WOULD I STILL BELIEVE IN PROTOCOL?

By : AMDE SIDIK

I STARTED my little journey to the Land Office in Kota Kinabalu. Upon arrival at the new building I approached the receptionists (three of them) at the counter, ground floor of the building.

‘I would like to make an appointment to see the Pengarah’ I asked. They pointed to the direction which I saw a big room partially glass wall and glass door (picture above). Inside there are many counters divided according to sections or units of the department. I picked a queue slip from the machine provided and sit down waiting for my number to be called.

Number called. I was asked why I wanted to see pengarah, a guy handed me a white form. ‘Please fill up you’ve to see Jane (not the real name), only if she allows you to see Pengarah’ then you can go, he said.

Form filled up, back to the earlier counter to find out where would I go next. They said go up by the lift at eight floors.

Eight floor where the Pengarah’s room is, huge lobby area, I saw a few people but no one wanted to say hi, they probably were waiting for Pengarah as well. I went to a room, which looks like a waiting room, no one around, another room on the right, I saw two ladies, one was standing up, and one was sitting down.

‘Good morning, may I ask, where can I find Jane?’ I asked. ‘ I’m Jane, what is it?’ she replied.

I’ve met lot of strangers in my life. I visited almost all continents in the world. I had come cross all sorts of characters; some people are prejudice over another, some discriminating and racist in nature. With that experience it made me thick somehow but if it happens in my own country I may not be that patient.

Was asked by Jane why did I want to see Pengarah. I told her there is a little thing that I wanted to know if I could get a chance to meet the Pengarah. It’s about the news report appeared in the newspapers Kadayan’s land sold to another Kadayan but acting as proxy for foreigners according to newspapers, I said.

She looked at me from head to toe. I wasn’t sure if she wanted me to describe more. I decided to show the press cutting, which is in my iPad.

‘Today, Pengarah is having full day meeting, tomorrow also full day meeting, next is also full day’

I told her I fully understood that Pengarah is a busy man. In that case I said, fix me any day of the week, any week of the month and any month of the year. Another strange look at me, ‘Give me your number will call’ she said.

‘Who calls?’ I asked, she repeated with -will call.

I do this for Kadayan folks in Sipitang who are anxious to know who actually owns the land, which is now undergoing clearance in Ulu Naparan. According newspaper report about 40 foreigners are preparing to settle here which makes many Sipitang people unhappy.

By the way until today, 8 days have passed, I still don’t receive any call as promised. Would I still believe in protocol? Will answer later.