You can easily tell you are in Malaysia simply by looking at the motorcyclists on the road. For one, the law requires that everyone wears a helmet.
This law is strictly enforced in the cities and major towns, failure to comply with which entails a hefty fine. Unless you go into the kampung (villages), where such law is openly flouted, where even teenagers and pre-teens drive motorcycles! But that’s another subject altogether. For now, our focus is on the style.
Where were we? Ah yes — the helmets. See the little one? She’s got a helmet, as well.
But it’s not really the helmets that define that incomparable style of the Malaysian motorcyclist. Check out the photos once again. Can you see what sets them apart from other motorcyclists elsewhere in the world?
Look again closely…. See it yet?
YES!!! It’s the jacket! Worn backwards! :D
What are YOU looking at? Why are you staring at me? Why are you taking my pic???!!!!
Photos taken from a moving van with my ageing but still trusty Nokia N82, at the twins’ request: “Mama, take a picture lah! Orang tu pakai jaket terbalik!” (Mama, can you please take a picture? That man has got his jacket on backwards!)
Wait, is it the way it really goes there? Or just their style?
It’s the mark of the Malaysian motorcyclist — jacket worn backwards! :)
I’ve asked several people about it and they say:
1) It’s easier to put on/take off that way (no need to zip); and
2) Zipped up, jackets are too hot. Worn backwards, the front of the body is kept warm while the back is kept cool.
I used to wear my backpack backwards when I was a teener, but never the jacket. Very interesting. =)
I never saw motorcyclists wearing their jackets backwards as unusual. Maybe cause I’ve been seeing them ever since I was a kid :-)
Julie: We once had a visitor from New Zealand a few years back and she was so amused about it, she took several pictures of Malaysian motorcyclists!
WitsAndNuts: While stuck in traffic in Jakarta, I looked around and saw the Indonesian motorcyclists with jackets worn properly, fully zipped up. I was told Indonesians do this because they’re scared of getting ‘masuk angin’ (getting pain in the body because of excessive wind). Now *that* is interesting!
Ditto Julie Lim’s comments :-)
Thanks for the post, I saw this everywhere in Malaysia and I’ve been wondering why this is the fashion. I thought it might have been to keep their clothes free from grime, but the warm up front/cool up back sounds idea plausible.
It’s because of the Chinese influence,and because of the idea that air, forced through riding, can enter the body and cause sickness. All this logistical, aerodynamic explanation makes logical sense, but the gut fact is that it’s based off a superstitious belief, inherited from the Chinese, that evil enters the skin through force or pressure i.e., wind resistance. Not because the windbreaker fills with air. duh. just take it off.
My name is Ray Abruzzi, I traveled to KL for work and asked my colleague Vincent Cheah-native born KL–this same question–the above (air polluting the body) is the real answer he gave me.
It is because the clothing / jacket never came with instructions on which way it should be worn & how to make the zipper or buttons work