Autoblesy: "We Finish What You Started"
(Original post - 2015)
I was hired by a company that came looking for me.
Autoblast, an industrial painting contractor, needed someone to untangle a mess of safety procedure issues before they could proceed with operations at the Petronas site in Kerteh. I was recommended by Safety Officers on the ground, and so I stepped into the role, fully committed. At the time, Autoblast was working under Samsung Engineering and Linde, both engaged in a massive project with Bechtel International. But until the safety protocols were fixed, no work could move forward.
The owners of Autoblast were two Indian brothers. I mention this not out of prejudice, but to shed light on a deeper personal tension that threads through my life—one shaped by lived experience, not assumptions. I have known, worked with, and been related to many Indian individuals throughout my life. But time and again, I’ve encountered a familiar pattern: power games, subtle condescension, and an underlying current of mistrust. And this time was no different.
Despite my full effort and presence at the daily site-wide health and safety meetings—where I often had to speak on behalf of the company—I was always walking a tightrope. The final act came when a serious biohazard was ignored by Samsung: septic tanks had begun overflowing during the rainy season. I raised the alarm, insisted on corrective action, and held the system accountable.
When Samsung finally decided to take action, I became the sacrificial lamb.
I remember watching their Health and Safety Officer walk into my superior’s office—one of the brothers—and come out moments later with a smirk on his face. I was handed my termination letter immediately after.
That was the end for me. The last straw.
After that, I vowed never to work for another company. I realized, bitterly, that most corporate environments only pay lip service to safety. The real concern is the bottom line—and the oversized banner that reads “0 Accidents on Site,” regardless of the truth behind it.
But deeper still, I was forced to confront something more personal: a long-standing ambivalence toward Indians—not as a race, but as individuals I’ve grown up among, worked for, and even shared family ties with. This pattern of being used, dismissed, or patronized has been hard to ignore.
And so I write this not to condemn a people, but to confront a wound.
To be honest with myself.
To no longer carry this history in silence.
Hashtags:
#AutoblastKerteh #CorporateHypocrisy #HealthAndSafetyTruths #KertehMemoir #SpiritualIntegrity #WalkingAway #IndianDiasporaExperience #TrustIssues #LivedTruths #BreakingSilence #PetronasChronicles #BeyondPrejudice
No comments:
Post a Comment