It’s Malaysia Day today! Today is celebrated to mark the unification of the Federation of Malaya, Sabah & Sarawak to form what we know today as Malaysia.
So, despite our independence day being 64 years ago, technically, the country of Malaysia itself is 58 years old. On that note, on this meaningful day, let’s look back at some of the things that make us truly Malaysian.
1. Speaking various languages in one sentence
It goes without saying that Malaysia is a melting pot of many ethnicities. Being around one another for so many years has made us adapt bits and pieces of each other’s cultures in our own way. Part of that is picking up the slang and vocabulary of other races.
It’s not uncommon for people to use phrases like “Anneh, tapau mee goreng satu!” when ordering food, or politely addressing people around us as “kakak” or “adik”.
2. Calling people who aren’t related to us ‘aunty’ and ‘uncle’
Speaking of addressing people, it’s a very Malaysian thing to call people ‘aunty’ and ‘uncle’...even if they aren’t related to us in any way.
We see addressing people much older than us by their first names as rude, but even to random strangers who are younger (as we mentioned earlier), we prefer calling them by familial address forms.
It’s really endearing, if you really think about it!
3. Running after the Milo truck
One thing we all looked forward to in school was the Milo truck. It meant getting away from class for a few minutes. But it also meant getting a cup of the most lip-smacking Milo that ever existed!
Some of us would get back in the queue for seconds (can you blame us?!), and for whatever reason, no other Milo can come close to the truck Milo. Be it the Milo from the mamak, from the carton or the one you make at home;; none stands out like the truck Milo.
4. Putting durian into everything
Malaysians sure love their durian. When it’s durian season, you’ll be seeing tons of cars packed at the side of the road to take home their haul from any seller who is stationed there.
Over the years, durian has not just been a seasonal fruit to be enjoyed but it’s also found its way into many of our dishes.
You can get durian cakes, durian puffs or even just fried durian. But we came across even more unique dishes like durian curry, durian salad and durian curry puffs. Are you brave enough to give any of these a go?
Also, we recently covered the prices of various types of durian in Malaysia. Check it out below:
Related: 10 Durian Types You Can Get For Different Budgets
5. We strictly follow Malaysian timing
Google ‘Malaysian time’ and all you’ll see is UTC+8. Or GMT+8. But time zones aside, Malaysia on its own runs on its own time...and we know you know what we’re talking about.
Malaysians are infamous for arriving at an event later than we're supposed to. And the standard response that we usually tell others is that we’re “on the way”...even if we haven’t actually left the house.
But you can count on us to dress up well and look the part to celebrate your event with you, even if we’re late. Fashionably late, literally.
We hope you have a fulfilling Malaysia Day with your loved ones! While you’re relaxing, feel free to read our article on some interesting facts on Sabah & Sarawak...you might just learn a new thing or two!
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