Malaysia insider

Richard moved to Malaysia in 2004, and is our expert expat. His stories on life in and around KL will leave you salivating for satay and belly laughing at his many misadventures.

Be sure to read his Insider's Guide to Malaysia for all the goss from the ground.

Malaysia insider

Pride of a nation 21/01/2009 4:47:00 PM, Richard Ryan

Spend any time in Malaysia and you'll soon here the phrase "Malaysia boleh!" Essentially it's the national catchphrase and means "Malaysia can do" - a rallying call to overcome any defeatist thoughts that people might have. There aren't many countries that have such a catchphrase. A splendid flag, yes. A rousing anthem, certainly … but a catchphrase? That's rare. However, it encompasses a Malaysian attitude of wanting to get things done.

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Water sight to see 20/01/2009 10:57:00 AM, Richard Ryan

Tourists are known to avoid Asia during the wet season, but our Malaysia Insider thinks that's nuts. The chaos and beauty of a solid monsoon pour is followed by cool evenings and a beautiful freshness you rarely get during the dry season.

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Taxing taxis 13/01/2009 10:56:00 AM, Richard Ryan

Malaysians are very proud people, so there are few national topics that a foreigner can speak negatively about without causing offence. However, on one topic everyone agrees: taxis in Malaysia are terrible. Ask anyone.

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Food, glorious food 6/01/2009 11:04:00 AM, Richard Ryan

If you're coming to visit Malaysia you might be wondering what the must-try dishes are. Personally, I'd say the short answer is "all of them!" But here's my top three favourites.

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Service 'in a while', part two 17/12/2008 1:17:00 PM, Richard Ryan

I maintain that service culture is not especially prevalent in Malaysia — there's either none or far too much.

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Service 'in a while' 17/12/2008 12:21:00 PM,

Customer service seems like a pretty simple concept to me: find a customer, give them what they want, smile. Seriously, it couldn't be simpler.

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Driven by distractions 10/12/2008 9:37:00 AM, Richard Ryan

Kuala Lumpur may boast some of the worst traffic jams on the planet, but I like driving here. Seriously.

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Bubble trouble 2/12/2008 1:34:00 PM, Richard Ryan

I'm a Pom, but my best friend in Kuala Lumpur is Australian. He works for an Australian company so, inevitably, all his friends are Aussies too. This, in and of itself, is no bad thing. It does, however, mean that the amount of time I'm sober seems to be inverse to the amount of time I spend with him.

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What's the big difference? 26/11/2008 10:04:00 AM, Richard Ryan

Sometimes I'm asked what the differences are between Malaysia and Western countries, such as Australia. Well, the answer's simple — but unfortunately it doesn't come from me. My friend Mike Street put together the following list.

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Feeling the burn 19/11/2008 11:31:00 AM, Richard Ryan

Now, I wouldn't say I'm huge at 1.83cm and 96kg (hardly Pavarotti proportions), but in Malaysia they have a completely different frame of reference when it comes to weight. First off all they're all so stick thin that our normal is their fat. Secondly, many Malaysians see weight as a sign of prosperity - you can't afford to eat that much food unless you're bringing home a decent amount of cash.

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