Wednesday May 26, 2010
Open Channel
Of PINs and potholes
I RECENTLY went to a department store to redeem my Bonuslink points. The personnel at the customer service counter asked for my PIN number. I told her PIN and she kept on saying PIN number. I then explained to her that PIN means Personal Identification Number and that PIN number would mean Personal Identification Number Number.
When I rang an insurance company to renew my car insurance, the staff again asked, “Do you have a PIN number?”
Some months ago I spoke to a staff member of a foreign bank in Puchong and asked for the PIN for my credit card; and again the staff all said PIN number.
Other common mistakes made by Malaysians include:
> return back ( I shall return back your book tomorrow.)
> repeat again ( Will you please repeat that again?)
> Borrow me your book.
> I spend you today at the canteen.
Do we mind our English? No wonder most local graduates can’t get jobs in the private sector.
Recently, I complained to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) about potholes, street lights and floods in my area. The DBKL staff could hardly speak simple English and had to use Bahasa Malaysia most of the time! So, how would they be able to converse with foreigners who want to do business here? - SH Huang
Flee and flea
In the Yahoo homepage on May 14 there was a sentence that read,”Michael Jackson tried to flea mafia trouble. Hilarious! – David Law
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