The year 2020 is almost here.
Malaysians
who were born prior to 1980's would very well remember the much
talked about "Vision 2020" or "Wawasan 2020". It
is the long-term guide to Malaysia's development. The 1980's and
1990's kids would be approaching their 30's and 40's. Perhaps they
remember singing the song "Wawasan 2020" during their
school days. Many articles have since been written about it.
The
car I am driving now has a "Wawasan 2020" sticker. It has
been there since our late mother placed it on the rear windshield way
back in 1995. The sticker has faded over the years but the car is
still road-worthy and able to cruise reasonably well on the highway.
As we
enter the year 2020, I am reminded of a Land Office title document
dated 29 June 1921 that belonged to our grandfather. It was later
distributed among his children and as the years went by, to his
grandchildren. The Land Office title was first granted almost a
hundred years ago. Our ancestors must have come to Malaya prior to
the year 1921. The document is an "EMR" or an “Entry /
Extract from Mukim Register” of the district of Temerloh, Pahang.
Let
us indulge in a bit of history.
Pahang
was one of the four protected states in the Malay Peninsula. The
other three states are Selangor, Perak and Negeri Sembilan. These
four states are called The Federated Malay States (FMS). It was
established by the British government in 1895 and lasted until 1946.
The British Administration established the Land Offices at the district levels of the Federated Malay States (FMS) to govern the country land. Lands that are located in a rather remote areas are governed by the Local Chieftains or the Penghulu Mukim. A few Mukims will make up a District. A register was maintained at the Land Office for purpose of land administration. An entry is made in the register for any transaction involving the country land. A Land Office title denoted by the description EMR or The Entry Mukim Register means that the land is located in a place far from the city centre. In our case the land is in the Mukim of Kerdau in the district of Temerloh, Pahang. Location wise it is quite near the river. Again I am curious to know which route did our ancestors journeyed to enable them to reach the said land and what were the circumstances. I suppose we will never know but the document of land title is a proof that we have a place to call kampung.
The law that govern the issuance of the Land Office title was the Federated Malay States (FMS) Land Code Cap 138 1926. The FMS Land Code was still practiced even when Malaya got its independence in 1957. It was only in 1965 that the FMS Land Code was substituted to the National Land Code 1965.
Few generations have passed.
As we welcome the new decade, new history will be created.
“ Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see "
Quote : John F Kennedy, 35th President of the United States.
Siblings love
Reaching
for excellence
A
spiritual reflection
Welcome
2020.
