Malaysia processes international student applications through a central body that issues approval before you travel, with the institution submitting on your behalf. You receive a visa approval letter, then obtain the entry visa, then convert to a student pass after arrival.
The practical consequence is the same as in the Netherlands: your institution's internal timeline governs everything. A university that submits promptly gets you an intake. A university that sits on your file costs you one, and you will have very little visibility of which is happening unless you ask for confirmation at each stage.
Why the corridor appeals
Tuition and living costs in Malaysia are materially lower than in Western destinations, English is widely used in instruction, and several international universities operate branch campuses awarding the same degree as the home institution. For families weighing an unaffordable Western degree against no international degree at all, that middle option is worth examining seriously.
The trade-off is that outcomes vary widely between institutions. The name on the certificate matters more here than in corridors where the regulatory floor is higher, so the shortlist deserves scrutiny.
Documents and health
Expect academic transcripts, passport pages, financial evidence, and a medical examination both before departure and after arrival. The post-arrival medical is a condition of the student pass, not an optional formality, and failing to complete it on time jeopardises your status.
Attestation requirements for Pakistani academic documents apply here as elsewhere. Begin that chain early, because it is sequential and cannot be accelerated at the end.