Where do you draw the line?

Me : I want one plate. How much?
Char Kuey Teow seller : RM3.50. But you need to pay an additional RM1 for the use of the plate and chopsticks.

I'm joking la...this is just a fiction of my imagination. Or is it?

I've decided to purchase a house. Went to the company lawyer's office to sign the S&P. First time ma...a bit blur blur.

The lawyer outlined her fees. Certification of photocopied documents RM50, stationary/stamp postage/photocopy/telephone bill RM50, travelling expenses RM20...bla bla bla, all must pay upfront. Although I was the one who drove to the lawyer's office and paid parking as well. Maybe she needed to drive up and down to settle my stuffs, I don't know.

Anyway I'm not here to bash up the lawyers. It appears common nowadays to "split" the fee as a means to jack up the cost. You book a hotel room, they provide internet connection and TV, but to use the internet or view certain channels, you need to pay. Patients get admitted to private hospitals, uses the toilet - gets billed for the toilet roll.

The excuse the various people use is "It actually saves money for the people who do not use these services". I say this is utter bullshit. For example in a hotel, even if nobody is using the internet line, I'm sure it is used (shared) by the management themselves. They would not lose a single cent even if every guest uses the internet but they stand to make lots of $$ if they charge. It is not that they are helping people to save but rather an opportunity to make more $$.

I won't be surprised if lawyers will start charging for internet line usage, computer rental usage, air-con bill, usage of table and chairs, food and drinks bill and even for toilet rolls.

Doctors also are beginning to learn this trick. I guess in the future for an operation eg total colectomy + jejunostomy, one can charge for laparatomy, ascending colectomy, transverse colectomy, descending colectomy, peritoneal washout, stump closure, jejunostomy and skin suturing. So it's actually 8 procedures. Can charge 8 times. But lawyers, rest assured, in the medical field "fee splitting" is unethical and not permitted...for now.

Anyway it's a dog eat dog world. Whatever goes around comes around.