ACCORDING to the Cambridge Dictionary, the idiom “you can’t judge a book by its cover” means you cannot know what something or someone is like by looking only at that person or thing’s appearance.
That seemed to be the gist of the issue surrounding a casual shopping experience turned sour by the seemingly racist attitudes of sales assistants (SAs) manning a costume jewellery kiosk at the Tun Razak Exchange Mall (TRX).
Recounting the unpleasant episode, Threader Ellis Hakim 
Lilis (@llshakim) felt extremely uncomfortable at her own reactions of prejudice towards the Chinese SAs for their perceived too-good-to-serve-you attitude.
It was remarked that even when the poster stopped to browse the sale items, the “Chinese salespeople didn’t even spare us a glance”.
Compare and contrast the welcome afforded to Chinese customers who came immediately after. There were warm smiles and friendly greetings in Chinese to prompt a transaction.
The business transaction was unsuccessful yet the Malay poster claimed the SA did not see fit to “throw a single glance/acknowledgement our way”.
This was when she felt a wave of unwanted and unwelcome sentiments towards the Chinese.
The poster was at pains to stress that she was ashamed at how the situation brought about prejudiced thoughts which she did NOT act upon nor let the feelings fester.
Buy Malay/Muslim First (BMF)
She also noted the sad reality that has allowed such a situation to arise, namely staff of a no-name fashion jewellery kiosk could take such an attitude whereby potential customers are judged by their skin colour.
“Not only was I seen as not worthy, I was not even seen at all,” she pointedly remarked.
Needless to say, the post was a clarion call for rightists to show their heads (albeit via anonymous accounts) and make openly racist remarks.
There were again concerted calls for a Buy Malay/Muslim First (BMF) strategy to counter this perceived racist treatment. One even further narrowed the criteria to buy gold from Malays in Kelantan only.
However, more than a few commenters took a more reasoned view. It had nothing to do with race but all to do with the SAs judging books by their covers, ie whether one had the spending power based on outward appearances alone.
Quite a few Chinese commenters were keen to share that they, too, have been on the end of such cold shoulders from haughty SAs.
One commenter remarked that a person’s attire was the probable reason for the SAs lofty attitude, observing that customers wearing simple “T-shirt and pants” would not receive the same welcome as those flashing a branded accessory.
“They will welcome you with open arms!”
Confirming this trend was a Chinese shopper who claimed she receives “99% of this ignorant treatment” because she is not a flash dresser, preferring “T-shirt and shorts every damn time”.
This notion that SAs were only targetting the well-heeled was backed up by a Malay commenter who surmised that these SAs were basing their conclusions on a person’s wallet size on outer appearances alone.
“It’s not about the race, it’s about the individual attitude.” This unassuming shopper didn’t let such things bother her as she claimed she’s been ignored at popular jewellery stores like Poh Kong as well as in Malay stores.
Puncturing a hole on the stereotype balloon was this cheeky commenter who sarcastically opined that “only Chinese customers were difficult while the Malay customers were always easy to handle and not difficult at all”.
It is quite evident from the many comments that perhaps the poster was being a touch too sensitive. These SAs weren’t being racist but perhaps just a bit too exclusive in judging who could afford their wares.
To the poster, this commenter had a simple message – “It’s their loss, not yours.” He further added that it was perhaps unwise to judge an entire race due to the actions of a few stuck-up sales assistants.
- Focus Malaysia
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