A WDB FREIGHTER CREW RAN INTO A LANGUAGE PROBLEM AT PENANG RESULTING IN AN UNAUTHORIZED DSCNT AND HDG CHANGE.

Narrative

ACFT WAS INBOUND TO PENANG MALAYSIA AT 4000 FT MSL. FO AT CTLS. APCH CTLRS ENGLISH WAS BAD AND A MISUNDERSTANDING EXISTED BTWN WHAT THE COCKPIT CREW WAS EXPECTING TO DO AND WHAT THE CTLR WAS EXPECTING. CLRNC HAD BEEN SOMETHING LIKE 'RPT FIELD IN SIGHT FOR VISUAL DOWNWIND' SINCE WE WERE APCHING FROM S AND RWY 04 WAS IN USE; THE TERM 'DOWNWIND' DID NOT SEEM TO MAKE SENSE. WE INCORRECTLY ASSUMED THAT HE MEANT 'DOWNWIND OF THE FIELD.' ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS WERE CONCENTRATING ON LOOKING OUTSIDE TO PICK UP THE FIELD VISUALLY. OUR INTENTIONS WERE TO CALL THE FIELD IN SIGHT; JOG TO THE L TO INTERCEPT FINAL APCH BEARING; AND LAND ON RWY 04. ALTHOUGH VISIBILITY WAS EXCELLENT; WE DID NOT PICK UP THE FIELD UNTIL APPROX 10 DME DUE TO A HILL SE OF THE FIELD. AS WE ALL PICKED UP THE FIELD VISUALLY; THE FO IMMEDIATELY CLICKED OFF THE AUTOPLT; TURNED L; AND BEGAN A DSCNT FOR THE VISUAL APCH. I CALLED THE FIELD IN SIGHT TO APCH CTL BUT THERE WAS A DELAY IN RESPONSE. BY THE TIME APCH DID RESPOND TO OUR CALL THE ACFT WAS NEARING 3000 FT MSL. APCH ASKED US TO CONFIRM OUR ALT AND THEN CLRED US FOR VISUAL APCH. THERE WERE NOT OTHER ACFT IN THE VICINITY OF THE ARPT. LATER; OVER THE PHONE; I DETERMINED THAT APCH EXPECTED US TO FLY OVERHEAD THE ARPT AT 4000 FT AND ENTER HOLDING FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. THIS WAS NOT CLR TO US.