My old friend from Singapore, Linda, sent me the following post. I have done minor editing to avoid offending anyone. Do read it, smile a bit and laugh a lot although some may be painfully true. Do leave a comment if you wish. I would love to hear your views. Next socio-political post is still in the oven and should be up by 9ish or 10ish tonight. Take care and have a lovely evening.
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1. A typical young Malaysian can name all the players from a top English Premier League club, but ask him to name one football player from Malaysia, he cannot!
2. When StreamyX come, you complain StreamyX is too slow. When Maxis Broadband come, you complain Maxis Broadband always disconnects. When WiMax come, you complain Wimax too expensive. In the end, you say StreamyX still the bestlah.
3. When highway toll price increased, you complained. When petrol price increased, you also complained. When you go Starbucks and pay more than RM10 for your coffee, NO COMPLAINTS.
4. When you cannot find parking in a shopping mall and have to walk very far, you complain. When you go inside the shopping mall and there's SALE, run from one end of 1Utama to the other, you make NO COMPLAINTS. (Perhaps your husband or kids might complain!)
5. You are always late. And the excuse you give when you're late is always either: (a) traffic jam (b) no transport or (c) cannot find parking.
6. You have a parent who forces you to take science stream in high school, study engineering in Uni, then when you graduate, they ask you to forget everything you learnt in Uni and do commerce.
7. You know someone who can specially develop an angmoh accent when speaking to an American / British /Australian.
8. You complain against the government in kopitiam, you talk loud loudly. When leaving comments on blogs, you also talk loudly. When attending ceremah by DAP, you shout loudly. Then when Opposition organises a protest and asks you to go, you don't want to go. Why? Scared later kena tangkap by ISA.
9. Every year on the 30th April, you might be one of the those queuing up last minute to submit your tax return at the IRB.
10. When you pay RM10 for something that costs RM1, you blame the Chinese. This should not be the case. It is not a race issue.
11. When a government service is too slow, you blame the Malays. Again, this should not be the case because it is NOT a race issue.
12. When a building is not good and collapsed, you blame the Indians. Again, this should not be the case because it is NOT a race issue.
13. When a Chinese student won a scholarship, one may say 'Wah! Very clever hor?' When a Malay student won a scholarship, one may say 'Aiya! Of course lah! He Malay mah!' And why is this the case even though it should not be a race issue?
14. When an angmoh stranger kisses you on the cheek to say hello, you very happy. When a Malaysian guy kisses you on the cheek to say hello, you react negatively.
So what makes a Malaysian so Malaysian? :-) Do leave a comment! Have a lovely evening.
28 comments to WHAT MAKES A MALAYSIAN SO MALAYSIAN?
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Unknown Dear Kenneth
Indeed it is MOST unfair! I have personally experienced discriminatory treatment from waiters of restaurants and hotels whereby ang mohs were given seats and my family and I were bypassed even though we were there first.
This happened to me 2 months ago at a 5-star hotel.
And then in November 2008, I was made to wait 30 minutes for my food at another established restaurant even though another American couple had finished their meal and had asked for their bill!! They arrived at the restaurant one minute before I did.
Then when they finally served my son's dish, the fries that came with his main course were BURNT at both ends, cold and soggy!! I asked to speak to the maitre'd and asked her why her established franchised (US) restaurant had the audacity to serve carcinogenic fries to my 10 year old boy!! ANd she said that she forgot to check the food before serving.
And so I asked her why she forgot?
Silence.
And then I said - even if she forgot, how could the chef allow food of such standard to leave the kitchen????
And of course I asked her WHY the ang mohs were served FIRST and we had to wait 30 minutes!!!!
I gave them 10 minutes to sort out my food and then decided to leave lest they poisoned me when they served the food.
Believe me! I kicked up a huge fuss. I called the KL HQ, spoke to the people there who refused to give me the Penang GM's number. Of course, I managed to get it from another source and had a showdown with the GM who after a long telephone conversation, offered me 160RM vouchers.
I am not one to take discrimination and will always speak out and fight for my rights!!!
That is life in Malaysia!
Cheers
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bayi I heard this story years ago about an army colonel who tiba2 developed a funny English accent after a trip overseas, purportedly to London. It was much later that someone found out that he actually transitted at Heathrow!!!
Now, that's authentically Malaysian!
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bayi Wait, wait...I just read your story about kicking up a fuss over poor service.
This is a real story from a friend. He was travelling to Europe on a BA place with his wife and very young daughter. The daughter was seated between the parents. The ang moh stewardess came down the isle serving lunch. My friend and his wife were served their ordrs. The child was asleep, so they let it pass. But as the stewardess was serving the passenger a row in front, the child woke up and wanted lunch. My friend alerted the stewardess, who was standing almost next to him still. She had the audacity to tell him that the child had missed her turn and could only be served after all the other passengers had been served.
My friend asked her politely once more and was given the cold shoulder. In his anger he swept his tray of food on the isle but the stewardess just walked on, as if nothing had happened. She didn't even come back to clean up. Someone else did!
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Unknown Dear Bayi
Thanks for sharing that story. I would have been very angry too!
In fact, I am very upset this evening because I have been yet another victim of circumstances and this time it affects my younger boy.
It is incredible how life is so unfair and how there are so many heartless people in this world who are money-minded without the heart of a human.
Sighs.
Take care...
Cheers
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Crankster It's not the first time I'm hearing about people picking up accents on transit. :)
The white man truly is worshipped in this country...
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Unknown Dear Crankster
You are right, my dear and that is the legacy of colonialism :-(...
Sighs...
Take care and have a lovely evening.
Cheers
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stephen A malaysian is truly a malaysian when he/she has the ability to eat at anytime of the day and whatever type of food, bitches about the government non stop,believes the common denominator in all things good or bad is race,home has been broken into or has been robbed at least once,accustomed to bad or non existent service,most likely given donations to traffic police charity ball and used to the daily traffic jams and bad drivers when going to and from work.
Am I right?!!
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Unknown Dear Stephen
As always, I am bowled over by your all-in-a-nutshell comment. Very succinct and effective definition of a Malaysian! I have experienced all but one of the experiences you listed :-). I wish I could write and think powerfully with such conciseness as you do!
Take care and have a lovely evening. I am still rushing to finish my socio-political post :-(. A bit upset about a minor injustice this evening :-( and hope to put the post up by 11 pm.
Cheers
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Hafiz b Shukor "Our problems are man-made. Therefore, they can be solved by man. And man can be as big as he wants." - John F. Kennedy
Have a nice evening.
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Anonymous Nazri said that High Court judge Lau Lee Lan, who made the ruling that Catholics could use the word “Allah” in their weekly publication Herald, was wrong. - Malaysia Insider
OMG, can Nazri be a better judge then??
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Catherine With such a statement from Nazri, what decision can you expect from the Court of Appeal?
Your guess is as good as mine.
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Unknown Dear Saudara Hafiz
Many thanks for that inspiring comment. Resilience is so important when fighting battles. Thanks for that reminder.
Take care and have a lovely evening!
Salam
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Unknown Dear Anonymous and Catherine,
Many thanks for your comments and quotations. It is so appalling that we have such occurrences in Malaysia - most embarrassing indeed. What a sorry state of affairs. I wonder how the judge feels!
Do check out my latest post on EFFICIENCY OR JUSTICE? WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT?. More things to shock you.
Take care and thanks for your comments. Have a good rest and God bless you both.
Warmest wishes,
mws
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A Arthur Thank you very much, MWS. I declare I am guilty of a lot of typical Malaysian sins of omission or sins of inclusion in this excellent post.
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Anonymous (copycat):-
Income tax office sent me a letter,
" dengan sukacita dimaalumkan anda
tidak layak untuk membayar cukai pendapatan !"
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Anonymous poor gomen service >>> malay.
shoes hilang >>> indian.
ktm >>> chinese !
....................................
ktm = kuda toto magnum !
....................................
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Unknown Dear Arthur
God bless you for your humility!!! Glad you like the post. Take care and best wishes to you!
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Unknown Dear Anonymous @ 11.48pm
You should be happy...Are you the same one who left a similar comment here last time?
Just wondering...Take care and stay happy.
Salam
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Unknown Dear Anonymous @ 11.55pm
Ya - that is how many think ....and we really should not think along racial lines. It is stereotyped thinking that is so passe...
Take care and have a lovely restful evening.
Cheers
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Anonymous when a malay gets a govt contract 'you say umno crony lah' and when a chinese gets a govt contract you say nothing!
how can you anything,they never got one!
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Unknown Dear Anonymous @ 9.04 a.m.
That is a clever comment! Thanks for sharing. Have a nice day!
Salam
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Anonymous Ha ha. Malaysians are so cute. However, is it so typical that a Malaysian do have those traits as a mark of a Malaysian?
What makes a Singaporean so Singaporean, may one ask instead?
1. According to MM LKY, "Singaporeans are champion grumblers."
2. A Singaporean defined a friend as someone who is of use to her.
2. In Singapore, without the 5 Cs,
one will remain mateless.
3. A Singaporean said that before any Singaporean pisses or farts, she must ask LKY for permission.
4. Singapore is so advanced that there is no visible opposition and many Singaporeans feel that it is not necessary to have one at all.
5. Singaporeans do not chew bubble gum, litter or smoke at all. Drinking, gambling and prostitution is okay.
6. Competition is so intense that Singaporeans will commit suicide if they do not make it to the "right" school.
7. A Singaporean will call the contact centre of a bank to complain that she is kept waiting in a queue in one of the branches of the bank and demand to speak to the branch manager via the contact centre ASAP.
8. Singapore is like a clockwork orange, 1984 and animal farm all rolled into one.
9. The "affluenza virus" is spreading wildly in Singapore and it has been estimated that 20% of Singaporeans are MI.
In other words, there is no typical Malaysian, likewise there is no typical Singaporean. :-)
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Unknown Dear Anonymous @ 11.07 a.m.
Many thanks for your tongue-in-cheek descriptions of Singaporeans! Very witty and so true indeed!I love #5 and #8 and agree with you cos I love the books you mentioned. How apt!
Presumably, you must be Singaporean as you seem to have a very good understanding of the psyche of a typical Singaporean :-).
Thanks so much for telling it like it is. You have certainly added value to my post with your comment.
Take care, have a nice day and do keep in touch!
Shalom
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Unknown Dear Anonymous @ 12.23pm
Ah - I too have the same wish...And then we might sing the Louis Armstrong hit...What A Wonderful World...although it might turn out differently...Too many if's in life. Still, it is good to dream...
Have a nice day.
Cheers
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Anonymous I do like to add your message to Kenneth.
My Dad a CEO of a public listed comapny that my grandfather started. We stayed in a 5 star hotel in Penang Batu Ferringgi with my parents. Simple white haired old grandpa (70 years old)like to wear simple cheap Chinese white T-Shirt and long faded long pants with cheap Japanese slippers, was rudely chased out (like a vagrant) from the lobby when he was sitting there waiting for us. An American in shorts, singlet, slippers are allowed to sit there! My grandpa walks to a waiting large Jaguar outside, dad's company driver in full uniform opens the Jaguar door & dad sits-in. Dad Benley & driver was waiting behind the Jaguar. Immediately the hotel Manager came out to appologies!
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Unknown Dear Anonymous @ 12.39p.m.
Thank you so much for sharing from your heart.
I am quite outraged at what your grandfather experienced because it is discrimination against the elderly and also social class discrimination.
I have a very good idea which hotel it is :-).
With the many comments from readers, I will do a post on this later in the day after I cook lunch (running late again thanks to blogging - read my latest post on true confessions of a blog addict) and some errands.
Do take care and may God bless your grandfather with good health and your entire family with love, joy and happiness.
Thanks for swinging by!
Have a nice day!
Cheers
Kenneth "When an angmoh stranger kisses you on the cheek to say hello, you very happy. When a Malaysian guy kisses you on the cheek to say hello, you slap him in face."
I think this is 'most unfairest'. Don't you agree?