Most tourists from China are always surprised to discover most Malaysians speak Mandarin. This blogger from China was no exception.
Recently, blogger 爱唱歌的学长 revisited Malaysia, his second trip after six months. Upon landing in Malaysia, he challenged himself to only communicate in Mandarin. To his surprise, the challenge went smoother than he expected, leaving him impressed by Malaysians’ language skills.
A few days ago (22nd October), 爱唱歌的学长 who goes by @/youlixfg66i on TikTok, landed in Malaysia at KLIA. To make things interesting, the blogger claimed he would only be communicating in Mandarin from the airport all the way to the hotel. He added he was interested to know how well-used Mandarin was here.
He immediately got stumped at the notice board as they did not have the information he wanted. So, he went to the service counter to ask for assistance. “Hello, is there anyone who speaks Chinese?” he asked. A Malay woman, wearing a sash who claimed she spoke Mandarin, immediately responded, asking where he needed to go.
As he was walking away after obtaining the information he needed, he realised there were other staff members around who also wore the same sash. “You guys can speak Mandarin too?” he asked, and the staff confirmed it, leaving him impressed. He later mentioned he spotted around four to five people with the sash, adding there were now more staff who could communicate in Mandarin, compared to his last trip.
Of course, they weren’t the only ones available. The blogger also observed several Mandarin-speaking staff members at designated spots in the airport, ready to assist tourists at any time. Signs written in English, BM and Mandarin were dotted about the airport, making it easier for him to traverse the area. It also made him feel more at home.
Even better, his e-hailing driver spoke Mandarin, which made his trip smoother and to his delight, the staff at the hotel was also able to communicate with him in Mandarin so he could check in easily. It left him in wonder.
“Even if you are only able to communicate in Mandarin, you won’t have any difficulty living in Malaysia, regardless of basic necessities, food, housing and transportation,” he gushed. “From the airport to the hotel, everyone, whether Chinese or non-Chinese, understands Chinese. It’s amazing.”
Well, being able to speak multiple languages is certainly one of Malaysia’s charms! And, we’re glad the many Mandarin speakers here in Malaysia can help tourists like this blogger feel at home here.
Watch his video here:
@youlixfg66i 希望对你有帮助！#malaysia
Sources: TikTok, China Press, Sin Chew Daily
