Raya is the time we bleed our bank accounts dry.
We needed to buy drinks for breaking fast while transiting at Narita, so I went to a money changer with $10 (US). Guess what, I needed to fill out a form!
There may be some currency control regulations behind it I am not aware of, but it is quite absurd to have to fill out a form to exchange $10. I gave the form and a $10 note to a middle-aged clerk, who processed the form in the same manner we typically see when paying utility bills, and passed the form over to a supervisor to stamp. Only then, the equivalent amount in Japanese Yen was dispensed by a machine. I couldn’t believe that all that was required just to exchange $10!
And this is in 2006.
The bureau de change was operated by a bank, so it gave me a poor impression of Japanese banks. Not that our Malaysian banks are much better, anyway, but at least I didn’t have to fill out a form to buy US dollars at the money changer at KLIA.
I have two bank accounts – one with Bank Islam, my primary bank account into which IIUM deposits my salary; and one with Maybank. While Maybank is the bigger bank, Bank Islam gives the better service. Bank Islam still issues me an account booklet, which I get updated from time to time as I happen to be at the branch office on campus; and I can always check my account transaction history online at the bank’s online banking website, BankIslam.biz. They also charge me only 50 sen for interbank transfers when I pay for my credit card. Maybank, on the other hand, does NOT issue an account booklet, does NOT issue bank statements NOR allow access for them on its website, and charges RM2 per interbank transfer. Aren’t bigger banks supposed to have lower costs from economies of scale?
Talk about corporate greed.
Selamat Hari Raya!
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