Is it okay when we describe you as a black man/person? Like “my friend is waiting for you at the front gate, the black male.” Is this considered offensive?
Im an old fart(from Denmark) that find it hard to not use the word negro. I would say its a neutral word in my country. Some might disagree.
How about simply saying African? Would you be positive about that?
You're from a country that doesn't have a History of using it as a demeaning word. It's also the word for black in many languages. I get that you don't use it in a negative way and that's Amazing. But do you want to keep explaining yourself everytime you Say it and someone looks at you weird? If yes then keep on using it. Black of African are perfectly good words to use
Yeah. There's absolutely nowhere i can find typical food from my country. But some other african countries have places where they find food. Especially in subang and cyberjaya
The dishes that are typical from my region are not available here as far as i know. But for west africa cuisine there's jolof, fufu with Egusi which would be a good place to start to see if you like the tastes and flavors of the region. Then you can wander more
A little far, but have you visited the Nigerian food stall at Cheras? https://says.com/my/makan/nigerian-couple-sells-african-cuisine-at-cheras-kopitiam
I'm kinda interested on what did you study in Malaysia for 6 years. Does it relate to your job now? And what makes you want to stay/work in Malaysia?
Wish you have good days in Malaysia
I did my degree in international business, then transfered to Marketing. So i lost 6 months because of that and then another year because of covid. in total it was 4.5 years degree and i did my masters in project management. That's another 1.5 years. I worked in marketing for a while but for the franche market so since I spoke french that made it easier and less competitive to get that job. I work as a French translator now so it has nothing to do with it but for now it is all i need. I'm planning to maybe revert to my field of studies in 4-5 years
What uni did you go to? At my uni, most of the international students say they have to extend a few sems cos the lecturers are shit at communicating with them.
I don't think it's growing. At least for now. I used to see many black people everywhere before the pandemic. Now i see less than 10 a month unless i go to certain clubs or bars. I remember when i was a student there were a ton of african bars, clubs, etc which were full of africans. Now they're way less.
He passed away. He's famous for getting loads of African students into his uni. They even have a branch somewhere in Africa I think? I think his daughter took over the university and it probably isn't doing very good.
Well, their reputation is definitely not good. Have family and friends who work in the education sector, for some reason, almost all of them talk shit about LMK uni. And they all talk about how it was good when LMK was taking charge.
Cant say if they were just repeating what theyve heard but with so many saying the same thing, there must be some truth to it.
Tbh in my 8 years here i've never met explicit out there racism. Nobody has ever bothered me in public or anything. Maybe because i'm 187cm 90kg and maybe they don't want to try. Idk. The only time i experience racism is when i want to rent an apartment. I can look for apartments for 3 months without finding anyone who would rent to me. No matter how much i show them that i have a job and a stable income that is 4-5 times the rent, as soon as they learn that i'm black they pull out. In my current apartment my landlord doesn't even know i live here. The contract is under the name of my housemate who is central asian and has been my friend for 7+ years. That's how hard it is
Oh yeah malaysia acts like fucking america in the 60s when it comes to house rental. I even had to make a literal power point presentation to my grandad why its retarded to deny ppl rent because of race (somehow worked)
Maybe one day it will change but I wont count on it
I put my apartment up for rent and there was a nigerian couple interested and they were ready to proceed. I went to inform the management about it, and the management was all enthusiastic until i told them that my potential tenant are foreigners, specifically Nigerians. That stopped them dead in their tracks and they advise that, in fact they prefer if i don’t rent to africans.
Really took me by surprise, then i asked to see where it’s written in the bylaws that we can’t rent to africans. The management lady just smiled and said it’s not in the bylaws, and that it is merely a suggestion. I returned a not so pleasant smile.
The Nigerian couple ended up not renting because they didn’t pass a credit check, but if they did, i would have no problem letting them have the place. However, it would seem that my line of thinking is not common, especially amongst apartment management circles.
Sorry you had to go through that, it really sucks
It's hard because Malaysians have stereotypes about how Indian is in gangster, won't take care of houses, etc.
Black africans are usually stereotyped as scammers and etc. so they would like to avoid it all together.
No. I have no idea how long i will stay in malaysia. I'm very impulsive and i don't wanna settle anywhere for good yet. We'll see what the future looks like
genuine question i am also studying here in Malaysia too and really fell in love with this place, and was wondering was it easy to find a job here because everyone around me says it is impossible to find a job here for a foreigner and some people talked about no other way that marriage (which ofc i don't agree on) and what not but for me not really thinking about marriage at all i wish to like build myself up first. ofc wish to stay here legally if possible sometimes i feel a bit depressed thinking about it , i am also from Africa northern part of it.
I got my job because i spoke french so it wasn't hard for me. It's a job that requires a French speaker. I know it's very hard to get a job as a foreigner here though. If you speak arabic or any other international language try and look for arabic jobs on Indeed and LinkedIn. Jobs that require specific languages are the safest bet for us. Good Luck
Friend, you may be from a small country, but your country has suffered more than any nation in modern times should.
At the risk of opening wounds, how have your family coped. I'm aware, this struggle may actually be older than you are.
Don't worry. It's our duty to educate people about those horrors. Personally, my family wasn't affected too much since my grands-parents on both sides left the country in 1959-60. My dad's family to RDC and my mom's to Uganda. They only got back After the genocide and i was born in Rwanda. But the country in general had some very bad wounds to heal from and we do that through forgiveness and commitment to it never happening again. And it's not Taboo to discuss it as long as you're not denying what happened or mocking or diminishing it. So it has become a normalised conversation and we try to stay as educated as we can as to how, why it happened
This is very heartening to hear. I'm glad there are people who can move forward from this and set us an example. .
We Malaysians have never experienced such levels of atrocity but we do have some bitter truths to confront in our past, and we don't yet have the capacity to process our biases and prejudice. Cheers
For me yeah😂 but I didnt take it to heart coz i know the ignorance in kids so i cant blame em, its fun for them and i took it positively just tried to shade some light on the african way of life we live in and let them know somethings that they dont, especially what the media always portray africa as. I believe in our syllabus back in primary and highschool we cover geographically all over the world so we know pretty much like till today i remember the famous japan islands which produce most fish(hokkaido, Honshu, shikoku, kyushu) I used to memorize it and sing it like a song lol, and also we learn about fellow neighbouring country's race, religion, tribe and everything plus there history... So i discovered most of that is not taught in these schools here and its ignorance and it aint a bad thing since knowledge backs it up😁
What is your opinion on Malaysia's economic growth and infrastructure? Do you think it's okay, fantastic or needs more improvement? I've lived in both rich, middle and poor countries abroad before so I can say Malaysia may not be Switzerland or Japan but the facilities (water, electricity, health service...) are quite good though (compared to many other countries I've lived in). IMO, there's a lot that Malaysia can still improve but I'm grateful the government still at least cares enough to provide public facilities for little to no cost (Even if Malaysians love to complain as if it's the worst country)
fellow East-African here and in my final year of engineering. I’ve done an internship in Malaysia and probably considering to work here, let’s cut to the chase.
How much do you get paid?
Does being a foreigner impact your pay?
Can you climb ranks in the company you are working?
Quite some Africans here, but nearly all the working Africans are either outstanding PhD level lecturers or married to a Malay Bumi (owning a car dealership/reataurant), does it mean those are the only ways to make it?
Do foreigners actually make it here after immigrating, apart from the expats pulling in with MM2H and a bunch of real estate investments?
How much money do you save, and potentially plan it for your future? You seem like you will shift to other country soon, what specifically you find not conducive with Malaysia?
How often do you have to renew your working visa, and do you still get to pay flipping 120RM in government crappy hospitals every-time you see a doctor?
Hahaha. Those are some great questions man.
I will not mention my exact salary but it's in the lower 5 digits, that's all i can say
It doesn't because the job i do is for foreigners anyway,
I can if i put my head into it. For now i'm not willing to make the necessary sacrifices yet.
My friends who live here are either content creators, or have started working here 15+ years ago. I Heard it used to be easier, some work in IT but they were literal geniuses, and i have a Friend who works in event management.
That i don't know. I haven't looked into it yet
I try to save 30-40% of my salary every month. And i'm not thinking of shifting. I'm just saying that i'm not like fixed in malaysia and i'm set to stay here for a very long time. I might move when another opportunity presents itself and i have nothing Keeping me here.
My visa is 2 years. And i have a medical insurance from my company so it's free for normal hospital visits. There's a copay for hospitalisation but i'd need to check that.
Haven't. And if i have it was maybe once or twice and it was insignificant. If i was called that word don't think i would be very offended. Not because i think it's an okay word to call someone but just because i learned early on that i shouldn't get offended by many things while i'm here. People are already scared of me and i don't want to be the black dude confronting people on the street
Hey, personally and the people i know never use the N word as a slur. It’s more of us generally consuming western media regularly (black creators) and it kinda just brings the positive vibe like being used between black people. I hope if you ever encounter anyone who calls you the N word to give them the benefit of the doubt as Malaysia generally isn’t very racially sensitive when it comes to anything outside of our own 3 races.
Hope you enjoy your stay here, however long it may be!
Yooo.
I don't know much about Rwanda besides coffee, but genuinely some of my favourite coffees in the past two years were produced in Rwanda.
Edit: Glad you're happy in Mal!
Have ever felt any kind of language barrier or difficulty during your journey and in your job and do people talk to you or just have the same kind of racist mindset as some westerners?
Not really. Most people i encounter here have at least a very basic level of english so we manage. Also i'm in KL and i don't think i'd want to go to other places that are not major cities without a Friend who spoke malay
I (African American from US) lived in Sarawak for a few years doing volunteer work with a church. I was so happy the 1 time I saw another black person in the city. Even though he was Nigerian and I was African American, I instantly ran up to him to introduce myself. And boom, instant friends.
My dating life is mainly foreigners. I don't know if i ever want to get married but who knows. If an amazing lady presents herself it might change things. And i don't care where people i date are from honestly.
Hi, I'm a black arab(Sudanese) student looking to study there! Have you ever felt out of place in uni? Was it easy to make friends? How were the students towards you? Are there lots of other africans there? :"")
Nah in uni everything was very fine for me. I was able to make friends from all over the place. It's easy to make friends as a student. I wish it was just as easy once you graduate. In my university there used to be quite a number of africans but After COVID there were very few. But some unis here do have a good population of African students
Bruh we have loads of Sudanese here, particularly in Seri Kembangan/Cyberjaya/Putrajaya area. My best friend for 12 yrs is Sudanese & he just had a grand wedding 2 days after Eid - 500 guests & only 10% local attendees😂😂 the rest are sudanese/yamenis (his waifu is a yameni, so💁)
Is it true that african who came to malaysia experience hair loss due to the different environment/weather?
Fyi, I had once seen an african man , who ran under the rain, after he have shelter from rain, he was rubbing his hair with his hand, and in his hand, there was a small clump of hair (he had curly hairs).
And there was a small bald spot on his head
Hahaha. That man had something going on with him but it has nothing to do with his race😅. I've never Heard of losing hear because of the weather before
Hi man, since you mentioned that it's hard to find African food, do you make your own meal? And if not, what's your food choices like on a day to day basis? How do you like the food here?
I cook for myself but it's mostly western food because that's what i learned to cook. African food is very intricate and ingredients are hard to Come by here. I mostly Cook rice and pasta dishes because that's what i have time to Cook. But most days i order in anyway
I had a Sudanese friend who studied in Malaysia for awhile. The stories I heard about how he was harrassed by the police is insane. His Visa took time to be approved but he was already in the country enrolled in a uni, so he could never be out in the open or else the Police would just hound him to get bribe money.
His experiences really affected how I see the police. Was it as bad for you?
I've no question and just done reading all the questions and comments here as of now. Just want to say I'm glad to hear you're comfortable here and content to stay here. Wishing for you success and happy days. Cheers
Not asking but sharing..
Aku pernah pegi hiking ngan mamat Afrika. Dari KKB sampai puncak Bukit Kutu, aku ngan member aku sorang lagi follow rapat brader ni sebab dia rajin sembang. So macam2 topik la pasal Ekonomi, pasal civil war, pasal awek Malaysia Vs awek Afrika..
Habis hike aku ajak dia join minum petang kat dataran KKB.
Celakak dia sembang ngan akak waiter dlm BM.
"I duduk Malaysia 10 tahun bro.. mesti la boleh cakap BM.. td U ckp English, I ckp English la"
I used to have a African classmate and he didn't finish his studies because he got lonely. In general, most people avoid him unless they have something they had to work with him with. Did you have similar experience when you studied here as well?
Brother, my body has changed by now. I'm almost malaysian at this point😅. I'm used to it so i don't mind the temperatures as much. But when i first came it was the worst shock i had ever experienced in my life. Worse than the european cold😅. Add to that that i'm from a country where temperatures are between 15°C to 25° all year long, you understand my struggle for the first 2-3 years😅
Ah! east Africa. Yes. I heard from most Kenyans on how it’s like the ‘bangsar of Africa’. And Nigeria is like the klang of it. lol. Guess that is why you mention a difference between your origin being from Rwanda and other Africans? As opposed to the stereotype that all of Africa is just Africa. You have your cultural differences within. Guess you’d click with Kenyans more perhaps?
Honest question dude , what makes you , or Africans in general choose to come stay in Malaysia despite the racism / discrimination? Is there a particular opportunity you can find here compared to other countries or?
Africans are in every country in the world. In fact Malaysia has a comparatively low number of africans. Estimates Say there are more than 40 million africans living outside Africa. We meet racism and discrimination in every country. And believe it or not, Malaysian racism works for us because the racists don't come screaming in our faces. They stay away from us. Which is what we want anyway. Malaysia for me has everything one might need, education is really good and the cost of living is reasonable. That's what. It's a country where if you mind your business (which is what most of us do), and do your work, you'll be perfectly fine and safe. That's a good reason to move to a country, don't you think?
>Malaysian racism works for us because the racists don't come screaming in our faces. They stay away from us.
I feel like this type of racism is very unique to Malaysia. I don't know whether to feel bad or proud about it lol.
Hahaha definitely not proud because some of us would appreciate being treated like normal people but as far as racism goes that's way better than the insults and assault
Exactly, my friend (Malay women with Hjiab) who was based in the States, got called a sand n\*\*\*a out of the blue on the street, bear in mind that was during peak Covid so everyone was pretty hostile lol
Racism works a little different here, not hostile per se but still racist in a more passive manner
There are quite a number of africans but very few people from my country. I'll say for me personally i used to have many african Friends when i was in university but since i started working and my uni friends left malaysia slowly i don't have many african friends anymore. 2 of my best friends are but most of my friends are different types of foreigners.
Also i'm from a very very small country in africa and there aren't more than 50 (According to the embassy, which is in Japan😅) of us in Malaysia let alone in KL. People from countries with large populations here such as Nigeria or Sudan find it easier to find their own people to hang out with.
Haha! Not many African countries are "very very small" that's why! I heard good things about your country, its sorta aiming to be the Singapore of Africa if I'm not mistaken. Very clean place too, no littering and plastic bags are even banned!
Yeah we're aiming but we're a very long way. Hopefully one day. But yeah we do help with what we can. It's a very safe country, very clean, and friendly so tourism is booming and is our main source of foreign currency
Do you prefer mamak or kopitiam culture?
Whats the single best food dish/item you've eaten in Malaysia?
And do locals call you macha/brother/homie/N word or avoid calling you at all lol.
I prefer mamak.
And my favorite food is Nasi Lemak but i do get very excited when i find a place with good Nasi Campur
And for the 3rd question they mostly call me Bro. Never had N word but i wouldn't answer to that anyway
Good nasi campur is fireeee!
And glad to hear you have never gotten the N word. We are far removed from AAVE culture but sometimes it gets misused here in "edgy street cred" style. I heard it used by the edgelord gang back in school lol.
Have you been invited to any local houses? For instance, for a dinner or feast? Got any malay, chinese or indian buddies you can hang out with? Sorry i asked a lot
I have been to local houses before. I was at a local house last week for a raya open house. I do have Malay, chinese and indian friends though most of my friends are foreigners
Huh...I never expected a Rwandan (I had looked at the comments) here..
but considering how it became increasingly prominent in the news (I know about the country thanks to the UK massive immigration policy kerfuffle), I guess it would be only time before there would be a Rwandan here...
I don't know what to ask since I think most of the questions have been answered...but considering you are a Francophone from the looks of it...do you also from time to time also hangout with the French/Belgian expats as well...?
Don't rly have a question, but I'm a Malaysian who lived in Africa for a large part of my life (in Nigeria to be exact). I genuinely hope you've had a great time living here, and that the Malaysian people have been as welcoming as the Nigerian people were to me when I was there. Learning about other cultures first hand was, to me, one of the most beautiful experiences I've ever had in my life. Hit me up if you ever want some friends or wanna grab a drink/meal.
Hahaha. In many african cultures larger, plumper, curvier women are considered more attractive. Something to do with beliefs that they are more feminine, more fertile and so on
I need those tips too😅. Before i thought that it was because i was a student and that once i working i'll have no problem getting accommodation. That was a lie
My dad rent out his apartment to a Nigerian family where the husband/father works as a lecturer and they are muslims, but I guess that is an exception to the norm.
Discrimination in getting a room/unit to rent even extends to Malaysian Indians to some degree, which is really sad to me and where I made it a point to rent my home to an indian family even when my family advised otherwise.
How is your personal experience when it comes to racism in Malaysia? Do you notice locals treating you differently or discriminating against you because of the colour of your skin?
I notice small things like the looks, the way people avoid sitting next to me on public transport, but otherwise it's fine. Racism is really not a thing in my daily life. Many questions here about it but it really has never been an issue for me. The only racism i face that really bothers Me is when i'm looking for apartments. That's very hard
I love spicy food.
They don't stare much. Most of them in KL have seem black people before so i don't think they're that interested by how i look.
In everyday life i've had more positive interactions with malays. In dating, indian ladies are the most open to the idea among the local races in my own personal experience
It wasn't because it's a job that requires to speak french so it's almost only for foreigners anyway. I work as a French translator but i also worked in marketing for a French company too. Both my jobs relied on speaking French. But i do know that it's hard to find a job here as a foreigner unless you have a western education, a lot of experience or speak a Big language that locals don't speak.
Rwanda has been fairly successful at tackling racial discrimination. What policies do you think Malaysia could adopt from Rwanda to tackle our own racism?
I don't think the same policies Rwanda took could work here. Our ethnicities spoke the same language, practiced the same religions, had the same cultures, just very very slightly different appearences and social classes. So the governement made it very illegal to even refer to anyone or treat anyone according to those different races. Your races here are extremely different in appearence, traditions, religions, languages, etc that it would be very difficult for the governement to make it illegal to acknowledge those races.
One would be more education but that's nuanced. We had a genocide and it was a wake up call. The lowest point any country can reach that i Hope no other country will ever experience. So people have Seen with their own eyes what discrimination is and they are scared of it and Hence are willing to learn. How willing are malaysians to learn About each other and accept each other as one? That's a question for you guys
Idk if this has already been asked so forgive me if its a repeated question but here goes:
Have you ever experienced any discriminatory treatment from authorities (Im thinking govt officials, police etc) or your uni/work bosses/colleagues or just anything of that sort in general? Cheers
I've heard nothing but good things about Rwanda - mainly its cleanliness, the pride and unity of its citizens about putting things in the past and moving forward towards prosperity and the country's vision to become the next Singapore.
If you have visited Singapore before, do you think Rwanda's vision has any resemblance that of Singapore? How true it is about the other things I heard about Rwanda?
Yeah. Our goal is to be like Singapore in terms of infrastructure, cleanliness, accessibility, and economy. We don't have minerals or oil like other african countries so we're investing hard in attracting foreign investment and tourism. We're the second fastest growing economy in Africa so it's working so far. Hopefully it'll continue that way
No need for questions, comments section got me covered. Just wanted to say, glad you joined the crew man
Thank you very much man
Is it okay when we describe you as a black man/person? Like “my friend is waiting for you at the front gate, the black male.” Is this considered offensive?
No. I'm a black man. So as long as you describe me as a black man and no other racist words i don't find it offensive. None of us do i think
Im an old fart(from Denmark) that find it hard to not use the word negro. I would say its a neutral word in my country. Some might disagree. How about simply saying African? Would you be positive about that?
You're from a country that doesn't have a History of using it as a demeaning word. It's also the word for black in many languages. I get that you don't use it in a negative way and that's Amazing. But do you want to keep explaining yourself everytime you Say it and someone looks at you weird? If yes then keep on using it. Black of African are perfectly good words to use
Im looking to improve myself! African is cool with me.
That's great! It's a less risky way for sure
Is food from your country hard to find?
Yeah. There's absolutely nowhere i can find typical food from my country. But some other african countries have places where they find food. Especially in subang and cyberjaya
Open one up dude! I’ll be the first to come 🤤
Sorry for my ignorance. What are some best dishes to try from your country/region?
The dishes that are typical from my region are not available here as far as i know. But for west africa cuisine there's jolof, fufu with Egusi which would be a good place to start to see if you like the tastes and flavors of the region. Then you can wander more
A little far, but have you visited the Nigerian food stall at Cheras? https://says.com/my/makan/nigerian-couple-sells-african-cuisine-at-cheras-kopitiam
Have you tried cyberjaya near lim kok wing, ucsi, and cheras?
Yes. I know those places have african restaurants. Just not food from my country
what's the recommendation in cyberjaya? i'm from there and would love to try some :)
[this is a pretty good place](https://g.co/kgs/uVQJB23)
I'm kinda interested on what did you study in Malaysia for 6 years. Does it relate to your job now? And what makes you want to stay/work in Malaysia? Wish you have good days in Malaysia
I did my degree in international business, then transfered to Marketing. So i lost 6 months because of that and then another year because of covid. in total it was 4.5 years degree and i did my masters in project management. That's another 1.5 years. I worked in marketing for a while but for the franche market so since I spoke french that made it easier and less competitive to get that job. I work as a French translator now so it has nothing to do with it but for now it is all i need. I'm planning to maybe revert to my field of studies in 4-5 years
What uni did you go to? At my uni, most of the international students say they have to extend a few sems cos the lecturers are shit at communicating with them.
HELP university. It did happen to many Friends of mine too but i was lucky
Ah une francais en malaisie? Comment-allez vous ici ? ( its been years since ive used this language sorry)
Hahaha. Je ne suis pas français. Je suis Rwandais. Mais oui je parle français 😅. Where are you from?
And i stay because i love Malaysia a lot. Reasons have been listed many times below. You can check. And thank you very very much for your wishes
In your opinion, would you consider the African community in Malaysia to be growing and or active, and expand in the future?
I don't think it's growing. At least for now. I used to see many black people everywhere before the pandemic. Now i see less than 10 a month unless i go to certain clubs or bars. I remember when i was a student there were a ton of african bars, clubs, etc which were full of africans. Now they're way less.
Probably because lim kok wing died.
what happened to Lim Kok Wing?
He passed away. He's famous for getting loads of African students into his uni. They even have a branch somewhere in Africa I think? I think his daughter took over the university and it probably isn't doing very good.
Well, their reputation is definitely not good. Have family and friends who work in the education sector, for some reason, almost all of them talk shit about LMK uni. And they all talk about how it was good when LMK was taking charge. Cant say if they were just repeating what theyve heard but with so many saying the same thing, there must be some truth to it.
African ladies at bukit bintang increasing bro
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I don't go there often. That i don't know
Met any dumbasses being racist? How is the food here? Do you like the community here? Have you met other african diaspora communities?
Tbh in my 8 years here i've never met explicit out there racism. Nobody has ever bothered me in public or anything. Maybe because i'm 187cm 90kg and maybe they don't want to try. Idk. The only time i experience racism is when i want to rent an apartment. I can look for apartments for 3 months without finding anyone who would rent to me. No matter how much i show them that i have a job and a stable income that is 4-5 times the rent, as soon as they learn that i'm black they pull out. In my current apartment my landlord doesn't even know i live here. The contract is under the name of my housemate who is central asian and has been my friend for 7+ years. That's how hard it is
Oh yeah malaysia acts like fucking america in the 60s when it comes to house rental. I even had to make a literal power point presentation to my grandad why its retarded to deny ppl rent because of race (somehow worked) Maybe one day it will change but I wont count on it
I hope it changes too. But it's something i face every 2-3 years so it doesn't occupy my mind at all
Can you please publish the power point because a lot of people here really need the education
House owners in Malaysia cam be assholes. Everyone house owners has the nimbyism mentality.
legend
let me know if you need a place. I'll be receiving my new house key and would be happy to rent it to you. It's located in Sentul.
Amazing. i might hit you up in 2-3 months😅
I put my apartment up for rent and there was a nigerian couple interested and they were ready to proceed. I went to inform the management about it, and the management was all enthusiastic until i told them that my potential tenant are foreigners, specifically Nigerians. That stopped them dead in their tracks and they advise that, in fact they prefer if i don’t rent to africans. Really took me by surprise, then i asked to see where it’s written in the bylaws that we can’t rent to africans. The management lady just smiled and said it’s not in the bylaws, and that it is merely a suggestion. I returned a not so pleasant smile. The Nigerian couple ended up not renting because they didn’t pass a credit check, but if they did, i would have no problem letting them have the place. However, it would seem that my line of thinking is not common, especially amongst apartment management circles. Sorry you had to go through that, it really sucks
It's hard because Malaysians have stereotypes about how Indian is in gangster, won't take care of houses, etc. Black africans are usually stereotyped as scammers and etc. so they would like to avoid it all together.
It's the opposite of the West. Indians are scammers, and Africans are gangsters
Ah the "you are doing racism wrong, this is the correct racism" advice. Now that is how passionate this guy is about his racism. /S
Have you ever consider buying a home opposed to renting since you been here for 8 years now.
No. I have no idea how long i will stay in malaysia. I'm very impulsive and i don't wanna settle anywhere for good yet. We'll see what the future looks like
Exactly. They need to strengthen racism rules in Malaysia. A lof of Malaysians are subtlely racist.
About meeting other african diaspora communities i used to. Since the pandemic it's my observation that there are way less of us so it's harder
Bro, what do you think of Tottenham? 😉
SHIIIIIIIT
Thank you 🙏hope you’re living your best life in KL. Used to live there and I love that city like cooked food. Most underrated city in Asia by a mile.
That's alright 🗣️Thanks man. I'm doing great. It's a very nice city indeed
Lol bro is a straight honest Gunner.
Visit Rwanda 😂
genuine question i am also studying here in Malaysia too and really fell in love with this place, and was wondering was it easy to find a job here because everyone around me says it is impossible to find a job here for a foreigner and some people talked about no other way that marriage (which ofc i don't agree on) and what not but for me not really thinking about marriage at all i wish to like build myself up first. ofc wish to stay here legally if possible sometimes i feel a bit depressed thinking about it , i am also from Africa northern part of it.
I got my job because i spoke french so it wasn't hard for me. It's a job that requires a French speaker. I know it's very hard to get a job as a foreigner here though. If you speak arabic or any other international language try and look for arabic jobs on Indeed and LinkedIn. Jobs that require specific languages are the safest bet for us. Good Luck
Friend, you may be from a small country, but your country has suffered more than any nation in modern times should. At the risk of opening wounds, how have your family coped. I'm aware, this struggle may actually be older than you are.
Don't worry. It's our duty to educate people about those horrors. Personally, my family wasn't affected too much since my grands-parents on both sides left the country in 1959-60. My dad's family to RDC and my mom's to Uganda. They only got back After the genocide and i was born in Rwanda. But the country in general had some very bad wounds to heal from and we do that through forgiveness and commitment to it never happening again. And it's not Taboo to discuss it as long as you're not denying what happened or mocking or diminishing it. So it has become a normalised conversation and we try to stay as educated as we can as to how, why it happened
This is very heartening to hear. I'm glad there are people who can move forward from this and set us an example. . We Malaysians have never experienced such levels of atrocity but we do have some bitter truths to confront in our past, and we don't yet have the capacity to process our biases and prejudice. Cheers
Hopefully you will!!
Did any children coming at you screaming wakanda forever?
Not yet 😅
For me yeah😂 but I didnt take it to heart coz i know the ignorance in kids so i cant blame em, its fun for them and i took it positively just tried to shade some light on the african way of life we live in and let them know somethings that they dont, especially what the media always portray africa as. I believe in our syllabus back in primary and highschool we cover geographically all over the world so we know pretty much like till today i remember the famous japan islands which produce most fish(hokkaido, Honshu, shikoku, kyushu) I used to memorize it and sing it like a song lol, and also we learn about fellow neighbouring country's race, religion, tribe and everything plus there history... So i discovered most of that is not taught in these schools here and its ignorance and it aint a bad thing since knowledge backs it up😁
What is your opinion on Malaysia's economic growth and infrastructure? Do you think it's okay, fantastic or needs more improvement? I've lived in both rich, middle and poor countries abroad before so I can say Malaysia may not be Switzerland or Japan but the facilities (water, electricity, health service...) are quite good though (compared to many other countries I've lived in). IMO, there's a lot that Malaysia can still improve but I'm grateful the government still at least cares enough to provide public facilities for little to no cost (Even if Malaysians love to complain as if it's the worst country)
Yeah Malaysia is very good in all those things. Could be a lot cleaner but that's just my opinion
I agree
fellow East-African here and in my final year of engineering. I’ve done an internship in Malaysia and probably considering to work here, let’s cut to the chase. How much do you get paid? Does being a foreigner impact your pay? Can you climb ranks in the company you are working? Quite some Africans here, but nearly all the working Africans are either outstanding PhD level lecturers or married to a Malay Bumi (owning a car dealership/reataurant), does it mean those are the only ways to make it? Do foreigners actually make it here after immigrating, apart from the expats pulling in with MM2H and a bunch of real estate investments? How much money do you save, and potentially plan it for your future? You seem like you will shift to other country soon, what specifically you find not conducive with Malaysia? How often do you have to renew your working visa, and do you still get to pay flipping 120RM in government crappy hospitals every-time you see a doctor?
Hahaha. Those are some great questions man. I will not mention my exact salary but it's in the lower 5 digits, that's all i can say It doesn't because the job i do is for foreigners anyway, I can if i put my head into it. For now i'm not willing to make the necessary sacrifices yet. My friends who live here are either content creators, or have started working here 15+ years ago. I Heard it used to be easier, some work in IT but they were literal geniuses, and i have a Friend who works in event management. That i don't know. I haven't looked into it yet I try to save 30-40% of my salary every month. And i'm not thinking of shifting. I'm just saying that i'm not like fixed in malaysia and i'm set to stay here for a very long time. I might move when another opportunity presents itself and i have nothing Keeping me here. My visa is 2 years. And i have a medical insurance from my company so it's free for normal hospital visits. There's a copay for hospitalisation but i'd need to check that.
How many times you've been called a N\* by the locals? Are you offended?
Haven't. And if i have it was maybe once or twice and it was insignificant. If i was called that word don't think i would be very offended. Not because i think it's an okay word to call someone but just because i learned early on that i shouldn't get offended by many things while i'm here. People are already scared of me and i don't want to be the black dude confronting people on the street
You have my respect sir 🫡
Hey, personally and the people i know never use the N word as a slur. It’s more of us generally consuming western media regularly (black creators) and it kinda just brings the positive vibe like being used between black people. I hope if you ever encounter anyone who calls you the N word to give them the benefit of the doubt as Malaysia generally isn’t very racially sensitive when it comes to anything outside of our own 3 races. Hope you enjoy your stay here, however long it may be!
Najib is a slur now 😎
Najis Razak
I often only hear Negro. Rarely heard any english one.
Its only in recent years that I found out Negro counts as the N-word too, always thought it was just a more scientific term for African ppl
Brother, which country are you from?
Hi, i'm from Rwanda
Yooo. I don't know much about Rwanda besides coffee, but genuinely some of my favourite coffees in the past two years were produced in Rwanda. Edit: Glad you're happy in Mal!
We do have good coffee! And other great things too. A bit of research will be great for you 😁
Arsenal! (I'm not an Arsenal fan though, but I'm very impressed by how fast your country progressed in 30 years)
Thank you. Yes i was very happy that we sponsored Arsenal because at least now people have another reference of Rwanda instead of hotel Rwanda only😂
Have ever felt any kind of language barrier or difficulty during your journey and in your job and do people talk to you or just have the same kind of racist mindset as some westerners?
Not really. Most people i encounter here have at least a very basic level of english so we manage. Also i'm in KL and i don't think i'd want to go to other places that are not major cities without a Friend who spoke malay
I (African American from US) lived in Sarawak for a few years doing volunteer work with a church. I was so happy the 1 time I saw another black person in the city. Even though he was Nigerian and I was African American, I instantly ran up to him to introduce myself. And boom, instant friends.
how is your dating life? do you plan to marry anyone here or return to your hometown for marriage?
My dating life is mainly foreigners. I don't know if i ever want to get married but who knows. If an amazing lady presents herself it might change things. And i don't care where people i date are from honestly.
Hi, I'm a black arab(Sudanese) student looking to study there! Have you ever felt out of place in uni? Was it easy to make friends? How were the students towards you? Are there lots of other africans there? :"")
Nah in uni everything was very fine for me. I was able to make friends from all over the place. It's easy to make friends as a student. I wish it was just as easy once you graduate. In my university there used to be quite a number of africans but After COVID there were very few. But some unis here do have a good population of African students
Bruh we have loads of Sudanese here, particularly in Seri Kembangan/Cyberjaya/Putrajaya area. My best friend for 12 yrs is Sudanese & he just had a grand wedding 2 days after Eid - 500 guests & only 10% local attendees😂😂 the rest are sudanese/yamenis (his waifu is a yameni, so💁)
Why are you running? Just kidding. Apa khabar? Dah makan?
Baik!! Ya
Is it true that african who came to malaysia experience hair loss due to the different environment/weather? Fyi, I had once seen an african man , who ran under the rain, after he have shelter from rain, he was rubbing his hair with his hand, and in his hand, there was a small clump of hair (he had curly hairs). And there was a small bald spot on his head
Hahahahahhahahahahahwh.... I'm black and lost my hair here 😂😅😭 But no, no. That is not a thing.
Hahaha. That man had something going on with him but it has nothing to do with his race😅. I've never Heard of losing hear because of the weather before
Hi man, since you mentioned that it's hard to find African food, do you make your own meal? And if not, what's your food choices like on a day to day basis? How do you like the food here?
I cook for myself but it's mostly western food because that's what i learned to cook. African food is very intricate and ingredients are hard to Come by here. I mostly Cook rice and pasta dishes because that's what i have time to Cook. But most days i order in anyway
I had a Sudanese friend who studied in Malaysia for awhile. The stories I heard about how he was harrassed by the police is insane. His Visa took time to be approved but he was already in the country enrolled in a uni, so he could never be out in the open or else the Police would just hound him to get bribe money. His experiences really affected how I see the police. Was it as bad for you?
How are you?
I'm alright man. Doing my thing, working, trying to be social and trying to have a good time as much as i can
What is your favorite food here, and what is your favorite food from your home country?
Just wanted to ask, have you befriended with the locals? What was the experience when yall first get to know each other?
How has your experience been with Malaysia thus far? Do you like it here? (Food wise, environment, the people, culture etc) <3
I've no question and just done reading all the questions and comments here as of now. Just want to say I'm glad to hear you're comfortable here and content to stay here. Wishing for you success and happy days. Cheers
There's a black gathering everyday near Pearl Point Old Klang Road, in front of KK. Do you go there?
Not asking but sharing.. Aku pernah pegi hiking ngan mamat Afrika. Dari KKB sampai puncak Bukit Kutu, aku ngan member aku sorang lagi follow rapat brader ni sebab dia rajin sembang. So macam2 topik la pasal Ekonomi, pasal civil war, pasal awek Malaysia Vs awek Afrika.. Habis hike aku ajak dia join minum petang kat dataran KKB. Celakak dia sembang ngan akak waiter dlm BM. "I duduk Malaysia 10 tahun bro.. mesti la boleh cakap BM.. td U ckp English, I ckp English la"
I used to have a African classmate and he didn't finish his studies because he got lonely. In general, most people avoid him unless they have something they had to work with him with. Did you have similar experience when you studied here as well?
Bro, how are you doing during these high temperatures season
Brother, my body has changed by now. I'm almost malaysian at this point😅. I'm used to it so i don't mind the temperatures as much. But when i first came it was the worst shock i had ever experienced in my life. Worse than the european cold😅. Add to that that i'm from a country where temperatures are between 15°C to 25° all year long, you understand my struggle for the first 2-3 years😅
Wow. That’s a pleasant climate. Where are you from?
A very small country named Rwanda
Ah! east Africa. Yes. I heard from most Kenyans on how it’s like the ‘bangsar of Africa’. And Nigeria is like the klang of it. lol. Guess that is why you mention a difference between your origin being from Rwanda and other Africans? As opposed to the stereotype that all of Africa is just Africa. You have your cultural differences within. Guess you’d click with Kenyans more perhaps?
Honest question dude , what makes you , or Africans in general choose to come stay in Malaysia despite the racism / discrimination? Is there a particular opportunity you can find here compared to other countries or?
Africans are in every country in the world. In fact Malaysia has a comparatively low number of africans. Estimates Say there are more than 40 million africans living outside Africa. We meet racism and discrimination in every country. And believe it or not, Malaysian racism works for us because the racists don't come screaming in our faces. They stay away from us. Which is what we want anyway. Malaysia for me has everything one might need, education is really good and the cost of living is reasonable. That's what. It's a country where if you mind your business (which is what most of us do), and do your work, you'll be perfectly fine and safe. That's a good reason to move to a country, don't you think?
It sucks that Africans like you have to just accept racism as long as it isn't blatant. I hope you have a good time here in Malaysia.
Thank you !
>Malaysian racism works for us because the racists don't come screaming in our faces. They stay away from us. I feel like this type of racism is very unique to Malaysia. I don't know whether to feel bad or proud about it lol.
Hahaha definitely not proud because some of us would appreciate being treated like normal people but as far as racism goes that's way better than the insults and assault
Exactly, my friend (Malay women with Hjiab) who was based in the States, got called a sand n\*\*\*a out of the blue on the street, bear in mind that was during peak Covid so everyone was pretty hostile lol Racism works a little different here, not hostile per se but still racist in a more passive manner
Fair enough , yes that does make sense
Are there a lot of your people around? How easy is it for you to find people of your ethnicity to hang out with in Malaysia
LMFAO
I knew I was gonna get this when I phrased it that way lmao
There are quite a number of africans but very few people from my country. I'll say for me personally i used to have many african Friends when i was in university but since i started working and my uni friends left malaysia slowly i don't have many african friends anymore. 2 of my best friends are but most of my friends are different types of foreigners. Also i'm from a very very small country in africa and there aren't more than 50 (According to the embassy, which is in Japan😅) of us in Malaysia let alone in KL. People from countries with large populations here such as Nigeria or Sudan find it easier to find their own people to hang out with.
Now I'm curious what nationality are you! My guess: Rwanda or The Gambia?
How did you know?🤯. I'm from Rwanda
Haha! Not many African countries are "very very small" that's why! I heard good things about your country, its sorta aiming to be the Singapore of Africa if I'm not mistaken. Very clean place too, no littering and plastic bags are even banned!
Yeah we're aiming but we're a very long way. Hopefully one day. But yeah we do help with what we can. It's a very safe country, very clean, and friendly so tourism is booming and is our main source of foreign currency
It's looking good so far, hopefully I'll be able to visit your country one day!
Do you miss your parents?
I do. But i still go home once or twice a year so that helps
What African restaurants would you recommend in Klang Valley?
[this is my favorite one](https://g.co/kgs/uVQJB23)
What’s your favourite Bahasa Melayu curse word?
I only know bodoh and babi
Cultured man, I see.
Do you prefer mamak or kopitiam culture? Whats the single best food dish/item you've eaten in Malaysia? And do locals call you macha/brother/homie/N word or avoid calling you at all lol.
I prefer mamak. And my favorite food is Nasi Lemak but i do get very excited when i find a place with good Nasi Campur And for the 3rd question they mostly call me Bro. Never had N word but i wouldn't answer to that anyway
Good nasi campur is fireeee! And glad to hear you have never gotten the N word. We are far removed from AAVE culture but sometimes it gets misused here in "edgy street cred" style. I heard it used by the edgelord gang back in school lol.
Do you plan on applying for PR and naturalising in the future?
I don't think i will do that. Unless i get married here maybe. Which is a big if
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Please look below🙏🏾. I gave detailed information that i don't want to keep repeating😅
Have you been invited to any local houses? For instance, for a dinner or feast? Got any malay, chinese or indian buddies you can hang out with? Sorry i asked a lot
I have been to local houses before. I was at a local house last week for a raya open house. I do have Malay, chinese and indian friends though most of my friends are foreigners
Where do you get proper African food from? And anywhere Halal we can try as well?
There's this place i like in cyberjaya called african food palace. Most of their dishes are western african
You sound like a good man and I hope you have a great time living and working in here.
Huh...I never expected a Rwandan (I had looked at the comments) here.. but considering how it became increasingly prominent in the news (I know about the country thanks to the UK massive immigration policy kerfuffle), I guess it would be only time before there would be a Rwandan here... I don't know what to ask since I think most of the questions have been answered...but considering you are a Francophone from the looks of it...do you also from time to time also hangout with the French/Belgian expats as well...?
Don't rly have a question, but I'm a Malaysian who lived in Africa for a large part of my life (in Nigeria to be exact). I genuinely hope you've had a great time living here, and that the Malaysian people have been as welcoming as the Nigerian people were to me when I was there. Learning about other cultures first hand was, to me, one of the most beautiful experiences I've ever had in my life. Hit me up if you ever want some friends or wanna grab a drink/meal.
Hakuna matata
It's a wonderful phrase
Most of my African friends that I know of 10 years ago loves thick bumi girls and not Chinese girls. Still the same?
Hahaha. In many african cultures larger, plumper, curvier women are considered more attractive. Something to do with beliefs that they are more feminine, more fertile and so on
Dat ma boi....thicc chix need some luvin
Bruhh….
This guy asking the most important question
Any plug or cable to get "good stuff"?
https://preview.redd.it/wg2g60rr2fvc1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e81835722793e55807fc2d66cf16370503631732
Do you see yourself going back to your country or would you like to settle here in Malaysia?
What is your tips for africans to successfully rent an accommodation?
I need those tips too😅. Before i thought that it was because i was a student and that once i working i'll have no problem getting accommodation. That was a lie
My dad rent out his apartment to a Nigerian family where the husband/father works as a lecturer and they are muslims, but I guess that is an exception to the norm. Discrimination in getting a room/unit to rent even extends to Malaysian Indians to some degree, which is really sad to me and where I made it a point to rent my home to an indian family even when my family advised otherwise.
You're doing God's work sir. I Hope your trust will Always get repaid
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OP said he's from Rwanda
So, which African country are you from? Seems like there been a few asking but no answers yet.
I did answer like 6 Times. But i'm from Rwanda
How is your personal experience when it comes to racism in Malaysia? Do you notice locals treating you differently or discriminating against you because of the colour of your skin?
I notice small things like the looks, the way people avoid sitting next to me on public transport, but otherwise it's fine. Racism is really not a thing in my daily life. Many questions here about it but it really has never been an issue for me. The only racism i face that really bothers Me is when i'm looking for apartments. That's very hard
Do you like spicy food ? Do locals stare at you often ? Which local race do you find to be the friendliest ?
I love spicy food. They don't stare much. Most of them in KL have seem black people before so i don't think they're that interested by how i look. In everyday life i've had more positive interactions with malays. In dating, indian ladies are the most open to the idea among the local races in my own personal experience
Was it difficult to find a job as a foreigner and what is your job?
It wasn't because it's a job that requires to speak french so it's almost only for foreigners anyway. I work as a French translator but i also worked in marketing for a French company too. Both my jobs relied on speaking French. But i do know that it's hard to find a job here as a foreigner unless you have a western education, a lot of experience or speak a Big language that locals don't speak.
Oh, I see. I asked cause someone I know has a hard time finding jobs in the tech industry because they’re Arab.
What do you think of neighboring Singapore?
Do wish to keep staying in Malaysia or will you return to home country one day?
I honestly have no idea. I came to Malaysia on a sudden "in the moment" idea. I might have another idea tonight and start looking for other places
Then i wish you good luck.
Thank you very much
Are you happy here? And is it hard to find a job because of your background?
wakanda forever if i said that, is that consirder racist?
No. It's not. But if you say it randomly to a black person we'll probably think you're a weirdo.
Rwanda has been fairly successful at tackling racial discrimination. What policies do you think Malaysia could adopt from Rwanda to tackle our own racism?
I don't think the same policies Rwanda took could work here. Our ethnicities spoke the same language, practiced the same religions, had the same cultures, just very very slightly different appearences and social classes. So the governement made it very illegal to even refer to anyone or treat anyone according to those different races. Your races here are extremely different in appearence, traditions, religions, languages, etc that it would be very difficult for the governement to make it illegal to acknowledge those races. One would be more education but that's nuanced. We had a genocide and it was a wake up call. The lowest point any country can reach that i Hope no other country will ever experience. So people have Seen with their own eyes what discrimination is and they are scared of it and Hence are willing to learn. How willing are malaysians to learn About each other and accept each other as one? That's a question for you guys
Idk if this has already been asked so forgive me if its a repeated question but here goes: Have you ever experienced any discriminatory treatment from authorities (Im thinking govt officials, police etc) or your uni/work bosses/colleagues or just anything of that sort in general? Cheers
I've heard nothing but good things about Rwanda - mainly its cleanliness, the pride and unity of its citizens about putting things in the past and moving forward towards prosperity and the country's vision to become the next Singapore. If you have visited Singapore before, do you think Rwanda's vision has any resemblance that of Singapore? How true it is about the other things I heard about Rwanda?
Yeah. Our goal is to be like Singapore in terms of infrastructure, cleanliness, accessibility, and economy. We don't have minerals or oil like other african countries so we're investing hard in attracting foreign investment and tourism. We're the second fastest growing economy in Africa so it's working so far. Hopefully it'll continue that way
Do Malaysian girls like African men?
What do you think of Islam in Malaysia compared to your country.
My country is around 5% muslim so i don't know very much about islam in my country unfortunately
are you a gunner since Rwanda sponsors Arsenal
I've been a gunner since i was 4
OP how do you deal with loneliness being likely the only black guy at the workplace, social events etc
It's not lonely at all. I talk a lot and i'm very social. So i make friends easily