Moving to Kuala Lumpur soon

"Moving to Kuala Lumpur soon."
For some reason I feel that I want to add "Gonna be a dental floss tycoon"

It looks like I have exhausted all opportunities to stay in Singapore.

I have volunteered to be "right shored" to Kuala Lumpur.
I believe that it was either that or face the axe.
I work with mainly Filipinos and Singapore nationals and I'm sure that my salary is much, much higher than those in the same position from both these countries so I think that if I didn’t volunteer then I would find myself without a job as soon as they found someone to replace me.

I've been in KL many tiny times, but mostly never left the airport as I was just transiting through.

The only time that I left the airport was about 6 years ago and then I only spent 2 nights in the hotel and didn’t really do much to explore the city as I preferred to spend the time sleeping than exploring.

I’ve been interested in the proposition of exploring retiring in Malaysia as I think that the MM2H program seems better and more predictable than the ever changing rules of retirement in Thailand (I’m sure Mrs Tiz will disagree, but given the choice between Malaysia and Panama I think I can bring her around).

This new position will give me a couple of things; I’ll be a FTE rather than a contractor (paid vacation…yeah-haa…), more responsibility as I’ll be the team leader in a group that has yet to be formed, but also the freedom to travel and work from just about anywhere that I desire. I can pretty much work without ever having to visit the office, so I should be able to spend at least one week per month working from home in Thailand.

I’ve been in Singapore only for 2 years, so I haven’t accumulated too much excess baggage (arrived with one suitcase and a laptop). I do have more than will fit in a suitcase though, so I’ll have to do a cull over the next few weeks. Mrs Tiz is doing her regular monthly trip to Singapore on Friday so I’ll send some stuff home with her to reduce my clutter and also I’m doing a trip to Thailand myself later in the month, so I’ll probably get rid of some more stuff then. Then I’ll need to decide what move with me and what gets left behind.

I’ll use this thread as a blog for my move.

It is probably more of a step into the unknown than most of my previous moves, even though the actual distance moved is much less than any of my previous moves. Even more so than my move to Saudi in 1996 as then the company made many of the decisions for me. They provided a hefty relocation package and also provided the accommodation so they were things that I didn’t really need to think about. Also I knew a few people that had made the same move a few months before me so had their advice (whether good or bad) to follow.
This move it seems that the company are providing SFA assistance, so I’ll need to sort everything out myself.

You might even end up preferring it to Singapore.
Will you go on a reconnaissance mission for digs, or just turn up cold and stay in a hotel for a while?

TizMe, on 04 August 2009 - 12:15 AM, said:

Interesting to hear that...

I have been in Malaysia many times.

What is maybe most important difference between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore:

In Malaysia you MUST drive your own car. There is not that much population and there is little public transportation available when looking around just a short distance out of the (small) city center of KL, and highway/parking facilities are very good.

To move around even near Kuala Lumpur (to Port Dickson, Genting Highlands, Batu Caves, Petaling Jaya etc) makes sense ONLY when driving your own car! Malaysia is nice INSIDE the country, there are forests and waterfalls.

For sure you will like it in Kuala Lumpur. Quite different from Singapore.

It's easy to drive to Singapore and back, short distance, straight highway. You could pick up later on remaining luggage from Singapore and bring it to KL.

Keep in mind, speed limit is 110 km/h and keep in mind, parking rules are strict. Malaysia is not Thailand.

Mandrunk, on 04 August 2009 - 12:58 AM, said:

I hope so. I ummed and ahhed many times before I made the decision to "volunteer". I don't think I'll bother with a reconnaissance mission. I'll just find a hotel for the first couple of weeks and use that time to find somewhere to live.

Thanks for these leads Yohan. I think that I can learn a lot from reading experiences of those that have gone before me.

My main concern at this time is the complete failure of the HR department of my company in KL. My current contract runs out in 5 weeks and I have heard absolutely zero from them. So I don't know even if they have agreed to my salary package. The company also has a couple of different offices in KL. I don't know which one I'll be working in, or even if they have space some where to fit me in. With the lack of planning and execution, I wouldn't mind betting that I end up working from home for a considerable time.

Maybe something is happenning in the background and they just aren't keeping me informed, but also mabe they are doing nothing..

Things move a bit slower than in Singapore - in fact I would even say they move a bit slower than in Thailand (based on my experience dealing with Malaysian companies that is - I have never lived there). Something you may have to get used to and not let it frustrate you...

Can see it might be a problem rocking up at KL airport with a one way ticket and no contract or visa though!

Good luck - sorry to see you go - we should have another beer evening before you do...

CC

Once I'm there, then hopefully I can slow down..

I'm not sure if I'm going to get a free weekend between now and when I leave. This assumes that HR in KL pulls their finger out. Mrs Tiz is supposed to arrive in Singapore on Friday and stay for the next 2 weekends. Then the following Saturday I'm off to Thailand to use up my outstanding leave. So then its just back long enough to pack up my shit and get out of here.

Once I'm settled and got a car, I can drive back down for a beer or two..

Well its confirmed today that I'm finishing my job in Singapore in 35 days.

There's still no word on the position in KL, so I still don't really know if I'll be going directly to KL or have to have an enforced vacation first. Or if worse comes to worse, the HR department doesn't agree to the terms of my position in KL that I've negotiated with my manager here in Singapore.

I'm already booked for a couple of weeks vacation to use up my untaken leave, so an enforced vacation will probably be a bit of a waste of time.

TizMe, on 04 August 2009 - 11:30 PM, said:

Cheaper and quicker to get the Ekspres Rakyat (train) from KL to Singers. A little over six hours, from memory. You travel through a lot of oil palm plantations and the view is not that spectacular (but the Lebuh Raya is not a stunning drive, either), but you end up almost right in the centre of things just a hop-skip-and-jump from Chinatown and the MRT to Orchard Road.

TizMe, on 05 August 2009 - 11:25 PM, said:

Best of luck with this, Tiz. The vacation time may be spent looking for housing in KL, though.

Uncle Gweilo, on 07 August 2009 - 07:34 AM, said:

Thanks UG. The problem is that without a firm offer, then I cannot guarantee that I'll be there.
The last time that I moved to a muslim country, it took them 9 months to get their act together and get all the paper work & work visa sorted out.
Luckily then I still a job to work at until they gave me the nod to resign.

Captain Chaos, on 04 August 2009 - 11:54 AM, said:

I never heard about such a problem with European or other Western travellers. Nobody is asking for a ticket.

Nobody at KLIA is asking anything, you give them your passport after arrival and you get a business/pleasure-3-month-stamp. Finished.

There are only few countries, which require visa for Malaysia in advance. Most of them are admitted however at least for 7 or 14 days and are permitted to regulate their visa for longer stay after arrival.

Copy paste from a list about visa requirements:


Citizens of the following do not need a visa to enter Malaysia:

• Commonwealth countries, with the exception of those from Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan
• British Protected Persons
• Republic of Ireland
• Switzerland, Netherlands, San Marino and Lichtenstein

Citizens of the following countries are eligible to visit Malaysia for three months without a visa:

Albania Slovakia Iceland Morocco Sweden Austria Denmark Italy Norway Saudi Arabia Algeria Egypt JapanOman Turkey Argentina Finland Jordan Qatar Tunisia Bahrain France Kuwait Spain UAE Belgium Germany Luxembourg South Korea USA Czech Republic, Hungary Lebanon Bosnia Yemen

One Month Visa Free Visit
Citizens of ASEAN countries are permitted to stay in Malaysia for one month without a visa.

14 Days Visa Free Visit
Citizens of the following countries are eligible for a 14-day visa free visit to Malaysia:
Afghanistan Iran Iraq Libya Syria

7 Days Visa Free Visit
Citizens of the following countries are eligible for a 7-day visa free stay:
Armenia Estonia Latvia Russia Azerbaijian Georgia Lithuania Tajikistan Republic of Belarus Kazakhstan Moldavia Ukraine Bulgaria Kirghizstan Romania Uzbekistan

Uncle Gweilo, on 07 August 2009 - 07:34 AM, said:

Train is a good solution, worth a discussion, if you consider:

Train is cheaper than the car, yes, as you have to pay for the motorway when driving your own car - but for sure the train is not quicker. It's really 50/50 decision. Pro and contra.

There are also formalities for the permit and fees to pay, if you take a Malaysian car into Singapore and parking is also a problem in Singapore, and many restricted zones.

Distance KL to Singapore is about 340 km I remember using the motorway, something like that, and by car it is not over 4 hours. Trains were always slow in Malaysia, but they are known to be remarkable on time.

In Malaysia, I really can say that, to drive the own car is the best... I know there are travellers (also Malaysia businessmen and tourists), who prefer to go first to Johor Bahru driving themselves, are parking their car there, also checking into a hotel in Johor Bahru, and then go over the border to Singapore by a border-licenced taxi.

I also did that some years ago, and it was working fine, and Johor Bahru has many good hotels and half price from Singapore.

If you have a car to drive around in the Johor Bahru area is nice, there are waterfalls, forests, Johor Bahru is also a nice city, very clean and friendly place.

I had problems leaving Brisbane to come to Singapore.

My employee had provided a one way ticket but hadn't yet processed my work pass.

QANTAS wouldn't board me unless I also bought a return ticket. They gave me instructions how to get my refund after I arrived here, but they took a pretty big commission for the privilege.

I would have dismissed the issue of a return ticket too until my recent experience at Jakarta immigration. All it needs is an immigration officer on a bad day or in need of some coffee money. Photoshop one.

Stocky, on 07 August 2009 - 11:25 PM, said:

Malaysia and Indonesia have totally different rules. Two different countries.

Indonesia does not have a rule which says VISAFREE for all Commonwealth countries (like for Australia in this case).

Many others have 3 month visa exemption, (like my own country - Austria-EU), but still there are possible conditions with that, as visa exemption is not the same as visafree.

Australians do not need anything when entering Malaysia up to 3 months for business/leisure except their valid passport.

Quote

From details for Australian passport holder travelling to Malaysia.

What a week it's been..

I'm extremely pissed off with my employer because they haven't pulled their finger out to facilitate my move to KL.

My son is in hospital with a burst appendix. Of cousre, Mrs Tiz didn't catch her flight to Singapore as expected on Friday.

My Dad has been rushed to hospital because he passed out when his blood pressure dropped to low.

Maybe I better ring my daughter tomorrow to check up that she's OK!!

I saw you mention in the Shoutbox about a bypass in your Dad's neck... what was that for?

That was a different condition that he was in hospital for the week before.

They had done some scans during a checkup, and found that some artery in his neck had a 70% blockage.

If left, then he had a high chance of developing either a stroke or even blindness.

I'd never heard anything of this sort before, but anyway, the procedure is very similar to coronary artery bypass graft surgery, where they re-route the blood flow, except its done to a different artery.

They had cut him from just under one ear down and under his jaw line.

TizMe, on 09 August 2009 - 01:47 AM, said:

Crikey, Mate, it doesn't rain it pours!

Fingers and toes crossed that all goes well for your family.

yohan, on 07 August 2009 - 10:41 AM, said:

According to Google Earth, its 357 Km door-to-door to from the hotel I usually stay in in Chinatown KL to the YMCA on Orchard Road. A tick over 4 hours with 320 Km on the Lebuhraya. If you do drive, stay in a place that has free or cheap parking for guests and MRT/bus/taxi, but seeing as you're already in Singers, I'm probably telling you something you already know.

Another week has ended with absolutely no communication to me from the HR department.

8 working days left.

With Ramadan just around the corner, if the Malays are anything like the Saudis then everything will wait.

Ramadan in Malaysia is OK, the only problem time is the end of Ramadan, KL empties for Hari Raya as everyone heads home.