EricOng
06-26-2006, 05:29 AM
What do you guys think about this? I was so shocked upon receiving this news from my teacher saying that KL IS in the bottom 3. I always thought we were one of the most polite people in the world. Well, perhaps I'm outdated. Here's the news source:
Malaysia's Capital City Has Emerged The Third-Worst In The World Of Sheer Rudeness
Only Bucharest and Mumbai are worse when it comes to common courtesy, a Reader’s Digest survey of 35 of the world’s capitals has found.
Asian cities generally fared poorly in these rankings, eight of nine of them in the bottom 11, raising the notion that what is considered courtesy in the West — holding doors, helping strangers, service with a smile — is culturally alien in Asia.
The Times of London reported that Reader’s Digest magazine sent reporters into the principal city of each of the 35 countries in which it publishes to conduct a survey of local politeness. Three tests were employed: Dropping papers in a busy street to see if anyone would help; checking how often shop assistants said "thank you"; and counting how often someone held a door open.
London and Paris came a disappointing joint 15th, beaten by such cities as Berlin, Warsaw, Madrid and Prague. New York came top in the survey, with a score of 80 per cent, compared with 57 per cent for London and Paris.
Ed Koch, a former mayor of the city, said: "Since 9/11, New Yorkers are more caring. They understand the shortness of life."
The rudest city in the world, according to the survey, is Mumbai, which is even ruder than Bucharest, judged the rudest city in Europe, where door-holding, paper-picking and thanking the retail customer are not part of the culture. The Romanians are, the results show, much surlier than even the French.
Citizens of Zagreb, in Croatia, are the most willing to help you to pick up a pile of papers; one man insisted on helping despite arthritis and a bad back. The shop assistants of Stockholm are the most polite, unfailingly thanking customers for making a purchase.
In São Paulo, Brazil, even the criminals are civil; the researchers were attempting to buy sunglasses in an illegal market when the police arrived; the stallholder said "thank you" as he fled.
Moscow, meanwhile, is a very rude place indeed, with a score of only 42 per cent.
One woman, refusing to hold a door open, sneered to a Reader’s Digest researcher: "I’m not a doorman; it’s not my job to hold doors. If someone gets hurt, they should be quicker."
Courtesy is not big in Asia, either. Every city on that continent tested, with the exception of Hong Kong, finished in the bottom 10.
None of the three tests scored more than 40 per cent in any Asian city.
Overall, the tests found that the under-40s were the most courteous, and the over-60s, particularly the men, the least. Some claimed that they were concerned about patronising modern independent females, and were particularly unwilling to hold a door open for a woman. Grumpy old men are clearly not a purely British phenomenon.
Katherine Walker, editor in chief of the Digest’s British edition, said: "This was the world’s biggest real-life test of common courtesy; our researchers conducted more than 2,000 separate tests."
Analysis of the results suggest that the worldwide level of politeness stands at 55 per cent. If common courtesy is the oil that keeps society running, Reader’s Digest concludes, some cities could do with a top-up.
Reader's Reaction and Comments
Lex, KL:
People in KL are rude. Those who "thinks" Malaysians are polite are in denial. Common courtesy is so lacking I'm not surprised to see KL is ranked 3rd.
Munir Daud:
In general, I strongly agree that the three main criteria to assess local politeness are lacking in KL. The lift is an example, where you may seldom find one holding the door for you (further more none will smile or talk in a lift). When asking for help or direction, the common answer is "I'm not sure". On the other hand, if you are looking for courtesy, shop at Isetan, as you would not get the same treatment at Mark&Spencer although both premises are under the same roof at Suria KLCC.
Lo Lo, Kuala Terengganu:
Yes, I agree, city folks are rude. I believe it is because of their mentality. In the course of "cari makan", they somehow become selfish and greedy, therefore rudeness becomes part of life. I think we can improve if we want to. A good example is that generally local folk treat foreigners politely, so if the same manner is practiced among locals, we are there. If you don't believe me, try walking into a hotel and see the difference in the level of services offered to locals and foreigners.
Shanthi, Arizona:
Malaysians are not rude. Perhaps, we might not be cultured in the ways of the West. We might not hold doors or say how do you do to everyone but most Malaysians are courteous and even willing to go out of their way to help others. It is a question of how you ask. If K'Lites do differ, I guess they have lost a bit of what is known as common courtesy. Don't let a few black sheep spoil our day.
Susie, Malaysian residing in New Zealand:
I honestly believe that most Malaysians lack courtesy and hence labelled rude. Basic manners i.e. 'yes, please' and 'no, thank you' go a long way. Holding door, giving up your seat for the elderly in public transport, etc. should be taught in schools and at home. Most important, parents should remember that they are setting an example throught their own actions.
Alvin, Kota Kinabalu:
I find that Malaysians are much nicer to foreigners especially Westerners compared to their own fellow Malaysians or Asians. It is hard to find honesty, courtesy and integrity in a person nowadays, either in civil or private sectors.
Subra, Miri:
I don't agree that Malaysians be ranked 3rd in the survey. Yes, we may be rude on the roads, but I feel the other yardstick used may be not be the normal culture in our country, like opening doors. We do have other polite culture, such as smiling to others, helping those having troubles on the road. I think language barrier could have been one reason why we were ranked that low.
Song, Guangzhou:
I do not agree at all with the ranking for KL. I was in KL for 28 years and in China for the last 1 year and 9 months. Come to Guangzhou and witness for yourself the real life here - the traffic, driving style. Also, try entering the lifts in a shopping complex, and you'll understand what I'm saying.
Zana Fauzi:
Friendly and courteous Malaysians are a myth. Just yesterday a blind lady boarded the LRT at the Universiti station and two ladies who were seated and chatting, like under a curse, fell asleep or pretended to fall asleep, whichever is right. And what about that makcik who profusely press the close button when she sees you running towards the elevator? The shoving to get into the LRT? The queue-cutting in surprise, surprise, supermarkets? Sigh.
Dewi, Negeri Sembilan:
Generally, I agree. Malaysians seems more friendly to those expatriates or "orang putih". I'm from Jakarta and have been living here for almost 10 years, but compared to people in Jakarta or all over Indonesia, we have what we call "basa basi" everytime we meet people, even those we don't know. I've experienced too many rude encounters here, that I eventually thought it's the culture here.
Will, Beijijng, China:
I doubt the accuracy of the survey. I have been to most, if not all, the cities mentioned. A simple analogy for readers' guide is as follows:
If you conduct a survey in one of the "high-end" areas, e.g. Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, conduct the said test, and at the same time, conduct a similar survey at one of the normal night markets in KL, say Petaling Street. Now, pray tell me, how a conclusion is derived?
We are talking about different classes of people in a particular society/location. Of course, the level of courtesy as well as mannerism differs. So, generalisation, in this instance, is very much undesired.
Did the surveyors or researchers go to places like downtown LA or even New York City's Harlem neighbourhood? Choose there instead, and go to maybe one of the up-market areas in KL like Starhill, maybe KL may emerge as the MOST COURTEOUS city in the world!
Agnes, Kuching:
I don't agree with the survey. Yes, some Malaysians do not have road courtesy, I guess it is their attitude to win and rush... However, I think we Malaysians are friendly... Once we went to a fast food outlet, we couldn't find any seat. We saw a Malay family, and they smiled at us and invited us to join them. We feel bad because we have a 7-year-old son and a 23-months-old toddler but they insisted. When we sat down, they are friendly and we became friends. About holding doors to others, I have tried seeking help from other fellow Malaysians, they are more than willing to help. When someone need my help even before they open their mouth, I will offer my help. This type of attitude depends on our initiative... maybe for some Malaysians we have to polish on this attitude. All and all, we Malaysians are good and polite people.
Nadiah, Johor Bahru:
I agree with the survey. Drivers are obviously rude and shop assistants are just too busy looking at themselves in the mirror to say thank you.
Catherine Gail, Bandar Sunway :
I do not agree with the survey. I believe there are lot more polite and considerate creature out there in Malaysia. Malaysians are famous for their smiles... no matter who we see or meet we always try to make them feel welcomed. The reason Malaysians are claimed to be rude maybe because of the increasing crime rates which involve innocent lives. But as far as I know Malaysians are polite and nice people. Always remember to treat people the way you want to be treated.
Sheila, Kuala Lumpur:
I agree 100 per cent. I'm always holding the door open for people who never say thank you and don't bother holding it open for the people behind them. Don't even get me started on people who 'rush' into a lift even though you got there before them and before the people in the lift can get out. Then there's the bumping into you without saying 'sorry' or 'excuse me'.
Maureen, USA:
I'm surprised that NEW YORKERS are the nicest? I've visited NY on several occasions and I guess they've gotten a bit kinder since 9-11 but they certainly are not the friendliest city in the United States!!
Aida, Kuala Lumpur:
I wouldn't say that all Malaysians are rude, after all the survey only looked at three aspects of courtesy. However, I did experience the American courtesy when I was in New York recently. Every place I went people were very courteous in every aspect of the word right up to the salespersons. Some of them didn't even wait for my friends and I to ask for help but offered help instead when they sensed that we seemed quite lost. They were not only courteous, but also helpful and friendly. They really made our day.
ADILLA, 20:
I believe it is true. Sometimes it is just too hard for people to say the word "please" and "thank you", or even try to be concern with the people around.
Ravee, Kuala Lumpur:
Absolutely true! I find foreigners much more polite than locals especially in KL. Most of Klites are rude and inconsiderate and we have to accept this fact. Cutting queues and rushing into elevators are quite normal in KL.
Sukri, Sitiawan:
Malaysians throw rubbish without any feeling of guilt, out of moving cars on highways, on public pavements, etc. They do that pretending that nothing's wrong, maybe some of them really are ignorant or genuinely felt it's normal because they were not taught to put rubbish in its place. It all starts from home.
Kim, Kuala Lumpur:
Generally M'sian are rude. "Please" and "Thank you" are rarely heard from service staff and youths.
MeeMee:
I absolutely agree with this. Especially when on the road,i was really suprised one time when a man just overtook me and raised his finger to me. I really cannot imagine what has happened to our society and our citizens.
Chin Yeow Aik:
Malaysian are generally not rude but we just lack courtesy. Rude would be for us show disrespect to others which we do not do but when someone shows courtesy to us, we generally do not return in kind. We don't say thank you when someone open the door for us, one example. I wouldn't say KL is rude but KL is definitely not the friendliest city.
ccdeville:
Those people who say malaysians are polite probably don't have to take the everyday crap from rude drivers, office workers, govt servants, salespeople to the general public. Foreigners dont have a say on the matter bcos we all know they get treated "better" by M'sians who still possess a colonised mentality. Some people say its the circumstances that make us this way, some say if the approach is right, then we are friendly. What a joke! Civic consciousness - what the hell is that? Malaysians don't even know how to use the public toilets properly (it's always wet and dirty). We got a long way to go, a looonnggggg way...
V.Ravindran, Kuala Lumpur:
Global research carries a one-size-fits-all assumption. If thieves and thugs say "thank you" and flee, as in Sao Paulo, does it mean a "polite" city. Courtesy must be culturally experienced beyond holding doors,programmed thank yous and picking up dropped articles for strangers. A better measure would be to survey tourists and the expatriate community in a city on more substantive elements.
Sean, Singapore:
I do agree that a majority of Msian are rude, I'm a Msian working in Sinagpore but travel back to JB on weekends. Most Malaysians do not have the courtesy.
Premila, Ipoh:
I certainly do not agree to the survey. We can't judge people if they are courtesy enough or rude to others. If we go abroad, and suddenly we drop a stack of papers, maybe we will face the same situation as what the researchers faced in Malaysia. It all goes back to "mind your own business" to some extent that we are busy enough to take care of our life! So, opening door and picking up papers actually is not the proper way to measure our Malaysian values. Yet, saying thank you is very important to show our gratitude, which are Malaysians famous for, in my point of view. I think almost all the shops that I go to, they do welcome me and says thank you and come again! So what else the Reader's Digest wants? Maybe the strong accent of these researches did not allow them to see how the Malaysian are actually. If one understands the strong accents of other culture, then I think they would not make such a sweeping statement just by visiting a small area in Malaysia. I am very proud of being a Malaysian despite the difference of religion, language and culture! Malaysia Boleh!
Eddy Zulkanaen, Kuala Lumpur:
Sigh! Sad but true. From the time you drive in KL, que up at the ATM, eat at a smoke filled non-smoking restaurant, crossing a zebra line to the other side, using the escalator and up until you reach the last traffic lights to your home you would surely came across an example of Malaysian rudeness. Contrary to what they say, first impression does count.
Kevin, KL:
While it is difficult to validate such findings, my personal experience tends to agree that there is a lack of civic-mindedness amongst many M'sians. Evident in everyday life - retail assistants that frown or don't say "thank you" to the customer; civil servants operating the telephone who is not helpful in pointing you to the right direction. What more so than the mannerism and approach to driving adopted by many M'sians.
Jonathan Soon, Melbourne:
I have an Australian pharmacy colleague who told me about how beautiful and friendly Kuala Lumpur was when they first visited Malaysia years back then. I felt so bad to tell them that Malaysia was not longer herself, as things change and hope they won't hold their hopes too high. In Malaysia, the funny thing is they are only friendly when people are their customers, no matter how they were approached. I hope people can change their habits and be less rude.
Marshalm Kuala Lumpur:
It's a different culture in Asia. Holding up doors might not be the norm in Asian life. We however would normally greet people by asking if they had taken their meal. Each ethnic has its own way of being polite, which might not be immediately understood by another ethnic. I would say Malaysians are quite all right when you get to know them, but somehow, we do have odd attitudes and reactions towards approaching strangers, whether or not they need help. I guess it's a matter of how much one understands the other.
Linda:
It's true that KL folks are rude. They are more friendly to the westerners. I remember shopping one day with my hands full of stuffs and I cannot open the door to get out from the shop. I was walking behind a guy who didnt bother to hold the door for me. The salesgirls will follow me (so close that I can smell their strong perfume) when I am in a shop buying clothes but she wont ask if I needed help. And if I decided not to buy anything, she will give me the "you-wasted-my-time" stare. Maybe other cities in Malaysia are better than KL. Well, I'm not surprised Kl ranked 3rd in terms of rude cities
mimi, kuala lumpur:
I think those born in KL are generally polite. Only those who are not born in KL are rude. Most of them came from other states to look for work here.
Nik, Kuala Lumpur:
No, Malaysians are not rude. Imagine this, when I was in the States, I used to get the "Hi, How are you?" and many more from the nice blonde chicks, and I am definitely a foreigner to them. How would it be, if our girls do the same to MOST foreigners here in Malaysia they might ended up getting mugged or worst, raped. Why are we sometimes being very rude to our own kind (fellow Malaysians)? Because, we Malaysians often feel that if some stranger tries to help us, he/she must be up to no good. If we try to be nice to our colleagues, then we must be trying to get information. The worst is, if you try to be nice in your office especially to the opposite sex, then you might get the nasty calls from the husbands, boyfriends, fathers and many more.
Suzie, Kelantan:
Frankly speaking, I agree that most KLites are rude. For instance, when you are on queueing to step into the LRT (at KL Sentral), you'll find people cutting the lines, and they didn't bother letting passengers to step out before moving in.
Credits to New Straits Times.
Malaysia's Capital City Has Emerged The Third-Worst In The World Of Sheer Rudeness
Only Bucharest and Mumbai are worse when it comes to common courtesy, a Reader’s Digest survey of 35 of the world’s capitals has found.
Asian cities generally fared poorly in these rankings, eight of nine of them in the bottom 11, raising the notion that what is considered courtesy in the West — holding doors, helping strangers, service with a smile — is culturally alien in Asia.
The Times of London reported that Reader’s Digest magazine sent reporters into the principal city of each of the 35 countries in which it publishes to conduct a survey of local politeness. Three tests were employed: Dropping papers in a busy street to see if anyone would help; checking how often shop assistants said "thank you"; and counting how often someone held a door open.
London and Paris came a disappointing joint 15th, beaten by such cities as Berlin, Warsaw, Madrid and Prague. New York came top in the survey, with a score of 80 per cent, compared with 57 per cent for London and Paris.
Ed Koch, a former mayor of the city, said: "Since 9/11, New Yorkers are more caring. They understand the shortness of life."
The rudest city in the world, according to the survey, is Mumbai, which is even ruder than Bucharest, judged the rudest city in Europe, where door-holding, paper-picking and thanking the retail customer are not part of the culture. The Romanians are, the results show, much surlier than even the French.
Citizens of Zagreb, in Croatia, are the most willing to help you to pick up a pile of papers; one man insisted on helping despite arthritis and a bad back. The shop assistants of Stockholm are the most polite, unfailingly thanking customers for making a purchase.
In São Paulo, Brazil, even the criminals are civil; the researchers were attempting to buy sunglasses in an illegal market when the police arrived; the stallholder said "thank you" as he fled.
Moscow, meanwhile, is a very rude place indeed, with a score of only 42 per cent.
One woman, refusing to hold a door open, sneered to a Reader’s Digest researcher: "I’m not a doorman; it’s not my job to hold doors. If someone gets hurt, they should be quicker."
Courtesy is not big in Asia, either. Every city on that continent tested, with the exception of Hong Kong, finished in the bottom 10.
None of the three tests scored more than 40 per cent in any Asian city.
Overall, the tests found that the under-40s were the most courteous, and the over-60s, particularly the men, the least. Some claimed that they were concerned about patronising modern independent females, and were particularly unwilling to hold a door open for a woman. Grumpy old men are clearly not a purely British phenomenon.
Katherine Walker, editor in chief of the Digest’s British edition, said: "This was the world’s biggest real-life test of common courtesy; our researchers conducted more than 2,000 separate tests."
Analysis of the results suggest that the worldwide level of politeness stands at 55 per cent. If common courtesy is the oil that keeps society running, Reader’s Digest concludes, some cities could do with a top-up.
Reader's Reaction and Comments
Lex, KL:
People in KL are rude. Those who "thinks" Malaysians are polite are in denial. Common courtesy is so lacking I'm not surprised to see KL is ranked 3rd.
Munir Daud:
In general, I strongly agree that the three main criteria to assess local politeness are lacking in KL. The lift is an example, where you may seldom find one holding the door for you (further more none will smile or talk in a lift). When asking for help or direction, the common answer is "I'm not sure". On the other hand, if you are looking for courtesy, shop at Isetan, as you would not get the same treatment at Mark&Spencer although both premises are under the same roof at Suria KLCC.
Lo Lo, Kuala Terengganu:
Yes, I agree, city folks are rude. I believe it is because of their mentality. In the course of "cari makan", they somehow become selfish and greedy, therefore rudeness becomes part of life. I think we can improve if we want to. A good example is that generally local folk treat foreigners politely, so if the same manner is practiced among locals, we are there. If you don't believe me, try walking into a hotel and see the difference in the level of services offered to locals and foreigners.
Shanthi, Arizona:
Malaysians are not rude. Perhaps, we might not be cultured in the ways of the West. We might not hold doors or say how do you do to everyone but most Malaysians are courteous and even willing to go out of their way to help others. It is a question of how you ask. If K'Lites do differ, I guess they have lost a bit of what is known as common courtesy. Don't let a few black sheep spoil our day.
Susie, Malaysian residing in New Zealand:
I honestly believe that most Malaysians lack courtesy and hence labelled rude. Basic manners i.e. 'yes, please' and 'no, thank you' go a long way. Holding door, giving up your seat for the elderly in public transport, etc. should be taught in schools and at home. Most important, parents should remember that they are setting an example throught their own actions.
Alvin, Kota Kinabalu:
I find that Malaysians are much nicer to foreigners especially Westerners compared to their own fellow Malaysians or Asians. It is hard to find honesty, courtesy and integrity in a person nowadays, either in civil or private sectors.
Subra, Miri:
I don't agree that Malaysians be ranked 3rd in the survey. Yes, we may be rude on the roads, but I feel the other yardstick used may be not be the normal culture in our country, like opening doors. We do have other polite culture, such as smiling to others, helping those having troubles on the road. I think language barrier could have been one reason why we were ranked that low.
Song, Guangzhou:
I do not agree at all with the ranking for KL. I was in KL for 28 years and in China for the last 1 year and 9 months. Come to Guangzhou and witness for yourself the real life here - the traffic, driving style. Also, try entering the lifts in a shopping complex, and you'll understand what I'm saying.
Zana Fauzi:
Friendly and courteous Malaysians are a myth. Just yesterday a blind lady boarded the LRT at the Universiti station and two ladies who were seated and chatting, like under a curse, fell asleep or pretended to fall asleep, whichever is right. And what about that makcik who profusely press the close button when she sees you running towards the elevator? The shoving to get into the LRT? The queue-cutting in surprise, surprise, supermarkets? Sigh.
Dewi, Negeri Sembilan:
Generally, I agree. Malaysians seems more friendly to those expatriates or "orang putih". I'm from Jakarta and have been living here for almost 10 years, but compared to people in Jakarta or all over Indonesia, we have what we call "basa basi" everytime we meet people, even those we don't know. I've experienced too many rude encounters here, that I eventually thought it's the culture here.
Will, Beijijng, China:
I doubt the accuracy of the survey. I have been to most, if not all, the cities mentioned. A simple analogy for readers' guide is as follows:
If you conduct a survey in one of the "high-end" areas, e.g. Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, conduct the said test, and at the same time, conduct a similar survey at one of the normal night markets in KL, say Petaling Street. Now, pray tell me, how a conclusion is derived?
We are talking about different classes of people in a particular society/location. Of course, the level of courtesy as well as mannerism differs. So, generalisation, in this instance, is very much undesired.
Did the surveyors or researchers go to places like downtown LA or even New York City's Harlem neighbourhood? Choose there instead, and go to maybe one of the up-market areas in KL like Starhill, maybe KL may emerge as the MOST COURTEOUS city in the world!
Agnes, Kuching:
I don't agree with the survey. Yes, some Malaysians do not have road courtesy, I guess it is their attitude to win and rush... However, I think we Malaysians are friendly... Once we went to a fast food outlet, we couldn't find any seat. We saw a Malay family, and they smiled at us and invited us to join them. We feel bad because we have a 7-year-old son and a 23-months-old toddler but they insisted. When we sat down, they are friendly and we became friends. About holding doors to others, I have tried seeking help from other fellow Malaysians, they are more than willing to help. When someone need my help even before they open their mouth, I will offer my help. This type of attitude depends on our initiative... maybe for some Malaysians we have to polish on this attitude. All and all, we Malaysians are good and polite people.
Nadiah, Johor Bahru:
I agree with the survey. Drivers are obviously rude and shop assistants are just too busy looking at themselves in the mirror to say thank you.
Catherine Gail, Bandar Sunway :
I do not agree with the survey. I believe there are lot more polite and considerate creature out there in Malaysia. Malaysians are famous for their smiles... no matter who we see or meet we always try to make them feel welcomed. The reason Malaysians are claimed to be rude maybe because of the increasing crime rates which involve innocent lives. But as far as I know Malaysians are polite and nice people. Always remember to treat people the way you want to be treated.
Sheila, Kuala Lumpur:
I agree 100 per cent. I'm always holding the door open for people who never say thank you and don't bother holding it open for the people behind them. Don't even get me started on people who 'rush' into a lift even though you got there before them and before the people in the lift can get out. Then there's the bumping into you without saying 'sorry' or 'excuse me'.
Maureen, USA:
I'm surprised that NEW YORKERS are the nicest? I've visited NY on several occasions and I guess they've gotten a bit kinder since 9-11 but they certainly are not the friendliest city in the United States!!
Aida, Kuala Lumpur:
I wouldn't say that all Malaysians are rude, after all the survey only looked at three aspects of courtesy. However, I did experience the American courtesy when I was in New York recently. Every place I went people were very courteous in every aspect of the word right up to the salespersons. Some of them didn't even wait for my friends and I to ask for help but offered help instead when they sensed that we seemed quite lost. They were not only courteous, but also helpful and friendly. They really made our day.
ADILLA, 20:
I believe it is true. Sometimes it is just too hard for people to say the word "please" and "thank you", or even try to be concern with the people around.
Ravee, Kuala Lumpur:
Absolutely true! I find foreigners much more polite than locals especially in KL. Most of Klites are rude and inconsiderate and we have to accept this fact. Cutting queues and rushing into elevators are quite normal in KL.
Sukri, Sitiawan:
Malaysians throw rubbish without any feeling of guilt, out of moving cars on highways, on public pavements, etc. They do that pretending that nothing's wrong, maybe some of them really are ignorant or genuinely felt it's normal because they were not taught to put rubbish in its place. It all starts from home.
Kim, Kuala Lumpur:
Generally M'sian are rude. "Please" and "Thank you" are rarely heard from service staff and youths.
MeeMee:
I absolutely agree with this. Especially when on the road,i was really suprised one time when a man just overtook me and raised his finger to me. I really cannot imagine what has happened to our society and our citizens.
Chin Yeow Aik:
Malaysian are generally not rude but we just lack courtesy. Rude would be for us show disrespect to others which we do not do but when someone shows courtesy to us, we generally do not return in kind. We don't say thank you when someone open the door for us, one example. I wouldn't say KL is rude but KL is definitely not the friendliest city.
ccdeville:
Those people who say malaysians are polite probably don't have to take the everyday crap from rude drivers, office workers, govt servants, salespeople to the general public. Foreigners dont have a say on the matter bcos we all know they get treated "better" by M'sians who still possess a colonised mentality. Some people say its the circumstances that make us this way, some say if the approach is right, then we are friendly. What a joke! Civic consciousness - what the hell is that? Malaysians don't even know how to use the public toilets properly (it's always wet and dirty). We got a long way to go, a looonnggggg way...
V.Ravindran, Kuala Lumpur:
Global research carries a one-size-fits-all assumption. If thieves and thugs say "thank you" and flee, as in Sao Paulo, does it mean a "polite" city. Courtesy must be culturally experienced beyond holding doors,programmed thank yous and picking up dropped articles for strangers. A better measure would be to survey tourists and the expatriate community in a city on more substantive elements.
Sean, Singapore:
I do agree that a majority of Msian are rude, I'm a Msian working in Sinagpore but travel back to JB on weekends. Most Malaysians do not have the courtesy.
Premila, Ipoh:
I certainly do not agree to the survey. We can't judge people if they are courtesy enough or rude to others. If we go abroad, and suddenly we drop a stack of papers, maybe we will face the same situation as what the researchers faced in Malaysia. It all goes back to "mind your own business" to some extent that we are busy enough to take care of our life! So, opening door and picking up papers actually is not the proper way to measure our Malaysian values. Yet, saying thank you is very important to show our gratitude, which are Malaysians famous for, in my point of view. I think almost all the shops that I go to, they do welcome me and says thank you and come again! So what else the Reader's Digest wants? Maybe the strong accent of these researches did not allow them to see how the Malaysian are actually. If one understands the strong accents of other culture, then I think they would not make such a sweeping statement just by visiting a small area in Malaysia. I am very proud of being a Malaysian despite the difference of religion, language and culture! Malaysia Boleh!
Eddy Zulkanaen, Kuala Lumpur:
Sigh! Sad but true. From the time you drive in KL, que up at the ATM, eat at a smoke filled non-smoking restaurant, crossing a zebra line to the other side, using the escalator and up until you reach the last traffic lights to your home you would surely came across an example of Malaysian rudeness. Contrary to what they say, first impression does count.
Kevin, KL:
While it is difficult to validate such findings, my personal experience tends to agree that there is a lack of civic-mindedness amongst many M'sians. Evident in everyday life - retail assistants that frown or don't say "thank you" to the customer; civil servants operating the telephone who is not helpful in pointing you to the right direction. What more so than the mannerism and approach to driving adopted by many M'sians.
Jonathan Soon, Melbourne:
I have an Australian pharmacy colleague who told me about how beautiful and friendly Kuala Lumpur was when they first visited Malaysia years back then. I felt so bad to tell them that Malaysia was not longer herself, as things change and hope they won't hold their hopes too high. In Malaysia, the funny thing is they are only friendly when people are their customers, no matter how they were approached. I hope people can change their habits and be less rude.
Marshalm Kuala Lumpur:
It's a different culture in Asia. Holding up doors might not be the norm in Asian life. We however would normally greet people by asking if they had taken their meal. Each ethnic has its own way of being polite, which might not be immediately understood by another ethnic. I would say Malaysians are quite all right when you get to know them, but somehow, we do have odd attitudes and reactions towards approaching strangers, whether or not they need help. I guess it's a matter of how much one understands the other.
Linda:
It's true that KL folks are rude. They are more friendly to the westerners. I remember shopping one day with my hands full of stuffs and I cannot open the door to get out from the shop. I was walking behind a guy who didnt bother to hold the door for me. The salesgirls will follow me (so close that I can smell their strong perfume) when I am in a shop buying clothes but she wont ask if I needed help. And if I decided not to buy anything, she will give me the "you-wasted-my-time" stare. Maybe other cities in Malaysia are better than KL. Well, I'm not surprised Kl ranked 3rd in terms of rude cities
mimi, kuala lumpur:
I think those born in KL are generally polite. Only those who are not born in KL are rude. Most of them came from other states to look for work here.
Nik, Kuala Lumpur:
No, Malaysians are not rude. Imagine this, when I was in the States, I used to get the "Hi, How are you?" and many more from the nice blonde chicks, and I am definitely a foreigner to them. How would it be, if our girls do the same to MOST foreigners here in Malaysia they might ended up getting mugged or worst, raped. Why are we sometimes being very rude to our own kind (fellow Malaysians)? Because, we Malaysians often feel that if some stranger tries to help us, he/she must be up to no good. If we try to be nice to our colleagues, then we must be trying to get information. The worst is, if you try to be nice in your office especially to the opposite sex, then you might get the nasty calls from the husbands, boyfriends, fathers and many more.
Suzie, Kelantan:
Frankly speaking, I agree that most KLites are rude. For instance, when you are on queueing to step into the LRT (at KL Sentral), you'll find people cutting the lines, and they didn't bother letting passengers to step out before moving in.
Credits to New Straits Times.