Venue

The meeting will be held at:

Equatorial Hotel
1, Jalan Bukit Jambul
Bayan Lepas
11900 Penang, Malaysia
Tel: 60 4 643 8111
Fax: 60 4 644 8998
Web-site: http://www.asia-hotels.com/gethotel.asp?hotel=205

Room rate for Superior single room is:  RM 172.50/night
Room rate for Double room is: RM
Late check out fee:  RM 74.75

Direction to Equatorial Hotel from Penang Airport
You need to take a taxi to the Equatorial Hotel. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes from Penang Airport. The taxi fare is RM15 per trip.  No buses or train service the journey.  Please make sure that your flight destination is to Penang not to Kuala Lumpur since the distance between the two cities is 340 Km or about 50 minutes flight.

Geography
Penang is one of the 13 states of Malaysia and is situated on the north-western coast of the peninsular. It is bounded to the north and east by the State of Kedah, to the south by the State of Perak, and to the west by the Straits of Malacca and Sumatra.
Linked by the Penang Bridge and a 24-hour ferry service, is Penang Island and Seberang Perai, mainland. The island covers 285 sq. kilometers. The area of Penang is 24km north to south and 14.5km east, whose shape resembles a swimming turtle.

History
Penang, The Pearl Of the Orient, is the most culturally diverse East Asia holiday destination of choice today. Established as a British trading outpost in 1786, founded by Sir Francis Light. Penang's rapid development as a trading post soon attracted settlers from throughout the world.
Today, Penang's historic capital, Goerge town, with a bustling population of 400,000 has the largest pool of heritage architecture of any town in the region.  Penang is essentially peopled by Asia's three major groups, the Malay, Chinese and Indians. Their cultural traditions flourish and their festivals continue to be celebrated with verve.   Combining the best of a modern city conveniences and a small town friendliness, Penang's beaches, hill stations and old-world atmosphere transport its visitors to an exotic and gracious past - that is why 2 million visitors continue to insist on the Penang Experience each year.

Passport/Travel Documents
Visitors to Malaysia must be in possession of valid passport/travel documents with a minimum validity of six months beyond the period of intended stay. In the case of a national passport not recognised by the Malaysian Government, the holder must be in possession of a document in lieu of passport obtainable at the nearest Malaysian Mission abroad. The national passport must also ensure his re-entry into the country of his citizenship.
Every visitor to Malaysia has to fill in a Disembarkation Card (IMM. 26). The card has to be handed over to the Immigration Officer on arrival together with the national passport or other internationally recognized travel document endorsed for travel into Malaysia. A passport/travel document is also necessary for travel between Sabah and Sarawak. Visitor passes issued for entry into Peninsular Malaysia are not valid for entry into Sarawak. Fresh visit passes must be obtained on arrival at the point of entry in Sarawak. However, subject to conditions stipulated, visit passes issued by the Immigration Authorities in Sabah and Sarawak are valid for any part of Malaysia.

Visa Requirements:

• Commonwealth Citizens (except Bangladesh/India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka), British Protected Persons or Citizens of the Republic of Ireland and Citizens of Switzerland, Netherlands, San Marino and Liechtenstein do not need a visa to enter Malaysia.
• Citizens of Albania, Austria, Algeria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Republic of Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Italy, United States of America, Bahrin, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, North Yemen, Oman, Saudi Arabia,Qatar United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Tunisia do not require a visa for a Social and Business visit not exceeding three months.
• Nationals of ASEAN Countries do not require a visa for a Social and Business visit not exceeding one month.
• Citizens of Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, South Yemen do not require visa for a Social and Business visit not exceeding 14 days.
• Citizens of Bulgaria, Romania and Russia do not require a visa for a Social and Business visit not exceeding one week.
• Nationals of the Republic of China, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cuba, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, North Korea, Nepal, Myanmar, Taiwan, Vietnam and all Certificate of Identity (CI) holders must obtain a visa before entering Malaysia.
• Citizens of nations other than those stated above (except Serbia Montenegro and Israel) are allowed to enter Malaysia for a Social and Business visit not exceeding one month without having a Visa.
• A visitor intending to visit any part of Malaysia is required to be in possession of only one visa to travel direct from one part of the nation to another.

Visas are issued by Malaysian Diplomatic Missions abroad or British Consulates which act for Malaysia in countries where no diplomatic representation of Malaysia is established. All visitors to Malaysia should inquire at the nearest Malaysian Diplomatic Mission for the latest entry procedures and requirements.

Water
It is generally safe to drink water straight from the tap. Bottled mineral water, however, is easily available in shops and supermarkets.

Electrical Supply
Electric supply is on a 240-volt 50-cycle system.

Newspapers
English Language newspapers are available i.e. The New Straits Times, The Star, Business Times, Malay Mail, Daily Express, Sabah Daily News and Sarawak Tribune. International newspapers can be obtained at most bookshops and newsstands. Several dailies in other languages include Utusan Melayu, Berita Harian, Nanyang Siang Pan, Sin Chew Wit Poh and Tamil Nesan. There are also weeklies, such as the Leader and Straits Shipper.

Radio
Radio services are in Bahasa Melayu, English, Chinese, and Tamil.

Television
There are 4 television stations with TV 1 and TV 2 being government networks while the other two are privately run.

Health Services
In the event you need medical care, there are private clinics in most towns. It is a good idea to take out a medical insurance before you travel as Malaysia does not have reciprocal health service agreements with other nations. For over-the-counter prescriptions, there are pharmacies and 'Chinese medical halls'.

Health Regulations
No vaccination is required for cholera and smallpox.

Climate
Penang has an equatorial climate which is quite uniform through the year. The climate is warm and humid. The average temperature is 27.7 degree celcius. There are no reconisable hot or cold seasons and the mean annual rainfall of approx. 267cm is evenly distributed throughout the year, though September to November may be considered the wettest months with heavy showers. So remember to bring raincoats and umbrellas when visiting Penang.

Clothing
As Malaysia's climate is sunny almost year round, light clothing is ideal. It is advisable for ladies, when entering mosques and temples, to wear long sleeves and loose pants or long skirts.

Time
Malaysia is 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and 16 hours ahead of United States Pacific Standard Time.

Etiquette
To avoid "cultural offenses," here are some tips:

• Remove shoes when entering homes and places of worship.
• Dress neatly in a suitable attire which covers arms and legs when visiting places of worship.
• Handle food with your right hand.
• Do not point your foot at someone.
• When giving or receiving money gifts to/from a Malaysian, do so with your right hand.

Language
Malay (Bahasa Malaysia) is the national language and is the medium of instruction in schools and universities. English is widely spoken and understood and is taught as the second language.
Reflecting the multiracial population, many Asian languages and dialects are spoken. The local people also speak Mandarin and other Chinese dialects (including Hokkien, Hakka and Cantonese), Thai, Tamil and other dialects including Telegu, Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam and Punjabi.

Customs Privileges
Tourist whose stay in Malaysia in excess of 72 hours are exempted from paying tax on the following:
One quart bottle of liquor, 25gms of tobacco or 200 sticks of cigarettes, a pair of new shoes, electrical and battery-operated personal appliances, food stuff to the value not exceeding RM75.00, and souvenirs & gifts to the value not exceeding RM200.00.

Drugs
Malaysia's anti-drug laws are severe and carry death penalty.