I do come across people who complain that the work that they do is much too difficult to do and they need to take rest off work. Over the years I have been desensitized by these moans that I just tell myself, “You think my job is easy?” – talking to sluggards like you!When I was working in Klang, I encountered many plantation workers negotiating with the Medical Officers to squeeze out as many days of medical leave as possible. Initially, I thought that these people were plain lazy. I found later that it was not so straight forward. After working many long weary hours, they were paid ‘peanuts’. A rainy day means no work and no pay. If they fell ill, they have to take a long bus trip to town – Awake at 4am –preparing house chores to catch the 5.30am bus to reach town to collect a number to see a medical officer who starts work at 8am; they will depart from the hospital close to 12noon. By then, they could not go back to work and they lose a day’s pay. If the worker managed to produce a Government Hospital Medical Leave Certificate, they would be entitled to a full day’s pay which is better than nothing. A tough life but isn’t everybody’s? Even the skiver has to think hard to dodge from work. Ask anybody and everyone will say that his job is tough- the bricklayer – tough; waiter and those in the hospitality service –tough; the businessmen – tough- because he cannot get a car park when he gets to the bank; those in the medical services –tough because of increasingly litigious society and the list goes on. Even the illicit drug dealers find it tough to carry his work and he has almost ran out ideas to bring his merchandize in and out of the country as the people have ‘wised up’ that they are made mules by the drug cartel. The African syndicates have used their charm to lure local gals to carry their ‘hot items’. When we were growing up, Amma used to tell us that our ancestors in India were duped by the middlemen into thinking that work in the land of milk and honey called Malaya was darn easy. They would be paid lots of money and fringe benefits for just swatting flies in Malaya to ensure that the raw sugar that is laid to dry is not eaten by pests. In droves, they raced down to Malaya only to find themselves trapped in rubber estates, mosquitoes, pure manual hard work, ruthless mandors (stewards) and the same white colonial masters that they had in India.I do come across people who complain that the work that they do is much too difficult to do and they need to take rest off work. Over the years I have been desensitized by these moans that I just tell myself, “You think my job is easy?” – talking to sluggards like you!When I was working in Klang, I encountered many plantation workers negotiating with the Medical Officers to squeeze out as many days of medical leave as possible. Initially, I thought that these people were plain lazy. I found later that it was not so straight forward. After working many long weary hours, they were paid ‘peanuts’. A rainy day means no work and no pay. If they fell ill, they have to take a long bus trip to town – Awake at 4am –preparing house chores to catch the 5.30am bus to reach town to collect a number to see a medical officer who starts work at 8am; they will depart from the hospital close to 12noon. By then, they could not go back to work and they lose a day’s pay. If the worker managed to produce a Government Hospital Medical Leave Certificate, they would be entitled to a full day’s pay which is better than nothing. A tough life but isn’t everybody’s? Even the skiver has to think hard to dodge from work. Ask anybody and everyone will say that his job is tough- the bricklayer – tough; waiter and those in the hospitality service –tough; the businessmen – tough- because he cannot get a car park when he gets to the bank; those in the medical services –tough because of increasingly litigious society and the list goes on. Even the illicit drug dealers find it tough to carry his work and he has almost ran out ideas to bring his merchandize in and out of the country as the people have ‘wised up’ that they are made mules by the drug cartel. The African syndicates have used their charm to lure local gals to carry their ‘hot items’. When we were growing up, Amma used to tell us that our ancestors in India were duped by the middlemen into thinking that work in the land of milk and honey called Malaya was darn easy. They would be paid lots of money and fringe benefits for just swatting flies in Malaya to ensure that the raw sugar that is laid to dry is not eaten by pests. In droves, they raced down to Malaya only to find themselves trapped in rubber estates, mosquitoes, pure manual hard work, ruthless mandors (stewards) and the same white colonial masters that they had in India.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteNothing is easy. Even eating is also difficult which involves a lot of muscles.