I TOOK my daughter one afternoon to the National Registration Department to apply for her first MyKad. After filling in the forms, Iwas issued a number at 2.35pm. There were eight other applicants before me.

As I waited patiently for my turn, I noticed that the queue was not moving even after 45 minutes as therewere just two counters open. Attempts to contact the supervisor on duty was met with the typical public sector response: “Dia pergi meeting. ” Although eight counters were available, only two were manned. In an important department in a state capital, I find this hard to stomach. Only after I had kicked up a fuss did a supervisor appear and more counters were opened. When it got to my turn, I had to bear another public sector “sickness”: “System tak berfungsi.” When I was finally issued a receipt, it was 4.02pm. It had taken one-and-a-half hours to serve a queue of eight applicants. How can the chief secretary to the government’s assurance of a faster delivery system be fulfilled when certain officials have such bad work attitudes?

J.A. MONTEIRO, Ipoh

Source: NST – March 4, 2008