Until you get established, getting a Malaysian driver's licence is not that important so long as you have one from your home country. Some expats have been known to never get a Malaysian licence pleading with enquiring police that they are foreign travellers on a holiday in Malaysia.
Existing expat license holders should take their license to the JPJ (Ministry of Transport) to be issued with a Malaysian license for a small fee. It is actually easier for those from countries of "right hand drive" to acquire the licence as Malaysia is a right hand drive country. These are normally issued for five years. In some cases they may ask you to sit for a test (these forms are in multiple languages).
It is always a good idea to get to understand what the road signs say - they are mostly in Bahasa but with graphics so they are easy to understand. A common Bahasa word is "jalan" which means street or road. New drivers will notice there are a lot of streets called "sehala". Look again, it means "one way street", so don't get caught going down the wrong way. Another one to learn is "awas" which means danger or caution.
Because Malaysia, especially its capital city Kuala Lumpur is undergoing massive upgrading of roads, traffic is erratic. However, it is fairly easy to navigate the roads which are mostly dual-carriage highways when heading towards the city. Roads signs will help guide you along the way.
The minimum age to drive in Malaysia is 18. Even if your child has a licence at 16, he or she is not permitted to drive in the country until passing his or her 18th birthday; at which time, required to sit for the Malaysian driver's licence tests.
An expat needs to physically and personally see the officers in making the application. Fax or internet applications will not be entertained. For further enquiries, e-mail to jpj.com.my or call the Road Transport Department's Licence Division at 603-254 9044 or surf through http:\jpn.gov.my\ for information.
