Scene I : OFFICE CUBICLE
CAROL and DAUD are sitting at their desks. Enter CHOI.
CHOI
Ooi! Big Lady cakap ada boss baru datang hari ni lah!
CAROL
Ceh! Jangan nak main-main. Dah berbulan dah kita tunggu.
CHOI
Sumpah! Saya tak main.
DAUD
Apasal dia cakap kat engkau sorang?
CHOI
Heh, heh.. Sebenarnya saya duduk kat meja sebelah masa breakfast pagi tadi. Saya terdengarlah dia bercakap pasal seksyen kita ni.
CAROL
Awak main teka lagi lah tu.
CHOI
Tak. Memang saya dengar Suzila sebut pasal jawatan Manager PM kat dia.
CAROL
Awak okay ke Daud? Selama ini awak yang acting manager. Ingatkan awak yang akan dipromot untuk jawatan tu.
DAUD
Takpe Carol. Dah nasib. Kita terima sajalah.
CHOI
Cis. Awak ni langsung tak agresif. Patutlah tak kena pilih.
Enter SUZILA and PERCIVAL
SUZILA
Apa hal ini semua?
CHOI
Oh! Selamat pagi, madam. Kami tengah berbincang pasal promosi bulan depan.
SUZILA
Baguslah tu. Bolehlah ajak manager baru ini berbincang sekali nanti. Percival, inilah ahli-ahli dalam Seksyen Project Management. Daud, saya berharap yang kumpulan ini akan memberi kerjasama sepenuhnya.
DAUD
Of course, puan. I will show him around the office.
CHOI
Saya pula boleh bawa Mr. Percival jalan-jalan kat bandar.
PERCIVAL
Ha…ha… Memanglah itu yang saya harapkan.
Scene II: SECTION MEETING ROOM
Props: One round table surrounded by 5 chairs
CHOI, CAROL, DAUD and PERCIVAL enter and randomly pick seats
DAUD
Okay, let’s start with your report, Choi.
PERCIVAL
Before we do that, what is the procedure you have for your meetings?
DAUD
Well, we bring everyone up to date and one of us takes the meeting minutes.
PERCIVAL
Who in particular?
DAUD
We take turn sir. Today is my turn.
PERCIVAL
That is very irregular. Why not we just ask Carol to do it?
DAUD
Carol is an engineer like us. She has her own work to do.
PERCIVAL
Well, I suggest that we elect Carol to do this. It is better that way. If you have trouble handling your engineering work Carol, I can reassign them to either Choi or Daud…….Why didn’t anyone circulate a meeting memo to me this morning?
DAUD
We don’t do that sir. This is only a small group, so we only confirm by word of mouth.
PERCIVAL
That is not the proper way to do things.
CHOI
But Mr. Percival, we have this meeting daily. If anything out of the ordinary occurs, then we are required to inform you immediately. There is no…
PERCIVAL
I am your boss and I want you to send a memo to me before each meeting. If you need time to prepare the reports we can hold the meeting an hour later.
CAROL
That will not work for my clients because I usually start dealing with their process engineers around 9.00am, right after they finish their departmental meeting. It is very difficult to contact them after that.
PERCIVAL
You work for this company, not for them.
CAROL
But….
DAUD
We will do as you advice.
PERCIVAL
Good. Carol, I want you to take everything down. I have to show Suzila the changes we will be implementing in our future meetings.
CHOI
Tapi boss, kita belum…
PERCIVAL
This is a formal meeting. Use English. If you can’t speak English, shut up……..Very well then, let’s hear all your reports.
CHOI
The QC group informed me this morning that our prototype LCD screen for Xcess Coms Bhd.’s mobile has passed the product requirement test at the customer’s lab. The legal department is drawing up a contract right now. Since the customer is asking for CIF shipment terms instead of our usual Ex-Factory, I will recommend that management request for a higher sales price.
PERCIVAL
It is not your job to make that kind of recommendation.
DAUD
What about your area Carol? Anything new?
CAROL
The customer is asking for a process chart of our manufacturing procedure. They need it for their ISO license.
PERCIVAL
That is ridiculous. They should not require that from us. The act of signing a contract with us already implies that they accept our process flow.
CAROL
Yes, we did sign a contract, and complying to this request is part of our contractual obligation.
PERCIVAL
Who drew up this contract?
DAUD
The Sales Manager. This company was one of our first major customers and Mr. Muthu was asked by the Board to get them in at all cost.
PERCIVAL
Obviously he is an incompetent fool.
CAROL
Shall I wait for you to speak with Mr. Muthu before I get the procedure?
PERCIVAL
No, there is no need to wait. Get it for them.
DAUD
If you are done, Carol… [clear throat]. Our company’s very own product, Chrome-Screen 29 will be launched next month. A Korean customer has placed an order of 6,000 units. The first 2,000 will be ready in time for the launch.
PERCIVAL
This is confirmed?
DAUD
Yes, Mr. Percival. I have been following the product since the design stage and everything has come in as per schedule.
PERCIVAL
That is good. I will take over after this so you can concentrate on other projects that are pending. Give me a list of all contacts for this product.
DAUD
…….Of course, sir.
PERCIVAL
Good. And I will also talk to the Sales group about renegotiating for a higher price with Xcess Coms. That is only fair since the price of their product must include the Cost, Insurance and Freight shipment terms. Okay, Carol, have you recorded everything?
CAROL
You agreed with Choi about charging Xcess Coms extra for the CIF terms, you allow me to send a process chart to my customer, and you will be taking over Daud’s product promotion.
PERCIVAL
No, Carol. I will be recommending to Sales to increase the contract price of the LCD screen for Xcess Coms because Choi mentioned that they had asked for CIF shipment terms. I allow you to send the process chart, but expect that you ask the Sales Manager to renegotiate the contract. I will also take over the promotion of Chrome-Screen 29 from Daud because he has had no experience in handling such major projects.
CAROL jots into a notebook.
PERCIVAL
Anyone else have anything to report? …..Very well, we will end today’s meeting. Make sure your reports are on my desk 20 minutes before meeting tomorrow. We start at 9.00 am sharp.
Scene III : PANTRY
CHOI, DAUD and CAROL sipping coffee
CHOI
Apa yang dah jadi kat meeting pagi tadi?
CAROL
Saya dapat jawatan baru. Jadi sekretari
DAUD
Dia baru bermula kerja. Nanti biasalah kita denga gaya dia tu.
CHOI
Macam mana nak biasakan diri dengan idea kita kena curi bulat-bulat depan muka kita?
DAUD
Shh… Jangan cakap kuat sangat. Nanti dia dengar.
CAROL
Dia takde kat desknya. Dia suruh saya telefon pembantu Suzila untuk temujanji tea-break. Mesti hari ini juga, important and serious
DAUD
Dahlah tu, tak guna kita marah. Percival tetap boss. Kita kena pandai-pandailah supaya dia tak ambil kesempatan.
DAUD walks out with his cup of coffee.
CHOI
Carol, I ada idea. Ingat tak projek yang Sales Manager kita kata kerja bodoh tu?
CAROL
You mean, customer awak yang tidak mahu bayar lebih untuk lapisan extra photolitho mereka?
CHOI
Yep, that is the one.
CAROL
Apa awak nak buat?
CHOI
Bring up the issue to Percival-lah, cakap dengan dia pasal market share customer ni.
CAROL
Ooi, janganlah. Makin banyak kita jual, makin banyak kita akan rugi.
CHOI
Itu saya tahu. Tapi boss tak tahu. Kalau dia nak curi idea saya, biarkanlah.
CAROL
Awak ni macam-macam je. Waspada sikit tau, sebab Encik Muthu tu panas baran perangainya.
CHOI
Itulah yang saya harapkan. Perangai diva dia tu boleh mengugat walau Suzila sekalipun. Jangan cakap kat Daud pasal plan ni, okay?
CAROL
Anything-lah. Asalkan jawatan sekretari saya ni dilucutkan dan saya menjadi engineer kembali
CHOI and CAROL walk out of the pantry.
Scene IV: OFFICE CUBICLE
CHOI, CAROL and PERCIVAL sitting at their desks. DAUD standing in front of Percival’s desk as he leaned over to study a chart.
MUTHU enters with a crumpled piece of memo in his fist. He slammed the memo on Percival’s desk.
MUTHU
What kind of idiocy is this?
PERCIVAL
What do you mean? This is a perfectly good idea.
MUTHU
Good idea? Selling extra cost LCD TFT screens at the normal price?
PERCIVAL stood up.
PERCIVAL
I have already calculated the cost of the extra layer of photoresist. We can still make money.
MUTHU
Make money you say? What? You think those photoresists just fly onto the glass by themselves is it? The factory is running at close to full capacity, if we add in this extra step, then process time will take longer because of the extra deposition, exposure, cleaning and etching works. Utilities and overtime labour are also not free, we have to pay for them. Did you take all these related costs into account?
PERCIVAL
You are a Sales Manager, not a Cost Accountant. It is not your job to tell me about things like these. No wonder this company has so little business. You are not doing your job as a Sales Manager.
MUTHU storms out of the section.
PERCIVAL
Hmph. That will teach him not to make idiots out of everyone. Who does he think he is?
TEN MINUTES later, the phone rings.
PERCIVAL
Ah yes, good morning Suzila. It is nice of you to call…. Oh no, it is not a big problem……You want me to come up to your office?........But there are some things I need to look at right now. You know, this section is such a mess, I don’t even know where to begin…..
(CHOI stood up and walked out with a folder under his arm)
Oh okay, I will go up right now.
PERCIVAL looks towards Choi’s desk and groans.
PERCIVAL
Carol, I have to see Suzila now. Take all messages for me.
CAROL
Okay boss.
PERCIVAL walks out.
Scene V: BOARD MEETING ROOM
Props: Wide oval shape meeting table with 20 leather seats.
LIZA walks in, leading DAUD, CAROL and CHOI to the head of the table and indicating nearby seats.
LIZA
Puan Suzila will be here in a few minutes.
DAUD
Do you know what this is about, Liza?
LIZA
She will inform you herself when she is here.
LIZA walks out of the room.
DAUD
I told you not to bring up that messy affair, Choi.
CHOI
He was looking through my records and insisted that I give him the details. So I pass him all my meeting minutes.
DAUD
Awak tak tunjuk minut mesyuarat daripada Bahagian Pemasaran kah?
CHOI
Saya terlalu junior untuk dokumen seperti tu. Lagipun, saya ada nasihatkannya supaya mendapatkan maklumat lebih daripada Encik Muthu.
CAROL
Dahlah tu. Encik Percival yang membuat keputusan untuk mengeluarkan kembali isu produk ini. Saya ada dengar Choi cuba menghalangnya, tapi tahu saja perangai ‘I-know-best’ dia tu.
Enter SUZILA and MUTHU. DAUD, CAROL and CHOI stood up.
SUZILA
Selamat petang, semua. I apologize for calling a meeting so late in the day, tapi apa yang patut saya umumkan tidak dapat menunggu hingga esok…. I am sorry to say that Percival has decided to move on to another company. Oleh sebab itu, Seksyen Project Management sekali lagi tiada manager.
MUTHU
But Suzila and I agreed that Daud shall continue as the Acting Manager. Management Meeting akan diadakan tengah bulan depan, jadi masa itu saya akan recommend awak dinaik-pangkat menjadi Manager sepenuh masa. Saya berharap keputusan ini tidak akan mendatangkan masalah kepada Seksyen PM.
CHOI
Saya tiada masalah langsung, Encik Muthu. Sebelum ini pun, Daud yang membimbing dan melatih saya dengan Carol dalam semua hal. His promotion will be a natural transition for our group.
SUZILA
Baguslah tu. Daud, saya dengar ada masalah di kilang tentang jadual pengeluaran Chrome-Screen 29 kita.
DAUD
Masalah calibration memang sering berlaku pada produk-produk awal pemerosesan jadi ianya telah diambil-kira pada tahap perancangan jadual lagi. Tambahan pula pada setiap langkah proses ada disediakan backup plan seandainya timbul masalah. Tapi saya akan mendapatkan laporan rasmi seawal mungkin daripada kilang untuk puan.
SUZILA
That is alright. Saya pun dah penat. Bulan ni banyak sangat krisis. I feel as though I am the only person working in this factory. It is such a relief to know that other people are thinking also. Hantarkan laporan tersebut kepada Liza pagi esok.
[THE END]
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