My Maybank Story

Aaaargh!! Approximately one week before my birthday, I lost my wallet at Times Square. It contained money, my mykad, ATM cards and perhaps my sister's touch n go card (she doesn't know it yet). Money can be replaced, but those cards are troublesome. Sighs.

So the first thing I had to do was made a police report. They had issues with me speaking English, so I had to re-explain myself in Malay, which is slower, and gave them the upperhand to talk more than they should. I made the initial report at KL Central Pondok Police (police hut?) , but they told me Times Square is under Dang Wangi's jurisdiction, and their little pondok had no computer to record my report. All they had was a report pad that came from the 80s. So I had to go to the right police station with a freaking computer. I enlisted the help of my friend who took his bro along, because the people over at the pondok police told me to bring along a male escort. Well, after I arrived, the 'male escorts' didn't seem quite necessary seeing as how 4/5 of the officers on duty that night were female, and the station worked much like a bank, with numbers and such.

Next I made my replacement IC. Seriously, did the makcik (aunty) behind the counter had to make such a fuss over us Sarawakians all being BLACK PEPPER FIELD MILLIONAIRES!?!?!? Seriously! It's only RM110! AND I WASN'T EVEN AWARE OF SOME FREAKING STUDENT DISCOUNTS SO JUST SHUT UP GIVE ME MY TEMPORARY CARD AND GO BACK TO YOUR MUNDANE LIFE ALREADY AAAARGGHHH!!!!

huff huff huff

Right. So next started my Maybank story. Sighs...remember this for all you Sarawakians who found themselves in the same predicament as me. As of today I made 4 trips to Maybank all over one measly old card! Well I didn't know I could make counter withdrawals, so if they denied me a card again today I would have only 15 ringgit to last for the next 24 hours!

The first time I went to Maybank KLCC I haven't made my temporary mykad yet. So all they could do was cancel my previous ATM. But I asked the guy what I would need to make a new card since I am not local and have no mykad. He said to just bring:

1. My temporary IC
2. Supporting document (INTERNATIONAL Passport only. Don't believe them if they state otherwise. Although your birth cert could work too, but INTERNATIONAL passport is best)
3. My account book
4. My police report

The reason being my home branch is in Sarawak, and such cases is usually handled by the home branch only, since that's where you signed stuff. But apart from these documents, he neglected to mention to me the working hours such cases are handled. Yes, my dear Sarawakians, there is apparently a time limit to such cases. This is the procedure of getting your ATM card without mykad, and WITH your temporary IC.

Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4pm.

I got this info during my second visit, and was told to go home to Sarawak to do it instead because I came on a Friday at 4:01pm!!*seethes*

But that is not ALL!!

On the third time, I arrived at 4:05 on a Tuesday, which should be fine since I have about 55 minutes before the time is up. And they added another condition; because they have to get my information/documents from the Sarawak branch, such things must be handled BEFORE 4:30 PM!! So let me amend the above...

Monday-Thursday 9am-4:30pm, Friday 9am-3:30 pm.

There! The woman didn't mention anything other than there would be charges for the new card. No mention of the need for the above documents or whatnot. She simply said it needed to be done before 4:30pm, and since it was 4:10, she gave me a number anyway. I think she did that just to pacify me. Hmmph.

But as I sat down, there were 3 people ahead of me, and the one currently being served has his butt firmly glued to the chair. I was number 38, and 35 was currently being served. By 4:30, 36 had just been called!! AAAARRRGGHHHHH

Having only 35 ringgit (12 ringgit is saved for the new card charges, so I have about 22 ringgit to spend, really) to last for the next 24 hours, I resigned from the yellow ottoman and walked away to get myself fed with something less than 10 ringgit. I had spaghetti meatballs from the Signatures food court. It just frustrated me how I kept getting more and more new information the more times I went. The next time I resolved to keep my butt glued to the chair until I get my damn ATM card. I WANT MY MONEY DAMNIT!

So, the fourth time, frustrated to barfing point at the KLCC Maybank branch, I decided to go to the Bukit Bintang branch. I didn't know they had coutner services before because their counters are tucked deep inside the throng of self-service terminals. I went, and arrived at 2:50, told them the same story. The lady ensured that I brought along all the above documents, making certain it was an international passport before she gave me my number. So I sat, and waited.

When I was finally called, she talked to me for five minutes before saying I should come back tomorrow with the same stuff because they had to contact the Sarawak branch and ask them to send over documents that I had signed. The signature apparently is a big deal. I sat open-mouthed for like 5 seconds. She repeated the same thing to me, and I was like, "okay, so how would you know tomorrow if my documents are here or not when I come back?" She thought about it for a while, then told me to fill in a form (so the form is an afterthought!?). I filled it in as she took my stuff again and told me to wait and fill in the form. I sat there, filled in the form and when she came back five minutes later, there was a bright cherry red maybank card with her tucked in between my passport and account book, sat down, said "okay, we're done.", took the form that I had dilligently filled in, crumpled it and threw it away.

....I stood open-mouthed again for the second time.

"Pardon?"

"We're done." indicating the card on the table and typing stuff into the computer.

"What just happened!?"

"Well, just now I said we needed to verify your signature, and here it is, on your account book. My boss said it's fine, so it's done." she indicated the 'blank' signature box on my account book. I said there was nothing there, then she put it under the UV light and revealed my signature and two Maybank logo on the two pages. "But you have to sign exactly like on this book. Can you?"

It took me several tries, as my signature is different each time. Finally, satisfied, I signed the back of my new card. Then I had to sign a lot of stuff. Just placing down signatures 3 times on the same sheet of paper on different areas. After that she told to go have a seat and my name will be called from counter 19.

I was in a daze but relieved at the same time. I was called, signed some more stuff, then was released with a new ATM card. I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO GET MY MONEY!!! RAAAWRR!!

So, to fellow Sarawakians, the moral of the story; losing your IC outside of Sarawak can really make you feel like a foreigner. These service people tend to dismiss you quickly and tell you about how or why you can't do this or that (simply because you're Sarawakian), but they often neglect to mention how you can. So if you feel funny and unsatisfied, glue your butt to the damn chair until your doubts disappear and you know clearly what your hurdles were, and what your next steps are. Imagine if I hadn't been specific with the lady at the BB Maybank just now. I would just walked out of there frustrated again, expecting to have this shit resolved tomorrow pending they even remembered to ask for my doucments from the Sarawak branch! Sighs, you peninsular weirdos. I don't likes you!

I'm off to burn some calories. Ta'ra!

Birthday, and something else...

I turned 23 last Thursday. Had a fun little gathering. I get to reconnect with my cousin and an old family friend, and got to know her friend. All Sarawakians, which was what I needed at the time. Sarah had 3 birthday cakes. I had only 2. It's not fair. I will get one more! Then I will write a post about my birthday xD.

Now, I feel like a hypocrite. The day after my birthday, I received news that mentioned old family friend's elder sister got into a horrible car accident. I didn't know the details very well then, but all I remembered was that her brain had poured out of her skull, she couldn't be operated on (because that means instant death) but somehow is still alive. Barely. I was shocked, mostly because of the accident. We were just talking about her the day before and such. My mom told me not to say anything to her, and I agreed it was not my place. Not long after my cousin told me about the accident, and that the sister already took a flight back home earlier in the day.

I was saddened, and shocked, and in a lot of worry. And at the same time I felt like a hypocrite. Their family and mine used to be very close when I was about 11. So close we took vacations to the beach together often. I was closer to the elder sister, admittedly and we had a lot of fun times. But as we grew up, we grew apart because of issues between our families, but when we met again after a few years, we talked as if nothing has changed. So if we are not so close now, then why should I feel so bad? I'm not sure. Perhaps it's because she's young, only 24. And the accident was so horrible, and even though she somehow lived on, God Willing, parts of her brain would have to be removed, and she will never make a 100% recovery.

Perhaps I'm just being nostalgic, as people always do when someone they know personally is suddenly struck by such a tragedy. I don't know. But even though we don't think of each other very often, it doesn't change the fact that we used to be close, and are still amiable friends, and that our families are close (again). I would never wish such a thing on my worst enemies, and her, far from it. Right now, in her condition, I could only leave her in God's hands, because He knows best. And I can only do what I can for her.

Pray for her. God, she is so young.

And birthday post later. Ta'ra.

Holding Back

I realized recently that ever since I started work I've been holding back a lot. For instance;

1. I don't let it known that I'm Sarawakian unless asked.
2. I don't tell people I live in Bukit Bintang unless asked.
3. I eat the cheaper stuff on the menu because that's what everyone is having, even though half the time they make me sick.
4. I don't express my dislike towards a person who annoys me until they insulted something I like.
5. I don't let it known we have 8 cars, unless asked (when people are talking about cars).
6. I don't tell people what car I drive, unless asked or when I offer them a ride.
7. I don't talk about my plans for the near future because yes, Scandinavia is not a cheap region and Japanese lessons are not cheap.
8. I also don't tell people my biological make-up or the fact that I am taking a BA in Business Management and my plans to become a billionaire.

I dont, simply because it will invite prejudice. But I suppose it's not just the culture here in the peninsular that you are always judged race-first, everything else second. It's partly human nature as well. But then, despite me holding back and trying to remain anonymous - another face in the crowd - it's impossible. Certain traits of mine just won't stay concealed and made themselves a permanent accessory that I have to keep adjusting in whichever situation I'm in. I know the traits of being a leader is practically ingrained in me. I think I was born with it, and after some time I conciously sharpened it.

I am well-aware of the fact that I like to take charge and be in charge, and that I know when I'm wrong or right. When I took up this job I wanted to apply the same skills and traits into being a follower. I wanted to learn from other types of leadership skills and styles. I wanted to test myself; whether I was capable of being a good follower.

That said, I don't think my English being TOO GOOD is a handicap. Last Monday Big Sister pulled me aside after I had a bit of an outburst about adjusting the work attittude around our unit a little. She took it seriously, and started talking to every member of the unit and pulled me aside after that. We had a LOOONG talk. Personally I thought 80% of what she said was irrelevant. Because in the end I asked her what is it that she wanted me to do differently, because obviously I did nothing wrong. She said;

"Because your English is too good, the new people found you hard to approach, so please speak more tenderly and tone down your English a bit."

I nearly lost it when she said that. Seriously, the sentence above is self-explanatory isn't it?

I told her these two things in return; one, I will not dumb myself down and compromise my English for anybody's sake, regardless of who they are; and two, I will try to be nicer. It will be difficult because I don't know what that entails, but for the sake of your precious unit, I will try.

Up until that moment, I really was just playing with the idea of joining JBD, if my Japanese got good enough, but at that exact moment, when you're told your English is TOO GOOD to work in the ENGLISH book department, the thought of joining a foreign language book department was no longer an option. It's the alternative. The moment I told her I'm Sarawakian, and English being my second language, and Malay third, Japanese fourth, was the moment when I stopped caring about her prejudices (which was included in the 80% I mentioned earlier). I believe the fact that I'm Sarawakian is also very irrelevant to the conversation. And once I've resorted to pulling my 'I'm Sarawakian' card, meant I have surrendered to the stupidity of irrelevance and stopped caring completely.

JBD is my goal now. The staff are all Chinese, excluding the Japanese managers. I assume they speak Japanese well, but speaks Chinese to each other. When I join, my Japanese would be as bad as my Malay, and since English is not popular, there would be no issue of my English being TOO GOOD being a problem. Sighs.

I guess I should stop holding back too much. It's really quite suffocating.

Ta'ra.

Not Unreasonable

*WARNING: Flaming ahead*
I am not unreasonable. I never thought of asking unreasonable things. When I ask for something unreasonable, I know it's unreasonable. When I ask things that seemed unreasonable, it is only unreasonable on the surface. Below the surface there's always some thing: I did something in the past that went unsaid and unrewarded, which, although was sincere on my part, when done by someone else, they received a reward. I would never revoke them when I ask for said 'unreasonable' thing, and I will willingly do them again in the future, but that doesn't change the fact that it's not an unreasaonable thing to ask for, so is a little consideration too much to ask for?!

I also think it's not unreasonable to set some reasonable expectations of someone you think you know quite well. For instance, you know someone well enough that they would not lie, cheat or steal for money, so it is perfectly reasonable to not expect them to do so. You can argue that people are willing to do extreme things when pushed to desperation, but we are of course not talking about any extreme things.

So when people do shatter your expectations by stooping lower than your perceived moral values of theirs, you have the right to be disappointed. Even more so when you put a low expectation of them and yet they still break even that. In your mind you still want to think positively about such persons but it's hard when they keep smearing their own reputation to you. So it's not your fault when you decide to keep your distance because you feel like you don't know this person anymore thus protecting yourself from getting hurt further.

I believe it is a very reasonable thing to do.

I sometimes wonder if it's just me or is it really them. Was I too nice? Too naive? Then again, what's wrong with that? What's wrong in believing only the good in people? Sure, everyone thinks your friend is a slut, but though you agree your friend is not the most pious person around, she's not a slut like everyone thinks. And then your friend went and do things behind your back that while seemingly harmless, enforces the perception by other people that she's a slut. Yet you kept firm to your own belief, while other people sigh and roll their eyes at you saying "oh you poor deceived friend". So does that make you ignorant? Just plain naive? You have been deceived by your 'friend', and the only one who doesn't know it is you. Is it wrong to believe in someone towards the end that they will eventually come through? Is it too much to ask that they won't shatter your expectations anymore? Has your friendship only meant everything when you are there, but nothing when you are not there? If so, then is it a friendship worth having?

Is it?

I think I'm about done looking for faults with myself. I have never mentioned this before to anyone through anywhere, but whenever I find myself angry or upset and someone or something, the first thing I look at is myself first and foremost; is it my fault? what have I done wrong? Why did I do that? Was it reasonable for me to be upset/angry?

Only after I answer these questions would I start directing my anger towards that someone/something. When such things happened in an important relationship of mine, I looked even deeper, digging in so deep that when I find that though I may be a bit selfish, I have the right to be that much selfish, and, looking at our relationship, I deserve a bit more consideration than I was given. Sometimes looking too deep blinded me to the fact that it really wasn't my fault, that was why I couldn't find any. Someone had trampled upon my rights and I just let them. Perhaps just letting that happened was a fault of mine too.

And so now what? I'm upset and angry, and nobody is taking responsibility. Nobody cared. Is it because it was unreasonable? No. It's never been about whether I was being unreasonable or not. It never was. There's only been one thing: nobody cares. Sad, but true. Nobody cares. And why should they, really? Why should they? Why should they care if you can't control your own emotion and got angry? It's your own fucking problem. And so since it is my fucking problem, I shall deal with it my way. I choose to deal with it by staying away from you in the future, and talking coldly to you, and no longer caring what your fucking problem is. I, a self-proclaimed people hater, spent precious minutes bothering about your well-being while you don't fucking even care to send me one measly text other than to saying "it's been a while. I've been so busy with my boy toys and useless friends who kept asking me for favours (of course I help them coz I'm so nice) that I forgot to say hi to you, my only friend who never gives me any trouble and is also so nice to me that I decided to take you for granted and only talk to when you drive AAALL the way here to meet me. Oof course I would see you more often too if only I have a car. Until then I have my toyboys to keep me company. So, are you okay?" To this I reply sarcastically, to which she would say that I am so easily pissed off. Of course, when you send me such a stupid sms OF COURSE I'LL BE FUCKING PISSED! I FUCKING HATE stupid questions and assumptions that I am so easily pissed when THEY WERE THE ONES WHO PROVOKED ME FIRST!

...And that is why I say people are useless. Basing your emotions and happiness over someone else's fickle mind will always, without fail, makes you unhappy. And I am at my last straw. Up until today I had put my faith on people, but no more.

From now on I shall have no expectation of other people anymore. It's going to be a lonely path, but how much different is it from now anyway?

I believe it is quite reasonable to do so.

Ta'ra.