Cultural Context

Cultural Context 

        

    Malaysia is a high context society. This means that Malaysians are more likely to rely on implicit 

communication rather than explicit messages. Malaysians as a result read more into what is said than the 

words themselves may actually mean. For most Malaysians, what is meant matters more than what is actually 

said. In Malaysia, meaning is usually communicated indirectly. As a result, Malaysians are likely to agree to 

things with which they disagree, allowing the context of the discussion or past relationship to convey their 

disagreement.

    Malaysians, as a high context culture, place a strong value on face saving. The Malaysian conception of 

face-saving takes the form of the avoidance of shame. In Malaysia, one commonly holds to a contract to 

maintain appearances rather than from fear of a lawsuit. Malaysia is a polychromic culture. The Malaysians 

value friendship, personal commitments and the completion of task at hand at the expense of present 

schedules.