Queue-Cutting: A National Pastime?

If patience is a virtue, Malaysia must be suffering a nationwide shortage. Queue-cutting is practically our Olympic sport. At banks, food courts, government offices — wherever a line exists, there lurks a predator waiting to pounce with the classic excuse: “Eh, I just want to ask something.”

We all know where this goes. That “something” turns into a full-blown transaction, while the rest of us stew silently like unpaid extras in their personal movie. Worse still, some queue-cutters bring backup: relatives who magically appear out of nowhere to join them in line, multiplying faster than TikTok trends.

This behaviour isn’t just selfish; it’s backward-minded. The whole point of a queue is order. But in Malaysia, queues are treated like casual suggestions, not rules. It’s an attitude problem: the belief that rules apply to everyone except me.

So next time someone slides ahead, don’t just glare — say something. Because letting queue-cutters win is like saying lawlessness is okay, one sneaky step at a time.