The government has recently announced to award a half-pay bonus to all its federal employees. We were over the moon when the news was released to the press and reached our ears. We have not received any bonuses since the new government reigned except for occasional 'wang ehsan' thrown our way to chew.
My bud, Yong rang me up one afternoon, sounding upset. 'Nani, you ade dengar cite ke pasal bonus kali ini?'
'Cite ape? Takde la pulak,' I answered.
'Kerani sekolah I bagi tahu bonus nak dibayar 2 kali. Sekali tengah bulan ni, setengah lagi bulan Disember,' Yong continued.
'La.....napelah diaorang buat camtu?. Janji dalam berita lain tapi bila laksanakan lain,' I responded.
That late afternoon I rang the finance clerk in school.
'Assalamualaikum, Sara,' I greeted her. 'Ni madam', I introduced myself.
'Ye madam,' she answered.
'Madam nak tanya sikit boleh?' I asked.
'Boleh.' she replied.
'Betul ke bonus masuk 2 kali? Bukan sekali? Sara ada dengar ape-ape cerita?' I continued with my quieries.
'Eh! Betulke madam?' she questioned. And I heard her mumbled the information to the other clerks in the office. 'Kami kat pejabat tak dengar cite ape-ape pun?' was her reply.
'Madam dengar kerani di sekolah lain ade maklumkan. Nak confirm dulu dengan Sara,' I continued.
'Entah la madam. Kami tak dapat ape-ape Perkeliling lagi. Lagi pun AG (Accountant General, I presumed) buat terus. Kami tak buat ape-ape pun,' she answered.
'Oh! Macam tu ye?' I acknowledged. 'Kalau ade dengar ape-ape nanti maklumkan kat madam ye?' I asked.
'Ok madam. Kalau ade ape-ape Sara bagi tau,' she responded before the conversation ended.
And the day at the office ended with the kerfuffle that I had instigated rumours that did not set well with those whose bonuses would be minute if two payments are met.
So, the moral of the story was to never ask. You don't know how people will misconstrued your sincere intentions
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