We shall remember and we shan’t forget
rights2write (R2W)
My mother suffered tremendously after my father who had served in the Military died in May 1978. Money was extremely tight and at times she had to beg for rice to feed the kids. She never went to school, sickly and could not get a job and we were dependent on Armed Forces pension of RM145 per month. Every other week my mother would ask me to write to Mindef seeking assistance but other than a courteous reply from the service chief no help ever came.
We almost gave up and my mother ask me to write one last time to Mahathir when he became the PM. Few weeks later, Military Officers came to my house and 2 months later my mother pension was revised to RM350 and it was backdated to the day my father died. Cut the story short, my mother was ever grateful till today and anyone who wants to say anything bad about Tun M, will get an earful from my mother. She keeps telling us that we shall remember.
Yesterday, the 211 families who are VICTIMS of Ukay Bistari whom could not longer wait for their house decided to take laws into their own hands. They took the keys from the developer office and broke down the fence. While all this was happening under the watchful eyes of the media and the police, we negotiated with the management. In the end, the developer agreed to give the keys provided due process were followed. The buyers followed the committee advice and keys were returned to the developers.
Within the next few hours key were released to the purchasers in an orderly fashion. Some family wept openly upon getting their keys. It has been 9 years. Despite using the hot and cold approach, we finally got the MHLG to complete the project. It is still progressing. In January we hope 400 families will get their houses and the rest by March or April. All this happens because we got help from the Minister of Housing. He was approachable and always accommodating whenever we sought his time. His officers were equally supportive. Special mention should go Esther, Hafiz and Ir. Lai.
