Serendipity - not!

My joy was actually short-lived and I only realize it more than a month later - yesterday. I decided to call up KL to check the status of my study leave seeing that it has been quite some time and I have yet to receive any letter from them.

After calling Mr ZY, the person-in-charge, he put me on hold for awhile to check on my file.

"Cik, kita belum dapat fax dari cik lagi. Cik dah fax ke ni?"

Haiz...

In about 15 minutes, after digging through my files (and that was after some venting of steam and kepanasan and whining and complaining to myself), I find myself at the same photostatting shop to fax the said letter again. There was some problem getting through initially but it was done when I heard the familiar sharp-pitched sound generated by the fax machine.

Upon reaching home, I called Mr ZY to inform him that the letter had been faxed. After some (feigned helplessness) questions on when I should call again to check if he has received the fax, he obligingly went to the machine to look for it and said that he has got it. Phew. At least I'm spared of making another call to the gov dept just to check whether they have got my fax.

I did not stop there. I further inquired when I should be expecting the official letter (if I could get it within two weeks' time) from them now that all my documents are intact and they could proceed to process my application. Mr ZY said he would process it immediately BUT it all depends on the pegawai yang meluluskan.

"Kalau dia cepat, tak de masalah, rasanya cepatlah tu surat cik dikeluarkan. Cik bolehlah call balik saya untuk check status surat cik nanti."

Haiz... so I'd have to call again...

***

The reason why I'm so frustrated about this whole thing is that my coursemate who is also on the same study leave as me has got his letter in September. His application was processed without the need of extra letters of verification of our uni whereas they required that I get the letter.

We are doing the same course in the same uni, registered at the same time, offered the same study leave by the same gov dept in KL which is handled by the same people and yet one needs verification and the other need not. And yes, once I found out that my coursemate had received his letter already without needing any extra verification, I did inform them and Mr ZY was surprised but... they still want the extra doc from me.

Where is the logic in this?

Why, oh, why, DD?

Having grumbled and all, I'm still grateful for the liaison man, the patient, soft-spoken and polite Mr ZY. I can assume that he is a nice man, at least based on our few phone conversations.

Lesson:
If you want things to get done at gov dept (if you are too far away to be there physically), don't forget to call, call, and call - just to remind them of your existence and to 'help' them to keep track of your stuff coz they can't really keep track of so many things, can they?

Grit your teeth and speak nicely, gently and politely though you are steaming and boiling inwardly and outwardly.

Try to push them to process your stuff a lil quicker without them knowing that you are pushing them by asking more questions; feigning cluelessness and helplessness.

***

I will only know if the above really works only AFTER I have the black-and-white safely in my hands.

Oh, please, oh, please, DD...