The first would be pride in their uniform. Have you ever seen a Nepali security guard whose uniform is dirty or whose shirt is not tucked into the trousers? No. They take pride in wearing the uniform. The shirt is white, with straight lined ironed sleeves. and trousers that are well creased.
Their shoes are shining black; their hats positioned well; and they are never late to work.
Compare this with Malaysian guards guarding our condominiums. The shirts will be not tucked in and they have a shabby outlook. You will be lucky to see them wearing shirts that have been ironed. They wear drab shoes, and sometimes the heel of their shoes is quashed and the shoe turns into a slip-on. The condition of the uniform of some of our local guards says a lot about how much locals take pride in their work.
The second would be assurance.
It may be 2pm or 2am, the Nepali security guard would acknowledge the resident by looking up and saluting. That is for every car that comes in and out of the condominium. Some of the condo’s have about 200 units or more. Each unit might have two cars. If each car comes in and out twice a day, that is 800 salutes a day. But the guard does this tirelessly. It is as if that was the first car of the day coming or going out.
Now try going to a service counter. You would be lucky to get a smile. The most you will likely get is a stare that tells you to say your complaint or your request as fast as you can and leave.
Perhaps our counter service staff could learn a thing or two from the way the Nepali guards behave. It is not only about saluting and acknowledging the presence of the driver but it is about assurance.
I can drive into the condo at 2am and the guard would still greet me the same way that another Nepali guard did at 2pm. The same acknowledgment and the same salute. I would always smile back. In fact, I should be the one waving at him and thanking him for giving me the assurance that my home is safe at night.
The third would be to follow orders.
Try walking into a condominium or an apartment without signing the guest book? Even when you are signing in, the guard will quickly scan to see if it is safe to let the stranger go into the condominium. They will not let you go into the premise until they have your details or a copy of your driving licence.
This is especially evident after the recent video clip of a man kicking a security guard at the entrance of a condominium here. It has gone viral. The pocket dynamite guard, although much smaller than the offender, stood his ground despite being kicked and slapped by a visitor.
The man claiming to be an “MMA fighter” was finally subdued with the help of four Nepali guards. Throughout the ordeal, as shown in the four videos clips posted on Facebook, the guards followed procedures despite having trouble pinning down the man who was a lot bigger than them.
The lesson local guards could learn from the incident is to follow procedures.
The fourth, going beyond the call of duty.
I once parked at a shopping mall to attend a conference. As I was going to pay my parking fee to exit, I realised I had forgotten to bring my wallet. Panicking, I checked for extra cash in my handbag. There was none. I checked in my car. There were a few coins. I then walked to the Nepali security guard and told him my ordeal. He smiled and said: “No problem maam. Let me pay for you.” I thanked him several times and told him I would pay him back.
After a week and a half, I went back to the shopping mall to pay the guard but his contract had ended and he had gone back to Nepal. He had helped me knowing that he might not get his RM9 back.
The other thing I admire about the guards is that they will always hold the lift door till everyone goes in before they enter or exit. This could be as they are going back home after long hours of work or at the start of their work. Many might say the holding of the door might be their duty, but to me and other residents in my condo, this gesture gives assurance that they put others above them. In return, all we can say is thank you.
Yet another thing we can learn from them is not to be a nuisance to others.
Sometimes, I see the Nepali guards sitting in a circle in the park at night after work, relaxing while drinking beer. But no one complains as there is hardly any noise; nor do they leave their bottles or cans strewn in the park for someone else to pick it up. They drink, talk, laugh, share some jokes, clean up behind them and go back home to sleep.
One morning, a patrol car was parked at the entrance of the condo. After enquiring about what had happened, the policeman told me they were there to investigate a fight between two people. The policeman said two men were in hospital after kicking and punching each other. He informed me a guard who had tried to stop them was hit in the fight, too. He was also sent to the hospital. The policeman then said: “Orang Bangladesh lawan, orang Nepal kena. Kesian.” (Bangladeshis fight, a Nepali gets hit. Pity.)
There are lots of lessons we can take home from these selfless Nepali guards who put their life on the line to make our homes safe. Perhaps we could have the same pride, honesty and discipline in our daily work. If we do, it would take the country far, as the infrastructure is already available. Unless we step up to the plate, we will never be able to have a quality workforce.