This I do to earn my living...

The first nature of my work / job is to PLEASEEEEEEEE my so called DUMB client. For the record, unlike others, I only have ONE (1) client and collectively they're good enough to propel my team and me to the other side of the Universe.

Apart from the above, my job is too ensure the project details and requirements are well documented for client sign-off - this includes research, procurement and other 'requirements' that tags along within the confinement of the work. And there is the paper work which is actually 'paperless' but then given the minuscule version of this conundrum, it is (believe me) massive work.

This happened a few days ago.

I did a write-up project for my client that required paperwork and along with that some research on the work proper, which on any given day is part and parcel of my job. I am PAID to do this. SIMPLE

I did finish my work and send it off to the client for sign off, telling them they should consent to the work done and acknowledge with the sign off. The client is well aware of this procedure.

Oh yes, before I forget, all work done is to be sent to the requester of the job initiated from the client end. This is well documented in the "MOU - CLIENT-OUTSOURCER agreement.

Now comes the part where to some extent, I must say, God actually forgot to put some grey matter into these so called highly "professional" client. They are one of the largest single organization in Malaysia and soon to be in South East Asia.

I'm in a way sworn to secrecy so I'm gonna have fictitious names here tho' the event culminated hereinafter is TRUE.

Tengku Kudin (TK) - Client - requester
Yap Ah Loy (YAL) - Tengku Kudin's assistant.
Parameswara(PA) - Bigger Boss
Hang Li Poh(HLP) - Project Manager

TK sends me an email and cc's to YAL : Why you send this to me? I cannot sign la. Yap Ah Loy, can you sign this off.

YAL : calls me on the phone and gives me a long lecturer as to why I send my work to them for sign off. (I wished God had made me more dumber. If I had known, I would have gladly sent it to the Afghanistans.)

Me : This one is requested by Tengku Kudin and you. Of course I must send this to you. Why you blame me for sending this to the right person for sign off.

Yap Ah Loy grew angry and said, "I did not ask you people to do this work. So I don't know. I'm sending this back to you. You send to Tengku Kudin and ask him to sign off. (Tengku Kudin actually sits two tables behind Yap Ah Loy and I 'm sitting in a small cubicle 35 Kms away from both of them.)

I went like..Oh dear...now I have to sing the national anthem to them as well.

I resent the document to TK and told him what his assistant (Yap Ah Loy) said.

TK replied me with an email: No, I cannot sign. I only take orders from my boss. Pls send this to my boss. (Like I know who his boss is.)

Me : Hmmm....Who is your boss? Can you forward me his name and email id so I can write to him.

After receiving the info from TK, I sent the docs in 'zipped format' to Parameswara (TK's boss).

Parameswara (fuming like a dragon, called me) : Why you send this to me. ( I can hear his breath too.) Can't you read? You are suppose to send this to the requester of the work.

Me : I did send to the requester (Tengku Kudin). It was under his advise I send this to you for sign off. (at this stage I'm already tired of writing out emails to uncaged zoo Neanderthals.)

Parameswara : What he told you? (TK, I learned, sits three desk away from Parameswara.) So, I told Parameswara of TK's 'advise'.

I told myself...aiyoooooooooooo............ and I am paid to do this. Pls don't insult the Malaysian mentality. Please...

Then I received an email from TK.

TK : Can you send this to Hang Li Poh. She is the IT person and should sign this document as it entails IT stuff. And he forwards me HLP's email id.

I shoot the same email with the attached documents to Hang Li Poh.

In under 2 minutes after me sending the docs, HLP called me.

HLP : Hellllooooo, why must you send this docs to me?

ME : I was advised to send to you by TK.

HLP : Who is the requester?

ME : TK and YAL

HKP : Then, you should know better then not to send to me right.

ME : I did send to them. They said send to you as you are the lead in IT.

HLP : No..No..you people don't understand. I cannot sign. TK must sign. This is commerce. Send the docs to TK to sign. OK ..Bye

HLP followed up with an email and CC's the whole doc. and conversation to her Boss - Yang Dipertua Nyonya Papan (YDNP)

YDNP sends me an email.

YDNP : Can you explain to me why you are sending the docs to the wrong person. The requester is TK. Why didn't you send it to him and she cc's the entire email to all my bosses telling them how dumb I am. 

ME : I did send to Tengku Kudin and it was he who directed me to send the docs to Yap Ah Loy.  Yap Ah Loy told me to sent to Parameswara. Parameswara told me to send to Hang Li Poh and Hang Li Poh send the email to you. Now you want me to send back the docs to Tengku Kudin?

YDNP sends a direct email to TK asking him to sign.

TK replied with his email only to ME and NOT to the others.

TK : This project in not allocated with any form of budget, and thus I can't sign. Pls check with Hang Li Poh.

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Till now the document is still circling with no one taking onus to sign off.


Welcome to my world and you thought your job was tough.