MALAYSIA: Asian Culture Emphasises Respect For The Elderly

Elderly Are Still A Cherished Lot. There is concern and consideration for the elderly despite the rapid development of the country. Writes A.S. Toh PENANG, Malaysia (The Star), November 12, 2007: It is heartening to note that the traditional Asian culture which emphasises respect for the elderly is still quite discernable amidst of the hustle and bustle of daily life in Malaysia. For example, when you want to renew or apply for a new international passport or a driving licence, there are special counters set up in the respective government departments to attend to seniors. With Air Asia and some other airlines, seniors get to board the aircraft first. However, in many other organisations, like the post offices and banks, seniors are treated like the rest and have to wait for their numbers to be called. But all is not lost. From my personal experience, seniors like me with grey hair, can often get away from filling forms in banks and other private establishments. What I need to do is to be humble and tell the person attending to me that I have forgotten to bring my glasses and so I am not able to do the necessary. The attendant will not hesitate to do it for me if I can provide him or her with the necessary information. Seniors may get away from the nitty-gritty in these business establishments which depend on the patronage of the young and old. In other areas where the seniors are involved, particularly in the pursuit of leisure, the situation can be quite depressing in the company of young acquaintances. To me, old age does not always mean increasing isolation and loneliness. So as a senior who is still young at heart, and is now free of the hustle and bustle of business life, I began to indulge in all the things I had always wanted to do, such as golfing, scuba diving, and mountain trekking. These are the pursuits of the young and invariably, I have to get along with many younger people. On many occasions, I have been slighted and marginalised by the younger ones because they probably think that old is no longer gold. I will always remember how a young scuba diver treated me during a farewell lunch after our diving expedition in an island off the coast of Terengganu. We got acquainted during the few days we spent on the island. While waiting for dishes to be served, this young diver started to distribute his calling cards to the other divers sitting around the same table. However, when my turn came to receive his card, he bypassed me and said that I did not require one because I had already retired! I lost my cool and after telling him point-blank that he had a bad upbringing, I left the company immediately. It was the last time I saw him. However, every cloud has a silver lining. I remember, too, another diving expedition in the Andaman Sea off Phuket, Thailand, where there were more than a dozen divers, mostly young Malaysians. When lunch was served, I waited for the rush to be over and picked from what was left for my meal. However, during dinner, while waiting for the crowd to clear, a young lady handed me a plate full of hot delicacies and told me to enjoy my dinner! I was speechless and devoured the plateful of goodies. Subsequently, I was assisted in getting all my meals sorted out. I was delighted as it was my first experience of being shown respect by youngsters whom I met after my retirement. From my experience, in order for the elderly to remain in circulation, it is important for us to learn that age concerns mind over matter. If you do not mind, it does not matter. Copyright © 1995-2007 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd