It's all about EXCELLENCE!
For the uninitiated, we as members of AIESEC in Malaysia actually have 8 Principles of Excellence which was conceived by the MidNatCon delegates at Youthopia (NLDS) UTM in 2004. These principles are :- Just Do It- Clear and Transparent Communication- Committed Til The End- Passionate and Optimistic in Our Beliefs- Sef-Driven Leadership- Continuous Learning- Success and Goal-Oriented- Support and Coordination
Feel free to ask your VP HR or LCP about these 8 Principles if you haven't heard about it already. Alternatively, post your questions here!
Mamak - What's AIESEC got to do with it?
Eh, tonight we go mamak, okay?
To many Malaysians, mamak stalls have simply GOT to be the best thing that ever happened to this country since Independence. It’s a unique dining experience, and it’s practically a way of life. So what is a mamak, exactly? A mamak is basically a term used to describe people of Indian-Muslim descent, originally from Madras. They first arrived in Malaysia in the early 19th century, and since then, have generally been accepted as part of our society and our culture. Along with their belongings on their backs, these mamak also brought with them their culinary skills, and most importantly, their diverse family recipes which we have all come to know and love… the murtabak, the roti, the teh tarik… but I digress. A mamak stall is not merely a food stall, nor a food outlet.
Mamak stalls play an integral role in our society these days… you will find mamak stalls wherever you go in Malaysia, be it in Petaling Jaya, Serdang, Sungai Dua, Bangi, Subang Jaya, or even Johor Bahru. These stalls can be found in the weirdest nooks sometimes. Under a tree, by the roadside, next to the monsoon drain, under a makeshift tent, on the five-foot ways and pavements. In fact, any space available and can accommodate tables and plastic stools can and will attract the attention of an enterprising mamak uncle. Some mamak stalls are open 24 hours a day, some only open at night. Yes, the cleanliness levels leave a lot to be desired sometimes, but you know what they say, the dirtier the surroundings, the better the food! (Well, that’s what we tell our trainees, anyway). The resilience of the mamak stall operators must be admired; you can bet that they’ll be back in business in a matter of days even though they have just been raided by the dewan bandaraya or majlis perbandaran for setting up their stall illegally.
Boss, teh tarik besar satu, kurang manis…
Let’s face it, the mamak stall is the poor man’s Starbucks. I only really started visiting mamak stalls when I arrived in Penang. For as far back as I can remember, since I was a young ciku in the AIESEC world, all our weekly sessions and other nightly activities always ended with a session at the mamak, a tradition of sorts which I look forward to continuing. These sessions are where ‘unofficial’ bonding takes place, a time when we can let all our inhibitions go, get to know our seniors, our peers, and our juniors better, and just be silly. It is not uncommon to see many tables joined together, and many people huddled around those tables with the dim light of the fluorescent lamps powered by electricity illegally tapped from the streetlights nearby. Enjoying their teh tarik, limau ais or milo ais in the half-darkness, the alumni dispense their ‘advice’ and ideas, while the seniors disseminate gossip, and the juniors hang on to every word. My seniors used to tell me that in AIESEC, one grows… not only intellectually and socially, but also physically… in the horizontal sense, I mean (explains my size!).
I find mamak stalls a good place to discuss issues, whether related to AIESEC, academics, relationships, or life in general. Many a brainstorming session has been held at the mamak as the relaxed atmosphere puts everyone at ease and that is when creative juices begin to flow (sometimes, a little bit TOO creative… J). It is not unusual either to have all the other patrons turn around and look at us when our sessions get a little too loud or raucous…we’re just dismissed as ‘oh, it’s the syiok sendiri AIESECers again.’
Powered by teh tarik
So what has been the whole point of this article, besides promoting mamak stalls? Well, let’s take a look at how the mamak phenomenon can be related back to some of the AIESEC principles of excellence. Firstly, mamak uncles are committed till the end, that is, until the end of your mamak session. They keep coming back to your table and continue asking if you would like another glass of teh, another helping of nasi, … Then, they are passionate and optimistic, for even when it rains, their stalls are open, holding on to the belief that even though it is raining cats and dogs, the majority of the population will have to eat, anyway.
As for clear and transparent communication as well as support and coordination, mamaks have a unique code for writing down your orders, clear enough to be understood by their fellow stall operators to be able to deliver your exact order, down to the kurang manis, kurang ais, tarik lebih, tak mahu gula… Success and goal oriented here points to how they are all out to make you part with your last dollar in exchange for that tempting glass of frothy teh tarik, and make you come back again, and again, and again. Self-driven leadership and continuous learning refers to the mamak’s constant drive to improve their menu by coming up with unique and innovative creations to tempt your tastebuds. Ever heard of roti burger, roti Merdeka, roti Komtar, roti Alaska, roti Korea? No? Well, come to Penang.
Just do it…the only thing I can think of with relations to this principle is the culture of going to the mamak to watch football with fellow footy aficionados! Only because Just Do It happens to be the brand of the balls these 22 grown men are kicking. But then again, Just do it… aiya, let’s go mamak lah!
