SPP Interview Expose

Jumped upon this post (by one Joshua) and decided to reproduce it. Original article available here.
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I was at Jabatan Perdana Menteri on 25th July 2007 for an 8:00 a.m. interview with the Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Pelajaran. It was an interview to confirm my placement into the government service as DG41.

The interview letter didn’t state anything about attire. The SPP website stated "baju kemeja berlengan panjang dan bertali leher." See http://www.spp.jpm.my/temuduga-faktor.php. I wore my grey slacks, dark blue long-sleeve shirt, and a silver tie. Upon arrival at Bilik Temuduga 10, we were told by our room's interviewer that we need to wear a coat.

Nobody brought any coats from our room. We went out to search for a coat. Around 5 other guys in the entire interview had coats. So we borrowed their coats and passed them around.
When my turn came, I put on the coat and went in.

Right after I said "Selamat pagi Dato," he asked me where I got the coat from. I said I borrowed it. He said how come I don't even own a coat. I said the interview letter did not state that I have to wear a coat, or else I would've found one before I came. He scolded me and said I did not know how to interpret the letter.

He asked what kind of pants I was wearing. I said my grey slacks. He said how can that be formal. I said only have 2 pairs of slacks. One black, one grey. The black one, I wore to school on Monday, and now it is being washed. So, today I'm wearing my grey slacks.
He threw my documents aside and chased me out of the room.

He called me in again after a very long time. It wasn't an interview. It was a dressing-down, humiliation session. He didn't really ask me anything much. Here's the gist of what he said:

"Bapa kamu tahu tak, kamu seluar hanya ada dua? Kalau dia tahu, dia malu tak, anak dia macam ini?"

I said hidup saya susah. I explained my family background. And why I have banyak tanggungan.
"You are wrong!! Saya pun tak pernah tanggung orang macam itu. You must change the way you live."

He looked at my shoes, and he said, "Kasut kamu tak gilap."

I said I cycle to school everyday. How to gilap?

"COME ON... YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT!!"

Well, if I don't have a car, and my school is nearby, what's wrong with cycling to school?

"Kamu pakai baju apa itu. Cina tak boleh pakai gelap."

I said I'm a Christian, I don't abide by such superstitions. I said by the way, my shirt is blue. Not black.

"Kamu bukan Cina kah? You must be proud to be a Chinese... Malaysian Chinese..."

What does he know about being a Malaysian Chinese? We don't get Datukships and awards like him. We can't afford to be wearing designer clothes like him. We are not supported by the government's silver spoon in our mouth from the day we were born. We have to struggle to take care of our families. What does he know?

He said, "Dalam PIPP, ada dinyatakan kita harus memartabatkan profesion keguruan. Apa yang kamu faham tentang itu?"

That is the Teras Kelima in the Pelan Induk Pembangunan Pendidikan. I explained that according to the PIPP blueprint, we are supposed to upgrade the intake system of teachers and improve the working environment of teachers. I wasn't taking rubbish. That was the textbook answer.

He said, "Tak payah, tak payah. Kalau untuk kamu saja, macam mana?"

I said, "Kena memperbaiki imej, kalau menurut Dato."

He said "Gaji satu bulan berapa? Pergilah beli seluar..."

He even stood up to show me his slacks. He said a pair that costs seratus lebih would be a good one.

I cycle to school everyday. My shoes aren't shined. I can't afford a pair of slacks that cost over a hundred bucks. I don't have a coat. I guess I'm not fit to be a teacher.

Well, if they can pay me 4 grand a month, certainly the profession guru's martabat will be dipertingkatkan, isn't it?

If what I wear matters so much more than how I teach, then my workplace should not be in a musty classroom. I should be on the catwalk runway.

Here is the Dato’ that should be brought to the public’s attention.