KUALA LUMPUR: A woman has urged customer service staff to always be polite and respectful following an encounter with a rude immigration officer.
In a 4-minute and 18-second video posted on TikTok by user Rossneeda, she recounted her experience on Aug 15 at 10am, when she spent 20 minutes waiting at the immigration visa and permit section.
While in line, Rossneeda observed a troubling incident where an immigration officer was harshly scolding two women, whom she believed were Indian nationals.
"One of the women had a baby with her. I felt that it was completely unnecessary for the officer to be so angry and harsh.
"Not all government staff at the counter behave this way. Some are very courteous and helpful. However, some exhibit behaviour that seems uneducated and disrespectful," she said.
Disturbed by the situation, Rossneeda confronted the officer, pointing out the rude treatment of the two customers.
She claimed that the officer responded dismissively, questioning why Rossneeda was interfering, leading to a verbal altercation.
She emphasised that as a government employee, the officer should show respect to everyone, whether they are ordinary citizens or immigrants.
"I told the officer that if she doesn't like her job, she should find another position rather than working at the counter.
"As a government servant, you are supposed to serve the public with respect and empathy. If you can't handle that, you shouldn't work in customer service," she said.
Rossneeda alleged that the officer's response was dismissive, suggesting she observed the high volume of people at the counter.
She said customer service should always be delivered with a smile and politeness, not rudeness.
"If someone cannot manage that, then customer service is not the right job for them.
"Everyone deserves respect, regardless of their status or position," she added.
The New Straits Times has reached out to the Immigration Department for further comments.