A viral Threads post has struck a chord with Malaysians after a netizen shared a deeply moving encounter with a large group of young job seekers who had gathered at her workplace’s guardhouse only to reveal that they had all failed the company’s interview test because they could not understand English.
What happened?
The poster wrote that she had gone to pick up a food delivery order from the guardhouse when she spotted a large group of young men and women around 15 to 20 people gathered outside.
Assuming they were there for a job interview, since her company was actively hiring, she approached them to ask.
The young applicants told her:
Yes, kak, we came for the interview but couldn’t get in. We failed the test. It was hard, kak, we don’t understand English. Even though there was a Malay translation below, we still didn’t understand. And there were maths questions too. It was tough, kak.”
The poster was momentarily speechless.
She eventually responded by encouraging them, saying there would be other opportunities elsewhere, and wished them luck.
I heard one of the kids say, ‘I regret always skipping school. Now everyone needs SPM.“
That overheard remark,“Menyesal aku slalu ponteng skolah dulu. Skrg smua nak SPM” was what truly affected her.
She ended her post with a gentle reminder:
“Regret before acting is wisdom; regret after is useless. Take this as a lesson.”
Commenters share their own stories
The post resonated widely, with many Malaysians sharing similar experiences.
One commenter, revealed that she has a staff member who performs exceptionally well at work and had even been considered for a promotion but could not be promoted because the company requires at least an SPM qualification for advancement.
The original poster responded by reflecting on her previous workplace, where foreign workers had been promoted from operators to supervisors and team leaders, largely because of their strong work ethic, punctuality, and willingness to learn.
Meanwhile, some local workers were taking medical leave three to four times a month.
“SPM is just a piece of paper”
In a follow-up comment, the poster addressed a common dismissive attitude toward academic qualifications:
People always say SPM is just a piece of paper. Yes, it’s just a piece of paper. But it carries the meaning of life. Without realising it, that piece of paper is what you carry everywhere.”
“Applying for work; HR will ask for your SPM results. If you’ve worked before, they’ll ask for a payslip. If you have frequent MCs and absences, what HR would dare hire you with that attitude? Many don’t understand this. Especially locals and young men.”
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