Loan dodgers

This post could otherwise be known as "Ungrateful Bumiputeras".

I spoke to an old friend of mine yesterday; she was having problems with "loan dodgers": people who had accepted student scholarships from her organization (a very big company, the pride of the nation some would say) were refusing to honour the contracts they had signed when receiving their scholarships.

The rules were simple. Take the scholarship and agree to work for X number of years with the organization upon completion of studies. Or, pay the organization compensation to be released from the terms of the contract.

All the people my friend called had agreed to the terms, and signed the contract. In return, they were well looked after during their studies overseas and locally; apparently, money and scholastic support were never a problem -- both were received in buckets.

They certainly didn't have to sign the contract. No one put a gun to their head asking them to agree. Without exception, each of them were brilliant students -- they could have secured other forms of financing for their studies if they really wanted to. But the point is, they agreed, and they signed.

And today, many of them are refusing to honour their contract. They refuse to work for the organization who paid for their education (perhaps, its because of the organization's low wage structure?), and they baulk at paying the compensation which figures in at RM500k-700k per person. And, on top of everything, they were rude to my friend when she called them, representing her organization, to seek an answer over this issue.

These people are now about my age, 28-29 years old. Smart people, well educated, and without exception, working professionals. It really peeves me off that they have taken advantage of the privilege given to them, and are now refusing to pay their dues. Nearly all of them are bumiputeras; the education fund set up by this organization was meant to help bumis, primarily.

Undoubtedly, legal action will be brought to bear. But that will only lead to more costs and time wasted. It really shouldn't have to come to that. These bunch of people are ungrateful little ingrates. Honour your word, or don't give it out at all. We are only as good as our word, after all. Perhaps, that makes these people good for nothing.