Tak Si Chek, Bei Si Shu (Read Dead Books)

On the whole of Saturday, I was somewhat puzzled when I did not receive a single response to my advertised office units for sale. Hence, I decided to check the Straits Times Classified Advertisements. I found that my advertisement for rent was put in the "Office for Sale" column. No wonder!

I called up the Straits Times to check the error. Straits Times always put all advertisement requests under recording, so that in the case of a dispute, the recording could be replayed to check whether it is the agent or the staff who has made the error. I told the staff that even if I had made the error, should she not have realised it too and corrected me? For how could an office unit at Prinsep/Orchard Area be sold at $4.00 per sq. ft? Even a piece of Persian carpet would be sold at more than $4.00 per sq. ft.! She apologised and said that she would check the recording.

It was I who made the mistake. However, loudly and clearly, I had said $4.00 per sq. ft. and the staff repeated after me. Yet it did not occur to her that the customer had made an error. Should Straits Times not teach or train their staff to understand what they are taking down and to be a little more vigilant? Or are their staff expected to be just like robots, repeating after the customers and not really understanding what they have written down.? I shared this incident with an elderly friend, and she sighed, "Aiya.....what do you expect.... today's youngsters tend to tak si chek....memorise and memorise just to get As for examinations, yet cannot exercise initiative or creativity!"

Or does Straits Times find so much security with the recording to justify who is right and who is wrong? I too would not like the staff to make a mistake and pay for the mistake out of her own pocket. Advertising costs are quite expensive, and the onus should be on Straits Times to invest in staff training and retraining. Or to recruit more staff, for obviously the staff is under strain of work. Any agent would tell you of the the long waiting time to get through the phone, especially on Thursdays and Fridays.

I remember this elderly neighbour of mine in Jelutong Village. She always sighed and scolded her eldest grandaughter, "What's the point of being the top girl in your class, Ah Nee. At 15, you still don't know how to take a bus to school or to town.
Don't just "tak si chek". Be a little more street wise, girl."

As usual, history always repeats itself. However, I am glad that the Ministry of Education has realised this, and is now making attempts to encourage students not to
just learn by rote, but to be more innovative and creative.

There is still hope. :-)