Its secretary-general J Solomon said a report that an ailing senior citizen had to be taken in an ambulance to a bank to get her new card had sullied the reputation of the institution, as it appeared to show that bank’s customers do not have any option in the matter, regardless of their condition.
“Of course, customers need to go to banks to change their cards in accordance with policy so that a bank can identify the card’s owner,” he said.
“But if it is a senior citizen who is seriously ill, the bank can direct one of its officers to go and meet the person.
“Such elderly people do not need to be dragged to the bank to get their cards,” he told FMT today.
He was commenting on a report in Sinar Harian yesterday on a 77-year-old woman in Kelantan who depends on an oxygen respirator 24 hours a day. According to the report, she had to be taken to the bank in an ambulance to have an expired card renewed so that she could withdraw welfare department aid money deposited into her account.
Azizah Mohamad, of Kampung Kubang Sawa in Tumpat, is said to suffer from chronic asthma and can endure only 25 minutes without a respirator, making it difficult for her travel in a normal vehicle.
The process of taking her to the bank was managed by Pengkalan Kubor assemblyman Mat Razi Mat Ail.
Solomon refuted any notion that Azizah had gone to the bank due to its conditions.
“I am not convinced that the bank would have told her to do that. A bank officer should go to the customer in such a situation. It is impossible that the bank would have given such a harsh instruction to the customer,” he said.
He said if Azizah had indeed been told to go over, then the bank’s senior management needed to take action on the officer responsible as it had put the financial institution in a bad light.
He also questioned Mat Razi’s intention in asking for an ambulance from the Bunohan government clinic to transport her.
“If the assemblyman wants to give social service, it is up to him,” he said.
However, Solomon added that he was curious as to why Mat Razi had publicised the matter, making it seem as though the bank was being heartless.