Malaysia Boh-leh!

It is absolutely baffling. One looks at postcards of Malaysia and sees the airport and must think to one self, "Wow! This is a real modern country. I wonder why isn't it considered a first-world country?" Think about it. We have the gloriously tall and ingeniously named, 'Twin Towers'. Our sports facilities are also as expensive as a solid gold toilet bowl. As I mentioned earlier, our airport is also first-rate, and I know this because I have travelled and I can honestly say, there is no better airport I rather pay RM17 for a bottle of water then at KLIA. So this begs the question, What's the problem?

We are also just as civilised as any other investment banker in London, or a lawyer in Mumbai. You go for a drive and a traffic jam forces you to obey the speed limit. You go to pay at the supermarket, and the cashier scans your item 3 times before telling a runner to check the price at the shelf you got it from. Its all very civilised. So, again, what's the problem?

The problem is, we have first-rate 'stuff', but third-rate mentality. The people are the problem. Our mindsets. Kuala Lumpur would not look out of place in any other first-world country, if it were a ghost town, but because it is full of Malaysians, it is beatened as the rudest city in the world only by New York City.

Returning home after spending 6 months in another country, I am disappointed in the behaviour of my fellow Malaysians. This is almost as disappointing as finding out my new bedroom is smaller then my little sister's and that my adjoining shower only works in Morse code (hot, hot, cold, hot, cold, cold, hot, hot, hot, cold, warm).

For my less-travelled friends, you might not notice the things I notice. But let me put it to you this way; when was the last time you had a door held open for you by the person in front of you? When was the last time you received a smile and a compliment by the waitstaff at your favorite restaurant? When was the last time the toll booth operator wasn't rude to you? When was the last time the service you received at the shoe store could even be remotely considered as moderately helpful?

But do not laugh, you are just as guilty as everybody else. You litter, you spit in public, you drive with the reckless abandon of a mental patient, and you smoke in public places. I would not trust you to sit the right way on the toilet seat, and indeed, accuracy is sorely lacking in the men's room.

In accordance with my new policy of suggesting a suitable, if slightly moronic solution to any problem I bring up, here is my humble 6 step plan:

1. Acceptance of the problem; We must bow our heads and admit that we are not as great as we proclaim ourselves to be. Case in point, Proton, which continues to bleed money despite having a strangle hold on the local car market, and the laughing stock we call our national football team who lost 5-1 to China and 5-0 to Uzbekistan despite having sports equipment that impresses even the German soccer team.
2. Identify the problem; We spit, we litter, we speed, and we are proud of it. Knock it off!
3. Setting objectives; Why not we first try and act more politely to one another? Say please and thank you, let other drivers out of side lanes once in a while, even hold open a door or two! Lets live our life as if it were one big friendliness commercial.
4. Setting the plan in motion; You know what to do. Go forth and conquer! (with a smile, of course).
5. Postmortem; This is the time to sit back, relax, and admire the new, much better society which will lead to,.... lead to,.......

Well, that was a complete waste of time. As far as I can see, nothing good will come out of being better people anyway. Forget about the 6th plan which involves gloating and generally acting snooty to other, lesser countries. Oh well. As you were Malaysia.