Travel 101: What is proper table etiquette in Malaysia?
Traveling to Malaysia?
Learning how to behave at the dinner table in KL (the common moniker many people use when referring to Kuala Lumpur) and elsewhere in Malaysia can be a tough call until you learn some lessons on dining in this Southeast Asian hub.
With that in mind, following is some pertinent information about common courtesies to practice when eating and socializing in enticing, exciting Malaysia.
+ If you partake of the practice of eating with your hands, be sure to use your right hand for eating and passing food. If you are left-handed and find this practice difficult, keep your left hand on your lap as much as possible so you will not slip up.
+ If you opt for dining with utensils, you may not be given a knife. Never fear. Simply take your fork in your left hand and your spoon in your right hand. Then, carefully push each bite onto the spoon with the fork and then eat from the spoon.
+ Take note of who is eating what. If you are among Muslims at the table, don’t expect pork to be served. Is there are Hindus or Buddhists present, don’t expect beef to be served. And, if there are Chinese present, look for plenty of dishes that include pork since that is a mainstay in the Chinese diet.
+ Be careful not to blow you nose or clear your throat when dining due to health concerns.
+ If you host a dinner, be sure to ask the right number of guests so that you will have an even number of people at your table. Some people in Malaysia believe that dining with an odd number of people present brings bad luck.
+ If you ask for tea, don’t be surprised if milk is already added before the steaming liquid is served. If you do not want milk mixed with your tea, say so when ordering.
+ If you are aiming to down a hard drink after a hard day, don’t be disappointed if you are not served any liquid of that nature at a Malaysian dinner table. Serving alcoholic drinks is not all that common in this country but non-alcohoic drinks — especially juices — are.
+ If you are trying to get a waiter’s attention, gesture with your whole hand and not just a single finger
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