APC ~ the myth and the truth..

It’s that time of the year again. It’s APC time.

For those who might not know what APC stands for, well, it’s an acronym for Malaysia’s very own Anugerah Perkhidmatan Cemerlang, an award given to civil servants for the acclaimed prestige in their respective professions.

For those who would be getting their APCs, it will be well defined. Clad in their creaseless suites, polished shoes and a pride in their heart, it would be a crowning moment, after a year long of toiling sweat and hard work.

Years before, civil servants would be fighting over for the chance to ‘claim a spot’ in the APC ranks so that they would have their Anjakan Gaji. The government, however, decided that it was too plush, so they changed the rule a bit ~ APC, with a certificate and a cash reward of RM1K. No Anjakan Gaji, no whatever that has to do with your salary.

Nowadays, APC is (permit me to be bold, straightforward and cynical) way out of its original objective ~ as an award for those who are really deemed as worthy to receive such prestige.

Have you ever heard of APC rotation? It’s like, this year, it would be Mr.A’s turn, next year, Miss B’s turn, the year after next year, my turn, then after me, Madam C’s turn… That’s the harsh reality of APC nowadays. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve done your share of sweats, cuz you’ll be in line for the APC anyways.. it’s only a matter of time and some patience.

I remembered once, while working in my previous school, some teachers from the same zone would brag to me saying Saya pi rehearsal APC hari ni, best oh, ko Merv, bila lagi hehe? . Well, simply summing up the matter, I would just smile, cuz Perkhidmatan Cemerlang on my part, is done on a daily basis ^^. When I do my job to my utmost will and endurance, with my entire strength and diligence and with a thankful heart for the blessings in everything I do and did, it is Perkhidmatan Cemerlang for me, at its best ^^. I did what I would have done, congratulated that friend of mine, though knowing, he had not turn up to school for months, and if he ever went to school, it would be a day or two, then off to town, waiting for Pay Day, searching excuses upon excuses to keep his butt and his shining car off the dirty muddy road to the place he should have been working.. The wonders of APC rotation.. sometimes, I’ll laugh at its degraded objectivism. 

Luckily, the matter is very localised and isolated, and thank God, there are still bosses who thinks the well being of their workers and grants them their rightful rights on this matter.

And to my two wonderful colleagues who had been so impressive in performing their duties up to the utmost standards, I wish you guys all the best cuz you guys really deserve it, and our boss have had the most rightful choice in granting this year’s APC to two of the most astounding colleague/friends I ever had.

And for the rest of us, let us work hard not for the APC itself, but for the sheer enjoyment of being together in togetherness in the same field of profession as one big happy family ^^