It’s best to arrive early for scheduled meetings because we don’t want to upset any parties. At the same time, the other party might have a busy schedule ahead, and they have planned to use a specific time for the meeting.
A Malaysian woman recently attended a meeting at a government office in Kuantan that was scheduled for 9 am. The woman reached the office at 8:47 am, but the meeting room door was only unlocked at 9:06 am, according to a viral X post by @drfitriyusof.
6 minutes after the intended time of the meeting.
For illustration purposes only
Still, there was no sign of the other party who was supposed to be in the meeting.
A minute later, one of the staff members told the woman that breakfast had been served and invited her to have a quick refreshment before the meeting began.
“I was told that the boss had not arrived yet. I wondered what time the meeting was going to start.”
The woman revealed that the meeting started at 9:36 am, and thanks to the delay, she was also late to her other meeting, which she described as a “chain reaction.”
Of course, not all civil servants “apply” the same working culture, but how long do people have to tolerate this?
If you foresee the delay, it’s wise (and a common courtesy) to inform everyone else about it. To those who have visited government offices in other states, what do you think about her experience?
Also read: PMX Reminds Civil Servants that Only Those Who Perform Well at Work Deserve the 13% Increment
