New Zealand exporters should invest some time to build personal and business relationships with the local partners, even before the decision making stage.

Presentation and status are important for credibility and business people are judged on their appearance and the way they present their company. A casual approach may be interpreted as a lack of respect for the company being visited.

Presentation material should be professional and thorough, and follow-up enquiries back in New Zealand should be handled promptly.

New Zealand exporters need to be culturally sensitive when attending a social function with the presence of potential Malay partners. Do not offer alcoholic drinks, although few of them will mind if you have one, and do not dine in a non-halal restaurant or where pork will be served.

Get general advice on working relationships in the Export guide.

In the Malay community courtesy is very highly prized and one should never show irritation or impatience.

Prominent businessmen often have titles such as Tan Sri or Dato. In addressing them one should use these titles (eg Tan Sri or Dato Lim – where Lim is the surname). Otherwise Mr or Miss is normally used, even when the woman is married. For Malay business contacts, males are addressed as Encik (pronounced Inchik) and females are addressed as Cik (pronounced Chik) if they are not married and Puan if they are married.

Your presentation material should be professional and thorough.

Get general advice on cultural factors when negotiating in the Export guide.

Getting acquainted is the main purpose of the first meeting. It is unusual to complete a complicated deal in one trip to Malaysia due to the slow pace of negotiations.

Business dress for men should be a long sleeve shirt and tie. A jacket is sometimes necessary for evening cocktails or other events. A batik shirt is also suitable for formal occasions. When in doubt, check with your host. For women, dress should be conservative given the strong Muslim culture. Dresses and blouses should have sleeves and short skirts should be avoided. If most of your time will be spent in meetings then you should dress for the cooler air-conditioned offices and try to avoid the heat outside.

Get general advice on how to behave at the first meeting in the Export guide.