Monday 6 October 2008

From far and near, they all flock here

In case you don’t know, the picture on the left is the entrance of a small park in Bukit Bintang called Ain Arabia. Our govt was so kind to the middle-eastern tourists that we have park built just for them. Well, since we claim that tourists from that region now contribute a significant amount of money to the tourism industry, I guess that was just a small hospitality gesture.

We often hear that middle-eastern tourists prefer to come to our beloved country as we share the similar culture, religion and a somewhat less-punishing but yet similar weather. Those are the reasons why they are pouring their oil money into our country, or so they claimed.

When I was in London earlier this year, I visited Harrods; one of the premier shopping places in town. As I entered the building, I was greeted by a multitude of Arabs. No disrespect but it is very easy to recognise them due to their distinct dressing. There were just an ocean of them. I told my friend that I thought they prefer to go to Malaysia.

“Cannot afford to come to London then go Malaysia lor…” that was his reply.

On that weekend in London, I had dinner at this placed called “Wong Kei”, a very famous Chinese restaurant due to a peculiar reason. A story for another day perhaps.

Anyway, sitting next to my table were five “ang mohs” chatting away about purchasing properties. I know it’s rude to ear-drop but their conversation caught my attention as they mentioned the phrase “properties in Malaysia”. True enough, they were talking about how cheap it is to buy properties in Malaysia as they cannot afford properties elsewhere and how the local girls here are “hot”.

After their meal, they picked up their helmet and left. Their helmet… no, they were not policemen… they were… construction workers. No disrespect to construction workers but, that bunch there didn’t look very pleasant.

If we think that the “rich Arabs” are flocking here because they like our culture and weather and the “rich ang mohs” are flocking here because of our Malaysia-truly-Asia slogan, we might just have to think again.

By the way, I heard that Filipino maids here are those who can't make it in Hong Kong and prostitutes here are those who can't make it in Geylang.

Oh well, I guess I am over judgemental. What say you?

30 comments:

myop101 said...

first again...hahahahaha

well, to know Malaysia is to love Malaysia ma....:P

Sunshine said...

shucks sounds like we are the last choice for everything huh...

the Constantly Dramatic One said...

Wow, are we 2nd rate in everything?

I am humbled.

Anonymous said...

How much do u think those english construction workers or garbage collectors earn per month? Construction worker in US earns about USD1700 per month, that's most probably more than your salary in MYR! I bet they could probably afford the Troika condo (next to Nikko) without batting an eyelid!

Anonymous said...

wow!A VERY INTERESTING READ BEFORE I GO TO BED....LOLX

baggie said...

wahahahaha... so we're the reject shop huh?! LOL sial betul

missironic said...

hmm..don't think highly of ourselves? hahaha...

Anonymous said...

It just makes perfect economic sense to come here, in fact tourism is where we make our buck, go to any tourist hotspot, non-residents pay almost double the amount compared to malaysians for the entry fee. I'd say rather than thinking we're "last at everything", we might as well stike while the iron is hot...

"Joe" who is constantly craving said...

well wat to do..their construction workers earn pounds..x 6-7 times..

i also accidentally eavesdropped in a conversation on the plane..well the guy was seated next to me..

imagine construction worker that tiles roof..can take few months holidays ler..std reason..winter mah..so go bali n malaysia lor..

H.C. Tan said...

so u are saying we are 2nd choice lah? or 3rd...or 4th...? haha. well but at least still got ppl wanna come here...and we have "hot" local girls. lol.

Anonymous said...

while you are at it, might as well say that people who are born and lives in Malaysia who are still here are those that have no capability of immigrating to grassier land and have no guts to "jump aeroplane". Reality - only losers want to stay back in Malaysia while the rests leave, eh?

sÞ¡ηηєє said...

it's the society that shape the culture in my & sg. or basically, we are taught (asians as well) that ang moh are more superior etc. just come to SG and see. you see ang mohs at kopitiams (coffeshops) eating hawker foodfare, walking aimlessly on residential streets, taking public transport and mind you, they dun give up seats as well and rush in like a local. who the hell says they are all rich! omg.

oh. maybe they are really that rich until they have nowhere to spend. shrug.

let's just say, at least ur country is now trying to get rid of foreigners by a certain yr, whereas our side are taking in all those ppl from 3rd world country and sub-standard ppl. sigh.

Terra Shield said...

It's most probably the exchange rate... but quite teruk in the sense that we perasan diri sendiri all this while :)

Huei said...

ahhhh! we msia have our own attractions too!

it's when they wana watch stupid shows like throwing racist comments, abusing their rights and jailing up innocent people rather than solving crimes, and suing people for making bad remarks about an EGG

where else could we get all those? Malaysia, truly cinema

=P

CK said...

well well well....
just think like this lah.
even our own nation's very best chose not to stay in Malaysia, do we expect the very best of other nation's come to our country???

no offense but you can do a survey among the foreign students in our institutions of higher learning, that our country like to "boast-about" and compare to those in singapore the you will know.

nuff said.

Anonymous said...

Heh, this makes me curious about your story for another day...

Anonymous said...

the best place for them to stay and work, perhaps.

Crankster said...

Not to mention the "hot" local girls seem to be more keen on foreigners than the local guys.

Unknown said...

You hit it spot on! anyway its the same with investment bankers. Some are called "FILTH" that is, Fail in London Try Hong Kong hehehehe! anyway investment bankers seem to be a bad word nowadays. My apologies to investment bankers reading this

zewt said...

myop101 - well, we all know we love this land regardless.

sunshine - not quite, just not first.

the constantly dramatic one - 2nd would be a good position.

sooi2 - well, we cant pay our construction ppl high, else we will have to pay shite for our properties. i think the mail culprit is our currency... which is due to..........

pookyma - haha... so can sleep or not?

evelynholic - really..."why pay more"? :)

zewt said...

missironic - haha... something like that.

uncannyman - i do agree with your point. but tourist... only relates to those middle eastern... what about those maids and ... not to mention... illegal immigrantts?

constantly craving joe - the secretary of my corresponding london office went to vegas for her birthday.

HC Tan - tourists... welcome... but you want the maids and those illegal immigrants and prosts to flock here too?

anon @ 7/10 11.57am - i didnt say that, although it is also a stark reality that those who are here, majority just dont have mean to go somewhere else.

sÞ¡ηηєє - wow... how do i pronounce your name? anyway, welcome to AZAIG. well, i guess there is no perfect country isnt it? even the ppl in norway, a country i think has the best social welfare we complaining... sigh.

zewt said...

Terra Shield - hahaha... well, it's the media who make us perasan. but i never do.

huei - yes yes... no where in the world we can find all these drama.

CK - yes, i get what you mean. and i couldnt agree more. we are getting shite... and are producing somewhat the same type of thing.

life for beginners - will definitely blog about wong kei... this friday perhaps.

samyeap - hey there. well... it's all about 'cheap' i guess.

crankster - hahahahaha... and that too.

see - hahahaha... FILTH... thanks for the new word... I LIKE IT! :)

taxy said...

La.... all hearsay ler. About "Malaysia being second choice for the less endowed Arabs", seemed to have come from your friend.. who I think isn't Arab.

And construction workers discussing investment opportunities in Malaysia is very much like how we gossip at work about politics. Doesn't make us wiser nor add any value, but doesn't make us less qualified to talk about it either.

Filipinos. Again, you only heard. Its high time our Asean neighbour's citizens have a higher standard of living than 10 or 20 years ago as they have also enjoyed development.

So, no, I don't really think its fair to second rate this country of ours based on hearsay and opinions which are not first hand. We have enough shit as it is already. Let's leave the half truths and unsubstantiated bits be for now.

J u n e said...

Interesting thought. Makes me think that we malaysian are here cause we cant afford to be anywhere else. lols.

ling said...

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Anonymous said...

Our country never takes in the best but always the second best. Look at the students that got JPA scholarship also we know lor.

baggie said...

evelynholic - really..."why pay more"? :)

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA....

myop101 said...

that's why...

when the rakyat themselves want everything cheap, good quality and pleasing to the eyes, can we ask for more?

Anonymous said...

We know Malaysia is best at receiving those others dun want. The country even fail to retain the service of some of her most skilled citizens. Many of us prefer to work in Singapore than in Malaysia. What more to say?

zewt said...

Taxy Driver - ahh... is that sarcasm or denial... hmmmm...

AngryYoungChild - not we cant afford, it's just not easy to go.

peiling - done.

littlepolaris - that is so damn true.

evelynholic - hahaha... exactly isnt it.

myop101 - hahaha... we just want things easy while others want cheap. perfect match if u ask me.

jam - there is a worrying reshuffling of quality eh? well... we are heading down... so damn sad.