It is very disheartening and also disturbing to read about the ongoing dispute between the National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) and Human Resources Minister Steven Sim.

What irks me the most is why Steven has not extended an olive branch and invited NUBE to sit down and sort out the matter amicably.

As a former bank employee, I can feel what my former colleagues are going through and though the amount they are fighting for - their festive aid - may seem small, it goes a long way for many.

NUBE represents the interests of about 25,000 bank employees nationwide and their families, which could easily total 75,000 or more.

So, my question is why is Steven taking such an arrogant approach to this when he could well be dangling with the interests of more than 50,000 voters?

Apart from the festive aid, I was also disturbed why banks, which reap in millions in profit every year, cannot even have the decency to provide their Muslim staff with a prayer room.

It is shocking to learn that some Muslims had to perform their prayers in store rooms, while others even pray in a room which was stocked with what looked like chemicals.

This all boils down to greed. The banks are only interested in profits and do not care a whim about their downline staffers.

However, as a seasoned former bank staff, I must agree with NUBE that customers often return to a particular bank mainly because of the service provided to them by the banking staff.

If a customer receives poor service, he or she will simply move on to another bank - after all, it is the customer's money.

Therefore, I urge Steven to step down from wherever he thinks he is and meet with representatives from NUBE and sort this matter out before it gets way out of hand.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.

https://www.malaysianow.com/opinion/2024/04/23/dont-be-arrogant-steven-sim