Change is A Choice?

Some said changes are unavoidable, whether bad or good. Many will embrace changes if it is for own good and beneficiary. Many will resist from changes if it means affecting their personal interest. For example, I do not mind of working extra time knowing that I will be paid over time. Similarly, getting reward immediately will always attract opportunist and well wishers. Providing aids is, of course the most welcome regardless the social status, occupation and ethnic. However, if conditions are attached such as requiring change to be done, whether big or small will always getting people to think twice. Last week, during my briefing on the assessment rebate scheme for environmental friendly owners, I took the opportunity to talk about the e-assessment campaign, the campaign of asking property owners to agree on not receiving assessment notification from the Council. By doing so, RM 1.44 and 0.29 kg CO2 per bill can be saved per year. Accumulatively, a total of RM 300,000 or 60.5 tonnes CO2 can be saved per year for the whole Petaling Jaya. Although sending bill is not required for under the provision of law and the owners have obligation and responsibility to pay within stipulated time, traditionally this has been practiced since the inception of local authorities’ institution in Malaysia. The residents I spoke to are not willing to forego this "privilege" with the reasoning that without the notification it is always the case of forgotten. They prefer to receive the bill as a form of reminder and proof of payment done. While this view is respected and understood, it also illustrates how difficult to get people to change, to come out from the comfort zone. Nowadays, we witnessed how banks powered over the use of electronic statement for credit card payment in which failing with you will be penalised, how to make it difficult for withdrawing over the counter in which for cash withdrawal less than RM 3000 ATM machine is to be used instead of the counter. Some institutions prefer to provide incentives to customers for transactions using digital platform. For instance, a shopping complex issuing their own loyalty card will charge lower rate for parking and reserve special floor for the card holders. These two approaches, "no choice" or "economic incentive" can evolve changes, if used appropriately. It is only a matter of attitude, I presume.