Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Public Service Revisited

Just after CNY, my dentist friend who has gone private in Singapore arranged for me to see his course mate who is an orthodontist at the Shah Alam Government Specialist Hospital.  The orthodontist gave me the wrong address and I was like forty five minutes late.

I was referred to the orthodontist's room.  I was attended by a Chinese nurse, whom I later found out to be the Sister.  She was rude.  She asked loudly if I had an appointment.  I told her I had one at 10am.  She then told me that I was late.  She asked why I was late.  I told her that the orthodontist gave me the wrong address.  She looked at the referral letter and said that it is from a private clinic.  I told her that the dentist from the private clinic had contacted the orthodontist before writing the referral letter.  The Sister then said that I  have to make an appointment first.  I told her that the appointment is at 10 am.  The orthodontist himself made the appointment for me.  Only then did she stop her nonsense.  I so wanted to tell her off but decided not too because she would be assisting the orthodontist for my treatment.  I also did not want to embarrass the orthodontist.

The way these people work makes me puke  blood.  We have all watched some movie scenes where the frames are slow-motioned to create a desired effect.  Here, I am part of the cast. Some have attitude issues, while others move around and do their work like they have not been fed for days.  I so want to wring their neck and knock their head.

My experience did not end there.

Yesterday I went to another Government Hospital to have the X-Ray required done.  I was told by the staff at the radiography department that since I was attended to by that hospital I should go to another hospital for my X-Ray.  She asked me why I came to her hospital.  I replied that it is near my house (which is not).  I then told her that the Doctor told me I could go to any government hospital including GHKL.  Satisfied? She proceeded to register me.  She spent a good 3 minutes chatting and recommending pinjaman peribadi with another colleague before starting to key-in my particulars in the computer.  I cannot help but notice their work attitude.

No wonder some of us always need to be subsidized and assisted.

5 comments:

William said...

"Service" does not mean anything in Malaysia.

Little Dove said...

It's true. Sometimes, when I almost thought we've improved from 20 years ago, people like these exist and remind you the sad reality of the country. Sad, really. :(

p/s: Fixing braces?

Legolas said...

Need a very long time before things will change.

savante said...

Folks have to be tortured before things change.

carpe diem said...

William...There are still some private establishments which have good service. I could not agree more with you that it is non existence in the public sector.

Little Dove...The system is such that I do not think we will ever see any change in our lifetime unless something drastic happens. Yeah, thinking of getting my teeth realigned.

Legolas...Maybe not in our lifetime.

Savante...What do you suggest? How should they be tortured?

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