I am not at all surprised that Kuala Lumpur city has been rated as the third-worst among 35 world's capitals for rudeness according to a recent survey carried out by Reader's Digest.

Many Malaysians are rude because they are "kurang ajar" (poorly brought up) and they have a "Kiasu" (scared to lose) mentality.

Basically, they live in the first world but have a third world mentality.

On the subject of opening a door, a "Kiasu" or "kurang ajar" person would not hold a door open for the person behind to pass because he or she thinks that only a doorman would do it. But he or she would not hesitate to pass a person who opens the door and thinks that that person is a doorman.

The most disgusting experience, which I have encountered many times in my twilight years is when some upstart who, without any hesitation, would treat a grey-hair old man as a doorman.

When you are at a two-way glass door to get out of a room, you would pull open the door towards you instead of pushing it open if you see someone is approaching it in the opposite direction.

Many a time while I was doing it, a man coming towards the door would hasten his pace and quickly get through it and pass me while I was still holding the door open!

And he did it without even looking at me or saying a word!

Note:

The above was published in The Star on 24/06/06.