Okay, Let's Face It. Malaysians And Singaporeans DO Have A Lot Of Things In Common
We're not neighbours for nothing!
Published for Wrigley's DOUBLEMINT Malaysia, 10 Dec 2015, 09:47 AM
The infamous love-hate relationship between Malaysians and Singaporeans often clouds the stark similarities we share. Like what? Like these:
1. We get to enjoy some of the best food on the planet everyday
Oh, we take our food very seriously. To say we plan our lives around food is an understatement; we live, breathe, and dream about everything makan-related, from steaming bowls of laksa to freshly barbecued satay to cooling down with some ais kacang.
Our superpowers include being able to identify every single kuih in existence and ordering drinks at the kopitiam like a total pro.
2. We've added our own unique spin to the English language
Being home to countless of dialects serves as inspiration to create a language not found anywhere else in the world. The days are not the same without the colourful Manglish/Singlish vocabulary, from gone case to gostan.
3. Our conversations feel incomplete without lah and the rest of our favourite suffixes
And we'd be more than happy to explain the delicate difference between lah and loh.
4. We both complain about the same weather (haze and all!)
There's no tighter bond than detesting the same thing, and the Malaysian-Singaporean bond is always at its strongest when haze season rolls around and everyone's grappling for fresh air.
5. We get an adrenaline rush just hearing the word "discounts"
We don't play play when it comes to shopping! We've pretty much mapped out Orchard Road and Bukit Bintang each time a major sale season rolls around and nothing can stand between us and some good ol' (heavily-discounted!) retail therapy.
6. We can't get enough of hilarious memes
The most exciting part about festive seasons and major events is seeing the stellar line-up of memes that are sure to trickle through our social feeds!
And sometimes, when the going gets tough, we get by with a little help from Photoshop.
7. We share our love for the legendary P. Ramlee
The multi-talented maestro was born in Penang and had carved a name for himself in Singapore. Whether you're Malaysian or Singaporean, you've probably watched Bujang Lapok and listened to Getaran Jiwa one too many times.
8. An important factor when we decide where to lepak mostly depends on the availability of air-con
Which probably explains why chilling at malls is the default plan on weekends, even though we're home to an endless array of outdoor adventures and natural attractions.
9. We all get asked the same prying questions from the relentless aunties every festive season
Because no family gathering is ever complete without "When are you getting married?" and its accompanying range of invasive probes into your personal life.
10. Despite their ability to get under our skin, we love our family to bits and can't imagine life without them
Family acts a major compass in everything we do in life. We may not act on our impulse to quit our jobs to travel the world for fear of disappointing our parents, but we score big when landing a dream job Grandma is proud of!
11. We've wasted a good portion of our lives being stuck in unnecessary traffic jams
Sure, we have better things to do than wasting our precious time and petrol on the CTE or the Federal Highway, but such is life.
12. We have a special place for Phua Chu Kang in our hearts
And we're not about to dispute his "Best in Singapore, JB, and some say Batam" claim, either!
When you think about it, could the love-hate relationship between Malaysians and Singaporeans be because of how similar we are to each other?
Could it be that we're subconsciously hating on things that are actually a reflection of... ourselves?
On the bright side, having things in common is the fast track to a fab friendship, and it's high time we celebrate our similarities!
Make your move; make new friends by sharing happy thoughts and good things! Get inspired here.