Malaysians may assume that the first foreigner to enter the room is the head of your delegation.
Because of the ethical mix of the Malaysian population, many variations in naming patterns exist.
It is oft en best to ask people politely how to address them correctly. In that case, make sure to tell
them the same for your own name. Introduce and greet older people and those of high rank first. If
introducing two people, it is important to state the name of the most important person fi rst. Introductions
are accompanied by handshakes using the right hand. Some people may not want to shake
hands, so it is best to wait for your counterparts to initiate handshakes, which should be light and
may last as long as ten seconds. Men should wait for women to initiate handshakes. Some Malaysian
women may not want to make physical contact with men, in which case it is best to just nod
and smile.