DO MALAYSIAN tour guides and immigration officers go the extra mile in serving travellers?

Stomp (Straits Times Online Mobile Print) reported on Tuesday the contrasting service standards a reader experienced during a trip across the causeway.

The reader said,"The Malaysian buses are air-conditioned and very comfortable. A small stool is provided for the elderly to board and alight from the bus. The tour guide helped the elderly tourists in boarding and alighting from the bus.

"The Singapore tour bus is also air-conditioned and with only 20 passengers the ride was comfortable. However, the local tour guide did not lend a hand to help the elderly tourists to board and alight.

"Last week my friend and I boarded a tour bus where we travelled from Beach Road to Kuala Lumpur. At the Tuas checkpoint I told the ICA officer that one of the passengers is crippled in one leg and had difficulty in walking.

"He insisted that the passenger alight to get his passport checked before he could exit from the country.

"However, when we reached the Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar at Tanjung Kupang I told the same story to a Malaysian customs officer. Immediately without asking any further questions he came to the bus and personally checked and stamped the passport for my crippled friend.

"He was surprised that Malaysian officers could be so humane and accommodating."

For the full Stomp report, click here.