Motorists fume as money order forms run out

008/06/15

Motorists fume as money order forms run out

By : S. Arulldas and R. Gomathy

Siti Nur Jayhan Begam, from Bukit Katil, Bukit Mertajam, was told she was not entitled to the rebate as she was not the registered owner of her car.

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Pandemonium broke out at the Jalan Muthupalaniappan post office here when some 1,000 people who turned up to claim their fuel subsidy rebates were told they could not be paid because the post office had run out of money order forms.

Taha Pendek was denied his rebate after being told he was not the registered owner of his motorcycle.

The incident happened 30 minutes after the post office opened its doors.

The problem was compounded when the crowd, which had come as early 7am, were told by "touts" that they could buy the money orders for RM2 and pay them (the touts) an additional RM2 service fee for filling up the particulars.

Postmaster Azmee Sinan declined to comment but said he had alerted the police over the matter.

Factory worker Abdul Rahman Ismail of Kampung Alma said he was surprised that Pos Malaysia did not prepare for the big turnout.
"It was very unprofessional for them to run out of money order forms. They should have been more prepared. They knew today was the day," said 45-year-old Abdul Rahman.

A police spokesman said they had questioned a 50-year-old man and his two female staff who operated a shop opposite the post office but they denied they were involved in selling the forms. There were no arrests.

A state Pos Malaysia Bhd spokesman claimed that they had enough cash and forms to cater for the expected demand.

He said post offices throughout the state also had enough manpower to handle the situation.

He advised the public not to pay for the forms as they were distributed free.

State Public Works and Utilities Committee chairman Lim Hock Seng, who visited the Bagan Dalam post office in Butterworth, suggested that Pos Malaysia open up more counters to expedite payments.

In Malacca, several claimants were dismayed when they were told that they were not eligible for the payouts because they were not registered as the vehicle owners.

Siti Nur Jayhan Begam from Bukit Katil was one of those who was told she was not entitled to the rebate as she was not the registered owner of her car.

"How is this possible? I renewed my road tax on May 9, days before it expired on May 31," said an outraged Siti Nur, adding that she had been waiting since 7.30am.

"It is a Saturday today and Sunday tomorrow, and Pos Malaysia wants me to check with the Road Transport Department (RTD) before I make my claims," she fumed.

Taha Pendek, 71, was also denied his rebate. He was told he was not the registered vehicle owner of his motorcycle.

Hamdan Sidek, who witnessed the incidents, said the government should appoint an RTD officer at post office counters to deal with such issues.