The working week in Kuala Lumpur is Monday to Friday. Muslims take some time off on Friday, the holy day, to go to a mosque for prayers. Working hours are consistent throughout the year. Offices, including government offices, generally open between 08:30 and 09:00 and stay open until 17:00. People take about an hour for lunch, often around 13:00. These hours, however, apply to Kuala Lumpur only and vary from state to state.

Shops operate differently. Large supermarkets open about 08:30 and stay open until 22:00 or later. Smaller shops, whether on the streets or in shopping malls, tend to open between 10:00 and 11:00 and stay open until 21:00. In busy malls it can be quite a bit later. Many shops are open seven days a week. Basically, there are no hard and fast rules for opening hours; it depends on when the business’s peak hours are likely to be.