Monday 14 September 2009

A Tale of Two Malaysias

Where NOT to go in Mid Valley if you're pregnant

And why diamonds are a girl's best friend


My heavily pregnant sister-in-law had fainting spells while we were out shopping in Mid Valley today. We walked into the Springfield clothes shop nearby and asked the sales manager if she could sit down there for a while. The manager squinted at my sister-in-law's belly, paused, squinted again, scowled and impatiently blurted out "Aiiiyaaa, we have no spare seats lo - go down the mall and look for a bench lah." Two sales girls were seated nearby, wolfing down their noodles while chatting about their boyfriends, while a third seat not too far away was occupied by another sales girl giggling on her cell phone.

With my sister-in-law about to pass out at any time, we had no choice but to rush next door to the Selberan diamond jewellery shop. The reception there couldn't have been more starkly different. My sister-in-law was quickly ushered to a customer lounge and asked to lie down on a sofa. The sales manager arranged for a wheelchair to be brought from the Concierge Office, so we could wheel her to our car to go to the hospital. While we were waiting for the wheelchair, we were offered cold drinks and were made to feel as comfortable as if it had been in own our living room.

So, if you should think that most Malaysians are the callous, cold-hearted, insensitive and unsympathetic animals you'd find at Springfield in Mid Valley, think again. There are also Malaysians like Puan Rokiah, the sales manager at Selberan, and Ratnam, the security guard. They are the real diamonds among us.

4 comments:

Semerah Padi said...

Dear Sabri,

This is what caught me, in the such an "emergency" situation:-

"Aiiiyaaa, we have no spare seats lo - go down the mall and look for a bench lah." the manager of SPRINGFIELD

and;

"There are also Malaysians like Puan Rokiah, the sales manager at Selebran, and Ratnam, the security guard. They are the real diamonds among us. Indeed they are the real diamonds of MALAYSIA at SELBERAN.

"NEGARA KITA NEGARA BERDAULAT"

Semerah Padi

Anonymous said...

Sabri,

Aiya,how come you give free publicity shot of Springfield then bro :))

Yoon Kit said...

I think is Selberan, not Selebran. Nice writeup nonetheless!

yk

Sabri Zain said...

A little something that was published in The Star ;)

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/9/15/focus/4713013"

The Star Online

Tuesday September 15, 2009
Thank you to Rokiah and Ratnam from mall

MY HEAVILY pregnant sister-in-law had fainting spells while we were shopping in Mid Valley, Kuala Lumpur.

We went into a shop and asked the sales manager if she could sit down there for a while.

The manager squinted at my sister-in-law’s belly, paused and suggested we go down the mall and look for a bench.

With my sister-in-law about to pass out at any time, we next rushed to the Selberan diamond jewellery shop.

The reception there couldn’t have been more different.

My sister-in-law was quickly ushered to a customer lounge and asked to lie down on a sofa.

The sales manager arranged for a wheelchair to be brought from the concierge’s office so we could wheel her to our car to go the hospital.

While we were waiting for the wheelchair, we were offered cold drinks and were made to feel as comfortable as in own our living room.

If you think Malaysians are callous, cold-hearted, insensitive and unsympathetic, note that there are also Malaysians like Puan Rokiah, the sales manager at Selberan, and Mr Ratnam, the security guard.

They are the real diamonds among you.

SABRI ZAIN,
Cambridge, Britain.