MALAYSIAN women are not choosy, say various professional matchmaking agencies; it is really difficult to meet Mr Right out there.
In fact, says Sandii Looi of Connecting Singles Club (CSC), it is not easy for local men to meet their Miss Right either.
Looi, who has been working in the field for about 14 years, notes an increase in the number of people who have signed up with CSC.
“In the past, most of our clientele were over 30; now we get many younger people, even college students. Unfortunately, we have had to turn them away because we only accept those aged 21 and above,” she says.
The students have cited the lack of opportunity to meet fellow students of the opposite sex at their institution as a problem.
“There are girls who are in a female-dominated course such as accountancy or boys from male-dominated courses such as mechanical engineering.
“Then there are those from colleges with a not-very-mixed student population, for example – a college with too many foreign students. So, we have some who say they are bored and lonely because they don’t have a chance to meet anyone. And many are scared that if they don’t meet anyone at college, they will never meet anyone,” she says.
The client base at most matchmaking agencies in Kuala Lumpur is equal between sexes and cuts across the professional strata, says Looi. She adds, even with the accessibility of the Internet, many still prefer to acquire professional help to find a partner.
“Some say the Net is too wide and there are too many people, so it is difficult for them to verify their personal details, what more to know if the person they meet is their Mr or Miss Right.”
Angela Rajoo from the Ice Breakers friendship and marriage bureau concurs.
“Even though there are many options online, many still want personalised service as they feel that going on the Net is not 100% genuine.”
No time to socialise, they say, is a major problem for many unmarried Malaysians.
As Rajoo points out, “Many who are busy don’t meet people of the opposite sex in their line of work, so they require our service. There are also those who are really shy and quiet.
“And some have no time to shop around, so many are happy to just put in their request, pay and pray that they meet their Mr/Miss Right fast.”
However, she does not deny that there are those who are picky. And looks do matter for both sexes.
What many men are looking for are young, slim, beautiful girls while the women hanker after the tall and handsome, she says.
“I even question them if they are looking for anyone with an education qualification but they say they only want those with the right looks.”
Lia Sidhu of Cupid’s Touch says most Malaysian women are still single because they work so hard that they don’t meet anyone outside of work.
“And they believe that it is unprofessional to form a relationship with a colleague or a client, so they go to professional matchmaking agencies to meet prospective life partners.”
She argues that it should not be wrong for women to be choosy about whom they tie themselves to for the rest of their lives.
“Many modern Malaysian women work hard to get a comfortable and stable lifestyle, so it is understandable if they are a bit wary about simply throwing it away.
“When they come to our agency, it is because they are looking for someone to complement their lifestyle. This means they are looking for someone who is emotionally and financially stable. Most are not looking for someone who is richer or more qualified than them. They just want someone who is at least hardworking,” she says, adding that she has had many female clients with postgraduate qualifications settling down with diploma holders.
As for foreign partners, Sidhu feels that not many Malaysians are looking for them. Looi also thinks that many young professionals in Kuala Lumpur want local girls.
“Those who come to our agency say they prefer local girls who are educated so that they can talk heart to heart with them. They don’t want any cultural or language problems. Only those who are looking for someone to cook and look after their house usually asks for a foreign girl,” she says.
