English, Chinese and Tamil are also widely spoken and English is the principal language used in commerce and industry. Long-sleeved batik shirts can be worn by men when attending dinner parties, but very formal dinners require a lounge suit or evening gown. When introduced to a Malaysian person, always refer to them by their first name, preceded by the appropriate term of address, eg Dr Mahathir or Mr Anwar. This rule applies to both male and female names. Many Malaysians in the business community are of Chinese descent and will usually have a three-syllable name in which the surname precedes the given names.
Business cards are the norm during introductions.
Warm handshakes are customary, however some Muslim women do not shake hands with the opposite sex. Many top Malaysian businessmen have been conferred awards which carry a titled name. Only a handful in the country have received this honour - no more than a dozen. The Economic Adviser to the Government is Tun Daim Zainuddin. Daim is his given name and Zainuddin is his father's name.