Where did it go?
Looking at the aftermath of hurricane Katrina reminded me of an event last year. On Boxing Day 2004 is the day where certain part our country was suddenly washed by the tsunami. Hundreds of houses were damaged and assets worth millions were washed either away or ashore. Some lost their family members and all of them have suffered losses. But Malaysian being so generous has responded to the cries from the needy. Those with means have parted with some of their belonging in the name of helping the tsunami victims. We appreciate all the efforts poured by Malaysian to help the victims.
The Kedah Government has appointed a company to build temporary shelter/home for the victims and later build the permanent homes for them. Reliable sources told me that the company is related to one of the “leading man” in Kedah. Of course like other government projects, the company must have certain “link” or otherwise, no work for them. Thus, the “temporary shelter” was built and completed within 2 weeks after the tsunami incident with a promise from the government that the permanent houses will be erected for those who are without houses within a year from the date thereof. Furthermore, the promise goes on and on and other “help” will come earlier this year (2005). A local television network has started a tsunami victim fund collection which attracted many people to share a bite from the piece of their pie. Million of Ringgit were collected and announced everyday. Until the last day, the collection made will be enough to first of all build new houses for the victims and put them back on track.
But odd enough, the permanent houses promised to the victims is still a myth and the land where the houses were supposed to be built is still a vacant land. So, what happened to the initial plan? From the Boxing Day until the day this post is posted (20/9/2005) nothing had happened there. The temporary shelters are crumbling down. Wall falling and cements breaking here and there and the victims are asking for what they have been promised to them. New home and better living.
To make things better for the victims, the Federal Government agrees to allocate several millions to the company who is given to task to “develop” the new homes and later the “loan” given by the Federal Government will be paid off by the victims for a certain period of time. But one question remain unanswered. What happened to the contribution given to the local television network? Because if my calculation is correct, the contribution forwarded by Malaysian are more than the “loan” which the Federal Government agrees to give to the company and the victims will have the house free of charge. The residue will be given to the victims who are fishermen who loss their sampan and boats. But, my uncle, who is one of the victims, said that the money from the contribution was never seen and the only contribution received was the contributions which were directly given to them. I have seen a bank’s “stoves” in some of the houses. A company (not the company entrusted to build the permanent homes) refrigerators given to the victims and of course a lot of tiny weenie small stuff which is as important as the large items given by Malaysian DIRECTLY to the victims but no news on the millions contributed by some other Malaysian through the local television network.
So the victims and their families were asking these questions: -
1) When are we getting the new permanent homes or are we getting the home after all?
2) If we are getting the houses, why are we paying for it, aren’t there enough contributions given?
3) Where are the millions contributed by the public through the local television network?
Because to these victims, logic says, why should they pay when the contributions are enough to cover the cost of rebuilding their homes and what is their status now. Are they supposed to live in the temporary shelters for the rest of their lives or are they supposed to pack their things and go home to their own place and start rebuilding their home which were smashed by the tsunami. What are they supposed to do?
For readers information, the last time I went there, the place which was raged by the tsunami (especially in Kg Kepala Jalan and Kg Kuala Sg Muda) remains in the same conditions from that day (2004 Boxing Day).
The Kedah Government has appointed a company to build temporary shelter/home for the victims and later build the permanent homes for them. Reliable sources told me that the company is related to one of the “leading man” in Kedah. Of course like other government projects, the company must have certain “link” or otherwise, no work for them. Thus, the “temporary shelter” was built and completed within 2 weeks after the tsunami incident with a promise from the government that the permanent houses will be erected for those who are without houses within a year from the date thereof. Furthermore, the promise goes on and on and other “help” will come earlier this year (2005). A local television network has started a tsunami victim fund collection which attracted many people to share a bite from the piece of their pie. Million of Ringgit were collected and announced everyday. Until the last day, the collection made will be enough to first of all build new houses for the victims and put them back on track.
But odd enough, the permanent houses promised to the victims is still a myth and the land where the houses were supposed to be built is still a vacant land. So, what happened to the initial plan? From the Boxing Day until the day this post is posted (20/9/2005) nothing had happened there. The temporary shelters are crumbling down. Wall falling and cements breaking here and there and the victims are asking for what they have been promised to them. New home and better living.
To make things better for the victims, the Federal Government agrees to allocate several millions to the company who is given to task to “develop” the new homes and later the “loan” given by the Federal Government will be paid off by the victims for a certain period of time. But one question remain unanswered. What happened to the contribution given to the local television network? Because if my calculation is correct, the contribution forwarded by Malaysian are more than the “loan” which the Federal Government agrees to give to the company and the victims will have the house free of charge. The residue will be given to the victims who are fishermen who loss their sampan and boats. But, my uncle, who is one of the victims, said that the money from the contribution was never seen and the only contribution received was the contributions which were directly given to them. I have seen a bank’s “stoves” in some of the houses. A company (not the company entrusted to build the permanent homes) refrigerators given to the victims and of course a lot of tiny weenie small stuff which is as important as the large items given by Malaysian DIRECTLY to the victims but no news on the millions contributed by some other Malaysian through the local television network.
So the victims and their families were asking these questions: -
1) When are we getting the new permanent homes or are we getting the home after all?
2) If we are getting the houses, why are we paying for it, aren’t there enough contributions given?
3) Where are the millions contributed by the public through the local television network?
Because to these victims, logic says, why should they pay when the contributions are enough to cover the cost of rebuilding their homes and what is their status now. Are they supposed to live in the temporary shelters for the rest of their lives or are they supposed to pack their things and go home to their own place and start rebuilding their home which were smashed by the tsunami. What are they supposed to do?
For readers information, the last time I went there, the place which was raged by the tsunami (especially in Kg Kepala Jalan and Kg Kuala Sg Muda) remains in the same conditions from that day (2004 Boxing Day).
posted by Kampong_Boy at
2:00 pm
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