AAM on the verge of breakdown?

SHAH ALAM: Is the Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM), an organisation iconic to tens of thousand vehicle owners for its range of automobile-related services for over 80 years, on the verge of a financial breakdown?
This was the impression given yesterday when dozens of AAM staff carrying placards showed up at the organisation's headquarters in Section 13, Shah Alam to demand for their unpaid wages since April.
Many who have worked for the AAM for over 15 years lamented that they were broke and at their wits end as a result of not being paid their wages.
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) secretary-general A. Sivarajan who was present at the protest said the AAM branches in four states, namely Sarawak, Negri Sembilan (Seremban), Kedah (Sungai Petani) and Malacca, had wound up over the past six months leaving its workers in the lurch.
AAM staff Mohd Zaini Abu Samah, 50, called for the AAM management to hear out the worker's hardship and to solve their wage issue as soon as possible.
"I have been employed in the AAM for the past 18 years and the last time I had my bonus was in 2000. Now, we have had no salary for the past four months.
Mohd Azli Hanafi, 39, from AAM Batu Caves, said the workers had filed complaints with the Labour Department but the matter remains unresolved.
"I am shocked because we are at the headquarters and I cannot see any AAM senior officer here to give us an explanations about the unpaid wages," he said.
Attempts to seek comments from the AAM were futile when staff of its headquarters told theSun that no top officials were available to speak on the matter.
It was not just staff who were affected but several AAM members who spoke to theSun claimed that the car towing and breakdown services which is synonymous to the association had also gone "silent".
"I had a breakdown several weeks ago and called up the AAM hotline for help. However, nobody was picking up my calls at the other end. I eventually gave up and called for a mechanic to fix my car," SS14 Subang Jaya Community Policing member Joe Mahinder Singh.
"I feel shortchanged as my membership is valid for another seven months. The one service that we mainly sign up as members each year is unavailable. Many members including those known to me are unaware of this. I am sure others who paid up their membership feel likewise."
Joe said together with his wife who is also an AAM member, he will soon lodge a police report to urge an investigation on the association.
theSun's attempts to contact AAM at their toll free number 1300226226 found calls going to a voice recording that said, "We are experiencing heavy call traffic, please wait."
Meanwhile, a former veteran AAM member who wanted to remain anonymous and had been with the association since the 60's alleged mismanagement had led the company to be in dire financial straits.
"I have been active with the AAM since the 1960's and it was a very prestigious association until there was mismanagement." said the ex-member who intends to lodge a police report on the matter.
Established in 1932 and recognised as the national motoring authority with worldwide affiliations to other similar associations, the AAM has over 100,000 members who pay between RM75 and RM125 a year in membership fees mainly for the 24-hour vehicle breakdown service offered by the association.