Will you feel tall in Malaysia?

I heard that I would feel tall (all five foot eight inches) and my wife - Janet (five foot two inches) would feel average in Malaysia because everyone is short.    As most of life, there is the rest of the story. 

Generalization will get you in trouble with at least 20% of the people being generalized but here is my attempt to give an initial impression

Malaysia is largely three races.  Malay (60%), Chinese (25%) and Indian (10%).  If I was to measure myself against most Malay’s I have met, then I would be ready for the NBA.  But against the general population ……, a different story.    

Indians - The Indian’s I have meet (to use an Texan Slang word) are Bigun’s – not small folks.  Janet and I are on the short side in comparison.  They almost seem Dutch.  Another long story but during a trip to Virgin island many year ago by wearing a Superman shirt I became friends with a local island singer/celebrity and his comment was while African slavery was bad news for his ancestors, he was the lucky lottery winner.  The local Indians (brought by the British in the 1800s to work the tin and rubber plantains) are much bigger, healthier and have more opportunity than the average Indian, I have met on my trips to India.  Much more relaxed about religion – not too many veg only Indians in Malaysia (at least in discussion with me).

Chinese – Chinese men seem to blend in with the Malay men.  Lighter skin and obvious differences but if I wanted to play the ignorant westerner, I could pretend to not tell much difference.  While the business elite is all Chinese, physically I haven’t noticed much difference.   I have always felt that Chinese women were extremes.  Some of the prettiest and some of the not so pretty women in the world.  That impression has been reinforced living in Malaysia.  Chinese women are a striking difference from Malay women.  You have the extremes. 

·         Malay – covered head to toe (but fashionable and colorful compared to their Middle East cousins)

·         Chinese – pencil, short, short skirt, lots of skin – not in my office but in some offices almost party girl business dress

But in general attractive women cross racial bounds - there are beautiful women of all races

While I think it’s more a social-economic bias as opposed to racial, the Malay security guards (all are Malay) seem very surprised that I stop and talk with them or smile where they expect to be treated as invisible.  The same can be said in America with the African American security guards.  I’ve made friends with a few regular taxi drivers and while the English is limited (not as much as the Bahasa) they really appreciate the American open communication style (sometimes too much).

Caucasian – it is weird being the only Caucasian in the office and sometime the only one I see all day except at the hotel breakfast (with my Oil and Gas brothers) but I enjoy it.  It’s like having an older beater car – if you swerve at people, they get out of your way (multiple other stories).    I can tell people I am easy to spot – only person with grey hair and only Caucasian in the office. 

As a Chinese co-worker told me many years ago (and confirmed with Chinese women here) – the saying “White covers ugly” is the view throughout Asia – lighter skin is a good thing.  As always out of step – Janet and I are trying to get a tan……………..

To answer the title question - males over 6'2" and women over 5'10" will feel tall in Malaysia

Indonesia - males over 5'8" and women over 5'4" will feel tall