queue jumpers

One of things that actually appeals to my curiosity is what is going on in the mind of queue jumpers. This has almost become synonymous with Malaysian culture is one the things im pretty much embarrassed about when they brazenly execute their queue jumping skills in front of foreign tourists who have been queuing like mad for past half hour.

This morning i was having my breakfast with my parents at a food court somewhere in Putrajaya, and decided to try the nasi lemak which my mum claims to be one of the tastiest in town. “quick, go and queue up before the crowd gets here”, which explains why the nasi lemak is so popular. As i got into the line, waiting for my turn, a young couple in their 30’s joined in the queue. Well, should i say, half of the couple, because as the husband decides to do the honourable, and equally ethical deed of queuing up, the wife coolly cuts in the front queue and asked for a plate of nasi lemak. “The queue is here-lah”, the husband called. “It’s okay”, she shrugged off, as she veers around with the plate of meal in her hand, selecting her choice of lauk. I was quite surprised no one in the queue had the urge to tell her off, and what was more surprising was that even the stall owner tended to her.

What has become of the basic social values of our society? Well, i know some might just say, ”pfft, why are you even making a big fuss out of a small spark”, but hey, doesn’t it irk you when you’ve been queuing for the komuter for almost 20 minutes, and when the ultra-slow vehicle arrives, there will be a group of people who have been sitting while you were standing up shamelessly walk to the front and claim their “right-of-way” into the train?

When i went to Japan, I found out that you have to queue for almost everything. That includes boarding the escalator in the mall. As compared to us Malaysians, as long as we can push and shove our way to the preferred destination, no problem. The erosion of the society’s ethical values are quite troubling, as more people think that they have the right-of-way to everything, disregarding what other’s feel, as well as other people’s right-of-way.

There is only one explanation for this disease, selfishness.