I just came back to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a week after few years in New Zealand. I saw many changes. Many positive changes as well as negative ones too. See, when I say something like this, some Malaysians would think, “ohhh..but no one is perfect~”
So that is one of the “third world mentality” person would say.
I am happy to have a great dinner at Chillies at KLCC staring all bright sky scrappers that night - hotels, apartment, business towers. Besides, I saw many Malaysians even as far as Johor have their own laptop and able to connect to the internet when working in the mobile phone store, some I saw in the Petaling Street, a group of friends hanging out at J.Co Doughnut with laptop and wireless internet broadband. I even easily get connected to the internet at KL Sentral via Secret Recipe Hotspot network - for free! I admit, I am impressed with what we have achieved.
But in the other hand, there was a non-stop and continous silly political issues about Anwar Ibrahim, Bala, Najib, Badawi apart from other social issues like poverty, “Cinta tiga Segi” (Hazwan”s)…I don’t see any obvious plan of Malaysia to send more contingents to the Olympic 2008, neither any improvement to increasing suburban poverty due to oil price. I don’t see the enthusiasm of our PM towards D8 meetings. Overall, I would say, most articles and news (40-50%) covered in the local newspapers are merely about Altantuya. Seriously, I don”t get the full good stories and true coverage of D8!
In general, the way Malaysians work out their way in daily life especially their work routine and ethic is not satisfying enough. I feel their selfishness behind their friendliness. I feel their doubt behind their reassurance. I feel their false behind their truth. I feel their irresponsibility behind their thirst and hunger of power.
I feel their insufficiency behind their hard working!
I feel that Malaysians are a group of egoists - because they know they have the First World Technology but unfortunately, they need to realise how bad it is to have the Third World Mentality.
Malaysia can live in great debt one day, or at least the development could only be achieved at certain level and reach plateau with constant and consistent balanced incoming income and debt.
Eventhough Nostradamus said the end of the world is just as near as 2012 
Other Articles:
Musing with Marina Mahathir; First world technology, third world mentality | Malaysian Business …; The Star Online Blog; Speech by YAB Badawi (pdf)
I (kidpieces.wordpress.com) define Malaysians as Malay, Chinese, Indians and other minority ethnics and migrated citizens. When I say that the Malaysians has a bad Third World Mentality attitude, please don’t give me any stupid excuse.
Successful individual do not put blame on anybody as well as giving excuses for his mistakes or weaknesses - Dr. Fadzilah Kamsah.
I miss him.
July 9, 2008 at 8:01 pm
I just got back from abroad after 13 long years. I wanted to write about what you saw but I couldn’t even find any beginning! I was basically speechless.
You put it aptly. Some Malaysians (I have to be politically correct and avoid generalization) brag about the Petronas Towers, Putrajaya, and many other buildings, but their mentality and attitude are still backward.
Have you been driving lately? Gosh! It’s even worse.
Thanks for the much needed insight.
July 12, 2008 at 3:11 pm
My car was right on the front row of a junction, stopped because the traffic light was red..then suddenly, there was one Kancil (small national car), from no where, cut in and stopped right in front of me as we were waiting for the green and head to the same direction.
Such Malaysian’s driver!
Such Selfishness - 3rd World Mentality.
All drivers don’t stop for pedestrians to cross over.
Such Selfishness - 3rd World Mentality.
August 5, 2008 at 12:24 am
saya setuju terhadap apa yang dikatakan.rakyat malaysia tak tau nak pikir ape yang baik dan ape yang buruk.bangga dengan ape yang kita ade sekarang tapi kalw kita tak jaga ape yang kita ada sekarang kita pasti akan tergadai suatu hari nanti
August 5, 2008 at 10:01 am
Kita mesti jaga, pelihara, memperbaiki and mengisi apa yang kita ada.
Tugas anak merdeka lebih mencabar daripada tugas nenek- moyang kita melawan untuk kemerdekaan.
Mana semangat? Itulah dia semangat orang Malaysia yang sekadar cukup makan, sikap boleh la, tak pe lah, nanti lah, biar la, sikap mengiakan and menidakkan, sikap mengangguk dan membenarkan.
Jangan biarkan orang berbicara, Kita kerja macam beruk and lembu, hanya ikut kata apa yang disuruh!
August 26, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Nothing to do with malaysian people, if the malay goverment have a proper way to guide our nation.Before merdeka malay and chinese are equal and have a very good relationship. We fight for our freedom. But malaysia today is about money politics.
August 27, 2008 at 12:14 pm
The Government are Malaysians too.