount around at the moment.

Honestly I'd worry far more about the ludicrously dangerous driving.

I know you might not want to out yourself but area to live will depend on your school , eg if you are teaching at GIS you won't want to live in Gita Bayu!
Mont Kiara is popular, lots of condos to choose from, close to GIS and MKIS schools, but traffic is appalling. Bangsar very popular and more low rise

You can pm me if you like for more specifics

[Happylass13]

Also still on the issue of dengue as it's playing heavy on our minds...it's considered more dangerous for very young children and if they catch it more than once can be serious. Do you hear of these cases often in your childrens school or among other expatriates? Websites look great, very helpful so thank you again for your time

[Happylass13]

Hi fatowl thanks so much for your response! It's reassuring to know that dengue is not too much of a problem. The media are stating it is high risk and someone dies everyday in KL of it so had me rather worried! Are there some areas to avoid living as a result? I'm looking at Bangsar or Mount Kiara as areas to live at the moment. Do you know these areas? Any nice condo's there you recommend? Having to think hard about what to bring...is it easy/cheap to buy sunscreen and deet mosquito repellent or should I pack loads? Huge thanks

[fatowl]

Hi happylass, welcome in advance to KL.

Dengue can be serious but not often fatal as long as you know the signs and not delay getting treatment.
Avoiding getting bitten at all is the best defence- burn mosquito coils and be ware of standing water.

There are a few sahds around - if your kids are toddler/pre school age, check out IBU family resource group and ABWM (British association) have a young families co-ordinator. I think MANZA do as well- the Australian/kiwi association, anyone can join

I'm glad your school are looking after you, but feel free to ask away. I've been in KL 11 years, my kids are older though

[Happylass13]

I Know that this an old post but I'm moving to KL in Aug for a teaching post with a three year old and accompanying hubby. School have been brilliant in informing me of the process to move and will help find accommodation when I arrive but I have recently been made aware of the rise in dengue fever and it has unsettled me a lot. Can anyone give me any insight as to the risks-particularly for my little one?
Hubby wonders if there is a social life for accompanying spouses/volunteer work to stop him getting bored? I'm sure there's more questions to come but I think I need some reassurance that this is the right move!
Hope to hear from you soon

[BonnyFitTracy]

BTW Barbie1, I am in awe of you...can't imagine being pregnant in this heat (though I know millions do it!), never mind traipsing round looking out property having just moved with young kids too! :-)

[BonnyFitTracy]

Thanks fatowl...all good so far (including the bus!) though have to keep telling the kids to drink more water in the day at school (get the impression that's a common theme?!). Not sure we'll manage the Halloween carnival; kids are set but I have nothing and with no car would be reliant on taxis (so we might just chill here as kids will be knackered after first full week with v early starts and couple long days with after-school activities). Had fun meeting some of PTA this week as I'm helping out at Xmas Bazaar and also tapped into ABWM for KLCC Park walk next week....if any of you guys fancy meeting up for a coffee (be great to put a face to a name after all this time!) do please message me!!

[Kldragon]

We stayed in the Berjaya Langkawi resort last December and really enjoyed it . We got lucky and ended up being upgraded to the presidential suite so that might have something to do with it but we have also stayed in a premier chalet and that was really nice as well .

[fatowl]

Depends on your budget really - the Andaman is lovely but will be pricey around Xmas.
We've stayed at the Sheraton, which has a nice pool but no beach to speak of - plus the rooms are a good way from the pool and they shuttle guests around on buggies- sounds fun, but a bit of a pain if you leave soemthing in your room and you get all ready with kids to go down to the pool and have to wait 20 mins for a buggy to turn up.
If you want budget the Seaview in Kuas town is OK, great for local food in the evening and has a pool, but you'd need to go out for the beach.

I hope your first few days at school went well Bonny. Enjoy the Halloween party if you're going (my dd is one of the 6th Formers "helping")

[Barbie1]

Hello kldragon

Yes my husband did come to your house, after viewing 28 houses over two days with two children and a bump I had a massive strop put my foot down and refused to do day three.

My dh liked your house, if I'm correct it was the one with a grea garden?

Still a little bit of work being done at the school but it's the Halloween party this weekend and they are pushing to finish the dining area and new playground in the reception bit.

It feels I haven't really seen any of kl. I've been too busy back and forth to the hospital.

We are just looking into booking langkawi for a break in dec. can anyone recommend a hotel?

[fatowl]

The building work at the primary campus is finished but waiting for DBKL permits and paperwork before they can go operational.
The work at secondary is behind by a few weeks

[Kldragon]

Congratulations on your new arrival Barbie . Hope you are settling in well. I think I met your Dh a few months ago when you were looking for a house he came to look at my house in Damansara (you were back in the hotel with the children)
have they finished the building work at Alice Smith yet? Does it look good what is the cafe like?
I am missing the heat of KL but not the Mozzies . I feel your pain Bonnyfit Tracy I would love to tell you it gets better but even after 2 years there I was still getting bitten to death. Also you will soon get used to the journey could take anything from 10 minutes to 2 hours attitude of Kuala. Lumpur!
I loved my time in KL and hope you both enjoy yours as much

[Barbie1]

Bony I would of offered you a lift after drop off but I have to take dc3 into hospital, hope the first day goes smoothly.

Have you found anywhere to live yet? The house opposite ours has just come up for rent. Only 10 mins from the school and easy commute for dh to klcc. Please let me know if you need any details

[BonnyFitTracy]

Barbie1, I'll taxi them there and back on Monday - school bus as of Tues all being well... BTW on the mozzy-front: I just keep joking that i'm just too darn tasty...keep hoping they get bored of me and move on (DH and DC's not affected - yet!)! ;-)

[Barbie1]

Bonny how are you getting to school on Monday? Glad you are still not put off by anything!

The mozzies love me too I've been an expat for years and never got bitten until we moved here...

[fatowl]

Hope they have a good first day, let us know how it goes

[BonnyFitTracy]

Thanks ever so much fatowl! We plan to do some exploring further afield than KLCC sans car.....loving it all so far (though the midges/mozzies seem to be finding me particularly tasty even though I'm in the middle of KLCC, not heading out early am or dusk and using DEET repellent on exposed bits!)....kids start school on Monday so looking forward to getting some time to myself! :-)