Vote for change now, or embrace bondage for another 5 generations

I am referring to the residents of Kampung Cina, in Kuala Terengganu.

And the bondage I speak of is a political one.

Let me first share with you some of the photos I took of this lovely little Chinatown that carries so much historical evidence of the Chinese being in this state for 200 years or more, that RPK spoke of at a dinner here two nights ago.

Kampung Cina is a long street of two rows of shophouses facing each other, like a lot of other streets in small towns throughout the country.

At the back of one row of shophouses, you will find other shops that have sprouted.

At the back of the other row, a river, which I am told is a continuation of the Sungai Terengganu, that runs right through the town. In fact, it would seem that many of the shophouses on this side are built over the river, or have extended their lots right over the river, on stilts.

A break between two blocks of shophouses on the same side gives you a peek at the river behind and beneath

A view of the shophouses from the rear

Along the street is an old temple. I was told that this was there for as long as people living here could remember.

The outside of the temple

Inside the temple

And many of those living here are the 5th generation of the earliest Chinese settlers.

So what’s with this political bondage thing?

Well, you start with the shocking premise that none of those living here, I am told, have any title to the property they call home.

That’s right.

The shophouses are all sitting on TOL ( temporary occupation licence ) land.

That means you apply every year for a renewal of the licence.

Now, it wasn’t very long ago that even the better informed ( so we would like to think ) KLites were always concerned that if you voted opposition at a GE, somehow, BN would be able to discover this and you would subsequently face the wrath of BN.

Well, the residents of this village, too, for a long time believed this to be so.

And some still do.

And who’s been feeding them these lies?

UMNO’s running dog, MCA.

The Chinese here have always been told that if they voted against BN, this would be found out and then they ran the risk of their TOL for their shophouse, their only home, being declined.

And MCA has always pressed home the point that it’s imperative that a Chinese must be voted in to speak up for the Chinese, to make sure that their grievance is heard and addressed.

And if they did not vote in MCA, UMNO would not work with any other Chinese representative and, again, the villagers could not have their TOL renewal guaranteed.

For a long time, these villagers have been forced to vote BN, however much they might have wanted to give their vote to opposition.

The recent news of MB Nizar’s Pakatan state government’s move to grant titles to people similarly circumstanced in Perak, and the response by Najib to try and derail this effort has got many of the people of Kampung Cina thinking that their hope in getting some security of tenure in their family homes of the last 200 years or more lies with a Pakatan state government.

In fact, last night, over some drinks with a new friend, Peter, I was told that only during the last state rule by PAS from 1999 to 2004, did some Chinese get titles to land not too far from where we were last night.

One of the locals in Kampung Cina, who asked to remain anonymous for obvious reasons, told me that some 100 families living there will be affected by plans by the present state government to build a bridge that neccesitates the use of land on which many of the shophouses now stand.

As its status is TOL, occupants can expect very little by way of compensation.

More importantly, for me at least, is this village not sufficiently historical to be accorded HERITAGE status?

What can the residents of Kampung Cina do to save themselves?

Join the many anak-anak Bangsa Malaysia who, on 8th March, last year, took  a leap of faith and voted for change.

To the people of Kampung Cina, I give this commitment.

Vote in a new MP from Pakatan and should the state government thereafter threaten your right of occupation by refusing to renew your TOL, I will initiate a civil society effort to stand in solidarity with you to  defend your right to continue to occupy the land on which your homes presently stand.

You owe it to yourselves and your next generation to finally stand up to the bullying, manipulative politicians that make up BN.

Vote for change now.

It may not bring about all the changes you desire, but you would have discovered that the real power to make a difference is in your hands.

Posted in: KT by-election