Timid? Shy? Or is it just plain Malaysian?

Something outrageously, outwardly, ridiculously, typically... Malaysian happened to me today.. but first, let me briefly outline the new bus system in PJ town – One ringgit ticket for the whole day. Hence, note the importance of having our ticket at hand after paying for the ticket. OK? ok.

It started off with me getting up the bus after a long queue this morning, to get to the LRT station to get to my aunt’s... (or maybe it started off with my hyper state of hormonal imbalance – that time of the month, you know).. anyways, I shoved my RM1 into the money slot (with lots more RM1 notes sticking out).. I asked for my ticket.. and then.. after I conveniently put in my RM1 note into the money slot, guess what the bus driver told me (and apparently, to the 6 other people in front of me in the queue as well)?

“ticket habis”...

I gave him a weird look.. and in my mind, I was screaming - “why then didn’t u stop me from putting my one buck in??”.. and “why didn’t the other folks say anything??” “no more tickets??!”..

i just sat down, thinking that the bus driver would compensate us with our daily ticket by the time we reached the station. That would’ve explained everyone’s cool manner.

So, destination – the bus stop (opposite the station) reached.. the bus stops, and bus driver gets ready to drive off. I approached him immediately before he does, demanding for the ticket.. NOT FAIR LA... I paid and got no ticket in return?? Now, guess what the driver nonchalantly replied?

“ambil balik duit la”..

The nerve! I plucked out RM1 from the stuffed up money slot, fuming..

Off the bus, I was glad to know I wasn’t the only one as mad as a bull by then.. some of the other “cheated” passengers were gathering among themselves, talking bout the situation.
Not one of them took their money back... not one of them plan to complain.. they basically got mad at the fact that they “rugi” one buck today and that the driver was plain “giler..”

I “contributed” my 2 cents worth of “talk” and suggested that all of us complain to the bus station office. Ok, I don’t mean to be a mean rebel, a boycotter or a “cockfighter” here.. Heck, we have the right to voice out, no?! Much to my dismay, (and not to my surprise) not one dared to live up to my suggestion..

By now, extra fumed by all these absurdity.. I marched to the office alone and made my complain.. Hopefully it went to good ears, and some action was taken after that... so I comforted myself.. I believed what I did was right. By pointing out the incident to those incharged, I did my part to ensure that such nonsense wouldn’t have occurred again... Hell knows what the driver did with the access money.

What he should have done instead was not take any more passengers when he ran out of tickets, or not make us pay, or at least, have the plain initiative to compensate us with the tickets when we arrived!

But what truly baffles me is the fact that the others didn’t bother to do a single thing...

We Malaysians and our “tak apa-lah” attitude, and the “apa-apa saja” motto. Are these the reasons why we stay integrated? Is this the secret ingredient the US and UK are looking for to one “tolerable harmonious community”? far fetched as some might see it.. I can’t think of any other reason to justify the response this morning. Why? Why? Why?