Being a Malaysian, I'm always proud to see people fighting for their rights, voicing out against injustices and social wrongdoings. When the oppressed are unselfishly defended by their champions and triumph, it gives us the feeling that truth and justice always wins eventually. Just like in the movies.

I'm writing this leter to tell the story of a movie starring two villains, a decade-old corporation and a bunch of oppressed, poor families.

I was retrenched from a company and after looking for numerous jobs, I knew that at the age of 30 plus, it would be difficult to secure a decent job position. Then I met with Mr B, an executive from company C who promised a good delivery business provided I had a delivery vehicle.

With whatever money left from the retrenchment benefit, I bought the vehicle and went along.

It has been three years and at times, the ‘take back home’ earning for several months was about RM1,500 to RM1,700. The vehicle loan repayments cost a minimum of RM500 a month and fuel to do deliveries cost another RM600.

Families must be fed and utilities paid with another RM500. I and the rest of drivers contracted by company C pleaded an allowance payment during the bad times just to support the vehicle’s loan payments. Meeting after meeting went on for the past two years but to no avail.

We were not allowed to find supplementary jobs as stated in the contractual agreements. Whatever gold available are pawned, savings depleted and instalments became overdue. There were dealings with loan sharks, skipped lunches and avoiding clinics when sick to save cash.

These were the nightmares endured by me and five other contractors day after day. Lured by the ‘leeches’ promising a decent business, we are stuck. To find a new job or business at this time is an unimaginable feat. How to dispose of a vehicle with a seven-year loan period? What business to start in this economic slowdown?

Tired and beaten by the ‘leeches’ sweet promises of a good business, we keep our heads low and as humble as possible.

I hope I can share this experience with my fellow countrymen so they will not endure the bitter experience I am going through. For my retrenched buddies, be careful for ‘leeches’ that suck up whatever money that you have left on the pretext of securing good business deals.