I fractured my little toe on my right foot last Monday night when I kicked the elephant in the living room at home.
Ok, I exaggerate about the elephant, but I swear it felt like I had just kicked one.
Anyway, that’s not the focus of this post.
Yesterday, I made my way to Taman Desa Medical Centre (TDMC), hoping to have my right foot x-rayed to find out if there was indeed any fracture.
As it was my first time ever at TDMC, I headed straight to the registration counter.
And that is when the nightmare began.
A lady who appeared to be in her late 30s was ushered to the registration counter to attend to me.
In English, I explained to her this was my first time at TDMC and that I had injured my foot the night before and wanted it x-rayed.
Did I want to see a specialist or a medical officer, she asked, in Malay?
In English, I explained again that I wanted my right foot x-rayed, after which, maybe TDMC might advise whether I needed to see the specialist or the medical officer.
She was adamant. Did I want to see the specialist or the medical officer now
By now I was getting irritated and it must have shown in my voice, because the officer sitting at the next cubicle immediately offered to take me to radiology to register there and have my foot x-rayed.
At the X-Ray department, the nightmare continued.
The staff in attendance wanted to know why I wanted to register there
In English, I asked why patients were sent to the radiology department.
I half suspect my query was not quite understood, as, again, I was asked why I was there to register at radiology.
By this time, I had had enough.
I left, headed to PJ, went to an old hospital that did not have a problem with the English language or registering patients, had the x-ray done, and a doctor to later confirm that the toe was fractured.
Pang Teng Hooi
August 28, 2013
This is the result of the Malaysian education system. The command and comprehension of the language is deplorable. How does Malaysia expect to compete globally? The competency of the present day teachers are just as deplorable (product of the switch from English Language to Bahasa Malaysia as the medium of instruction). Of course there are still some good ones, but they are a minority.
huajern
August 28, 2013
I will not comment about the standard of English which is quite apparent in your post.
As part of good medical practice, the patient must be seen by a medical personnel before any investigations are carried out, including X-rays.
In almost all hospitals this would involve begin registered at a central counter.
Your insistence on gettiing an X-ray done 1st before seeing a doctor is out of the accepted work flow and must have stumped the staff.
Zuma
August 29, 2013
What constitute a good medical practice ? Is it debatable or is it exclusive to the medical profession ?
Accepted work flow or monopoly ?
Is cost efficiency factored into good medical practice?
Do you expect a fair and reasonable standard set by corrupt UMNO regime who detests efficiency and price competition?
Next , hope to see Haris highlight inefficiency in Malaysia’s legal profession.
one
August 29, 2013
I pity you. The need to politicize everything…. Its a disease. I pity u again
one
August 29, 2013
I agree with huajern. It seems the complainant does not understand the workflow of the system, and insist that he is right.
Why make it so difficult? Just go to the doctor in emergency dept & he will order xray (or other investigations that the writer NEVER heard of if necessary) . Most of the time it is not language barrier, it is ‘understanding’ barrier that you should overcome.
And, as usual, the story is only from one side. We should hear their side of explanation as well.
Leanne
September 6, 2013
yes.. this is the point !
pohyoke
October 1, 2013
Perhaps all this point to, not only the poor level of English, but the question on how do medical staff keep up with all the latest research work done overseas if they cannot speak, let alone read and understand English.Unfortunately, good research work are mainly printed in English language publications.
Once a young doctor asked for my medical history and at one point, I wanted to know if its my paternal or maternal grandparents he asking about, he could not understand what those words mean. I think that’s scary..what kind of doctors are we turning out? We studied that even when we were in Form6.In UKM, I was with my mother, and the Malay doctor was trying to get the nurse to do something and he called ‘Adik, Adik..’ and she walked right pass him. I was shocked at the low nursing standard in this country. Last year, I spoke to an Indian medical doctor from UMS and he said that the standard is so low that we are turning out technicians, not doctors.
Mat salleh
September 29, 2018
I m 58yrs old now.
I remember when I was studying form 3 at the government smpjk tmn Petaling girls sch- a malay female teacher asked me something n I replied in English n meletuplah dia! In front of the whole class she shouted tengok dia Kita cakap bm dia pulak jawab inggeris- n just glared at me in a bomoh satanic way!
And recently when I called up toyota service center to fix appointment for car service- was attended to by a malay female .
I started conversing in English but this female replied in their mother tongue pulak!
Obviously it’s a case of cultural arrogance!
Rio
August 28, 2013
Throughout my entire 11 years of school life, I’ve never heard Malays speaking english. In fact, I was told by my then school teachers and friends that ‘if a fellow malay speaks English to a fellow Malay is haram’. I still remember when I was in form 4, a group of Malays whacked a fellow Malay guy after he scored A for English. To those Malays, if you want to speak English you either go to Singapore or you don’t call yourself a Malay. But now I’m studying in a private university in Subang where things are different. For the first time ever, I actually see and hear Malays speaking English to felow Malays. Sometimes, when I speak to them in Malay, they’ll reply in English and sometimes they tell me ‘you think we are low class people’.Even some of the Malays command of English is way better than their BM. Well, I guess this is what makes Malaysia unique.
DakiKetiak
August 30, 2013
Rio, it is the same with the Chinese community, especially those in Chinese schools. They will describe those who speak English as bananas (yellow on outside, white inside) or use other derogatory terms which I will not repeat here. The believe is that they will lose their Chinese identity if they learn/speak English. Who is responsible for this chauvinistic indoctrination? As an employer I have to interview the job seekers and am shocked at the standard of English among those educated in Chinese schools, especially those from outside the major cities. They seem to think that all private sector companies do business only with China, but do not realise that in the commercial world English is the norm. It is a class issue. Those in the middle/upper class in the cities are comfortable with English while the poorer families in the new villages/kampungs and less developed states cling to their narrow-mindedness and are encouraged by politicians and educationists to “love” their language to maintain their identiity.
Joseph Lim
August 30, 2013
It is really interesting to read all the comments and reply. Sorry, I did not mention that I am not a Malaysian when I first wrote my comment on this matter. I am (ahem) from your neighboring country (Singapore). And I am ready to have rocks thrown at me for even submitting my first comment.
Anyway, I believe the issue here is not whether speaking BM or not makes one Malaysian. Just like whether a Singaporean speaks Singlish or not makes him/her Singaporean. I having been living outside Singapore for the last 14 years and will continue to do so because of my work. And I have lost most of the Singaporean expression because I have forgotten them i.e. Singlish (except for my accent) and honestly having hard time remembering even our own National Anthem. But, does that makes me a less Singaporean? I do not think so.
I think the issue here with the patient and the personnel is simply mutual respect. If a patient comes in and speak English, I think it is respectful to reply back in English or at least tell the patient that he/she cannot speak English and please bear with the Malay reply or get someone who are speak English to come to attend to this patient.
As for the patient, if you realize that the personnel can only speak Malay or will only speak Malays, and since you are a Malaysian, just reply in Malay. There is not big deal in the whole issue. Two wrong does not make one right.
When I live in China because of my work, I uses Chinese most of the time unless I am in a situation where my limited Chinese is not helping and speak English will actually help get things done fast. Likewise in Hong Kong where I am living now.
I do remember that I did go to one of the government department in KL many years ago and I am greet with staff speaking only in Malay. And I remember leaving that department frustrated because the staff insist to speak to me in Malay when I explain that I am from Singapore and really cannot speak or understand Malay.
Do I disrespect Malaysia because of this incident. No. I was just frustrated with that particular department and feeling that because of their insistence to speak only the official language even to a non-Malaysian, they are actually doing a dis-service to their own country by showing that they are not flexible when they have to deal with non-Malaysian and who knows how many foreign businesses had been lost as a result of this.
In conclusion, I think this matter can so simply be resolve by Mr Haris (the patient?) in reverting to Malay he is really needing immediate medical attention and by the receptionist in taking one step back to do simple English conversation.
Either one of you taking a step back will not make neither one of you less Malaysian.
And I know I will draw some negative comments here because I am not a Malaysian commenting on something happening in Malaysia and possibly getting some replies in Malay, which I will not understand (thankfully?) But again, my thought is speaking Malay or not will not proof whether one is a true Malaysian, True test come when a country is in a national crisis and how we as the citizen of that nation react. I say that all the time to my fellow Singaporean too.
Haris
August 29, 2013
why not you just speak malay? -.-
Luqman Hakim Zainal
August 29, 2013
Yeah,this guy is just one arrogant fellow. 😦
You can see in his writing how many “in English” he repeated in his sentences.
If you want to be treated better,learn to treat other better first.Period -..-
ijlal naim
August 29, 2013
why dont u speak in BM to them when it is clear that they dont really understand english after all it is our national language which is the official language of Bangsa Malaysia
Mr. Bad
August 29, 2013
Shucks !! At first I was thrilled thinking you had an elephant at home. Was even imagining you taking the elephant for an x-ray.
EmIl
August 30, 2013
Trolled!
bryanbb
August 29, 2013
I apologize for my lack of grasping the point , why the hang up over a failed demonstration on the proficiency of the english language?
Actually a more or less similar incident happened to myself when i slipped at home and needed 5 stitches on the back of my head to close the wound, few weeks ago. .relieved skull wasn’t fractured. and at Sg. Buloh GH.emergency,- at first was using english to communicate or attempting to anyway , starting with the attending young doctor but sensed that it was leading into a communication breakdown, then decided to switch to BM and everything just loosened up..in and out within 3 hours , x rayed -stitched up- got meds from pharmacy and physician’s consultation… using BM served the need just fine..
Although , thinking back i remember getting a weird sneer like stare at me and my missus when we were waiting at the hospital’s pharmacy and conversing in fluent english amongst ourselves..( t’was 2 am and hence wasn’t crowded ) and when i did try using english to ask for clearer instructions on the meds dispensed to me.., could sense a subtle.indignation and insistence from the pharmacist to not entertain my request using english in her response but opted for BM..
Which actually i am fine with since I consider my self to be proficient in the national language as well..
WHich is why , i guess , i am thinking the way i do now. What is the hang up ? And why/where the feeling of inadequacy is from amongst those of us- english speaking as 1st language segment- that it seems so important that english is used at selective public institutions? And BM is a begrudgingly accepted alternative…
mohd sabri
August 29, 2013
I honestly am not too surprised.
Mostly they arent too keen to speak anything other than their mother’s tongue… there cud be a curse we’re not aware of. Speak another language and you fall down dead.
hurricanemax
August 29, 2013
555! Hilarious for us but sorry to know about your pain. Oh, the fractured toe too…
Wai Yee
August 29, 2013
An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically a country’s official language refers to the language used within its government – its courts, parliament, administration, etc. – to run its operations and conduct its business. Since “the means of expression of a people cannot be changed by any law”, the term “official language” does not typically refer to the language used by a people or country, but by its government.———Wikipedia.
The reality in Malaysia,
1.Learn and speak Malay ,study Islamic Civilization or you are
anti-Malay , anti-Islam.
2.Mastery of Bahasa Malaysia does not guarantee equal
opportunity in public education and government employment.
3.There are no fixed allocation per head of public funds to the
vernacular schools but teacher’s salary and election goodies.Yet
the government have the final say in the teaching periods per
week for Bahasa Malaysia in vernacular schools.
4.Inequality is nothing ,vernacular schools are the source of racial
polarization even though it is privately funded.
5.Threats of closure of vernacular schools are reasonable:
Education conducted mainly in any language other than Bahasa
Malaysia is against the Federal Constitution—–Malay right
group.
Lee
September 1, 2013
Why mrsm Mara teaches in English and not BM ? Close them? Chinese school has malay Indian and Chinese students but mrsm only have Malay students , so close which school?
Mat Salleh
August 29, 2013
Why is this even a blog post? You can’t speak Malay is it? Stop whining laaa..
Zuma
August 29, 2013
Try to associate this blog post with “Mengapa Harga Barang Naik”,you will see the answer.
Mat Salleh
August 29, 2013
Actually the procedure is, you have to see a doctor first before he refers you to radiology department.
Because doctors or specialists are the first person a patient must see before he sends you to radiology.
That is why the people at radiology are flabbergasted when they see you there. In other words, they are surprised why was a whiny neanderthal being sent there without any doctor’s order.
Jerald
August 29, 2013
Nice one!
baronvonchesto
August 29, 2013
A GP or physician or even an MO would be the first person you need to see NOT a specialist. So I guess you don’t know what you are talking about either. Also calling someone a whiny Neanderthal does nothing to further your argument, especially when Haris is anything but!
caious
August 29, 2013
at least u should speak simple Bahasa, nothing serious there..
Myblog
August 29, 2013
What to do, this is the effect of Mahakuttys policies and cleansing of Malaysia. We were a perfectly execellent dual language society with multi ethnic government service, his jest for a insane and extremist objectives has made us what we are today. Years ago we use to laugh at the broken English in other countries and pride ourselves as Malaysians spoke good english. Today I dont dare even talk about it as we are worse off than those countries. Damage done, reversal is quite impossible, we have lost a language which we cannot recover, all thanks to one mad mans desire for Malaynisation and the irony is that he is only a constitutional Malay with plenty of Kerala blood. The Mamaks should have always been kept as Mamaks, sorry for being racist
palmdoc
August 29, 2013
http://new.medicine.com.my/2013/08/does-anyone-speak-english-at-the-taman-desa-medical-centre-a-rebuttal/
Joseph Lim
August 29, 2013
This is the reason why Malaysia cannot become a world class city as the people just want to stick to a language that are not understood by the majority of the world. This is also why Malaysia will not be the regional Medical Center of Asia because how many foreign patients (rich and poor) can speak Malay.
I am not criticizing the language but more of the people who do not know how to be flexible.
bibababi
August 29, 2013
world clas city kepala bana kau..kat german ada orang boleh cakap english? pergi berlin medical centre, kalau lu cakap english, lu jadi second class citizen there…tak tau ckap byak ckap sikit2 boleh? tak boleh? cina bukit lah kalau mcm tu.
baronvonchesto
August 29, 2013
Engkau pernah pergi jupa doktor kat Jerman ke? Waa pandai sangat pakai “second class citizen” walupun tak tahu maknanya…
Cuba tanya doktor kat Jerman “Enschuldigen Sie, sprechen Sie Englisch? Ich bin auslander.” Tentunya hampir semua orang kat situ akan jawab “Ja” atau “am bischen” ataupun terus jawab dalam English… tetapi kamu pandai sangat sampai dah boleh faham Bahasa Jerman juga kan?
Lee
September 1, 2013
I was in Germany they do speak good english, not all. The business world in Germany do try to speak English to me^^
Jeevindra Naidu (@jeevster77)
August 29, 2013
Incidentally the largest group of medical tourists flooding Penang are rich Indonesians.
najib manaukau
August 29, 2013
A true and accurate reflection of what the Malaysian schools are teaching their students in the schools ? Now you know why the 60 medical students who are sent to NZ, selected by the Malaysian authority these 60 students are known to be a very quite group of students
and do not talk or question on their subjects when they do not understand the subjects they are taught. They do not mix with the other students and do not talk to them at all, giving the impression they are very quite and reserve students but in reality they do not know how to communicate or understand the English language to begin with. They were and are not student selected by the NZ medical school. They were medical students who are sent there because Malaysia had purchased the places from NZ authority to begin with at enormous amount and after only four of the six years of study they are brought back to sit and no doubt passed as medical students for the remaining two years as doctors in Malaysia !
Consider yourself very lucky if you are not treated by these ‘doctors’ whenever you visit the hospital !
kennethchongkulken
August 29, 2013
it is perhaps a sad state of affairs when English is not understood in most public service places anymore. Most times i try to ‘evaluate’ the type of person i am going to request for a service…..and just to get my message across i start in English…and mid-way have to switch my language to Bahasa Malaysia :)…this is life is Malaysia nowadays as English is soon to be limited in usage unless you use Bahasa Malaysia “moden” 🙂
Wan
August 29, 2013
Mr Haris Ibrahim, although it was unfortunate for you to have faced difficulties in communicating with the personnel at the hospital in times of your desperation, I struggle to fathom why the need to converse in English when you could have easily spoken the national language with them? We are Malaysians and we should be proud of our national language and not belittle it by refusing to converse in the language. English is important, yes; but when it is not used (especially when there is no apparent need to use it), please feel proud to communicate in Bahasa Melayu/Malaysia.
suzy ratnasingam
August 29, 2013
You are a marked man harris, in most ‘medical centres” at least. Remember your complaints and photos of the FLY swatting incident and now its payback time for them. HaHa now we got to ABtdmc. Haha well get it repaired asap. All the best bro.!
ben
August 29, 2013
ouch!!! i meant the toe
the other part of your story is relatable…and happens pretty much about everywhere else, more so in govt departments than elsewhere
oh…and the dpm also said that the education blueprint cannot be questioned
go figure
cheers
Mr Bojangles
August 29, 2013
Ya. Luckily this didn’t happen to you.
Saw a man in a hospital gown run screaming down the hallway, chased by a nurse holding a bedpan filled with steaming hot water.
“Nurse,” a doctor says, “I told you to prick his boil!”
Sherlyn Yap
August 29, 2013
For some reason most people assume I’m a foreigner as soon as I speak English, and mind you I have no foreign accents whatsoever, I just speak properly without your ‘lahs’ and ‘aiyohs’.
acal
August 29, 2013
huaaa your ingerish is britain wooahhhh
Arvin
August 29, 2013
Why are people missing the point?
If his request was not in line with the accepted workflow, he should have been informed of that. But did anyone inform him of that?
As for the “aiyah, just cakap melayu lah” responses, this is exactly the point he’s trying to make. Why must he be forced into this? Many times in my own experiences when calling up customer service lines I’m asked to choose between the ‘Malay’ or ‘English’ option, but when I select ‘English’ I still end up having to speak Malay because the proficiency of the person on the other end will be horrible. If I were to complain about this, am I being ‘lansi’?
Its a point of principle and standards. You guys do realise your “aiyah just cakap melayu lah” response could be applied to anything right? Next time don’t complain about racism, corruption, unfairness etc, or else someone may just tell you “aiyah, you complain too much lah, why dont you XXXXX lah”.
People can string sentences together but sometimes can’t understand the meaning or point.
Hamid
August 29, 2013
Haris.
Can you speak Bahasa.
Can you understand bahasa.
Why you insist of speaking english.
We are celebrating our 56 year Merdeka.
kochebin
August 29, 2013
Try go to France,even if you speak English,they still reply in French,not that they did not understand English.When the French practice their lingo,we praised them,but when Malaysian practice their lingo we condemn them.My advise is speak the language that are conversant among each other,be it whatever lingo.
KamalShah (@kryptos)
August 29, 2013
anyway, Haris, nasib baik you tak terjumpa DS Rais Yatim at the hospital. he just might go into one of his moods. or should that be modes? 🙂
Brainsalad Surgery
August 29, 2013
This is Malaysia, why don’t you just speak Malay…
anna brella
August 31, 2013
This is Malaysia, why don’t you just speak Malay…
OK, but since all Malaysians are EQUAL according to the Constitution, isn’t it equally right and relevant to ask…
1. Why don’t you just speak Chinese/Mandarin/Cantonese/Hokkien/Hakka/etc.etc.
2. Why don’t you just speak Indian/Tamil/Malayalam/Telugu/Urdu/Punjabi/Singhalese/etc.etc.
3. Why don’t you just speak East Malaysian languages/Dayak, Dusun, Kadazans, Penan, etc.
4. Why don’t you just speak aboriginal languages of the Senoi, Negritos and Jakun since they were in Malaysia first before any of the other groups mentioned in 1, 2 and 3?
See the pickles where such simplistic reasoning leads to?
“Imagine Power To The People” John Lennon.
Buzz
August 29, 2013
It is the stupid nurse that cause you to be angry…
KitchenBin
August 29, 2013
THE JOURNEY IN LIES IS A BENGKANG-BENGKOK LIE.
English-speaking nannies hot property in France
Don’t believe all that you hear about French people’s resistance to English. The language police at the Académie Française might be against the invasion of anything Anglo but the same cannot be said for French parents.
More and more of them appear to be waking up to the fact that their child’s future may depend on their grasp of English, which of course is good news for Anglophones looking for work in France.
http://www.thelocal.fr/20130625/demand-high-for-english-speaking-nannies-in-France
Ten tips for teaching English in France
English teaching is a huge industry in France, with thousands of foreign nationals plying their trade in language schools across the country.
http://www.thelocal.fr/20130404/teaching-english-in-france-ten-tips
French universities could teach in English
For some, this amounts to a betrayal of the national language and, more specifically, of a particular way at looking at the world – for others it’s just accepting the inevitable.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22607506
To the displeasure of francophone purists, the French have a tendency to assimilate English words into their language.FRANCE 24 takes a look at the cases in which……….
http://www.france24.com/en/20130522-france-french-english-pseudo-anglicisms-language-meaning-words
Jeevindra Naidu (@jeevster77)
August 29, 2013
For a Malay-language education system to be successful, we should’ve had Malay-medium education all the way up to tertiary level. But what we have is primary and secondary, and then everyone needs to convert to reading English at university! I’m a doctor, and one of my juniors, Yusoff, admitted that when he went to uni, he had to try to switch from thinking in Malay, to English! Its disappointing that our education system failed to fully develop Malay-language education. Dewan Bahasa too lazy to translate all the textbooks and literature into Malay; after all the Japanese and Koreans do that. Imagine how great our education system could have been?
But on this situation, Mr Haris, I think you’re being a bit harsh on the staff at TDMC. Firstly, by right a doctor should first examine your foot, decide if it is worthwhile to expose you to the ionising radiation of an X-Ray. Besides, even if the X-Ray is normal, you still need to see a doctor for a diagnosis and correct treatment for your leg pain. It is not so much to do with workflow or monopoly, it is correct medical practice. And that is what the staff would’ve been trained to comply with. Remember, an X-Ray isn’t a payphone or a photobooth!
I know what you’re trying to say, and the point you’re trying to get across. I just don’t think that this scenario is suitable to illustrate it.
Faiz
August 29, 2013
Too bad. They speak no Ingrish. You, Harris speak no Mareshian?
Tooinchi
August 29, 2013
That why you very hatred umno
Because the “malay” abbreviation on them
KitchenBin
August 29, 2013
THE JOURNEY IN LIES IS A BENGKANG-BENGKOK LIE.
Is Germany better at teaching university courses in English than universities in English-speaking countries?
Germany has been named as the most supportive country for overseas students, in an international league table.
So much so that students can complete degrees without ever having to speak German.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12610268
Germany’s president has called for English to be made the language of the European Union as he appealed to the UK to stay in the EU
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/feb/22/german-president-pleads-britain-stay-eu
Are you interested in teaching English abroad? Are you considering teaching English in Germany? If so, you may find the path ahead of you surprisingly easy!
http://www.eslemployment.com/articles/teaching-english-in-germany-372.html
Another Anak Bangsa Malaysia
August 29, 2013
Haris,
I know exactly how a fractured little toe feels. My commiserations.
I, for one, do not think it was a question of whether you could or could not have use Bahasa Malaysia with the receptionist.
To me, it is more a case of a business which deals with the public, a medical centre no less, which seem to have difficulties communicating with it’s customers.
Does this mean that a person who speaks no Bahasa Malaysia, eg a tourist, is going to have problems at that medical centre? My guess, probably not.
Most likely, that medical centre would have had somebody who could communicate with that English-speaking customer.
So, why would the receptionist insist on using BM with you?
My guess?
She was probably embarrassed about her own skills in English and hoped to regain her self-esteem, her one-uppance over you – hence trying to force you to speak BM.
The fact that you are the customer and that you choose to speak in a manner comfortable to you, seems to escape that receptionist – she had to be superior to you, the customer.
For me personally, I am rather sad that many Malaysians have such poor command of the English language.
I love my Melayu friends and could happily listen to Bahasa Melayu spoken all day every day BUT the reality is that in the world at large, English is one of most commonly spoken languages.
Many language-nazis forget what the most common language used on the Internet is. Many don’t realise why that is.
English is a language which has bonded it’s many speakers together in a spirit of camaraderie, co-operation and collaboration for mutual benefit – socially and scientifically.
In my view, I am really unhappy that Bahasa Malaysia has simply not achieved the same level of camaraderie, co-operation, etc.
Forcing Malaysians to speak BM is not the answer to uniting Malaysia despite what language-nazis might think.
Recently, Mahatir has cleverly attempted to hijacked the debate of whether English should be more widely used in Malaysia. Maybe he has realised that it is time to come in from the cold 🙂
TY
August 29, 2013
just speak malay. it won’t lower your IQ level.haha
Voter Wan Abdullah
August 29, 2013
Oh dear….U take care of yourself….use a crutch if you have to. Cheers Chief…All d best.
Zera
August 29, 2013
I was a Canadian living in KL for over four years and I have to say that this is the stupidest thing I’ve ever read. It’s not the nurses fault that you don’t speak BM. You are in Malaysia where the official language is Bahasa Malay. English is not a universal language. I have been to many countries and, the fact of the matter, places like Germany, France, Italy, Lebanon, Korea – a lot of people there don’t speak English. I wouldn’t get angry at them if they couldn’t understand. I would get angry at myself. I am in their land, trying to force them to speak a language that’s not their language. It would have been nice if she spoke English but that fact that she didn’t is not an embarrassment on her. It’s an embarrassment on you. It’s your obligation to learn the local language – not the nurse’s to learn a language that’s used 2000 miles away.
Go learn some Bahasa and stop being a pretentious dickwad. Malaysia isn’t Burger King. You are not entitled to have it your way.
Another Anak Bangsa Malaysia
August 29, 2013
Zera,
Let me guess, you are Canadian-French?
Heheheheheh!!!
Taipan
August 30, 2013
“Was” a Canadian? What are you now? A dumb Eskimo trying to be more Malay than our Malays?
For those countries you mentioned, I do not know when was the last time you have had been there. Agreed, some may not understand the English language, but for some it has more to do with pride. Why should i get angry with myself? In either case, these people will willingly assist you the best they can when they know you are a foreigner.
I do not know about you, but I find it very rude for someone to reply me in a language that is different to that I used as one of the more common languages in this country. In this case, she could have said “I no speak the engelish!”
shakuntala
August 29, 2013
Bravo Haris, you did the right thing by speaking ENGLISH and then upon being not understood walking away, probably in utter disgust! It is imperative in this day and age when we are aping the West right and left, eating western food at every corner, boasting to the world at large about our advanced standards which definitely must include, for goodness sake speech and how well it is spoken used and understood. All front desk personnel must, must, must, I dare say have to, and definitely should speak English to customers and walk in persons. Front desk personnel make or break it for the worth of any institution which is serving the public.
Sorry lah, in Malaysia what prompts anyone with a little bit of feeling to blow their tops off or show disgust in their faces is a dumb staffed front desk who look at you totally shocked or stupid, thinking that you had just dropped from Mars or some unknown planet. Only for want of not understanding you, for having spoken plain English.
Blyme,…. aren’t we sorely ashamed that we cannot even present a decent front when we keep crowing to the world about what a terrific spot in the world Malaysia is. Now listen, am not saying I don’t like Malaysia or want to run away from my country, what I am saying is that there is nothing so obnoxious as a dumb-staffed front desk especially when you are ill and want to be nedicallyrelieved so badly.
Sympathize with you Haris, a fractured left toe is one of the worst physical calamaties one endures….the pain in itself is something worth some loud screams!
So boo to you Taman Desa Medical Centre. Go to Hospital Mata Hussein Onn if you want to know how to deal with customers when you are manning a front desk.
Nurul
August 29, 2013
MALAYsia.
farah
August 29, 2013
agreed with another anak bangsa malaysia,most of malays are ashame to speak or response in english because of our fluency in english.i sure u know this fact.so,i dont see this is abig matter.if they dont/cnt response in english,just go with BM.why so difficult?
Abd Samad
August 29, 2013
I have only 1 word to describe you Mr Haris. Arrogant, or sombong dan berlagak, as they call it in Malay. There are 2 problems with your attitude. 1) For god sake, why can’t you just speak Malay?? Do you have problem conversing in Malay? Are you a Malay? Are you ashamed of your mother tongue? 2) What is your problem?? What is wrong with agreeing to see a doctor or a specialist first?? Janganlah berlagak sombong sangat. Takde kelaslah dengan staf hospital pun nak berlagak.
Oyo Co Mo Wa
August 29, 2013
Bro Haris,
Last week I saw dem hospital staff reading a book titled “Satanic Nurses” !
Hope the pesky toe gets mended soon bro…..take care.
Cheers
RastamanJB
aat
August 29, 2013
What a stupid, born and bred here yet still feel ashamed to speak Bahasa.
abe ja
August 29, 2013
henrieth abraham, (since you’re so mat saleh, i took the liberty to matsalenized your name),
the bigger joke here is that you’re whining like a 7 years old deprived from a lollipop. Chill out, we knew already you’re “highly educated” although some screws do missing from your thick skull. Its a simple question, and you dont even have to revert to bm that you despised so much to answer her. a simple “medical officer” would do.she’ll get you registered, and you’re saved from embarrassing yourself from this bullshit created from something that was a non-issue in the first place.
chill out kiddo.its kinda weird calling you a kiddo with that white hair and “rumah kata pergi kubur kata mari” age of yours.sorry if you dont understand that peribahasa,its literally “home says go away,grave says welcome”
Zuma
August 29, 2013
X-Ray isn’t a payphone or a photobooth , so says the doctor .
Here is some information on “not-so-correct” medical practice on offer overseas.
Portable X-Ray Services ,Auckland ,New Zealand.
http://www.portablexray.co.nz/
Providing a mobile x-ray service for more than 40 years
We are:
Available for home visits
Flexible to your needs
Fully portable
Available 24 hours / 7 days (easily reached by our phone-diverted to cellphone)
Able to x-ray bedridden and frail patients
Efficient
A no-hassles service
Professional
Proud of our high-quality radiographs
If for any reason we are unable to produce radiographs of a diagnostic quality, then there will be no charge to the patient.
Anyway, it is still the correct medical practice in Malaysia that is cheaper, unless , Haris in in New Zealand now .
Sarcy
August 29, 2013
Hmm. For all you know, the TDMC staff are just annoyed at you for refusing to talk to them in Malay, nicely. Speaking English doesn’t put you on any higher social pedestal lah bai!
SBeach
August 29, 2013
If the complainant is an englishman then I i feel sorry for him. If he calls himself a Malaysian and lives in Malaysia I can’t stand his arrogance. Most probably in his arrogance to show off that he is an excellent english speaker he was speaking in his own “lingo” hardly understood by many. Judging by his english competency on writing this piece is enough to see through his level of conversational english.
May he have more toes and big toes fractured to pay for his arrogance.
Another Anak Bangsa Malaysia
August 29, 2013
Hahahahahah!!!
Obviously this blog is well monitored as this article seems to have touched a raw nerve.
To all those new commentators, I bid you welcome to a new way of thinking about what we want in a new Malaysia 🙂
Whilst I’ve got you, I trust that you newcomers have seen Haris’s audited accounts?
May I suggest you newcomers ask your favourite politician if he/she is willing to be audited independently?
Heheheheheh!! I have a feeling I know what their answer would be 🙂 Two words – the first word is very rude, has four letters and starts with an “F” and the second word is “Off” 🙂
Hahahahahahah!!!! 🙂
Daniel
August 30, 2013
if you are not surprised enough, nowadays we even have people working in legal firm couldn’t speak proper English. I wanted to cry when she kept repeating “engaged on another line” but pronounce it something like “enguage”.
Happened to me this week.
Daniel
August 30, 2013
For those who call the host arrogant, if Malaysian especially the malay don’t like to speak english (or think they don’t need english), then what about speaking chinese?
These are the 2 most widely spoken languages in the world. So you want to bury your head in the sand think that since you are in malaysia then you should just speak malay? tell me how many ppl in the word can speak malay? 20m? what is the population of the world? It’s not wrong to say that you should revert to malay but look at the big picture, they are making malaysia a laughing stock!
Before you mention the over 100m people in our neighbour country, sorry they speak indonesian not malay. and do you understand what age we are in now? what challenges we are facing now? how the world look at malaysia now? Cambodia is getting more respect than Malaysia now.
abah38
August 30, 2013
My former English teacher teacher who spoke flawless English used to call people like you ‘Mat Salleh belacan’.
shakuntala
August 30, 2013
Bloody awful!!!!!, so Haris it appears from this emotional storm (oh well when is it not emotional in this country?), that you are to speak BM first and later switch to English? Then MAYBE you’d have been understood?. Naughty, naughty, haughty boy Haris for not knowing simple, childish rules based on emotion. Remember you are in under-developed Malaysia, but truly Asia….
You have to also not forget you naughty, naughty haughty boy, what the famous Moo-hee-haw-dim( yea m not n!!) said a while ago….”I am Malay first and then Malaysian”. And the story goes that he assured many many people that they would live happily ever after….End..
Something to ponder over…..
“I said it in Hebrew
I said it in Dutch
I said it in German and Greek
But I wholly forgot and it vexes me much
That English is what you speak.”
Lluuung
August 30, 2013
Dear All,
Once upon a time, our people used to be proficient in English, as well as our mother tongue.Whatever happened to that?
Wasn’t it great to be multilingual?
Wouldn’t you enjoy being able to communicate and articulate in different languages?
Is it not a shame to have lost that ability?
Should we have become lesser beings if we are multilingual?
God Bless us Malaysians!!!
kervin
August 30, 2013
The clinic is near my place and I can attest it gives below par service. Its now under renovation so the place is a mess. The staff are not friendly and some of the doctors are not professional. I saw a kid with high fever asking for doctor but was told he was on lunch break and will be back in a few hours while demanding they clear the payment first. My kid was sick and again they said they cannot get a paediatrician to see her and referred us to another doctor who said nothing can be done and ask to monitor the kid and then charge consultancy fees with no real attempt at diagnosis. I won’t recommend this clinic to anyone.
Another Anak Bangsa Malaysia
August 30, 2013
Good grief!!
70 comments and counting!!!
Look like Haris has a whole new lot of readers who just cannot hold back with Haris-bashing 🙂
Wot a bunch of tossers, eh?
It’s not a case of Haris not speaking BM, you morons!!
It’s a case of where our education system has left us.
Most of the respondents here who are criticising Haris can hardly string together a decent sentence in English.
Oh, I am so sorry. I suppose I should be writing all this in BM so you morons can understand that I am laughing at you.
Yes, you want to be world leaders and you fools cannot even speak simple English to communicate with your peers in other countries.
What language do you think you would use with a leader in China? BM? Chinese? Don’t be silly!! They speak English.
What language would you use with a leader in Japan? BM? Japanese? You fool!! They speak English.
Never mind going that far – what language would you use with a leader in Thailand? BM? Thai? You imbecile!! They speak English.
Need I go on?
Ooyy!! Malu lah 🙂
Malaysians need to be practical if we are really serious about playing in the international arena. A language like English connects us all.
Do you realise what would happen if less and less people spoke English in Malaysia?
Only those who speak English will run the country – mark my words, you morons.
English is one of the few weapons left for a little guy like me against the juggernaut of BN.
I use English to tell the world about what is happening in my country.
Do you think a Frenchman, a German, an English man, an Italian, a Russian would care if I told my story in Bahasa Malaysia?
Now do you understand why BN will not let us learn English?
Saya tak tahu inggeris
August 30, 2013
the irony is – that medical center is lead by a Chinese (try to ask them whose their boss), located in teresa kok area (maybe nurul izzah) with majority people working there is a PR supporter / voter, (you cant expect people from tg karang – noh omar area to work there isnt it?)
and finally…its UMNO fault. why? MCA and MIC never did wrong? they never ask things that unpopular for malays that still accepted in the name of unity / semangat perkawanan or something?
1st off, (especially the commentators) you dont have to politicize everything. the reality you were born in this country is your parent fault by f*cking and delivering you here. its not Politic-related fault.
2nd thing, i believe the name haris ibharim belong to a malay (owner of this blog) congrats bro, its always been “melayu yang bunuh melayu” and youre one the hero. its never been other race who kill and jeopardize malays.
3rd part, people will say – “ape kaitan area PR dgn staff?” you see, they won with a big majority there, given if what PR fanatic says, BN get its vote with only bangladeshi and post voter, so if the staff is malay (i assume malay because chinese and indian normally dont have issues with english), there are 99% a PR supporter, go easy on them or maybe next GE the will vote BN for real
4th, learn some basic “bahasa melayu” bro. language never get a person higher than another, its the attitude (kesopanan dan kesusilaan) sorry, you never learn pendidikan moral anyway, i wonder what the BN teach you in Agama Islam subject while back ago
Rafa
August 31, 2013
Why would kochebin be interested with RPK ?The comment by kochebin below(one before shakuntala) show it is for RPK ,neutral as for Haris and anger against PR.
Haris wrote :RPK’s day at the Federal Court on 23/2/2009 may be his last day of freedom.
RPK is a free man on February 21, 2009 !
kochebin
February 21, 2009
The PR govt. is not interested in the ISA detainees,all they are interested at that time was for their political mileage in getting out Theresa Kok and a bunch of their politicians.So now those who held the vigil feels like they are being a jackass.
https://harismibrahim.wordpress.com/2009/02/20/oi-vigilers-howzabout-monday-at-the-palace-in-solidarity-with-rpk-then/
If you look at kochebin’s comments now at the People’s Parliament ,it seem to have a personal vendetta against Haris .It is personal, not due to Haris Ibrahim’s leadership of ABU
kochebin
May 7, 2013
Harris,let me remind you of your excuses being so busy so much so tabling of financial statements were delayed.Election is over,the rakyat has choosen,Now is your time to answer your expenditure.
kochebin
May 23, 2013
Now Haris does not have to crack his head searching for excuses in delaying his public account audit.WELL DONE HARIS.
kochebin
May 29, 2013
So what law to replace the existing one.Criticising is easy.Since you are the all knowing,then please draft one that is to your liking,let people read and comment.
kochebin
May 12, 2013
Where is the tabled accounts of ABU WAR FUND?
kochebin
May 12, 2013
Looks like Haris is not answering my comment,still searching for excuses?
kochebin
May 14, 2013
I am beginning to notice that Haris is not ABU at all by heart,he has different agenda,may lost a few contracts with UBN last few years.Somebopdy should do some background check on this guy.
Haris:Hahahahah. You are funny
kochebin
May 14, 2013
I am very very sorry looking at Anak Bangsa Malaysia,blinded by the so called leaders(Haris) who fight for democracy,but failed to accept lost.
The obvious reason,
kochebin’s anger is due to Haris allowing ABU supporter’s fierce bashing of RPK.
Remember, RPK is an egocentric old man.How could he allow someone to criticizes him without his retaliation?
more at:
http://rajaputar50.wordpress.com
KitchenBin
August 31, 2013
THE JOURNEY IN LIES IS A BENGKANG-BENGKOK LIE.
Why sectarianism is tearing Muslim societies apart–Ahmed Rashid
http://blogs.ft.com/the-a-list/2013/08/23/why-sectarianism-is-tearing-muslim-society-apart/
Muslim empires of the past prospered by allowing multiple Islamic sects and non-Muslims to live under their protection. Failed Muslim empires and rulers were always those who insisted upon trying to assert a single sectarian state. The lessons of history are all but forgotten, for in this modern world Muslims have never known the extent of sectarianism that is today tearing Muslim societies apart.
If the money Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states have spent since the 1970s trying to spread Wahhabism had instead gone towards making every Muslim child literate, the Muslim world would be raking in the Nobel Prizes today rather than being the centre of illiteracy and ignorance. Saudi Arabia does not even allow Christians or those of any other faith to worship in their country – a complete contradiction to what the Prophet preached.
If Muslims are ever forced to live under unitary, single sect states, they will no longer be true Muslims because Islam does not allow that. But who will remember the true religion when one sect after another is being eliminated by the fires of extremism.
anna brella
August 31, 2013
Ever heard of the phrase in business “the customer is king/queen”? Or that in a hospital/medical establishment “the needs of the patient come first?
So would not facilitating good communications between the business/service provider and their customer or patient (also a customer btw) be IMPORTANT for a business/service so it can gain a proper understanding of how to serve its customer or patient best? Would that customer-focussed given not therefore, OVERRIDE all other considerations, how ever relevant or irrelevant these were?
Well, obviously not at this uncaring TDMC UMNO propaganda beholden and pushing, falsely monopolistic entity appearing in the strikingly incompetent form of a fascist Ketuanan Melayu based pseudo-medical structure pretending hopelessly to be a part of the “competent caring profession”.
It was lucky for you that the other hospital understood its service ethos and priorities better so good luck with healing that injured ped-digit.
“Imagine Power To The People” John Lennon.
Myblog
September 6, 2013
The private healthcare and services act requires that radiological examination be only carried out based on an order from a medical officer. But that is not the point here, standard of english in malaysia is poor, that is the point here
abah38
September 7, 2013
Kadang-kadang kita lupa di mana kita tinggal. Kita lupa kita ada bahasa kebangsaan dan bahasa rasmi. Cuba buat lagak yang sama di Beijing atapun di Paris, atau di Berlin. Kau luka pun tak boleh nak cakap dalam BM. Apakah dalam kamus kau ada benda yang dipanggil Bahasa Kebangsaan?.
anna brella
September 8, 2013
???????!!!!!!!
Internet = international communications network
Understand?
“Imagine Power To The People” John Lennon.
shakuntala
September 7, 2013
MYblog, …. what took you so long to say it so plain and clear……many thanks The standard of English is not only poor, here, but it is being used as a political tool to keep a certain section of the population separated. Like as if it is a disease to be feared.
Andrew
September 7, 2013
‘At the X-Ray Department, The staff in attendance wanted to know why I wanted to register there’
This statement is not right and your just twisting the real incident.
I was there and There were cctv footage to prove your behavior..
I do understand that you was irritated by the ridiculous questions thrown at and staff not understanding your question, moreover you might be in pain due to the confirmed fracture but when you were at the department. None of that staff knows what you went through from the front desk to the x-ray department .
When you was asked what x-ray you wanted to do and have you registered at the front desk.
You should have answered ‘No, I haven register and i just want to x ray my foot or whatever part that you would want to be taken x- ray instead you just blow off and and said is this a hospital or what and just left…
You do not know the work flow and procedure to whether see a doctor or do have a x ray taken. You should asked .
By twisting the real incident and Blaming TDMC is not the right thing to do. I do agree with you that some staff do not speak and understand reasonable English but you need to be Humble ask..
Thanks.
Another Anak Bangsa Malaysia
September 7, 2013
Andrew,
“… But you need to be Humble ask …”
What an arrogant attitude!!! Expecting your patients, who are your customers, to be humble in your presence!!
Do you suffer from low self-esteem?
I think I am starting to understand why Haris insisted on speaking in English with you people.
Andrew
September 8, 2013
There been a typo error there .. But anyways ..
We were humble enough to ask, But he Blow up because was irritated from the start.
‘Do you suffer from low self-esteem?’ ..
I believe you should question that to yourself ..
We got no issue with what language that was spoken. Its just the attitude .
Not all customers are right.. We are not supermarket trying to sell products.
Its regarding patient’s health . There are rules, regulations, policy and more which I believe you do not understand .
This rules and all are to protect and prevent any legal issue that may arise on the later days ..
Language has got nothing to do with this..
maz
September 8, 2013
but I happy to come tdmc..because once step I come this hospital..one malay guys the entarance so friendly and always give a good information…and help me from began until ending,,,i never comment about this matter..for me I’m happy come to tdmc
…..
Another Anak Bangsa Malaysia
September 9, 2013
maz,
I am glad you are happy with TDMC.
I am guessing that you behaved in a very humble manner when you were at TDMC, so that is why you will receive a lot of help from those who have the power to help you.
You must remember that sometimes people will exploit our humility and will force us to be always humble in front of them, no matter what.
Malaysians should learn to spot such people who demand to be worshipped even though such worship is not deserved.
Malaysians should learn that in life, there are often alternatives.
annabrella
September 9, 2013
Agreed about spotting such classic pretentious local Malaysian turds who adore to be worshipped like the gods they aren’t by all and sundry in Malaysia, but who will, strangely enough, act sort-of “appropriately” pretentiously with normally white non-Malaysians or when they are prancing about pretentiously on the international stage doing something called the pretentiousness of spurious “diplomacy”.
Much like the calssic rude turdish display we see above from UMNO’s clearly uncouth Rais Yatim, who I suppose was trying to illustrate to an uncouth-tee his petty Napoleanistic or Hitleristic or Stalinistic or Ketuanan Melayu pretentious act for all and sundry to kowtow to in Malaysia.
“Imagine Power To The People” John Lennon.
Another Anak Bangsa Malaysia
September 9, 2013
Andrew, Andrew, Andrew,
Trying to bullshit your way out of this is not fooling anybody.
You feel so goddamned superior over your patients, your customers, that you don’t really like them unless they kowtow to you and treat you like a god for helping them.
I’ll bet anything that you fancy yourself to be such a highly trained professional that you are a cut above the average dumb-assed Malaysian who walks in, off the street seeking your help.
Yes, THEY MUST BE HUMBLE in your exalted presence OR ELSE.
When faced by a not-so-dumb-assed Malaysian who has a better command of English, you and your colleagues try to even up the score by insisting on speaking Bahasa Malaysia to retain your superior status.
Yes, I am glad that finally, you have realised what this article was all about.
It was NEVER about the language but the absolute arrogance and disdain with which you treat your patients.
Andrew
September 11, 2013
Another Anak Bangsa Malaysia,
Haha, Finnally you showed your true colour..
You dont even know what exactly happen.. Just by seeing this post you believe exactly what being said and start judging without being there..
Next what you going to say? I dun need to be there to know?
Haha, such a clown and that shows what kind of mentality type of person you are..
No one is trying to bullshit here.. If you wanna know or confidently believe any truth come to TDMC and we are more than glad to show you our CCTV Recording of the whole incident
You have no rights to say anything on how we treat our patients.. Because you are not here 24/7 to witness our work..
Being so judgmental does not bring you anywhere.
Another Anak Bangsa Malaysia
September 13, 2013
Andrew,
Unfortunately for you, you are being judged by public opinion and as an ordinary bog-average member of the public, being judgemental gets me EVERYWHERE 🙂
You should know that, you were being judged by what you have written in response.
If you were not an arrogant person you would have immediately offered an apology to your patient, who is your customer.
The whole thing which has given the game away for you is the insistence of your staff to speak BM to a person who speaks English.
I did not fully understand the significance of the language issue until I read your responses and I realised it was not about language but the dynamics of power.
Even now, your attempts to belittle me and treat me like some silly little dumb Malaysian is quite evident – “…You have no rights to say anything on how we treat our patients..”
Andrew, you were placed in a position of power and responsibility to help Malaysians who have medical issues.
The very fact that we are having this conversation should warn you that you have strayed from “the path”.
Now, it is a case of Malaysians helping you to feel important and powerful – THAT is what it looks like to someone like me who is just reading the words you write.
This is so similar to what I detest in Malaysian politics – politicians expect to be lionised and worshipped by the “lesser” folks when, in fact, the politicians are our servants who should be improving the lives of the “lesser” folks.
Andrew, I have no idea what your political sentiments are, I don’t care what your race is and I am not bothered by your choice of religion.
I only ask that you think of us ordinary Malaysians as people who need help. If you are in the fortunate position of being able to help us, do so, regardless of who we are, what we say, how we behave, how we smell, or the clothes we wear.
Your only reward should be the knowledge that you have helped us – anything on top of that is a bonus.
wandererAUS
September 14, 2013
Aiyah, are you not aware, each time you chose to talk to these civil servants and the likes, they felt ashamed and inferior, suffering from inferiority complex …simply because of their inability to communicate in English. This is the result of students graduated from “UMNO schools”…Malaysia boleh!
wandererAUS
September 15, 2013
Bahasa Malaysia what…a “belakan mati” language? Sudah lah, who gives a shit to this unrecognized language of the world…. good only for what it is worth…2 bloody cents! Is there a law to say I cannot use English for my communication? More than half the population of Bolehland speak English daily!…is this consider unpatriotic?
Ursula fletcher
December 21, 2013
I’m not sure what nationality you are, I am British and have been living in Singapore and KL for 5 years, when I first arrived I was surprised to notice that a lot of people in Asia appear to be trying to be awkward and offensive on purpose, something that would not be tolerated in UK. I may be wrong but I have a feeling that it is either just “their way” that isn’t meant to cause offence, or a mis-communication on their part coming from speaking in a 2nd language. Whichever, I have learned to adjust and just “go with it” as it is just how it is in Asia, and don’t let myself get annoyed or offended.
Ursula fletcher
December 21, 2013
I think living in a foreign country I am always impressed with anyone who can speak another language other than their own and I think you need to take that into account, if there is a lack of communication then don’t expect Malaysians to speak English, after all we are guests in their country.
noanz
September 23, 2014
TO ALL OF YOU…PLEASE WELCOME TO TAMAN DESA MEDICAL CENTRE AND JUDGE US FACE TO FACE..WE HAVE A COMPLAINT FORM THAT U CAN WRITE HOW MUCH U WANT TO COMPLAINT US ..IN THIS BLOG ONLY CANNOT SHOW WHO WERE RIGHT OR WRONG..COME LAH..IF U ANAK MALAYSIA BUKTIKAN LAH…