When you have two neighbors like Malaysia and Singapore, you're bound to come across views and perspectives that either unite or divide. It's no surprise, considering the two Southeast Asian nations have always had this love-hate relationship with each other, especially among the common folk like you and I.
While some Malaysia-versus-Singapore discussions tend to get ugly very quickly, there are those that highlight realistic pros and cons for the countries on either side of the Causeway.
In a Reddit discussion on the r/Malaysia subreddit started by user u/Delicious-Degree-855, we see netizens from both sides chime in with their own perspectives and perceptions of their neighbors. Diving deeper, it's hard to deny most of the statements and observations being made, whether convenient or not. Let's take a look at some.
Malaysians are generally more friendly, outgoing, and flexible; Singaporeans are more practical, detail-oriented, and efficient.
IMAGE: Edgar Su / Reuters (via New Straits Times)
Titled 'What are the differences in the character of Malaysians compared to Singaporeans that you have noticed?', it's safe to say that the discussion has definitely piqued the interest of more than a few Redditors, whether Malaysian or Singaporean.
Sharing their thoughts via an anecdote, Redditor u/cincailah highlights a very relatable scenario – sending some friends home after a night out.
"Purely based on my anecdotal experience, if I’m meeting friends at night without car," they begin.
"Malaysian: 'Do you need a ride home?' Even though I stay very [far] from their house, they will generally offer to send me home."
And as for Singaporeans...
"Singaporean: 'I can give you a lift to the nearest MRT station.' Nothing wrong with that. In Singapore, as soon as you get to any MRT station, you’re almost one step home already. Also the gas price in Singapore is freaking expensive. Understandable that they don’t waste on unnecessary trips."
While the Singaporean portion of this anecdote might come off as cold or a little unkind to people who are supposed to be your friends, u/cincailah makes a very good point – fuel prices in Lion City are extremely expensive, making every kilometer not driven a good way to save up. It also highlights the smart urban planning of the city-state, with great first and last-mile accessibility – unlike Malaysia.
Looking at the bigger picture.
Malaysian PM Ismail Sabri with his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong. IMAGE: Bernama / New Straits Times
Pointing out that Singaporeans and Malaysians are "largely culturally compatible", Redditor u/hidetoshiko also believes that despite these similarities, it's their unique differences that help balance each other out, especially when put into a teamwork scenario.
"Singaporeans tend to be more detail-oriented, favor stability, and follow the rules. Hence they tend to become discombobulated when shit hits the fan or when facing a situation that's not specified in the user manual or work instruction," u/hidetoshiko says.
"Malaysians are more chillax and cincai, and less hesitant to bend or break rules to deal with an out-of-control situation."
The Reddit user then goes on to suggest that Singaporean society would benefit from "a constant infusion of Malaysians".
IMAGE: Galen Crout / Unsplash
"The Singaporeans take care of the front end of things in business that require attention to detail (sales, customer service), the Malaysians take care of the backend where all the troubleshooting is needed to fix shit that hits the fan. It's a symbiotic relationship that keeps Singapore humming along predictably."
But as u/simonling points out, this increased sense of laidback-ness among Malaysians could also lead to a less efficient work culture, slowing things down.
"However this also translate to effective work culture in Singapore whereas in Malaysia, it’s a lot more slow-paced (good or bad you decide [on] your own la)."
When the same discussion was posted in the r/AskSingapore subreddit, the responses were relatively similar, with a big emphasis on Malaysians being more laidback (and slow) and Singaporeans being more efficient (but seemingly uptight).
IMAGE: Nik Abdullah Nik Omar / New Straits Times
"While Singaporeans are waiting for the green light (which may or may not work), Malaysians will have already crossed the road. Malaysians don't expect things to be done for them and are more 'street smart' while Singaporeans will wait for instructions and approvals," says u/fijimermaidsg.
Recalling what a mat salleh (a white foreigner) once told him, u/natthegnat2 says that because Singaporeans adhere strictly to the rules, they're very inflexible. Malaysians, on the other hand, are very adaptable and flexible – but this can also lead to some individuals getting "shady and squirrelly with the rules".
This probably explains why a 2020 survey by the Global Corruption Barometer found that 71 percent of Malaysians think government corruption is a big problem – because if politicians can do it, "why can't I?"
But these are just some topics covered in both the r/Malaysia and r/AskSingapore discussions. Take a look at them in the links below:
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