Tourists

I find it strange that our Federal Minister of Tourism found it embarrasing to be told by the Arab tourist agents on his recent visit to the region that our beaches are polluted , our frontliners don’t smile and our taxis are dirty and the drivers cheat you.

Its not news to us, maybe the minister comes from a different planet from the rest of us. I am shocked that he was shocked.

To be fair, the local press have been doing their job in highligthing the many shortcomings mentioned. The problem is that too many of those in power seem to be cut off from the real world, many don’t quite know whether they are coming or going. Malaysians are good in putting on show not only for the politicians but also for the visitors, everybody gets the feel good factor and assumes everything is fine.

Things look great on the surface, but, underneath the carpet there are too many things that have been swept under. This has to do with our culture of telling the politicians what they want to hear. If we look at the problems in the country, many could have been avoided if the culture of responsibility or accountability is practised in a more open and transparent manner.

Most of the problems in this country are solved on ad hoc basis without taking into account the big picture, no wonder the same problems never seem to end. We tend to forget things very fast too and hardly learn from our past mistakes or misfortunes. All these are acts of God, but, never due to our own inept style of planning or mananging.

Public service is carried out with some kind of grudge by the fontliners though, things have improved in certain areas. The arrogance of some of these officers is legendary. Despite all the talk about us being nice and friendly people, think, is this the whole truth,nothing,but the whole truth? If you want to believe in your own myths,that is your right.

I have so many horror stories about our immigration frontliners to tell, they can be rude, unfriendly and overbearing.I still remember one incident at the KLIA, the lady officer-in-charge was so cold and disintrested, I wondered what she was doing manning the counter. She was more intrested in talking on her mobile phone, engrossed in her conversation she did not even bother looking up. I suppose, we can blame God for giving her this rude, and unprofessional disposition. She really ruined my day after a long flight home.

Many people I know also have an axe to grind when it comes to the immigration officers in Sarawak. I appreciate that they do not want to turn their state into another Sabah with all the illegals running around passing themselves off as local citizens,like they say there are many ways to skin a cat. What I can’t tolerate is unfriendly, unwelcoming immigration officers. Sarawak has many attractive tourist products worth patronising, but, for an inter-state visitor like me, the immigration officers there can be a pain you know where with their overzealous intrepretations of how they should protect their state from outsiders. I wonder whether they welcome visitors or whether we are in the same country or what.

As for polluted beaches and cheating cabbies , I think the least we talk about them the better. Many of us have resigned to the fact that we have to live with them unless of course, we walk the talk, and this takes political will and education, nothing else will do the trick.

I don’t know what is so shameful about stating the truth, I would like to think that it was done with the best of intentions. I bet my bottom ringgit that nothing will change after this until the next shaming exercise. It was good that the Arabs socked it to him, now, the minister knows Malaysia is a part of the real world and not some Shangri-la somewehere.

Welcome to Malaysia, sir.