I received a call from Marina, the secretary for En Ramli the CEOof Suria Fund, requesting for my assistant to look into the case of Peggy Tan.Suria Fund is a wholly government owned agency under the Ministry of Financethat gives out grant to deserving inventor with good ideas. Apparently Peggyhad applied for a research grant from Suria Fund but was unsuccessful.
I was made to understand that earlier one staff at Suria Fund didguided Peggy to fill-up the form. That has made Peggy up-set and she has threatenedto report her case to the Ministry of Finance. She’ll press for the Ministry toclose down Suria Fund.
Marina then forwarded to me a copy of Peggy’s application for myperusal. I read through and thought her invention of a “Test Kit” was nothingspecial. My first impression was that she may have an improved design but therewas no invention at all.
Anyway, I turned-up for the meeting at Suria’s office at 3pm.Besides me, Suria has also invited Mr. Lai of Century (an investment company)to join the meeting. On that day, the entireline-up of the top management of Suria Fund turned-up. Ramli then started themeeting by explaining the purpose of today’s meeting.
Part the meeting sounded liked this:-
Peggy : Why we need to talk? I am tired of talkingand talking! Tell me, am I going to get the grant or not! No point wasting timehere!
Ramli : Yes. But it’s goodto review the case and hear you out first.
Bugs : Peggy, have youfiled a patent?
Peggy : it’s here (pointingto a folder she brought along)
Bugs : Can I have thepatent number?
Peggy : Why should I give toyou? NO. You can’t have it
Bugs : Well then can yougive me the title
Peggy : Self Containing ...blab la bla (she spoke so fast I couldn’t catch it)
Peggy : Nothing to talk. Ihave spoken to that bloody idiot! But it’s no use
Ramli : Err... who are youreferring to?
Peggy : That, that James fella in your office. Doyou know I spoke to him for 3 hours! And that stupid idiot doesn’t know whatthe hell he is talking about. And when I come to Suria’s office for meetingthat bloody coward did not even turn-up. He sent someone else. What game areyou guys playing? I know alot of people. You don’t play games with me!
Ramli : Oh... you mean James? He is our formerApplication Analyst. Anyway he has left us. Why don’t we see what we can do foryou today so that we can move forward?
Peggy : What the bloody hell!? Do you know I canreport this to the World Bank? You guys have misused one hundred millionRinggit!
Ramli : Err.. what World Bank?
Peggy : Your RM100m is WorldBank’s money
Ramli : No no no our fundcomes from the Ministry of Finance
Peggy : You mentioned you have more than 360successful applicants. Where is the list? Who are they? Who got the money? Why are youhiding? Tell me where? Where?
Peggy : I applied a grant here since 2004! What kindof idiots are you? Took so long. Tell me am I getting the grant today or not!I’ve even spoke to Aida. But not bloodyuse.
Do you know I have to drive all theway to Johor to get the price? See it’s all here. (pointing to the folder) Areyou blind? Can’t you see I’ve done my work? What else do you want from me?
Then another yearwent by. Still nothing!
I don’t design the stripe. I’m not achemist. Why the bloody hell ask me about the stripe?
Ramli : Let’s not get intothe details. Let’s see how...
Peggy : I’ve also invented a transmission for a carthat does not need to use petrol. It’s a green car and 100% petrol free.
Why can’t youguys say a Yes or a NO to my application?
What is the ideaof having Suria Fund? Tell me...?
Ramli : Suria Fund was form to support inventor andentrepreneurs with good ideas, helping people to turn idea into prototype.
Lai : If I may ask,Peggy what is the uniqueness of your test kit? Pls elaborate
Peggy : See... I have got it designed. Here can’tsee you. (pointing to the folder) Why ask me so many bloody questions.
The Malaysian Police want to buy it.The American wants to buy it. Britain authority also need it. See thisnewspaper cutting (pointing to the folder). There is a huge market for it.
Lai : Yes... yes... but what is it so specialabout your product. Where is the different compare to others?
Peggy : There are no others! Idiot how many timesmust I tell you? When a policeman stopped a lady, He gives her a paper cup. Shepees in it
Lai : Please understandwe all are here trying to help you. You better co-operate
.
Peggy : (Pointing her fingerat Lai’s face and shouted) You are being Judgemental here!
Lai : No not me. Youare the one being judgemental. Why didn’t you give Bugs the PTO number when he asked for it just now?
Ramli : Hey Hey Calm down.Calm down everyone.
Sheila : Even Ramli can’tmake the decision to give you a grant. A committee make such decision. (Sheila did not evenbothered to look Peggy in her face when she mentionthis)
The scene went on like this for a long time. Michael, a FundManager at Suria spoke a little bit to clarify that the grant does not cover thecost for manufacturing activities. For that Michael got the rough from Peggy. Ichipped-in to see if I can check the novelty of Peggy’s idea. I too got therough from Peggy and was shot down without given a chance to test her idea.
Again Peggy was bickering all the way and by now nobody felt liketalking anymore. You can see the body language of Jessica, Suhaimi, Rosli andall in the room. I bet everyone in the room feels like giving Peggy a punch.She is the ugliest person on the face of the earth. She is somebody you do wantto kick her out of the office. You wished you never met her. You want to giveher a big tight slap and tell her to get out of your life.
In fact I have never seen a woman so hot tempered, so illmannered, so disrespectful. She isreally rude and has all the bad qualities of an evil person.
This 60 years old woman went on and on like this for the next halfan hour nonstop. She was firing everybody in the meeting room. She was full of rage. She was throwing spheres,knives and bombs. It looked like she wascarrying a lorry load of anger with her
It’s not getting anywhere so I thought it’s time I intervene. Ithen mentioned softly that perhaps I could help her re-do her application. Withthat slight move, Ramli quickly seized the opportunity to close the meeting. Hequickly wrapped by saying that Bugs will help Peggy to re-do a new application.Suria Fund will evaluate accordingly.
With that Ramli excused himself by saying he has anotherappointment and disappear at the speed of lightning. Rosli who was sitting nextto me whispered and asked if I knew what I was doing. He gave me that “you aregoing to get shit thrown at your face” kind of look. He knew I was enteringinto deep water with a hungry shark.
The meeting ended abruptly and people were rushing out of the room.But Peggy continued to throw bricks and whatever she can get. Words from hermouth continued to fire like an M-16 machine gun. Of course nobody wasinterested to pay attention to her anymore. So naturally she turned her attentionto me.
We sat down on a bench placed just outside the meeting room. Yet again the same machine gun went on andon. Her mouth continued to be as filthy as ever. It went on and on untilsuddenly my ears became deaf. I can seeher but I can’t hear her. It’s like you have just pushed the mute button on aTV controller.
As she continued to blare away I asked Peggy to stand up. As shewas standing up, I told her I am going to hug her. Without giving her time tothink, I hugged her.
I held her and we embraced.
I then told Peggy this “that was my sincere hug for you.” I wantto assure you that you have a friend in me. I know how frustrated you are and Iwill try to help you.
For the first Peggy shut her mouth to listen.
With that, I could see tears in her eyes. There was silence for amoment. The war has stopped. I could seea change in her face. Her mood changed. Suddenly you can see her hatreddisappeared. The ammunition vanished. No more machine guns. No more firing. Herguards were down. She is free from anger. She is a different person now.
I walked her out of the door and wanted to know if she isavailable to meet me that weekend to discuss her project. “Yes I’ll run to youanytime Bugs. Do you know I am a workaholic?” the new Peggy replied with ahappy smile.
Peggy was a changed person. There is not a single trace of angeranymore.
“You know Bugs you have not seen the other side of me yet. I’m ahappy person and when I laugh, I bring down the house” she exclaimed in joy.She added, “you know Bugs, I wanted to tell Ramli that he has bad breath’ Thenshe laughed away. Ha ha ha….
I walked her to the lift but she hinted for me to follow her. Andwhen we reached the ground floor she continued to engage me in herconversation. You can feel she is not ready to say goodbye yet. She liked myfriendship. She has about a hundred stories she wanted to tell me. A few minuteslater, I cut her off to excused myself. And before we parted Peggy gave me apassionate hug. I guess she is happy meeting me. I think I have managed to turnthat ugly evil into a happy teenage girl.
I then return to Suria’s office on the 4th floor. Ramli and his colleagues quickly gatheredaround me with a curious look. They all wanted to know what I do to Peggy. Howdid I manage to change an angry woman into a happy one within a few minutes?
I explained that all I did was to give her a hug. Her problem is notabout technology or funding. It’s about human touch.
Ramli thanked me and so did the guys at Suria Fund. They also toldme that there is a lot they could learn from me. I moved-on for the day andwent for my next appointment at Bandar Utama.
That day I returned home feeling very happy knowing that I’vemanaged to make a difference. I was able to calm an angry person and turned heraround. It goes to proof that hatred cannot be overcome by hatred.
Hatred can only be conquered by love.
Conquer anger by love
Conquer evil by good
Conquer the stingy by giving
Conquer the liar by truth
Dhammapada 223
Mettacittena
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