Being on time.
Here I am, waiting for my friends to show up to go to a mamak session. I have only been back in Malaysia for 2 1/2 weeks, but yet, I am fooled everytime! Fooled as in, I would be at a place, or be waiting for a friend/s to show up at the specific time we had agreed upon. Unfortunately, none of my friends have managed to show up at the agreed time...none at all! Let's see...CT and Fel were 1 1/2 hours late, and that was by far the longest wait I'd had in my entire life. OH WAIT, I forgot, WM was actually 15 mins earlier...ah, at least I have one friend who strive to be there on time no matter what. Don't get me wrong, I'm not bickering about it as I wait here typing on my MAC, but somehow...Malaysians find it hard to be on time. Why is that? Of course, the famous reason, would be one where they were stuck in a jam. For me, that is perhaps the only acceptable reason...aside from other emergencies.
I am not trying to harp on Malaysian's "tidak ketepatan masa," but in all honesty, the latest any of my appointments arive in Canada is 15 mins. They are usually on time. Meetings starts and ends on time (ok, excluding EW perhaps...)
I wonder if it is the mentality...we still have a "kampung" mentality that friends can "singgah" at any time and people are openly welcoming their house to the friend. Of course, that would work in a "kampung," but not really a city due to our busyness.
To make things look fairer, I have heard that Africans are on average late for 2 hours.
Perhaps we should make it a point to be on time. Being on time speaks a lot.
I am not trying to harp on Malaysian's "tidak ketepatan masa," but in all honesty, the latest any of my appointments arive in Canada is 15 mins. They are usually on time. Meetings starts and ends on time (ok, excluding EW perhaps...)
I wonder if it is the mentality...we still have a "kampung" mentality that friends can "singgah" at any time and people are openly welcoming their house to the friend. Of course, that would work in a "kampung," but not really a city due to our busyness.
To make things look fairer, I have heard that Africans are on average late for 2 hours.
Perhaps we should make it a point to be on time. Being on time speaks a lot.
posted by Grace at 2/19/2008 05:56:00 AM
5 Comments:
:) glad u managed to have dinner with your friends anyhow...ya, it's always a good thing to be punctual...it's time honouring. but ya, being in the working (and driving)environment where things can best be planned and the many unexpected be accommodated and priorities on a constant evaluation...you've got great friends who can be there to share a meal with you. :) Treasure them...above time, i would say...haha!
Oh yeah, I have a bunch of AWESOME friends who accomodate me in terms of going to a place nearer to me, and picking me up as well!
Actually, many of my friends are that way too -- extremely accomodating. Friends to be treasured forever, for sure.
However, it is true that everyone is just always late -- and I am puzzled! I am not complaining...but wondering why Malaysians are always late! I think it must be possible to be on time...no?
you have a MAC?!?!?!
:'(
Grace, aren't you Malaysian too?? But we managed to Canadianise you, hey? Ha, ha! Well, I know what you mean about getting to places and having to wait forever... What mostly happened when I was in Malaysia, is that after church, people would invite me to go Mamak, and they said they would leave right away. Than I would wait at church and talk to people, and it would only be 2-3 hours later that we would leave!!! Then I'd be back at home just in time for supper... Good thing I didn't have to study back then!!!
Yoes!!!!
Since conducting research in Australia, I realise how punctual the Aussies are too and how slack Msians like me are. On average, they arrive 30mins earlier! (But that's also cos they're told they should be there 15mins before the allotted time.) Anyway it's quite shameful/embarrassing to be late for work (meaning start the session on time). In Msia we cld get away with it but yeah, I think we should at least TRY to be on time--and this is coming from someone who likes being late (so you don't have to wait).
Post a Comment
<< Home