世界第三粗魯的城市

Friday, 07-07-2006

世界第三粗魯的城市

讀者文摘上個月公布了一項世界大都會的禮貌程度調查,在世界35大受調查的城市里,吉隆坡名列33,換句話說,吉隆坡是世界上第三粗魯的城市。讀者文摘的調查是以3個測驗為衡量的標準,那即是把紙張掉在繁忙的路上時,看看是否有人把它拾起來;檢視多少個店員對人說:「謝謝」;計算多少人會為他人推開門讓人進出。

許多人對這調查議論紛紛,他們互相比較他們在國內外的禮貌觀察經驗。以筆者在國外的經驗來說,記得去年在中國旅行時,我曾目睹該國某航空公司的空中小姐毫無笑容的把餅干「丟」給顧客;我在紐西蘭的奧克蘭市,當我及友人在某顧客眾多的西餐廳要求換位子時,被該餐廳的招待員阻止,并對筆者說:「如果你不喜歡那位子,那你可離開。」,結果我和友人便馬上離開該餐廳。

雖然如此,在大家質疑這調查的準確性的當兒,人們也不得不承認馬來西亞人其實也不那么的友善。最近,我問一個研究東南亞政治的美國政治學者關于她對馬來西亞人禮貌程度的印象,她說馬來西亞人基本上沒什么禮貌,她于是說出她切身的經驗。

她說某日當她到輕快鐵站購票時,售票員只顧着在票上蓋章,完全無視她的出現,讓她白等好一陣子才把票賣給她。

最令她氣憤的一次是,最近她在吉隆坡國際機場移民廳柜臺處排隊等着護照蓋章,當她排了好一陣子的長龍而到柜臺時,她忍不住對該移民廳的官員說:「移民廳讓外國人排長龍這么久來等候護照蓋章,會影響外國游客和投資者前來貴國。」沒想到,該移民廳的女官員竟然回答她道:「那么你將來別再到馬來西亞來,請記住:別到馬來西亞來。」

這位美國朋友聽后氣極,馬上把她的名字抄下,改用馬來語罵回她道:「你這是什么態度?別以為我是外國人而好欺負,你要我向政府的那一個部門或那一方面的政治人物來投訴你?要我告到首相暑、國陣的部長還是反對黨?如果你要用這樣的態度來對待外國人,那么你根本就不應該坐在這里。」

接着,她又去找移民廳的高層投訴這位官員的態度,她很不客氣的對他們說,這種態度的官員根本就不適合坐在移民廳柜臺,以免影響國家形象。該移民廳高層接着對她連聲道歉。

這位美國朋友的經驗,告訴我們一個事實,無論對于外國人或是本國人,從事門面服務或服務眾人行業的官員和職員的態度是非常重要的,因為這將影響到有關政府部門或公司的公眾形象,如果這涉及政府部門,它則更會影響國家的形象。

就那筆者去年所揭發的中國女郎被警方無理囚禁在警察局扣留所的事件來說。對警方來說,把外國人扣留幾天以等移民廳證實他們的護照是否真實是警方的權力,但是這種掃蕩行動無形中也把很多無辜的外國人,包括游客關了進去。警方和移民廳對外國人掃蕩和逮捕多后,無形中也破壞了大馬在外國人心目中的形象,而阻嚇外國人前來大馬觀光。

此外,旅游部長東故安南本身也提過,許多中東國家的游客投訴國內計程車司機的態度不佳,破壞了國家的形象。

「馬來西亞是真正的亞洲」是大馬旅游局在國外響當當的廣告口號。旅游局的廣告即使在國外打得多響,如果沒有國內政府官員和人民以禮貌來配合的話,那么這肯定會打擊旅游局的努力和國家的聲譽。

無論吉隆坡被讀者文摘列為世界第三粗魯的城市是否正確,我們其實應該把這看成是個警鐘。看來政府應該更積極的在各單位廣推禮貌運動,以改善國人的處事待人方式,才是解決問題之道。

(7-7-06)

5 Comments »

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  1. reader digest是不能拿来做指标的,只能拿来作参考,不过马来西亚的人民素质却是要再提升,不过这些都要从政府做起,至少它们要做一个榜样。

    Comment by 黄德峻 — Friday, 07-07-2006 @ 19: 51.40

  2. Dear YB,

    Is the sampling details with you? How big is the number of people surveyed? Where is the record of the samplings? How do we verify against the survey?

    Until we can veify all the records of survey, sub reporting can be malicious and dangerous, damaging

    So please check thoroughly though the duty of reporting truth is not yours, sub reporting the false reports can or equally harmful to ALL!!

    Comment by lcclck — Saturday, 08-07-2006 @ 00: 40.20

  3. I don’t need a survey to see Malaysians are rude. Just on daily life there are plenty of examples:

    1) in KL, if I am driving and need to make a turn, I will signal early. What happen? The car at the back, while quite far away and driving slowly, will suddenly accelerate to block me as if I am stealing something away from them

    2) In the elevator, whenever I hold the open button to let people behind me to have time to walk into the elevator, 11 times out of ten, I will not get a thank you, a smile or an acknowledgement. Instead, they look away as if I have raped or murdered and waiting for the gallows.

    3) When there is a minor accident on the road, I promise you there would be long jams on both side of the highways. People are suffering, the petrol price has increased, and all Malaysians want to do is to look for shiok or take number only.

    Malaysians are courteous? Sometimes I do see some encouraging sights but these are exception rather than norm.

    Comment by lee wee tak_ — Monday, 10-07-2006 @ 15: 49.04

  4. I have always believed going back to the basics is fundamental to resolving many issues we face today. There doesn’t seem to be any efforts from the government to promote good manners amongst its public servants, let alone the general public.

    Comment by JT — Thursday, 13-07-2006 @ 16: 00.33

  5. This morning, at Putra LRT station, a guy in the Q took a step back and stomped on a girl carrying a heavy travel bag. She grimaced and told him about it.

    I would have apologise and check on her condition. What did the man do? He glanced at her blankly. And then move away from her to stand in a further Q and glanced back occasionally. Elegance silence, no doubt.

    Comment by lee wee tak_ — Friday, 14-07-2006 @ 09: 53.45

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