(in English, Courtesy Campaign)
This is my New Year’s resolution for 2013.
I don’t know if it’s just me or what but I think Malaysians are getting ruder and ruder! The Malaysians I’ve had the misfortune of encountering anyway.
Or maybe the older I get, the more intolerant I become of rudeness.
When we were in the US for Fatty’s work we got used to the politeness exhibited by the Americans whether they were just passersby or shop staff. Some nitpicks say that their greetings “Hi how are you” and please-s and thank yous are uttered automatically without meaning but whatever la I’d rather take fake compulsory courtesy than blatant rudeness. I don’t get the logic behind that.
Then when we touched down in KL, we naturally went to passport control and immigration. It was in the middle of the night. I went up to the immigration officer with my passport and said “Hello!”
Silence wtf.
After she was done stamping my passport, she handed it back to me again in silence wtf.
I said, “thank you.”
Stony-faced glare.
ಠ_ಠ
Unless you’re mute there is no excuse for this. Even if you’re mute the least you can do is smile acknowledgment la very hard meh? It’s early in the morning but if I can remember my manners, why can’t you?
I really don’t remember Malaysians being this rude! I was overseas for four years but every time I came back, while Malaysians were probably not unfailingly polite, at least we were still friendly-ish! At least we responded when spoken to wtf.
A couple of days after that, Fatty and I were in Publika buying magazines. I think it was the Tatler that featured our wedding haha and the ViVi issue I was in.
Fatty handed over money to the guy and said, “thank you.”
Silence again.
The third incident in recent memory was when I was in Isetan one day. I got into the elevator, and there were other people coming in after me so I held the door open for them.
As luck would have it, the elevator was broken wtf. The doors closed and opened repeatedly so we couldn’t move. So I held the door open again while the people all filed out.
I got out after them and saw they were already going in to the next elevator. I rushed after them and shouted “WAIT WAIT” but nobody moved and the door closed on me WTF.
OH MY BLOOD BOILS JUST THINKING ABOUT IT. I KINDLY HELD THE DOOR FOR YOU WHILE YOU ENTER AND EXIT AND YOU CAN’T EVEN WAIT FOR ME TO GET INTO THE NEW ELEVATOR WITH YOU?
This happened a couple months ago but thinking about it again makes me want to break something! Preferably the elevator they were in.
I really don’t get it! At which point in recent years did we get so rude and disregarding of other people!
What’s wrong with taking one nanosecond out of your day to wish someone well or even just reply a polite inquiry!!!!!!!!
That’s not all.
Dunno if I’m just unlucky but I’m swarmed by thick skinned who don’t understand the concepts of queues. They think a line is actually a circle and, like a herd of cattle, will cluster around with no regard of the people who are actually civic-minded enough to line up.
Then when I tell them off, they will just look around all unabashed like they just realized there was a line and saunter casually to the back to line up. Like a proper human being.
And I cannot count the number of times driving, some idiot has edged into my lane with no hint of a signal light at all.
And they’re all either freaking taxis or big ass luxurious cars. Got money buy yourself some manners la!
I get so mad everyday dealing with all these buffoons! So bad for my blood pressure.
Fatty thinks all this rudeness and lack of civic consciousness does not occur in other countries because if someone does something like that, the people around will tell them off and the wrongdoer will be shamed.
So that’s my 2013 resolution – to tell off whoever is rude wtf. And to do it very loudly so everyone else can hear it.
I told Fatty and he’s convinced I’ll get myself beaten up someday wtf. But that’s what I have a Fatty for isn’t it?
And that’s what I’ve been doing!
Although the other day I did go a bit overboard. In my defense, I was already grumpy about something wtf. I was trying to get on to the escalator but there was a bunch of teenage boys standing in front of it blocking my way.
I shouted, “OY!” and they hurriedly scampered away wtf.
Thinking about it I feel a bit bad la. Luckily nobody else on a kempen sopan santun was nearby cos they’d be entirely in their right to tell me off too hahahahaha.
And today, when I clicked on my signal to move lanes, the car behind sped up on purpose so I couldn’t change lanes in front of him (even though before that he was like three car lengths away) -_____- I honked him wtf. I don’t know if that gets my message across but whatever la I’m tired of bottling up my emotions wtf.
The other day we were coming back from Bangkok so we went through immigration again.
I said “hello!” to the inspector.
Silence.
Undeterred, I looked over at Fatty who had passed the checkpoint and was waiting for me on the other side. “Another rude Malaysian! I said hello he didn’t say anything back.”
When the inspector handed me my passport, he said, “thank you.”
SUCCESS!
So who’s with me on this kempen sopan santun?
Mafia Aud wtf.
Comments (170)
Hi Aud, as a non-Malaysian i probably shouldn’t say this, but i visit Malaysia often so maybe it’s ok to comment? hehe.. i rmember being ran off by trolleys (yes, multiple 🙁 ) at KLCC by the worker there and screamed in pain but he never even stopped to say sorry :(… also was really taken aback when shopping at Berjaya Time Square and every time i handed the money i was the one who said “thank you” and the shop keeper would give me a suppresed smile :(… but there are a lot of polite ones 2
Nice kempen. Onss. I’ll try that.
I apologize on behalf of my nation 🙁 yea I’ve noticed the forced smile in lieu of a response too. Feel free to tell people off when you’re over here! I support you haha
Yay! Maybe I should make banners
I don’t have a Fatty to protect me from being beaten up. Although I say “Excuse me” really loudly whenever someone is blatantly in my way. Hate hogs argh!
Harro audrey! I guess it’s a Malaysian habit(or culture?) that we usually don’t greet strangers? But it’s a good start! Im gonna harro more to ppl now!
Yeah. You should make it viral! LOL. Then we’ll have more happy Malaysian.
Cool campaign! I like it!!! i’ll definitely do it! Yeah ^.^
Yes isn’t it a terrible habit then!? How can dont reply when people tegur you!
that’s how i feel every single time i go back to Malaysia to see my family. it’s a habit to hold the door for the next person after me if they are literally just behind me. there was one time when some guys just walked through while i held the door. no thank you at all from any of them so i just said loudly to them, you’re very welcome! hahaha
i really hate it when people just selamba cut our lines when we are queuing and we have been queuing for a long time, especially at mcd’s. Normally i give them a stare, now i’ll do like you. Shout it out so that they terasa
The worst breed of people are those who, upon being told politely that they have to queue, look at you with disdain like you’re the one being unreasonable.
I hate it when I want to go in the lift, nobody holds the door for me. :/ I also used to say thank you to others, even if strangers, but when they do not give me any response, I feel like I am talking to myself. Why they do not even give me a smile? Is a smile cost a bomb? sigh…nnhttp://kharnyee.blogspot.com/
Experienced the same thing after coming back from Australia. Shop assistants there are so freaking friendly (although their intentions might be wanting u to buy stuff but i dont care) I was a little culture-shocked. very naturally I came back to Msia and greeted most of the shop owners/ assistants but they just gave me blank angry stare. Waliao i killed your mother during my past life isit? I’m only trying to buy some pants!!! :(“
God just reading your post today made my blood boil…I hate it with a passion as a person learning to drive when trying to change lanes and the mofo behind you does this when there’s plenty of space -_- also when rude drivers think they own the damn highways and get into your way without signaling! Thought it was just a USA thing but I guess there are idiot drivers everywhere!
And I think it’s a good idea to tell ppl off LOUDLY. Will keep that in mind! ^^
OMG!!! haha That last one. I don’t know if I’d be that brave. The boys blocking the elevator is so unnecessary though. I would have yelled at them too.
I noticed that manners have different standards in different countries. Some countries just aren’t offended as easily, but I think the worst culture shock was leaving the US and going to Hong Kong for an internship alone in college… They wouldn’t let me through immigration because since I’m Asian.. I can’t be American.. or some wtf logic. Anyways they decided my passport was fake.. =__=
You won’t get beaten. Cause no.1, you are a girl, so chances lower. Then you so pretty and don’t look samseng, so safer I think. Otherwise, always got Fatty to cover you.nnI’m the one who’ll say it’s okay while my boyfriend will be the one scolding people. Come Penang, you’ll get more headache, eat dim sum also want to cut queue and fight for it. Drive dun say d la, never signal one. And NEVER HOLD LIFT FOR PEOPLE OR DOOR. And also never say thank you lo. OH NO IT’S A NATIONAL CRISIS.
My boyfriend will scold the uncle who cuts line, and the cashier who allows the uncle to cut line. Damn fierce. But he quite malang la, he kena quite a lot. Or maybe I kena also I don’t know. Blur case. But I ALWAYS say thank you. Last time I was in NZ, these group of teenagers say thank you to the bus driver k?? The bus was free shuttle la. But here, rarely la. So I make it a point to say, and say loudly some more. If complain, can complain two whole page. Let’s do something about it.
I think most immigration officers in malaysia are like that 🙁 I don’t remember any of them responded to my thank you.
Believe me…It’s not only you and not only in Malaysia that people get more rude every day. This blog entry speaks from my heart as well. And I curse myself for always being too polite and shy to speak up and tell such thick-skinned folks off. You’re doing it right, Audrey!
Hello Aud, I’m from Sabah so I think these rudeness really depends on which part of Malaysia la but I totally agree with your kempen. I’ll do the same when I go back home this year. Keep up with the good work.
Hi Audrey! I think I’m immune to Malaysians rudeness. Haha. Since you mentioned it, I realized I’ve been cheerfully greeting immigration officers and I can’t recall a time when I’ve gotten a response!! But I still persist though. Haha. Slightly off tangent but I think the rudest thing and my biggest pet peeve about Malaysians is how they take their sweet time backing out of their parking spot even though they know there are ppl waiting for their spot. I mean how thoughtless is that???
dont worry to get beaten up as they deserve to be OY! Sometime when i was in supermarket and the cashier giving me the stoned or lansi face i also do the same thing. i speak in their language like like malay for malay smth like ” macamlah sombong sangat, orang dah cakap thank you muka macam tahi, saya tak bayar ker sekarang ker hutang…” and their manager come and apologize. Malaysian really need to know how important to be sopan santun especially when our country trying to be more maju LOL
ME!!! I AM SO WITH YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!rnfking hate ppl like that also, die die want cut in front of u, then I need to emergency brake just so he/she can cut in. niama.. rnfrom a month ago or so, whenever ppl trying to cut Q in shopping mall when paying or whatever, i’d tell them to line up, but still some super thick-skinned one can just ignore one wtf!! how can anyone on earth can be that thick-skinned one u tell me! arhh, wish to use my long nails to cakar their face wtf.
I agree with you that Malaysians are getting more rude. I support this campaign, let’s share it everywhere we can!
I totally agree with you! I’m tired of all the rudeness. I’m definitely at your side, I’ll do it! Let’s change those Malaysian! (as if I’m not a malaysian, lol)
Me! I do agree, ppl r getting ruder by the days and ignorant too :S
I agree! Idiots are driving recklessly on the roads, changing lanes without signalling and when I honked, they either just ignore me or look at me and flip me off 0.o I’m like wtf, it’s your wrong and you are acting all high and mighty. seriously, too much. plus when I try to be friendly and say hi, how are you to strangers, they assume I am interested and ask for my number =.=”” seriously *facepalm x infinity*
Hi aud, good campaign.i’m with you!when i said thank you to people and i’ve got silence as an answer, i’ll repeat it loudly haha
Hi Aud, I totally agree with you on this campaign, and I’m a Malaysian too, I hate it when ppl cut lanes without their signals turned on too, this is especially frutrating for me cause I’m a new driver, 20, and just got my license, living here for my whole life made me learn that some Malaysians just don’t get it, I encounter some of the things u mention too, though there are some who are polite too, I really really hope Malaysians can learn more manners. ><
I’m so glad you’re behind this! I’ve always been annoyed at bad manners but my friends always say that I’m overreacting lah, these things are normal lah, ignore them lah, do back to them lah, etc. -_-nI’m joining your Kempen Sopan Santun, Audrey!
I dont know if it is a KL thing or what to be rude ( SORRY TO THOSE KL PEOPLE WHOS NICE) I live in Sabah.Sabahan smiles to every single living things they see..hahahah TRUESTORY. we get our job done FAST by being NICE and respectful…so everytime when i go to KL, i forgot to switch off my SABAH MODE….i feel like i am being nice to the wall. Wen i smile..they look at me with weird n strange stare.kanasai.when i said thankyou dey feel s if i am asking for money .kanasai..what happen to them -_-
Malaysians are just not taught to be polite, I guess with only the minority being polite; I’ll assume this came from good upbringing instead of education.nI was culture shocked when I went to Aussie, because the cashier would casually say things like “How are you doing?” etc, and in Malaysia, we just don’t do that. Haha. Went to the US, and I simply love people holding doors for you or letting you through first! I think Malaysians are just not taught basic etiquette in school hahan
This is an Asian culture probably. I too lived in the OZ for a number of years and had gotten use to the ppl saying Thank You to bus drivers when hopping off. They even greet the bus driver Have A Good Day. The supermarket cashiers would also greet you “Hi How Are You” although expressionless.
I agree with you Aud. So so much!nWe used to be (to an extent) friendly and polite, so what happened?? I talked to my friends about this matter, and most of them are actually too shy to tell people off. Plus I guess most Malaysians still have the “tak apa” attitude (which sucks). =/
Every time I go home, I also faced this issue. People just rammed their trolley into my heels from the back repeatedly even after being told off; when I told them off, they looked elsewhere like no one is speaking to them. Terrible! And 1 time, I asked the airport staff in english (bcoz I just got off the plane, disorientated or wtf) then she wont look at me but said, ‘Msian, tak pandai cakap BM ke?’ sien…
Kempen is Malay word for campaign? Ahaha.. good one Aud I support!!!
Yes I am definitely with you on this! You should really tell all the rude people off. It annoys me to no end too. ROAR! :@
Yes haha. I assume you’re not Malaysian!
I will!
This post is so sad but true. Used to love vacationing in KL, but the last time i went ( Oct 2012) its like thing has taken to a very dark turn. Ppl cuting line, rude ppl, kanasai attitude, and dirtier bukitbintang. So said la haish. Also how your brother was robbed before, makes it all the worse, worry all the time. unlike before de 🙁
I remember in Tesco/Giant/Carrefour/Jusco (either la can’t rmb) they make workers wear a tag that said something like ‘tell me to smile’, something like that wtf.
Well said Audrey! Hope more ppl are aware of these, sometimes really piss off with the rudeness 🙁
Okay now that you mentioned it, I realized that it is always me who says thank you to the cashier/waiter/staff. Me, the customer! And most of the time they don’t say thank you in return or welcome 🙁 I guess it just became a norm for me but I still would not forgo my manners just because others are lacking theirs
AGREE !!!! Always need to say EXCUSE ME so damn loud so only then will move away! Then always get stepped on and pushed away from rude Malaysian and NOT EVEN a simple SORRY!!!
We visited KL last year; overall: =(nnOverall, people are rude. We paid the taxi driver, we thanked him. Without saying a word, he drove off! what the.nWhen we off to shopping centre, the sale assistants were kinda friendly, “Welcome!” here and there. I think that was rather fake. They freaking follow us everywhere!!! So what? If we weren’t dress like a rich person – it doesn’t mean that we can’t afford buying clothes, or rather stealing their items, yeah? npfft. #thirdworldmentality
Hello Aud! Way to go! Malaysian courtesy campaign ambassador!
definitely think you should make this campaign viral, Aud, because our country is suffering from a national crisis. in morale class students dont learn about moral but were brainwashed to be ‘grateful’ to the govt and should never question the govt’s doings. either that or our morale educators are hypocrites not practicing what they preach. it’s time for everyone to know the importance of good manners.