Why is it so hard to clean up the mess ourselves?

While that may be true in some cases, we cannot deny that often times, Westerners can be more mindful when comes to social etiquette.

Take for instance, how they clean up the table after dining at an eatery.

Observe how Westerners tend to leave the table as clean as when they first sat. They would dispose of food waste, wipe the table and place used food trays at its designated place.

Many Malaysians, on the other hand, callously leave behind a mess after eating.

We take it for granted that someone else would clean up after us.

"It's not my job. That's what the waiters and cleaners are for. What are they getting paid for, if I'm the one doing their job for them?" is the typical Malaysian mindset.

And so we leave our food trays on the table. We leave behind our dirty plates, spilled drinks, soiled tissue and food scraps on the table. We accept it as a norm to smoke at eateries despite the discomfort it might cause others. We tolerate smokers who brazenly flick their cigarette ashes on the table and floor and sometimes even stub out theirs cigarette on the tableware or table, vandalising the eatery's property.

These uncivilised habits are on display in fast food restaurants, food courts and eateries at rest stops. It seems to be the norm among Malaysians.

Our public toilet habits, too, leave a lot to be desired. Many do not flush, leave the toilet floor wet and strewn with used toilet paper and generally leave stalls dirty and uncomfortable for the next user.

There are things that are considered basic courtesy around the world but even that we fail to do. These include not smoking in public places, allowing passengers to leave a train before boarding and pushing shopping trolleys back into the stalls where they are corralled.

When it comes to the practice of proper social etiquette, we do not even have to look to the West to find examples of first class mentality.

Japan, South Korea and Singapore are all far ahead when it comes to observing common decencies.

Meanwhile, in Malaysia, cleaning up after oneself is considered something strange.

What is even sadder is that others would laugh at those who engage in such civilised behaviour.

Why is it so difficult for Malaysians to do something as simple as clearing up after eating? Sometimes, this is the case even when the rubbish bin is only a few steps away.

Perhaps it is because many of us have set our minds that it is the job of restaurant workers or cleaners.

True, they are paid to do so. But where is that Eastern culture of politeness and decency we so often boast about?

The least we could do is to clear up the table by placing all wastes in the food tray.

Some might say that perhaps what Malaysian diners need are constant gentle reminders to engage in basic courtesy. But does it work?

Just look at the state of the restaurants of the IKEA stores in Malaysia after mealtimes.

The Swedish furniture giant has placed large signs in various places at its restaurants to remind diners to clear up their tables after eating. Yet the majority of diners choose to ignore this, shamelessly leaving behind a mess after they have eaten.

On their signs, IKEA has even stated that if diners cleaned up after themselves, it would enable the store to reduce food prices as they would not need to employ so many workers to do the job.

However, the sign did little to change a habit so ingrained in Malaysian culture.

If we can clean up after ourselves at home, why cannot we do the same when we go out? It is, after all, a representation of the values of our Eastern culture.

(This commentary is the personal opinion of the writer and does not reflect on BERNAMA's stand on what is said by the writer)