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I was at Jabatan Perdana Menteri on 25th July 2007 for an 8:00 a.m. interview with the Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Pelajaran. It was an interview to confirm my placement into the government service as DG41.
The interview letter didn’t state anything about attire. The SPP website stated "baju kemeja berlengan panjang dan bertali leher." See http://www.spp.jpm.my/temuduga-faktor.php. I wore my grey slacks, dark blue long-sleeve shirt, and a silver tie.
Upon arrival at Bilik Temuduga 10, we were told by our room's interviewer that we need to wear a coat.
Nobody brought any coats from our room. We went out to search for a coat. Around 5 other guys in the entire interview had coats. So we borrowed their coats and passed them around.
When my turn came, I put on the coat and went in.
Right after I said "Selamat pagi Dato," he asked me where I got the coat from. I said I borrowed it. He said how come I don't even own a coat. I said the interview letter did not state that I have to wear a coat, or else I would've found one before I came. He scolded me and said I did not know how to interpret the letter.
He asked what kind of pants I was wearing. I said my grey slacks. He said how can that be formal. I said only have 2 pairs of slacks. One black, one grey. The black one, I wore to school on Monday, and now it is being washed. So, today I'm wearing my grey slacks.
He threw my documents aside and chased me out of the room.
He called me in again after a very long time. It wasn't an interview. It was a dressing-down, humiliation session. He didn't really ask me anything much. Here's the gist of what he said:
"Bapa kamu tahu tak, kamu seluar hanya ada dua? Kalau dia tahu, dia malu tak, anak dia macam ini?"
I said hidup saya susah. I explained my family background. And why I have banyak tanggungan.
"You are wrong!! Saya pun tak pernah tanggung orang macam itu. You must change the way you live."
He looked at my shoes, and he said, "Kasut kamu tak gilap."
I said I cycle to school everyday. How to gilap?
"COME ON... YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT!!"
Well, if I don't have a car, and my school is nearby, what's wrong with cycling to school?
"Kamu pakai baju apa itu. Cina tak boleh pakai gelap."
I said I'm a Christian, I don't abide by such superstitions. I said by the way, my shirt is blue. Not black.
"Kamu bukan Cina kah? You must be proud to be a Chinese... Malaysian Chinese..."
What does he know about being a Malaysian Chinese? We don't get Datukships and awards like him. We can't afford to be wearing designer clothes like him. We are not supported by the government's silver spoon in our mouth from the day we were born. We have to struggle to take care of our families. What does he know?
He said, "Dalam PIPP, ada dinyatakan kita harus memartabatkan profesion keguruan. Apa yang kamu faham tentang itu?"
That is the Teras Kelima in the Pelan Induk Pembangunan Pendidikan. I explained that according to the PIPP blueprint, we are supposed to upgrade the intake system of teachers and improve the working environment of teachers. I wasn't taking rubbish. That was the textbook answer.
He said, "Tak payah, tak payah. Kalau untuk kamu saja, macam mana?"
I said, "Kena memperbaiki imej, kalau menurut Dato."
He said "Gaji satu bulan berapa? Pergilah beli seluar..."
He even stood up to show me his slacks. He said a pair that costs seratus lebih would be a good one.
I cycle to school everyday. My shoes aren't shined. I can't afford a pair of slacks that cost over a hundred bucks. I don't have a coat. I guess I'm not fit to be a teacher.
Well, if they can pay me 4 grand a month, certainly the profession guru's martabat will be dipertingkatkan, isn't it?
If what I wear matters so much more than how I teach, then my workplace should not be in a musty classroom. I should be on the catwalk runway.
Here is the Dato’ that should be brought to the public’s attention.
http://www.alumnisas.com.my/asas/asasgmbr/dato%27HjAbdullah.jpg
14 comments:
walao e..this interviewer really bad. humiliating and materialistic!
ignore him la..
i thought we should pratice nilai "kesederhanaan" one?
shiuan
hmm... i've heard this story before. i think i know the poor interviewee. didn't know the idiot interviewer was a dato tho.
not going to send this to the papers, or anywhere else where it can get more publicity?
and please know that in this particular case, there is no shame in anonymity. (remembering the heated debates here some time ago)
few things to say. my humble 2 cents.
The other day my colleague showed me the JOHOR gov directive on dress code for gov servants. super duper strict. Guys can only wear CREAM-coloured shirts and BLACK slacks. And only 'baju kurung' JOHOR is allowed (not other styles of 'baju kurung')...
Two, I admire you for daring to put this on your blog :)
Three, I'm going for SPP in three days'. Wish me luck man. Been busy, and haven't prepared (knowledge-wise)... Gotta start knowing the teras pendidikan. Mine's under KPTM, don't know if the questions they ask will be different. What should I read on?
Finally, did you pass the interview?
Poor interviewee. I knew him too.
How can such dumb people exist in Malaysia, that surpasses my understanding.
Sieh Jin: The story was sent to The Star. Their photographer came and took pictures. Was supposed to come out in the papers. But it was "too controversial" to be cleared.
akmj: If they stated the dress code specifically, then we would do well to follow it.
If the dress code did not specify it, but the interviewer demands it, then it is unreasonable.
One thing that baffles me. What do they understand by the Teras Pertama of the PIPP - Membina negara bangsa? Everyone who wants to work in the government sector has to wear baju kurung in order to be "approved"? What kind of membina negara bangsa are we talking about? Bangsa Malaysia, or Satu Bangsa?
I don't see why such a bias should be tolerated. Last I checked, baju kurung is a traditional attire. Not formal. If baju kurung is in, I don't see why cheongsam and saree are out.
Well, to me, preparations was a total waste of time. A colleague told me some people during her interview were ridiculed for not knowing how to sing Mawi or Siti Nurhaliza songs. I suggest it would be good to pay the karaoke box for solid preparations.
Anyway, it is apparent that a lack of "upstairs" can be made up by pure presentation.
Nobody knows the results of the interview yet.
gosh, im off to my spp interview this friday and what happened to you scared the shit out of me.... pray God i will not get him.. better if i say pray God that he is not in the interviewer list anymore.....may God hv mercy on us, new teachers
same here...
i'm goin to d interview with spp next week n heard a lot of stories like this where d interviewer wil kena u kaw2..
i dont mind kena if they pass me..
btw joshua...did u pass or did not?
Yah, I passed. No honour in it anyway.
If you happen to get the same interviewer, say Joshua Hooi said hi. Tell him I would love to meet him again.
thnx...
hopefully i wont get d same interviewer...
i dunno y they like to do like this..
anyway good luck in ur career...
hope we dun turn like tat if we r on top of d administration...
Hai cikgu Joshua...sabar je la.
Memang dah jadi kerja diorang. You're now a proffesional teacher so they need to test you EQ. Saja buat engkau marah n then, just ovserve you respond. I've been through that kind of interview too. Dari segi ethic, engkau pun tau kan....kau kan pandai..... Byee.....Muah
Teacher's teacher: "Just a test of EQ" is the most common justification I've been hearing.
I find difficulty in measuring out an illusory line that defines how far "EQ testing" can be stretched before it becomes unacceptable.
In other civilizations, people can actually lose their jobs if they pull off such stunts. All in the name of "EQ testing".
THE KEY IS BE POSITIVE AND ALWAYS POSITIVE!!!
I guess they r testing us on Emotional Quotient..
be patience.. they want to know how we react upon such remark, our patience to control the anger and how we reply ..should be in positive manner .Validate your hujah with wisdom , self-confidence and self-esteem.Possibly until he has a second thought and rethought.an inner whisper "yea, i guess you're right. "
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