Getting My First Debit Card at BIMB Sandakan

     This happened only yesterday. We left Telupid early in the morning, for your useless information. When my mom and sisters finished renewing their passports (we spent 1 and a half hours in that air-conditioned building), we head to the only BIMB in Sandakan at Mile 4.

     We found out the front entrance of the bank couldn't be opened because of some technical difficulties so we were told to enter through the back door or something. When we finally entered, it was PACKED with humans. There was even a ginormous balloon arch near the still locked entrance and this made the small crowded space even MORE smaller.

     As usual, I don't know what to do there so my mom asked the security guard on what to do if you want to claim your debit card. The guard gave me an "Application for Debit/Credit Card" form or something like that and then suddenly my mom just went from Mrs I'm-so-relieved-that-we-finished-our-business-at-JPN Immigration-I'm-so-happy to Mrs. Angry Panky If You Mess with Me You'll Get a Spanky.

    So when my mom became Mrs Angry she would talk in her native Iban language.

When I was waiting for the guy to finish filling out his form at the table, my mom was all, "Okay, after him, you go straight to the table."

     When I forgot my address (My family moved a lot so we don't really care about memorizing our home address since we're going to move in a few years anyway), I asked for our church's address from my mom and she was all, "Why can't you be ready for things like this? See, now I have to find the damn paper (that contains our church address) in my purse and there's so many people here!Next time, write it in your phones; that's what phones are for!" and so on.

     It's a good thing she talked in Iban. There's a small chance people around us could understand what she's talking about.

     When it was time for me to hand the form to the lady at the desk, my mom scolded me again "Why won't you hand the paper to her?See, other people already took your place?That's why lah you," and so on.

     I need to wait my turn okay, mummy? And that person is already sitting there even BEFORE I got the application form... Besides, we're not in a rush anyway. You didn't hear me nagging in Iban when I waited for you guys waiting for your renewed passports for ONE WHOLE HOUR, did you? No, I waited patiently. I even need to go to the toilet that time but I didn't even need to tell you because I AM TOO NICE.

     It's the crowd that made her like that. Because when we were still outside the bank, her mood is fine like...silk? xD

     When the lady ask me if I already know my bank account number, I tried to explain that all I have to do now is to claim the debit--

     Then my mom cut me off and explained everything for me. -__- Mummy, I thought you wanted me to do all this by myself and "Belajar" but what are you doing? Maybe this is why I'm so spoilt and blur because everything was already done for me. Which is convenient :P but still, sooner or later I have to do it all alone without anyone's help, right?

     Anyway, when I finally got my debit card, I stared at it for a moment. It looked cool because it was black in color. I won't post my debit card here; that would be foolish. And using the ATM machine for the first time (with my younger sister's help) was fun too. I never interacted with an ATM machine before and yesterday was the first time. I deposited the required amount of Ringgit into the account to activate it (or so the lady told me) and I was so...jakun. Starstrucked! Amazed! Like the ATM machine is the most modern and sophisticated invention in the whole wide world.

     I slipped the ringgit note the wrong way at first. I folded it and tried stuffing the note into the slot thingy. Luckily my sister blocked everyone's view so it's not that humiliating. She told me to open the note and slide it in horizontally.

     By then, my mom's mood turned back to normal and she asked me if I wanted to check my balance to see if the amount of ringgit is already in my bank account. So me and my sister rushed to the other side of the ATM machines to check my balance. My sister guided me through the whole process. It was quite fun and I was full of wonder just by pressing buttons and keying in numbers.

     I looked into the ATM screen and marvel at the moderately huge amount of money in my bank account. And I smiled as the three digit number glared back at me. This is my starting money. This is a sign that I am phasing into a new world. The world of adulthood. The world of independence. The world of the unknown. What did I just write... xD

Opening a Savings Account for the First Time

  I have to open a savings account at BIMB (I think it stands for Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad?) at KK and then claiming the debit card at the BIMB branch in Sandakan (I'll write about that later). It was VERY embarrassing on both occasions.
     When I was at the KK BIMB, we had to line up at the front desk. There were so many people and I don't see a proper line so we had to fight our way to get the desk lady's attention. My dad then told her that I need to open a new bank account.
     "Surat tawaran dan IC" she said. So I passed my documents to my dad because I was far at the back of the crowd.

When we were waiting for the form, the lady then asked "Where's the 20 year old?"
     I raised my hand but the lady looked at my younger sister instead. She's fifteen and 162cm and an athlete. When the lady FINALLY saw me (Remember, we were in the middle of a crowd), she was like "Masyallah" or something like that, "Kau pula ni yang kakak" I AM the 20 year old, lady.  

ME.

Yes, I am only 148cm tall but in this country, it's THE average height for 20 year old girls. Maybe. At least in Sabah. I've seen shorter and more petite than me, people! Don't act so surprised. I'm talking to you, lady at the front desk T~T

I keep pestering the lady at the desk (Operation Manager??Operation Officer?) on filling the form for opening a savings account .___. I am so thankful and happy that she is very patient and friendly because I looked like a total blurred nincompoop. And when my number was announced (The TV screen said I must go to Counter 4), I cannot even see the counters anywhere! My dad and two younger sisters were all,
     "What dehell are you standing there for, GO!!"
     "It's your number, pigi la!"
     "GABBY!"
 And I was like, "Where's the counter? What? Where am I suppose to go?" *Blur mode activated*
     They were so noisy they didn't even (hear) listen to me...

People started to stare... I noticed one auntie with a quite impressively stylish tudung and her expression was very similar to this:

 

      I felt my ears getting warm. It means I'm embarrassed. After a few seconds, to my relief, the lady at the desk told me to "Masuk the right hallway then go inside". I dragged my younger sister to accompany me on my walk of shame to my final destination: Counter number 4.

So I found out the counters were placed BEHIND a funking funky wall. It was VERY hidden. You wouldn't even KNOW it was there unless someone told you. It was weird. The lady at the desk, the ATM machines, the tables for filling out the forms, the security guard, the TV screen for showing our numbers and counter numbers are all at the front and visible to the naked eye. But suddenly, the counters were at the back? Blocked by a wall. And the hallway was dark and I don't remember seeing any signboards that say, "THIS WAY TO THE COUNTERS"

     When I gave all the documents and my ticket number to the lady in Counter 4, she started reading the papers I gave her like she's trying to solve a very perplexing matrix equation.
     Several thoughts rushed through my mind.
"Am I at the wrong counter? No, TV screen said it's Counter 4. Am I too late? No, I arrived on time. TV screen still said that my number goes to Counter 4. Then why is she frowning like that? Oh no, maybe I didn't fill the forms correctly. But the lady at the desk said it's all good. WHY IS SHE FROWNING?!"

     "Adik, itu orang kat kaunter depan sana suruh pegi sini ye?" she said to me with a worried look. I tried my best writing down her Semenanjung accent :'D she sounds posh btw.
 "Iya" I answered with my Sabahan accent.
 "Dia ada cakap Biometric?" she asked again, or at least that's what I remembered. I was thinking, what is all this biometric hullabaloo shiitake?
"Uh, dia ada tulis tu di belakang kertas sana," I explained. I succeeded in preventing my voice from getting cracked.

     Her friend at the next counter then showed her my ticket number and the lady was all, "Astagfirullah" and all other things (I don't even know how to spell it), "Sorry, sorry!"

     Being the laid-back patient young lady that I am (in public), I just laughed and smiled at her for making me worry so much about nothing. "Oh, tidak apa juga ma'am" :))))))) My heart was beating fast and my knees were starting to buckle but I managed to keep a smiling face anyway because I'm good at stuff like that.

     After a few minutes, she told me to hand the documents back to the lady at the desk and tell the lady to say "Everything is already done". I said thanks then gave my documents to the desk lady. Then the desk lady gave me the Deposit Marketing Executive's number and told me to Whatsapp this person after three days to verify whether my account has been validated or something like that.

     I said thanks and we got out of that huge building as fast as we can to prevent any more embarrassments from happening.