The knockout answer to my land application 
My land application I initiated in 2003 Today, December 16, 2008, just a day after my 36 years wedding anniversary, I received a numbing blow - my land application for a housing plot in Kuching, Sarawak was rejected/tidak dapat dipertimbangkan. It had taken my home State more than 5 years to tell me that I'm not fit to be considered and own a housing plot in Kuching. Well, what else can I do but to make an appeal that I'm truly fit to be reconsidered. I will tell you why I said I'm fit
Sometimes, it doesn't pay to be nice to everybody - not even brothers and sisters. When I was with the Malaysian Army (1967 - 1992), I had told my brothers and sisters they could till the land our father had left us. I didn't have any use for it for the time being. They needed it more than I did. That was my biggest mistake. Between them and their children, the lands had been divided and sub-divided. Many were sold. Now, it is just too cruel to wrest away whatever land is left. Now I don't have any piece of land in my own village to call my own! I'm landless!
Although now settled down in Taiping, Perak - my wife's hometown, my heart is still in Sarawak. Despite being in a far away land, I still want to maintain some link with my home State and to ensure my children maintain the link as well.
When I heard of the government housing scheme in Damak in 2003, near Kuching, I immediately applied. What happened after that was history. Today, December 16, 2008, I was told I was not eligible to be considered.
What must I do to make myself eligible? Apparently, what I had done in 1973 to get rid of the communist terrorists from Sarawak was considered as not enough. (You can read my exploits in Sarawak for that year in my blog) - I don't want to repeat them. Perhaps, I had chosen the wrong profession and the wrong side - I should have been one of the surrendered CTs. They were given land by the State government after their surrender - not a housing plot but agricultural land by the acres!
What must I do to make myself eligible? Apparently, what I had done in 1973 to get rid of the communist terrorists from Sarawak was considered as not enough. (You can read my exploits in Sarawak for that year in my blog) - I don't want to repeat them. Perhaps, I had chosen the wrong profession and the wrong side - I should have been one of the surrendered CTs. They were given land by the State government after their surrender - not a housing plot but agricultural land by the acres!
Anyway, as I have said, I will keep on fighting, even if it means till my last breath.
Someone quoted this line: "In Malaysia, you will not get what you deserve. You only get what you fight for!" How very true! Perhaps, I should fight this case too! 
Posts
Tuan.
ReplyDeleteYou have my utmost sympathy. And you have my support here, however meaningless it may seem, the support of my name that I am with you. That yes, you should be given what is only right.
Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban, Tuan.
Thank you for your moral support. Rest assured, I will be making an appeal against this seemingly unjustified rejection.
ReplyDeleteRobert,
ReplyDeleteThe outcome of our applications may be very demoralising to both of us. Let us not be disheartened. At the meantime let us make ourselves heard and be visible.
I have this gut feeling that we have not been quite seen and heard in our home. I guess that on my part since i served in the Royal Malaysian Navy, my khidmat bakti may not be suffciently contributory to qualify me to be considered. I was always away from serving the land of Sarawak.
From a personal experience, the burden on the shoulder of being a Sarawakian is heavy. Your every step is being scrutinised and your every action is being measured as that of a Sarawakian not YOU as an individual per se. This is just simply because you are a Sarawakian in the Military. That being so as I perceived it has driven me to give my fullest. I remain proud to be a Sarawakian.
Let us find ways to make our appeal.
First Admiral Marzuki bin Andong (rtd)
Note: The first Sarawakian to make a Flag Rank and may remain so for many years to come...
Mike,
ReplyDeleteI think I am very visible to the top leaderships, especially after the launching of my books in November 2008.
This fellow who made the decision did not know about me. I got this feeling that if I go straight up to the CM or Deputy CM, they will turn his decision around. But we wait for DTZ to come back, since he was the one who took up our cases.
God help those who help themselves. It is not fair to rely on TZ to do every thing for us.
ReplyDeleteYou got a point there but still I have to ask for his opinion as he was the one who sent our applications to the attention of the Minister. I want to appeal to the Chief Minister of Sarawak. What does DTZ think about it? Maybe to him it may not be necessary at all.
ReplyDeleteSir, I know how you feel. This happened to my father. My father was an police filed force pensioner. His application was to transfer the existing name of the lot to his name. This land & survey is so damn strict and application was rejected with no reason. He's an illegal settler in his own land of hornbill.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I will have to make an appeal to a higher authority. It is good to be strict but we must be fair too and some cases have to be treated individually as and when they arise. You cannot treat all cases in the same manner.
ReplyDeleteTuan, saya berasa sedih dengan kisah tuan ini. Lagi bertambah sedih apabila mendengar banyak tanah2 anak Sarawak terlepas tangan kepada beberapa individu dan ahli politik tertentu.
ReplyDeleteHarap tuan bersabar. Allah sentiasa bersama dengan orang2 yang sabar...
Regards,
Mod Suhaimi
9w2msg,
ReplyDeleteWell, what to do? We are at the mercy of the politicians.
Hoping they can reverse their decision.
Sorry to hear dat sir,
ReplyDeleteWhat about communist been given free land here in bintulu,sarawak..???
Hope we can work on this...
Agi idup agi ngelaban.....
It's really disheartening to hear of these episodes involving our VETERANS...especially those with bravery medals to their name. To make situation worst or should i say ridiculous....the CTs are given acres of land upon their surrender! What a joke! What can a retired private expect from the govt...if you, sir, a retired Lt Kol was treated that way?
ReplyDelete