I must admit that whenever I see the 17in PowerBook at Starbucks, I am reminded of that scene in Shrek when he and Donkey first catch sight of Lord Farquaad's huge castle.

Shrek: Do you think he's maybe compensating for something?

Buying from the US Apple store does indeed save you a few hundred bucks. Essentially Apple Malaysia's prices are round RM4.3 to the US dollar price on the US Apple Store. Bear in mind however, depending on which state your friend resides, a sales tax WILL be charged above the prices quoted at the AppleStore. Not all states provide a rebate when you bring your purchase out of the country within a stipulated period.

With regards to voltage: all Apple international power adapters are multivoltage and will work internationally. The chargers have replaceable sockets which take various international power sockets. You can buy this as a kit or if you have an iPod with a charger: the tips are interchangeable.