During Eid ul Adha, our family gathered at our village, a time for tradition and connection. Over breakfast, my knowledge-holder uncle, Pak Ngah Ghazali, a retired land officer with vast experience, brought up a significant matter: my grandmother’s wish to sell a 7-acre parcel of land. Her desire was to secure funds to contribute to the family’s well-being and to take on the responsibility of maintaining our beloved village home. This land, a visible landmark on a hill several kilometers from our house, became the focus of a long and fascinating discussion. My uncle explained the intricacies of the land’s ownership and proposed an ideal solution: selling it to someone inside the family. This “generous price for internal family” approach would allow my grandmother to achieve her goal while ensuring the land remained a family asset. It was a revelation for many, sparking a shared understanding of this intricate family issue.
That day, the conversation lingered in my head. I potentially could buy the land. However, since I live abroad, I would need someone local to manage it on my behalf.
Then, after a long discussion with my father, he agreed to be the local manager of the land. Two weeks later, I visited my knowledge holder uncle, Pak Ngah Ghazali, to have a better understanding about the land, so I visited his house. In a very respectful Malay way, the conversation started with delicious food and tea. Then my uncle explained everything about the land, some outdated papers from the land office and an old map showing the location of the scattered lots of the land.
He then contacted the caretaker who is currently managing the palm oil estate. The land has long been under the dedicated, informal care of Tok Borhan, who is an extended family member. He has generously overseen the land. The prospect of meeting Tok Borhan, however, was uncertain. The relationship had become strained; he hadn’t paid the lease fee to my grandmother for several months. Despite this, when we finally met him, he proved to be incredibly kind and possessed a pleasant demeanor. He gave us a comprehensive tour of the palm oil estate, openly sharing his deep understanding of its operations and the land boundary according to his understanding. He is managing the land through an informal arrangement with my grandmother.
With this first introduction of the land I have a better understanding of the land’s condition and its status. Now it is up to me to decide, whether to take the offer of my family to buy it at a generous price. However, there is a risk that I need to consider. Since the land is not properly managed, the costs and profitability of the land is unknown. There is a risk that I buy the land and it will become a liability to me. However, what I know is that the time is running, my grandmother is getting older and she has a wish. I can’t let the situation as it is now. I need to decide.
This informal arrangement was valuable for a period, but as the ‘9 Acre Revival Project’ moves towards a more ambitious, systematic approach to optimizing the land’s potential, a more formal and structured management framework became necessary.
The 9 Acre Revival project has always been about more than just land. It’s about legacy, family, and most importantly, our Matriarch’s peace of mind. Today marked a truly pivotal chapter, moving beyond the drafting table and into heartfelt family discussions and formal commitment. I’m pleased to report that much of this mission was accomplished…
The 9 Acre Revival project is a journey of unexpected twists, as we saw with the recent discovery of the Power of Attorney documents. Yet, even amidst that looming legal question, another pressing issue demanded our immediate attention: the 2.35-acre fruit orchard. This was the very reason I had flown back to Malaysia, and it…
After months of navigating legal and familial systems, today was the day we finally turned our attention back to the land itself. Our goal was to meet with the local caretaker, Tok Borhan, the man who held the key to the palm oil estate’s past and who, we hoped, would be our business partner for…
The 9 Acre Revival project was always intended to be a personal endeavor. My agreement and commitment were to Grandmother and her land. But in the quiet hours after we had finalized the addendum to our contract, the scope of the project suddenly and unexpectedly began to expand. The First Call: A Distant Family’s Hope…
After extensive deliberation on the 9 Acre Revival Project, the initial idea of purchasing Grandmother’s land presented a significant dilemma. While the allure of full ownership was strong, the risks associated with the land’s current unmanaged state – particularly the unknown costs and profitability – weighed heavily. How could I commit to buying something that…
This journey isn’t just about land; it’s about deeply rooted family history, emotional bonds, and a tangible challenge that weighs heavily on my grandmother. My 9-acre revival project is an ambitious endeavor to honor this legacy and bring peace to a cherished family member. The Burden of Inheritance: A Grandmother’s Worry My grandmother inherited 9…
During Eid ul Adha, our family gathered at our village, a time for tradition and connection. Over breakfast, my knowledge-holder uncle, Pak Ngah Ghazali, a retired land officer with vast experience, brought up a significant matter: my grandmother’s wish to sell a 7-acre parcel of land. Her desire was to secure funds to contribute to the family’s well-being and to take on the responsibility of maintaining our beloved village home. This land, a visible landmark on a hill several kilometers from our house, became the focus of a long and fascinating discussion. My uncle explained the intricacies of the land’s ownership and proposed an ideal solution: selling it to someone inside the family. This “generous price for internal family” approach would allow my grandmother to achieve her goal while ensuring the land remained a family asset. It was a revelation for many, sparking a shared understanding of this intricate family issue.
That day, the conversation lingered in my head. I potentially could buy the land. However, since I live abroad, I would need someone local to manage it on my behalf.
Then, after a long discussion with my father, he agreed to be the local manager of the land. Two weeks later, I visited my knowledge holder uncle, Pak Ngah Ghazali, to have a better understanding about the land, so I visited his house. In a very respectful Malay way, the conversation started with delicious food and tea. Then my uncle explained everything about the land, some outdated papers from the land office and an old map showing the location of the scattered lots of the land.
He then contacted the caretaker who is currently managing the palm oil estate. The land has long been under the dedicated, informal care of Tok Borhan, who is an extended family member. He has generously overseen the land. The prospect of meeting Tok Borhan, however, was uncertain. The relationship had become strained; he hadn’t paid the lease fee to my grandmother for several months. Despite this, when we finally met him, he proved to be incredibly kind and possessed a pleasant demeanor. He gave us a comprehensive tour of the palm oil estate, openly sharing his deep understanding of its operations and the land boundary according to his understanding. He is managing the land through an informal arrangement with my grandmother.
With this first introduction of the land I have a better understanding of the land’s condition and its status. Now it is up to me to decide, whether to take the offer of my family to buy it at a generous price. However, there is a risk that I need to consider. Since the land is not properly managed, the costs and profitability of the land is unknown. There is a risk that I buy the land and it will become a liability to me. However, what I know is that the time is running, my grandmother is getting older and she has a wish. I can’t let the situation as it is now. I need to decide.
This informal arrangement was valuable for a period, but as the ‘9 Acre Revival Project’ moves towards a more ambitious, systematic approach to optimizing the land’s potential, a more formal and structured management framework became necessary.