An introduction will help your local counterparts disclose information about their company, products and objectives. Possible introductions could come from former government officials, consulting firms, bank board members or trade organizations. It is advisable not to schedule your day tightly and leave some room for flexibility, especially if meetings run long or you want to schedule additional meetings.
Your business interactions with the people of Malaysia will depend on their education level and exposure outside of Malaysia. Ethnic differences are an underlying factor that permeates all types of business issues. Firms that are interested in bidding on government contracts must have local Malaysian partners, and bumiputra agents will often get preferential treatment. The Malaysian Industrial Development Board (MIDA) overseas the promotion and coordination of all industrial activities.
Decisions are formulated slowly and in a very calculated manner. The Confucian ethic and Muslim influence affect many aspects of Malaysian business. Malaysians tend to be very detail-oriented and use a lot of research in their analysis. Large well-established international companies will have a slightly

The name game can be confusing to visitors. Take for example the Malay name Abdul Hisham Hajji Rahman. Rather than 'Mr. Rahman' (Rahman is his father's name and Hajji indicates his father visited Mecca) he should be addressed formally as Encik (Mr.) Hisham or less formally as Abdul Hisham.

Foreign business women will be more likely to participate in business lunches and dinners and not other events such as golf outings, unless their company colleagues are present. Golf is a very important part of building business relationships in Malaysia.

Business meetings often take place over lunch and dinner, but rarely over breakfast.