Reader's letter: A 24-minute dryer cycle, but others left waiting for hours
A reader writing as 'Pengguna Prihatin' from Ipoh has raised concerns in Utusan Malaysia's forum page over poor civic awareness at 24-hour self-service laundries.
IPOH – Round-the-clock self-service laundries have made life easier for Malaysians living at a fast pace, but the habit of leaving clothes inside machines long after a cycle ends is forcing other customers to wait, a newspaper reader has written.
The issue was raised by a reader using the pen name Pengguna Prihatin from Klemeru, Ipoh, Perak, in a letter to the forum page of Utusan Malaysia.
The writer recounted a recent experience of finding a dryer — which needs only 24 minutes to complete its cycle — still loaded well after it had finished.
"The owner of the clothes was nowhere to be seen, forcing other users to wait a long time even though the machine was already available," the writer said, in remarks translated from Bahasa Melayu.
According to the letter, 24 minutes is not long enough to justify leaving the premises for hours. Such behaviour, the writer said, not only inconveniences others but also reflects a lack of responsibility towards a shared facility.
"Everyone has their own errands and time constraints. Respecting other people's time should therefore be a shared culture," the writer said.
The letter compared the situation with practices in countries such as Japan and in Europe, where discipline and awareness of other users' rights are described as part of daily life. There, owners typically return to the premises a few minutes before a cycle ends, and if laundry is still left behind, the next user may move it into a basket provided without sparking a dispute.
In Malaysia, the writer said, moving someone else's laundry can leave a customer feeling uneasy for fear of being misunderstood or provoking an argument. But when it happens repeatedly, users eventually have no choice but to shift the finished load into a basket so the machine can be used.
The writer argued the problem is easily avoided if individuals are more responsible and considerate, and make sure they return before the cycle ends.
"The principle is simple — respect other people's time if we want our own time respected," the letter said.
Progress, the writer added, is measured not only by modern buildings and advanced technology but also by a society's manners, discipline and culture.
This article was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI), in accordance with our editorial policy.