You owed 1 cent!

I was shocked to receive a call from the handphone service provider, notifying that the service for my husband's mobile phone will be suspended due to outstanding bill. If you have the patience to read on, I believe you would be shocked too!

"I have just paid the bill and there's no outstanding." I protested.

"But you didn't settle the whole amount, the outstanding amount is now overdue."

"No, I paid the whole amount for the current month as shown on the bill. You must have been mistaken."

"Our system shows there's still 1 cent outstanding. Please make payment immediately in order that your service is not interrupted...."

"1 cent?"

I took out my bills to check. Yes,  last month's bill was RM88.01 and the post office where I paid the bill only collected RM88.00 cash from me. Wasn't the 1 cent supposed to be ignored according to the new ruling?

I also checked the current bill and discovered that 1 cent still showed as outstanding! Arithmetic was correct. I still owed 1 cent! The problem was I didn't take note of this when paying the current bill. I assumed it's written off last month.

But why such a great fuss over 1 cent ??? Even to the extend of making a warning call!

"You better go and pay now..."

"No, I am not going to! But I can add it in when paying the next bill."

"I am sorry, then your line will be temporary barred until this amount (1 cent, no joke!) is settled... . For your info, there will be charges for reconnection...RM10 .... ". She spoke like a robot.

No matter how I explained, she wouldn't listen. I put down the phone and furiously made another call to the customer service to complain and explain my situation.

Won the case and they waived the reconnection fee  which was 1000 times the 1 cent.

But this long call of grievances definitely cost me at least 100 times the 1 cent!