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Think I should blog, since the internet is really slow at the work place, and I can't do much besides surfing low-resolution webpages and I have my fingers crossed, hope that the internet don't cut me off until I post this entry.

So, last night, about 30 minutes before work-bell ends, all of us received a memo from one of the managers in the company. Well, allow me to post excerpts of mentioned memo:-
__________________________________________________________________________________

" TO ALL STAFFS

Please be informed that with immediate effect the management has decided that no employee should apply annual leave based on replacement for working on Sundays or Public holidays. The management is of the opinion that our staffs are aptly compensated for these types of days worked.

We hope the matter is clear and every employee will work together and amicably and achieve our target to please our clients."

 _________________________________________________________________________________


Well, as soon as I received such memo, you could probably imagine the amount of words, gushing from my brain cells, waiting to be unleashed upon the email loop. But I was also rational enough to understand that the manager was only working on instructions issued by, of course, the "BOSS".

Problem with working for a "Family Business" is that the working culture here is entirely based on the traditions and culture practiced by them, since the business started. I am not saying that it's wrong here, well in fact, I admire the fact that the business is still around after so many years, with such implementation of law and order in this particular company.
Some of you who are reading this, may know me personally, and even well enough to know where I work at, but for others, I am sorry, but it is definitely unethical to mention the name of this particular company, because in actual fact, I am still working for them. And even if one day, one of the bosses DO come by here, accidentally or incidentally, I guess I don't really care. Or for that matters, I have already long left this 'organization'.

Why am I so disturbed over this memo?

Upon signing the offer letter by this company, I was told beforehand that the annual leave accounted for a newcomer would be 8 days. Well, I bet many of you would go, "Oh, so you knew it all along - so what's the problem now?" I admit, that I may have made the wrong decision by joining this company at the early stage because I was going to be confirmed as a permanent staff back in my previous company and I had to jump fast, otherwise I would have to serve a 1-month notice. Well, tough luck, now I am stuck in a company, with ZERO BENEFITS (I guess the word benefit isn't in their dictionary or company policy - if there's ever one!) and GUESS WHAT, NOW I HAVE TO SERVE THREE MONTHS NOTICE period. 


I think the Chinese proverb "From the tiger mouth, jump into the crocodile mouth" is applicable here. You have no idea how stupid I am feeling right now.

Alright, I was also told that I have to work in the office for 5.5 days, and also strongly reminded that my job is project based. Means if there's operation at site, I have to work at site as well, even if it is a public holiday or on a Sunday. Which means, for example, I have to go to work for 5.5 days and then also IF THERE'S AN OPERATION WHICH FALLS ON SUNDAY, I have to drag my sorry ass to work as well. WHICH MEANS, I AM 24/7 INDEBTED TO MY COMPANY LAH!

I was taken aback at the moment I knew about that. That was told, during the 1st day of work, which I was send to site on my 2nd day to witness an operation in Pasir Gudang. However, when I came back to my office, which was probably the 7 or 8th day of work, one of the superiors told me that in the event if I want to apply for an UNPAID leave (because I have no AL during my first year of service - stupid company policy!!), it can be replaced with a holiday if in the event I happen to work on a Sunday/Public Holiday. At that time, it felt like some sort of compensation because it didn't feel too bad having to work on a holiday right, knowing that it would be replaced with another holiday some other time, right?

Why, that was until YESTERDAY, when all of us received the memo.

I did a quick google - to find out in horror that the Malaysian Labour Law's minimal requirement for Annual Leaves is 10 days - and I am 2 days short of the minimal level! 
And also, in the event of if the employee works on a Public Holiday/Sunday, they are entitled to compensation in terms of wages or replacement of holidays.

Okay, I understand that Engineers are not entitled to OTs, okay, if sometimes I work for more than 18 hours a day and I do not get any compensation of wages, fine, I treat it as gaining extra experiences, but having to read this:-

"The management is of the opinion that our staffs are aptly compensated for these types of days worked."

makes me wanna strangle whoever that has such opinion.

Whenever I approach the superiors, I was shunned away by excuses given such as "Our company follows the Sarawak Law"..etc, but the LAST TIME I REMEMBER, SARAWAK IS PART OF MALAYSIA and MALAYSIA LABOUR LAW is applicable there right? Well, unless I missed out the part where Sarawak is dismissed from the country, but no, I read the news religiously.

I am not some 3-year-old who can be given a lollipop whenever I am on the verge of crying.

If only I know the right channel to make such complaints, I would definitely put up a fight, even if it means I have to leave this company with a 'BAD REPUTATION' - or the girl who complains a lot. Well, *toot you*.