Growing up without being honed in the "Malay qualities" by my parents, I would like to think
I turned out to be a decent human being. Of course those tata-tertib and budi bahasa
that the young shows to the old were taught in school when I was seven years old and my parents
do admonish me whenever I am rude. From this I have an idea of how I should treat others, be
they my age or not.
My parents – thankfully – do not say that I should do this and that because it is the Malay way
– well occasionally – but more because it is how one human being should treat another: with
respect and politeness. This is how one should treat others, regardless of their race and religion.
I remember observing the Bruneian culture as I grew up there. Young and old were polite to one another
and full of love; so it should not be any different as time flies, nor are other countries any
different right? All one has to do it smile, say "Hello", be aware of sensitive issues, and lend a
hand. These steps should not be painful to exercise; oh how wrong was I!
Malaysian television programmes always show commercials where the country's three races are living in
harmony. I thought so too. I was seeing through rose-coloured glasses.
Coming back to Malaysia, west Malaysia specifically, in 2005 was an eye-opener. I heard of racisms but
have never seen or experienced it. It was through my time residing in west Malaysia that I see
Malaysians for what they are. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with the country – I love it mind
you – only the people.
The behaviour of so-called "modern" Malaysians disgusts me and I fear that I may be assimilated in it.
Public transport
By being inside Malaysia's "on-the-dot" public transport, one can see how budi bahasa has been stripped away from the minds of a majority of Malaysians. Take the LRT for example ... My, oh my where should I begin, shall I start with the pregnant women, the cutting of queues, the pushing? It was only yesterday that so happened there were three pregnant ladies in the same LRT compartment. Let us name them lady A, B, and C. Each compartment has eight seats, four of which are for the "privileged people ": the senior citizens, pregnant ladies, and disabled people. Four of these seats were taken up by" two energy-drained employees since it was balik time and by a young couple." When pregnant woman A got into the compartment the four people did not notice her since the LRT was very crowded. So lady A went to hold the pole and face the other four seats that do not have the for-the-privileged label put up. Poor woman, the people who were sitting and facing her obvious protruding tummy did not stand to offer their seats. When Lady B got into the compartment she was lucky that one of the ladies who sat at the "privileged seats" noticed her and offered her seat. She said "Thank you" and they exchanged smiles. Just so that you know, the lady who offered her seat was a in her 50s whereas the other three were in their 30s ... tsk, tsk, tsk. After a few stops Lady C entered the compartment. The young couple sitting at the "privileged seats" noticed her. The couple looked at each other and were CONTEMPLATING if they should offer their seats! The man kept looking back and forth from Lady C to his girlfriend. Bloody baboons, he is not pregnant and the girlfriend shows no signs of broken bones or pregnancy. What irate me the most was the man's indecisiveness to offer his seat. Are men not stronger than women and are they not taught to respect and protect them? It is sad seeing what the world has come to. Common courtesy
I have half a mind to strangle a certain group of Chinese in one of my classes. These ignorant people will start talking in Chinese halfway through the class. Since the lecturer is Chinese they asks nearly every questions in Chinese. Making it worse is when the lecturer replied in Chinese! the University 's classes are supposed to be taught in English regardless if the lecturer and 90% of the students are Chinese. It is common courtesy to speak in English because it is the medium and it shows that you are aware that not all speak your language and thus you care. This is what being polite means. To suddenly hear your lecturer and classmates belting out ching chong at the back of the class is very disconcerting. To Indians and Malays who read this post I will say this to you lot: you are no better. International students who teamed up with a group full of Chinese, Malay, Indian or a mix of these races find it exasperating when Malaysians talk other than English in a group project meeting. Malaysians, you have international students with whom you could practice your English, and yet you refuse to grab the chance. In my Maths class the lecturer and some of the students are from the Middle East. One day a student asked a question in Arabic and my lecturer asked him to use English since it is not an Arabic class. This is common courtesy. I have nothing against any race, but ignorance irate me and aid in my having racist views. I do put a clamp on these views but there were times where my temper overruled any rational thought. Kak, not Cik. Abang, not Encik
Through my primary school education we were taught to use Cik as a second-person pronoun. It is polite and formal. Coming to Malaysia I often hear people calling me Kak. I do not mind if kids are using it, but I do mind when it is someone my age, older, or slightly younger. Usually those who use Kak say it in a rough manner. The usage of that word makes a person sounds uncouth. The same goes for the replacement of Abang for Encik. It is impolite to call others Kak or Abang if you do not know them. These words mean knowing the other person at an intimate level. I for one do not know you lot out there intimately. Certainly I am not a Saint nor am I perfect. I have my shares of ignorance and selfishness, but the level of rudeness that I observe among Malaysian is just appalling. Simple act of politeness will not kill you; instead it will gain you more friends and respect. Believe it or not, it does make you feel better. So why chose to be rude and lose it all? Here, I end my rant and will probably write a post on whiny, greedy, ungrateful, undeserving scholarship students.
By being inside Malaysia's "on-the-dot" public transport, one can see how budi bahasa has been stripped away from the minds of a majority of Malaysians. Take the LRT for example ... My, oh my where should I begin, shall I start with the pregnant women, the cutting of queues, the pushing? It was only yesterday that so happened there were three pregnant ladies in the same LRT compartment. Let us name them lady A, B, and C. Each compartment has eight seats, four of which are for the "privileged people ": the senior citizens, pregnant ladies, and disabled people. Four of these seats were taken up by" two energy-drained employees since it was balik time and by a young couple." When pregnant woman A got into the compartment the four people did not notice her since the LRT was very crowded. So lady A went to hold the pole and face the other four seats that do not have the for-the-privileged label put up. Poor woman, the people who were sitting and facing her obvious protruding tummy did not stand to offer their seats. When Lady B got into the compartment she was lucky that one of the ladies who sat at the "privileged seats" noticed her and offered her seat. She said "Thank you" and they exchanged smiles. Just so that you know, the lady who offered her seat was a in her 50s whereas the other three were in their 30s ... tsk, tsk, tsk. After a few stops Lady C entered the compartment. The young couple sitting at the "privileged seats" noticed her. The couple looked at each other and were CONTEMPLATING if they should offer their seats! The man kept looking back and forth from Lady C to his girlfriend. Bloody baboons, he is not pregnant and the girlfriend shows no signs of broken bones or pregnancy. What irate me the most was the man's indecisiveness to offer his seat. Are men not stronger than women and are they not taught to respect and protect them? It is sad seeing what the world has come to. Common courtesy
I have half a mind to strangle a certain group of Chinese in one of my classes. These ignorant people will start talking in Chinese halfway through the class. Since the lecturer is Chinese they asks nearly every questions in Chinese. Making it worse is when the lecturer replied in Chinese! the University 's classes are supposed to be taught in English regardless if the lecturer and 90% of the students are Chinese. It is common courtesy to speak in English because it is the medium and it shows that you are aware that not all speak your language and thus you care. This is what being polite means. To suddenly hear your lecturer and classmates belting out ching chong at the back of the class is very disconcerting. To Indians and Malays who read this post I will say this to you lot: you are no better. International students who teamed up with a group full of Chinese, Malay, Indian or a mix of these races find it exasperating when Malaysians talk other than English in a group project meeting. Malaysians, you have international students with whom you could practice your English, and yet you refuse to grab the chance. In my Maths class the lecturer and some of the students are from the Middle East. One day a student asked a question in Arabic and my lecturer asked him to use English since it is not an Arabic class. This is common courtesy. I have nothing against any race, but ignorance irate me and aid in my having racist views. I do put a clamp on these views but there were times where my temper overruled any rational thought. Kak, not Cik. Abang, not Encik
Through my primary school education we were taught to use Cik as a second-person pronoun. It is polite and formal. Coming to Malaysia I often hear people calling me Kak. I do not mind if kids are using it, but I do mind when it is someone my age, older, or slightly younger. Usually those who use Kak say it in a rough manner. The usage of that word makes a person sounds uncouth. The same goes for the replacement of Abang for Encik. It is impolite to call others Kak or Abang if you do not know them. These words mean knowing the other person at an intimate level. I for one do not know you lot out there intimately. Certainly I am not a Saint nor am I perfect. I have my shares of ignorance and selfishness, but the level of rudeness that I observe among Malaysian is just appalling. Simple act of politeness will not kill you; instead it will gain you more friends and respect. Believe it or not, it does make you feel better. So why chose to be rude and lose it all? Here, I end my rant and will probably write a post on whiny, greedy, ungrateful, undeserving scholarship students.
The whole of last month had been nothing but a nightmare. Projects, assignments, final project presentation,
and exams were crammed into four weeks. It is a time where your sanity is hanging by a gossamer thread and
you learn who your real friends are. Add twice removed first cousins to the recipe you will concoct yourself
a wonderful ‘Death Potion’. Another lesson learned throughout the hellish month: get three people in a group!
Two people doing a project on PIC and Zilog programming is definitely not enough.
End results of last semester were physical and mental drain. All I want right now is to pass all of my
subjects and my final year project. As for my twice removed first cousins ... GOD HELP ME OR I WILL MURDER THE
IMPS! See that is how I feel for the little devils. Odd thing is I am never fond of the youngest of the three
girls. She annoys me to no end and her I-am-a-cool-and-cute-queen-bow-to-me behaviour drives me to insanity.
In shorter words she is the epitome of a pure brat. Yes, the youngest child is usually a brat, but she is the
worst that I am ‘fortunate’ enough to meet. She cries to get attention, orders everyone about, thinks everyone
loves her, and does what she wants ... grr. At times I want to smack her hard. I am not saying the brat’s
sisters are not equally bad, but the major difference between the brat and her two sisters is that the sisters
show their true self. The sisters do not act innocent, something that the brat does all the time. The façade
of innocence the brat parades disgust me and make me uneasy. She may be a three year old, but she knows how to
control everyone around her, especially her parents ... Innocent my arse.
Enough with the bratty princesses; Ramadhan is here and we are in our fifth month of fasting. I have yet to lose
a lot of weight and with my aunt’s cooking the diet plan does not go well. Yes I am making a lot of excuses. I
know that very well, but let me immerse in self pity for a while. *Sigh* Gah, I am going to stop my rant.