The traveller and the camera are inseparable, but it’s a good idea to be mindful of local sensibilities when you wield your camera overseas.

Vacation photography can be a colourful and enjoyable activity. To most people, the words “vacation” and “photography” are virtually synonymous – you can hardly have one without the other.

The holiday itself may last only a few days, but the memories captured on film can last a lifetime. However, bear in mind that an innocuous activity like photography can turn into a nightmare, if you inadvertently break the rules or cultural norms of the place you are visiting.

Toeing the line: Be cautious about photographing women or children in conservative societies.

In the thousands of hours I’ve spent traversing the globe, I have thankfully had just a handful of misadventures.

The following points are helpful to ensure that you are staying right in your travel photography:

Not everything can be photographed freely

From museums in Paris to memorial-halls in Peshawar, indoor exhibits around the world are often protected from public photography.

Once you have been informed by notices, guides or guards, do as you are told or you’d be abusing your host’s hospitality, and perhaps even committing a criminal offence.

Many religious sites forbid indoor photography, from the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel to the venerable Delhi Akshardham Temple. Some secular sites do, too. When I was in Montreal, my hosts, Tourisme’ Montreal, highly recommended the famous underground city, but while I was merrily snapping away there, I was stopped by an aggressive off-duty security guard who held on to me and yelled for back-up!

There is apparently an incomprehensible law that forbids photography anywhere in the vast underground metropolis, something most tourists are unaware of. The tourism board apologised for the fracas, but refused to clarify the issue – as far as I know, scores of visiting shutterbugs still click away happily there, and there are thousands of photographs on the Internet.

Outdoor landmarks

Sometimes, inexplicably, even outdoor photography of scenic attractions are prohibited. The hospitable and scenic United States can, at times, be shockingly paranoid and suspicious, especially if you fit someone’s vague idea of a “terrorist”.

But, bear in mind that there are legal and security issues surrounding some popular tourism icons. For example, Brandon Kop, a Washington-based shutterbug, warns that “The White House is one of the most restrictive photo locales in DC,” even for seemingly normal exterior shots.

When in doubt, check before you shoot.

Intense shots: Focus on people when they are immersed in their work.

Once whilst driving to a Masai village in Kenya, I was shocked after being shouted at by my guide, who said it was forbidden to photograph the other Masai villages we were passing, even though I could see tourists with cameras there.

My worst experience, however, was at the famous red rock called Uluru in Australia, where I was sternly lectured on the strict limitations imposed on media personnel.

Everybody else in the world is apparently free to take all the images they want and put them in whatever newsletter, Internet blog or Twitter account they choose.

Media personnel, however, were given quite a harsh set of restrictions that do not make sense to me.

Rob Wallis, a veteran Aussie photographer, describes these restrictions with diplomatic terms like “onerous” and “absurd”.

Know what you’re photographing

Tourists in Rome, Berlin and other European capitals have had rude jolts upon being accosted by security personnel, who ordered them to erase images of the lovely old buildings they had photographed. The ornate and attractive edifices were actually foreign embassies, and as such were sensitive security areas.

I had an even more frightening experience. Being an avid classic car buff, I was photographing a 1950s truck in Cairo, when I was set upon by Egyptian police and hauled off to a lockup where I was interrogated. Although it had absolutely no markings, that rustic-looking truck was apparently a police vehicle, and they alleged quite violently that I had committed a serious subversive crime.

It took a very long and scary time before my driver-guide plucked up the courage to creep in and explain with a trembling voice that I was actually a guest of the Egyptian Tourism Board, and that apart from tourism icons, I was a harmless car buff who had been snapping any old cars I had come across.

Uniformed personnel don’t act uniformly

The Buckingham Palace Guards and the Beefeaters of the Tower of London are as popular with shutter-clicking tourists as the Royal Canadian Mounties and the mounted guards of Malaysia’s Istana Negara. And friendly gendarmes in France and sulu-wearing police officers in Fiji may willingly pose for tourists, but in many countries, you could be accused of terrorism – or worse – if you aim a camera at security personnel.

Airports are especially sensitive areas. The most unpredictable people you could make a mistake with are members of the dreaded Transportation Security Administration, the “airport safety” agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security.

In contrast, a beautiful but heavily-armed Tourism Police officer at Jakarta’s airport won my award for “World’s Best Tourism Police Personnel” when an elderly and slightly tipsy Dutch lensman asked her cheekily, “Are you going to arrest me?” and she quipped: “Only if you steal my heart!”

Why you photograph

Get permission before photographing the interior of religious buildings.

The freedom accorded to you in taking photographs outdoors depends a lot on why you are doing it. Australian officials can raise ludicrous fuss over anyone they suspect may use a photograph for pecuniary purposes.

The US can be perplexing, too. Most agencies in California, for example, require permits for any photography for “commercial purposes”, although they often don’t formally define the term.

Some state agencies in the US typically regard as “commercial” any photography done with the intent of sale for profit, including editorial, stock, calendar, greeting card, and fine art, while others regard editorial photography as non-commercial.

In contrast, most US federal agencies evaluate permit requirements on the activity’s impact rather than on commercial intent, and the tourist usually has all the freedom needed to snap vacation pictures.

A new fad is pre-wedding photography at scenic locations overseas. This can get quite complicated as bridal or “formal” photography is banned in many places that have no problems with ordinary tourist snaps. Even that world-famous bastion of free-speech and democratic expression, London’s Hyde Park, becomes a bureaucratic tangle when you realise that several permits are needed for any sort of “formal” photography.

Weddings parties are often not permitted to take photographs outside buildings you may think are open to the public. These include monuments in Selangor’s Shah Alam, religious buildings in India’s Amritsar, and even the car-park in front of the popular SM Mall shopping haven in Manila.

Photographing people?

You may be surprised by the issues that can arise when photographing people on the street in a foreign country. Whether travelling within your own country or abroad, you have to be cautious when photographing people. Know when you must seek permission and when you need not.

Some issues are legal, some cultural or religious, and others are simply about courtesy and common sense.

In ultra-modern Dubai, I was startled when the Filipina ground crew at a posh airline lounge began screaming at me when I photographed them. Having photographed airline crew all over the world as part of my work, I found this unexpected. However, it turned out they were legally right to object.

Train-rides can be fun for portrait photographers, if you ask politely.

Visitors to neighbouring Abu Dhabi, Qatar and other conservative Muslim nations should avoid photographing women in general, and particularly women of the country you are in, without prior permission.

Every country has its own laws and rules regarding the rights of the shutterbug when photographing people. Some Third World countries, for example, have laws that forbid photographs of scenes of hunger and poverty. The wise thing to do is to check out the legal acts and rights of a photographer in the country you are in.

It’s always better to abide by the laws – and even the unwritten rules of society. Several friends in the British Isles tell me that they studiously avoid photographing children in public as there is almost a national paranoia about paedophiles there. What is pleasant in one country can be taboo in another.

To be absolutely safe, you should e-mail the relevant embassy or tourism board for clarification. Or check with your travel agent.

Knowing the rules is especially handy when you frequently go out for street photography or are, like me, very interested in photographing the cultures and traditions of people you meet.

Be sensitive, stay alert, and have a happy photo-filled holiday! – Story and photos by ANDREW PONNAMPALAM

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Did you know that you could initiate insurance claims for any damage or injury caused by public property or in public premises?

Street trees that fall in a thunderstorm causing damage to property; motorists suffering injuries after driving into potholes; children getting hurt due to defective playground equipment – each of these can be a factor to initiate an insurance claim for compensation.

The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), for instance, has awarded RM148,245 to claimants from 2009 to 2011, for various cases in Petaling Jaya, involving damage to vehicles going into potholes, trees falling on private property in a storm and children hurt at playgrounds.

Damaged: Trees falling on private property in a storm is one of the factors that can lead to insurance claims.

The Public Liability Insurance Policy (under PNSB Insurance Brokers Sdn Bhd) taken by MBPJ is unique in that it covers, in addition to physical damage, theft of personal items from the city council’s premises as well as any accident that might occur while ratepayers use the facilities on the council’s premises.

For example, if a person visits the PJ Library and personal items go missing from the lockers then they can claim compensation. The process is apparently hassle free, provided the claimant gives all the required documents, including a police report.

For those wanting to make an insurance claim for cases that fall under the MBPJ purview, go to the General Administration Division Service Management Department on the second floor at the MBPJ headquarters in Jalan Yong Shook Lin in PJ New Town.

MBPJ’s Senior Assistant Director Azizah Kosni (03-7956 3544 ext: 327) or its Senior Clerk Ibrahim Abdullah (03-7956 3544 ext 310) are well versed with the claims process and would give advice to people.

Map: MBPJ Headquarters

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Cheap, fast and efficient

Malaysians are a savvy lot when it comes to going on the Internet for their purchases, but while shopping online has proven to be a boon, it is not without its risks.

There is always the possibility of getting shortchanged, so it’s important that you protect yourself from fraud when you buy online.

One of the ways that you can do just that, is by using a proven online payment platform such as PayPal. The service is free to use, and it apparently only has a loss rate of 0.15%, thanks to its Buyer Protection policy which covers you in two situations: if the item you purchased is not received or if the item is significantly different from what was described.

Think of the PayPal account as your virtual wallet, one that has added security features. With that in mind, we present to you our guide to creating and ‘topping up’ a PayPal account:

1) Go to www.paypal.com/my and select ‘Sign Up’.

2) Select the right type of account for your needs. There are three to choose from – Personal (individuals who shop online); Premier (buying and selling using personal name); or Business (buying and selling using business name). Consider what you’re going to use PayPal for when choosing. If your purpose is only to shop online, select ‘Personal’ and click ‘Get Started’.

3) Fill in the information and click ‘Agree and Create Account’. You have just created your account!

4) You will receive a PayPal welcome message in your email and it will contain an ‘Activate’ button. Click on the button to activate your account.

5) Once you have activated your account, you can set up a funding source – you can either choose to fund your account with credit card or bank account. Note that  PayPal will not disclose financial information to merchants. Click Continue once you’ve made your selection.

6) If you choose to pay with credit or debit card, enter the card details and click ‘Continue’.

7) Now you’re ready to shop!

You have the flexibility to top-up your PayPal account instantly with the following leading banks in Malaysia: RHB Bank, Bank Islam, CIMB Bank (CIMB Clicks & CIMB Biz Channel), Hong Leong Bank, Maybank (M2U & M2E) and Public Bank.

Here’s how:

1) Log in to your PayPal account

2) Click Top-Up.

3) Select top-up from your preferred bank. For example, if you want to top-up using your CIMB account, select top-up from Other Banks and click Continue.

4) Enter the amount and currency. Click ‘Proceed’.

5) Select your CIMB Internet Banking account, then click ‘Agree and Continue’.

6) You’ll be directed to CIMB iBanking site log in with your username and password. Follow the instructions (for example, select account type) on the banking site to transfer funds from your bank account into your PayPal account. You’ll see a message displayed on the successful transaction.

7) You’ll also receive a message from PayPal indicating that funds have been successfully transferred from your bank account to your PayPal account. Click ‘Continue’ to check the topped up funds reflected in your PayPal account.

The post How to create and top up a PayPal account appeared first on allMalaysia.info - allMalaysia.info - Anything, Everything, All About Malaysia.

Pop quiz, hotshot: How many states are there in Malaysia? Well, if you can’t answer that, find out! Here’s a quick overview of Malaysia to get you started.

Geography

Malaysia is a vibrant and thriving nation situated close to the equator within longitudes 1-7° North and 100-119° East, in the very heart of South-East Asia. It is a country of two land masses – Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo – which are 640km apart, separated by the South China Sea.

Peninsular Malaysia is located in the south of Asia, with Tanjung Piai in Johor having the distinction of being the continent’s southernmost tip. The peninsula extends from the Kra Isthmus in the north to the Straits of Johor in the south, and is divided into the east coast and west coast by the Main Mountain Range known as Banjaran Titiwangsa.

It shares a land border with Thailand in the north, while across the Straits of Johor in the south, just a short drive over the connecting Causeway, is the island nation of Singapore. Across the Straits of Malacca to the west lies the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

Sabah and Sarawak are located on the northern coast of the island of Borneo, their neighbours being Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines. The terrain for these two states is rugged, with a series of mountain ranges encompassing the interior regions of the states.

The crown jewel is Mount Kinabalu in Sabah which, at an impressive height of 4,095.2m, is the highest peak in South-East Asia.

Common geographical features in Malaysia include coastal plains that rise to form dramatic limestone cliffs (that beg to be scaled), deep caverns (a haven for spelunkers), and idyllic waterfalls (perfect for family getaways).

The total land area of Malaysia is 330,434km², about the size of Japan. Peninsular Malaysia has an area of 131,573km², while Sabah and Sarawak cover 73,711km² and 124,449km² respectively.

The coastline for the peninsula extends nearly 4,830km around, while the coastline of Sarawak and Sabah is 2,100km – that’s a lot of beach to explore!

The States of Malaysia

Malaysia comprises 14 states including the three Federal Territories – Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan – which collectively form the 14th “state”.

The states in Peninsular Malaysia are Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Malacca, Johor, Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan and the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya; while Sabah and Sarawak make up the two remaining states. The Federal Territory of Labuan (area: 91km²) is located just off the west coast of Sabah.

The state of Sabah consists of five divisions, namely Tawau, Sandakan, Kudat, West Coast and Interior. Sarawak comprises 11 Divisions, namely Kuching, Sri Aman, Sibu, Miri, Sarikei, Limbang, Kapit, Bintulu, Kota Samarahan, Mukah and Betong.

The capital city of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the Federal Government. Both Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya are centrally located along the west coast of the peninsula.

Just like how the Eiffel Tower is identified with Paris, the Petronas Twin Towers will forever be identified with Kuala Lumpur.

Other major cities include George Town (Penang), Ipoh (Perak), Johor Baru (Johor), Kuching and Miri (Sarawak), Kota Kinabalu (Sabah), Alor Star (Kedah), Malacca town (Malacca), and Kuantan (Pahang).

Climate

Malaysia’s tropical climate is the result of its proximity to the Equator. The country enjoys a perpetual summer with a high humidity of about 80% all year round. It has an annual rainfall of between 2,032mm and 2,540mm.

The climate is affected by the north-east and south-west monsoons, tropical winds that alternate during the course of the year. The north-east monsoon prevails from November to March and brings rain to the east coast of the peninsula. The south-west monsoon is from mid-May to September.

To know your seasons in the sun when you visit Malaysia, you’ll have to plan your itinerary around the literal winds of change.

Temperatures range from 21-32° Celcius in the lowlands, but if you plan to escape to cooler climes for a while, there’s always the highlands, with Cameron Highlands and Genting Highlands (both in Pahang) being the two most famous.

Flora & Fauna

About four-fifths of Malaysia is covered by tropical rainforests, forming part of the Indo-Malayan rainforests which are the oldest in the world.

Because these jungles lay undisturbed for an estimated 130 million years, they form one of the most complex and richest ecosystems in the world, home to over 15,000 species of flowering plants and trees (9% of the world’s total), and 185,000 animal species (16% of the world’s total).

Rafflesia

Unique to the region is the world’s largest flower, the Rafflesia, and another record-breaker, the towering Tualang tree, the tallest of all tropical trees (up to 80m in height, and over 3m in girth).

A total of 286 species of mammals, 736 species of birds, 165 species of amphibians, 300 species of reptiles, 300 species of fresh water fishes and more than 100,000 species of insects have been recorded in the country.

Among the jungle dwellers are tigers, elephants, black and white tapirs, rhinoceros, leopards, honey bears, mousedeer, gibbons, and orangutans. Species of birds include the Malayan peacock-pheasant, the milky stork, the mountain serpent eagle, and of course, the majestic hornbill.

Malaysia’s rainforests continue to excite the scientific community which believes that some as-yet-undetermined plants or animals within may hold cures for human diseases.

Apart from the rainforests, Malaysia also has an abundance of mangrove forests found along its coastline, which act as excellent spawning grounds for marine life, including shellfish and prawns.

Aware of the importance of conservation, the Malaysian Government has set aside more than 12.5 million hectares as Permanent Forest Estate, with an additional 1.2 million hectares as National Parks, Game Reserves and Wildlife Sanctuaries. Sadly however, poaching remains a prevalent problem.

Malaysian seas also boast their own “rainforests” in the form of coral reefs that abound in the coastal areas. In fact, the country is known for its great diversity of coral species, and the accompanying marine life (giant sea turtles, dugong/sea cow, etc). This makes Malaysian seas immeasurably attractive for scuba divers.

No surprise, then, that Pulau Sipadan, Malaysia’s only oceanic island, has been voted time and again as one of the world’s best dive sites.

To protect these underwater ecosystems, the Goverment has gazetted 38 of its coral islands as protected areas.

Population & People

Malaysia is a multi-racial and multi-religious country with a population of 23.27 million (ref: Population and Housing Census 2000; approx. 25 million today). The bumiputras (or “sons of the soil”) which comprise the Malays, the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak, and the aboriginal groups of Peninsular Malaysia (the Orang Asli) form the majority (65.1%), with the Chinese at 26.0%, the Indians at 7.7%, and other ethnic groups (Eurasians, Europeans, etc) accounting for the rest.

In Sarawak, the predominant ethnic group is the Ibans, who account for 30.1% of the state’s total Malaysian citizens, followed by the Chinese (26.7%) and Malays (23.0%). In Sabah, the predominant ethnic group is the Kadazan Dusun (18.4%), followed by the Bajau (17.3%) and Malays (15.3%).

The distribution of population is somewhat uneven, with some 20 million residents or over 80% concentrated in Peninsular Malaysia. Sabah and Sarawak, considerably larger than the peninsula in land area, are relatively less densely populated.

Given the rich ethnic mix, it is hardly surprising that there is a great variety of faiths in Malaysia. What’s surprising is the relative peace and harmony that the followers of different creeds enjoy. This becomes even more of an eye-opener when one takes into consideration the devoutness of the adherents of the different faiths. It only takes a religious festival such as the Hari Raya Puasa, Thaipusam, Wesak or Christmas for one to notice how real and palpable faith is in this small nation.

Although Islam is the official religion, the Constitution guarantees the freedom to practise other religions. Each faith tends to identify with a specific ethnic group. For instance, almost all Malays in this country are Muslims (in fact, by constitutional definition, Malays are Muslims who practice Malay customs or adat, and culture), while Chinese are predominantly Buddhist and Taoist, and the Indians, Hindus.

Christianity is multi-ethnic, embracing segments of the Indian and Chinese population, as well as the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak.

According to the Population and Housing Census 2000 figures, approximately 60.4% of the population practises Islam; 19.2% Buddhism; 9.1% Christianity; 6.3% Hinduism, and 2.6% traditional Chinese religions. The remaining 2.4% is accounted for by other faiths, including Sikhism and Animism.

Language also mirrors the multi-racial mix with most Malaysians being able to speak two or three languages and/or dialects fluently.

Bahasa Malaysia (Malay language) is the official language but listen to a few conversations on the street and you’ll soon understand why the tourism advertisements use the Malaysia, Truly Asia tagline. (Stay a while longer, and you’ll be completely sold on it.)

English is widely spoken and is deemed the unofficial second language; extensively used in commerce and industry. On the streets, you’ll hear a peculiar form of the language, a colloquial English which is famously known as Manglish (a portmanteau of the word Malay and English), mostly spoken by the non-Malays.

Then of course, there’s a variety of Chinese and Indian dialects such as Hokkien, Cantonese, Hakka, Teochew, and Hainanese (Chinese), and Tamil, Telegu, Malayalam, Punjabi, Hindi, Gujarati and Urdu (Indian). Yes indeed, Malaysia is truly Asia.

Malaysians are generally warm and friendly.

Lifestyle

A walk on the streets of Kuala Lumpur can tell you a lot about Malaysia, and Malaysians, in general. A writer from Lonely Planet has illustrated the diversity you might encounter: you might pass a Muslim woman framed by a headscarf and a full-length blouse (baju kurung), a Chinese woman in a tank top and mini skirt, as well as an older Indian woman, wrapped in a colourful sari, all on the same street! Yet nobody finds it the least bit odd, it’s just part of the landscape that is Malaysia.

In fact, Malaysia’s rapid modernisation and multi-cultural make up has led to many an incongruous scene. While westernisation has crept in, traditional customs still hold sway. And although ethnic loyalties remain strong, the people are slowly but surely inching towards a single “Malaysian” identity. This is reflected in every aspect of Malaysian life: the customs, the cuisine, the arts, the language, the festivals and celebrations, etc.

But move away from the city and things get a little more pronounced. A more laid-back environment emerges as you move into the Malay heartland of Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang where Malay and Islamic culture come to the fore. Then you have Sabah and Sarawak, where you will find the communal lifestyle of some of the tribes most fascinating.

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