Fuzi called me up yesterday. She just came back from the welfare office where she finally got her financial aid for the months of June, July and August. Yep, for the past 3 months she didn't get the promised financial aid with all sorts of excuses given. Imagine, if a particular blog reader had not been putting in a certain amount into her account each month, it would have been very difficult for Fuzi and her 5 kids.
Anyway, while I was happy she finally got her welfare money, I was quite annoyed when I found out that the welfare officer asked her to open up another bank account so that they can bank in her financial aid every month into her account without her having to come all the way to their office.
Now, that would make it easier for Fuzi, right? So, why was I annoyed?
You see, when her welfare application was first approved earlier this year, Fuzi already had a savings account with BSN. The welfare officer then asked her to open up a bank account with BCB (now CIMB), with the promise that they'd bank in the money into that account. OK fine, so Fuzi opened up a BCB savings account. But the money NEVER once went into that bank account. They always come up with all sorts of excuses why they couldn't bank in the money. Amongst others, "Tak ada masa."
Anyway, while I was happy she finally got her welfare money, I was quite annoyed when I found out that the welfare officer asked her to open up another bank account so that they can bank in her financial aid every month into her account without her having to come all the way to their office.
Now, that would make it easier for Fuzi, right? So, why was I annoyed?
You see, when her welfare application was first approved earlier this year, Fuzi already had a savings account with BSN. The welfare officer then asked her to open up a bank account with BCB (now CIMB), with the promise that they'd bank in the money into that account. OK fine, so Fuzi opened up a BCB savings account. But the money NEVER once went into that bank account. They always come up with all sorts of excuses why they couldn't bank in the money. Amongst others, "Tak ada masa."
OK then, now they say they will bank in the amount into her savings account again. Just give them the same bank account number lah! Kan?
Nope, now they say Fuzi got to open an account with Maybank. Pulak... tak sudah-sudah menyusahkan orang yang dah memang susah!
Sigh...
Today I went to visit Mr. K at the hospital. Mrs. K was there too. Mr. K's EPF withdrawal has gone through and they've already got the money. Alhamdulillah. With Mrs. K having to take so many days of unpaid leave, the timing is just right.
Or is it really?
Remember I said in one of my earlier postings that I was quite concerned about this family getting their EPF money just before raya? Well, since Mr. K was in the hospital when the money got through, I thought it was quite safe.
But just now while I was with them at the hospital, I saw the two of them signalling one another, obviously they wanted to tell me something, but afraid to do so. They looked like typical "guilty" kids trying to admit to their parents something they had done which they knew would not get the parent's approval. Only this time the kids were Mr. and Mrs. K while I was the garang mama.
So what did they do? Mr. K, being the "I wasn't the one who did it as I was in the hospital" one, finally spoke up. Apparently, after being pressured by her kids, especially the 12 year old daughter, Mrs. K had just installed Astro at home. Yeah right, blame it on the kids! All the kids saw was a big amount of money which they probably thought would last a looooong time! And all they saw was just probably the fee for installing the Astro kuali! (Ooops sorry, I am so used to calling that thing a kuali...) What they didn't think about was the monthly fee that needs to be paid. All the while they had been having problems even with their water and electricity bills, now they want to add another monthly bill?! Mrs. K didn't have to give in, did she?
What I was particularly mad about was the fact that I had reminded them to be very careful once they got the money and to spend only on necessities. I can survive without Astro at home, why can't they? I remembered Yah's late husband who spent like a rich man when he got his EPF money, one of the first thing he did was to install Astro at home and then told his wife to pay for the monthly subscription fee! He finished all his money in just 2 weeks! Thank goodness Yah herself is not at all like her late husband. When she got her EPF money recently, she immediately put aside a certain amount into ASB. And the balance of the money, she used them on necessities and long term income generating purposes.
Back to Mrs. K, I gave her my piece of mind. I told her she must spend wisely. Spend on necessities, necessities, necessities!
They promised they'd open up SSPN account for each of their children. I'll make sure the next time I see them to ask if they have done so. Maybe my next visit to their house, I may just lecture the children as well.
Sigh...
Before I left them just now, I said, "Nanti balik jangan lupa beli TV besar 42 inci pulak ya?"
Mrs. K gave a sheepish smile.
Oh, she got my message alright...
LOUD AND CLEAR!
14 comments:
susah kalau orang gelap mata bia dapat duit 1 lump sum macam tu. like u said, necessity kemana, luxury came first. sigh...
case Yah tu, macam pejabat2 kat msia lah. everytime pindah office or kerja baru kena open new a/c w yet another new bank. sometimes 2-3 kali tukar bank. i tell u, in 4 places tht i worked at i had to open 9 a/cs! agaknya orang2 kat a/c dept tu dapat commission dari bank kot yg diorang suka sgt menyusahkan orang? kalau tak pun diorang ada bank-a/c fetish. :P
PJ,
9 bank accounts, huh? Berapa juta in each account? ;)
Pi,
It is very difficult to comprehend why the need to open up another Bank account if an account is already available. Tranfering money online to any account is possible and the guy from welfare dont even have to leave his office.
Since I dont know for sure how they manage to be in the present predicament, I have to presume that they never think when they want to do something.
On the other hand Yah was a victim of circumstances beyond her control and she is not dense upstairs.
Alamak, tgh kaya la sekarang ni Kak Pi?
KOt sat gi terus pi POh Kong pulak.. All for the sake of "teringin" syndrom. kekekekeee
Gelap mata, sekalik dapat duit cam tu.
Good LUck to them, and keep reminding them ye Kak Pi.
Zawi,
I assume they still use the conventional way of banking in the money over the counter. Otherwise if they use interbank transfer they shouldn't have given excuses such as "tak ada masa".
Kina,
Ha ah, sekarang depa dah jadi OKBS (orang kaya baru sementara). Kalau depa pi Poh Kong sat lagi harus I pulak naik angin macam King Kong...
Now ni dok main reverse psychology, instead of melarang, I SURUH depa beli macam-macam!
Empathy....Why do they think it is easy for people to open bank accounts? Think it is so easy to go from one place to another.
hehe...like the part where u tell them to buy 42' tv...:)
Nightwing,
Ya la, so troublesome to open up bank accounts nowadays.
The 42 inch TV? Yeah, that's my typical style of getting the message through to them... ;)
i hope they are not going to give any more excuse and then ask Fuzi to go open another few more a/cs at different bank!
Sigh, Mr. and Mrs. K, what to say..i oso dunnoe..can they disconnect that Astro immediately? I too dont hv tv cable, we just made do with the few tv channels on tv. Where do we hv so much time to sit and watch all those 200 (or how many) channels??
The standing instruction that I know is that all Welfare grant are to be banked into BSN account only and not other banks. Something is surely wrong here. You must see the State Director of the Welfare Department to see that the money is banked into the BSN account. Thanks.
Winnie,
Mrs. K's excuse was that the children pressured her to get Astro. Actually, I'm sure they'd understand if she explains to them properly. Don't know lah these people...
Pak Idrus,
My NGO is trying to arrange for a few of us to meet with the State Director of Welfare to discuss some things. Will definitely bring up this matter when we get the chance to do so. Thanks for your input.
Eh Pi.. can't imagine you staring down in your 'mama garang' way. Lord have mercy on those who had had the displeasure...
My wife works for BSN, Pi. Betui laa Pak Idrus said about them welfare grants masuk sana. I too tak paham ni suruh orang buka a/c sana sini. To be a fair, a lot of gomen dept have improved. But macam welfare dept ni masih suka kasi orang 'the runaround'; which WAS S.O.P. for dealing with gomen in the past...
Mat Salo,
I only use my 'mama garang' looks whenever necessary... :)
As for the welfare dept, we're waiting to get the appointment to see the state welfare director, hopefully after raya nanti. True, banyak gomen dept dah improve, because the rakyat ramai dah pandai complain. But when it comes to welfare, the "customers" are poor people who simply accept whatever is given to them, even the runaround.
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