Let me relate an unpleasant experience I had with the taxi driver on my way from the airport to Nilai ( on my way back to Sri Gading). Having bought my taxi coupon, I hopped into the available taxi. The taxi driver was in communication with another guy, apparently sharing some joke about a friend having his usual taxi being 'hijacked' by another driver. To and fro the same joke (what's so funny? I thought)
Then the voice over the radio asked " Nak pergi mana?" "Nilai," said my taxi driver. "Oh, Nilai, tak jauh lah... biar saya nyanyi..." and the other guy began to sing a song about " Sembahyang 5 kali... kewajipan umat.... " and so on, - well, he's got quite a good voice. Then he asked whether the passenger was a man or woman. "Ah Moi" said my driver. "Oh, hitam, kuning apa?" I pricked up my ears. The driver muttered, "Cina" "Oh, Puteri Hang Li Poh"
We were nearing my destination and I instructed the driver to look out for Shell station and some shops that sell curtain materials. We went round in circles trying to locate the spot and the voice over the radio asked " Macam mana dengan Puteri Hang Li Poh itu ?" We finally locate the place I wanted ( to wait for the BP taxi).
When I got down from the taxi, I told the driver that I didn't like being called Puteri Hang Li Poh - that's racial profiling. "Saya orang Malaysia juga, macam kamu. Kenapa panggil ini macam ? Kau tidak suka orang Cina kah?" He apologised and said it wasn't him. I still told him that kind of talk is very bad for Malaysia." Beritahu kawan kamu jangan cakap ini macam lain kali. Tak baik."
Like dad, i think it's high time we speak out against this racial profiling.
Then the voice over the radio asked " Nak pergi mana?" "Nilai," said my taxi driver. "Oh, Nilai, tak jauh lah... biar saya nyanyi..." and the other guy began to sing a song about " Sembahyang 5 kali... kewajipan umat.... " and so on, - well, he's got quite a good voice. Then he asked whether the passenger was a man or woman. "Ah Moi" said my driver. "Oh, hitam, kuning apa?" I pricked up my ears. The driver muttered, "Cina" "Oh, Puteri Hang Li Poh"
We were nearing my destination and I instructed the driver to look out for Shell station and some shops that sell curtain materials. We went round in circles trying to locate the spot and the voice over the radio asked " Macam mana dengan Puteri Hang Li Poh itu ?" We finally locate the place I wanted ( to wait for the BP taxi).
When I got down from the taxi, I told the driver that I didn't like being called Puteri Hang Li Poh - that's racial profiling. "Saya orang Malaysia juga, macam kamu. Kenapa panggil ini macam ? Kau tidak suka orang Cina kah?" He apologised and said it wasn't him. I still told him that kind of talk is very bad for Malaysia." Beritahu kawan kamu jangan cakap ini macam lain kali. Tak baik."
Like dad, i think it's high time we speak out against this racial profiling.
2 comments:
I wonder if he had that awed look as you reproached him in that school-teacherish manner! It must be a comical sight from a third party’s point of view.
Oh yes, i was very stern and my tone and eye contact i think sent him the shivers!!
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