KUALA LUMPUR: How to place a nasi lemak order at a roadside stall? Apparently, there is a correct way to do it, according to a Syrian schoolboy.
In a viral TikTok video, a Syrian student was spotted sharing a tip to his friends on the art of ordering nasi lemak from a Mak cik — it's all about the perfect tone.
"If you approach a stall to buy some nasi lemak, you don't ask, 'Makcik, how much?' No, you don't do that; it's not the right tone.
"The right tone is... 'Makcik, berapa tuuuu? Kenapa mahalll.
"You've got to have a tone," the boy said.
The 27-second video, posted on the CintaSyriaMalaysia TikTok page yesterday, has garnered over a million views.
Netizens found the video entertaining and supported the boy's advice.
"Despite living in Malaysia since birth, I never grasped the subtleties of the ordering tone," kopikopipes wrote.
"Neglect the tone, and your nasi lemak tab hits RM10; nail the tone, and it's a budget-friendly RM5," said kyrielight.
"Now I comprehend why outsiders claim we converse in a melodic fashion; there's always a tone," observed nuna.
Others praised the boy's fluency in Bahasa Malaysia.