Luqman's musings

  Dear readers, It has now been more than three years since I first lodged a formal complaint with the Lembaga Juruukur Sabah (LJS) on 15 December 2022 regarding the allegedly fabricated “ as-built” survey plans for Taman Puncak Vistana (Vistana Heights Phase 1), Iramanis. The plans were submitted by the licensed survey firm Jurukur Terra Firma and accepted by Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu (DBKK). The core issue remains the unexplained and significant discrepancy between the actual road level and my son Faisal’s house platform — a problem that should have been easily resolved with proper survey data.

  Picking up from yesterday's post, where Sarawak 's Minister Juanda Drowie shone a light on the " little Napoleons and Rasputins " poisoning public administration, let's zoom in on my personal trench warfare with Sabah's bureaucracy . With state elections looming at month's end, it's time to ask: Are our ministers asleep at the wheel, or just too cozy with the civil servants pulling the strings? My Vistana Heights ordeal screams for answers – and accountability. Reflecting on Malaysia's anti-corruption push at the Vienna IACA conference (shoutout to Dato' Sri Azalina and Tan Sri Azam Baki for their 15% drop in cases via awareness drives), I can't help but feel the disconnect. National pledges for transparency and whistleblower shields sound great, but down here in Kota Kinabalu? They're as effective as a screen door on a submarine. My reports to the MACC's regional office ? Polite nods, no traction. Over three years, a si...

  If you've been following my saga at Vistana Heights in Kota Kinabalu , you know it's been a rollercoaster of frustration, red tape, and outright stonewalling. What started as a dream home purchase in 2019 has turned into a three-year battle against a web of bureaucratic indifference that feels less like public service and more like a fortress designed to protect the powerful. But here's the kicker: a bold warning from across the border in Sarawak has me nodding vigorously. It's like Minister Datuk Dr Juanda Drowie peered into my emails and meetings, then put words to the chaos. In a speech at the Sarawak-level International Anti-Corruption Day launch on November 7, Juanda didn't mince words. He called out the " little Napoleons " – those mid-level civil servants who, handed a sliver of authority, start acting like emperors, overstepping bounds and treating citizens like nuisances.

  The Varsha Integrity Programme (Program VARSHA Integriti) is a flagship initiative of the Sabah State Government in Malaysia , designed to foster a culture of integrity, transparency, and anti-corruption within the public service sector. Launched as an "umbrella" framework, it integrates policies, procedures, and actions across state agencies to build a corruption-free administration, emphasizing ethical behavior beyond just avoiding overt corruption—such as addressing subtle "dishonesty without intent" that can erode public trust and lead to legal or disciplinary issues. The program targets public servants (penjawat awam) and promotes moral values, mental health, and professionalism to enhance governance efficiency and public confidence in the government.     Datuk James Ratib , a key proponent, stated during the launch: "The Varsha Integrity Programme serves as a major umbrella uniting policies, procedures, and actions to transform Sabah into a transparen...

  Insights from the IACA Conference and a Personal Call for Local Reform Last night, I tuned into Astro Awani for what promised to be a pivotal discussion: an exclusive interview titled IACA: Komitmen Malaysia Banteras Rasuah . It's not just diplomatic posturing; it's a forum for sharing best practices, forging international cooperation, and holding governments accountable for eradicating corruption in all its forms—from petty bribes to grand-scale embezzlement. Malaysia's delegation, led by figures like Dato' Sri Azalina and Tan Sri Azam , arrived in Vienna with a bold agenda: reinforcing our national anti-corruption strategy and pushing for stronger enforcement mechanisms. The interview on Astro Awani dissected this commitment, offering Malaysians a glimpse into how these pledges translate (or should translate) to tangible action back home.

                                                       Click on the image for a better view The above is the reply from Datuk Bernard Liew , our Civil Servant, to my email below.   Here is my email to the chairman of Land & Survey – Datuk Bernard Liew. On Thu, Aug 7, 2025 at 9:36 AM luqman michel <luqmanm2002@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:       Dear Sr. Bernard Liew Chau Min,

                                                      Click on image for a clearer view Dear friends, family, and fellow Malaysians, I'm Luqman Michel, locked in a tough civil suit ( BKI-22NCVC-89-10/2025 ) against Topwira Corporation, Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu (DBKK), and others—including the Controller of Housing Sabah —over serious issues of housing development and consumer rights. My fight is for accountability and fairness, but legal battles are draining my resources. The defendants filed their Memorandum of Appearance, escalating the case. To keep going strong, I need your help to cover legal fees. Every ringgit counts toward justice! Donate securely: Affin Bank Malaysia : Account No. 200590014607 ( Luqman Michel ) PayPal : luqmanmichel@gmail.com No amount is too small—your support fuels this cause. Share widely if you can! DM for u...

                                                              Click on image to expand   Here is my email to the Director General of DBKK . luqman michel From:luqmanm2002@yahoo.co.uk To:malissa.samin@sabah.gov.my,pejabatmayor.dbkk@gmail.com Cc:upp.kktp.06@gmail.com,julian.joseph@sabah.gov.my, SitiFairuz.Hussin@sabah.gov.my,MohdFauzee.Harith@sabah.gov.my, Panthy.Madiun@sabah.gov.my Mon 18 Aug at 05:10   Dear Datuk Lifred Wong,   I refer to item 3.3 in the minutes held on 11.6.2025 and item 5 in your letter dated 15.7.2025.

                                                       Click on the image for a better view From:luqmanm2002@yahoo.co.uk To:SitiFairuz.Hussin@sabah.gov.my Cc:MohdFauzee.Harith@sabah.gov.my,Panthy.Madiun@sabah.gov.my, DinFadhlul.Asli@sabah.gov.my Thu 14 Aug at 05:32 Dear Puan Siti Fairuz, Please pass this email to Puan Andrea as Puan Jennifer as I do not have their emails.   I am awaiting the minutes to post in my blog.

  Here are two of several emails attached to my email posted yesterday. These were addressed to the mayor and copied to JPA chairman Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan bin Haji Abdul Aziz. ( Ketua Pengarah Perkhidmatan Awam ) and to the Sabah Integrity Department From:luqmanm2002@yahoo.co.uk To:mayor@dbkk.sabah.gov.my Cc:wdahlan@jpa.gov.my,marziana.malik@jpa.gov.my,sitifairuz.hussin@sabah.gov.my Tue 1 Jul at 07:10 Dear Datuk Mayor,

  When Law Becomes a Fortress: A Follow-Up to “ Sabah for Sabahan ” LINK In a recent LinkedIn exchange, lawyer Ronny Cham responded to criticism of his role in the Vistana Heights housing saga with a striking declaration: “What I write is law, what I do is law.”   It’s a bold statement—one that demands scrutiny, especially when spoken by someone whose firm has represented a developer accused of delays, defects, and evasive tactics in a decade-long housing dispute affecting local Sabahans .

                           My meeting was scheduled for 2.30 pm on 5.8.2025. I sent off the following email to the mayor at 5am on the same day. This was so he is informed. Concerns Regarding Sabah Surveyors Board 's Response to Complaint From:luqmanm2002@yahoo.co.uk To:pejabatmayor.dbkk@gmail.com Tue 5 Aug at 04:52 Dear Datuk Mayor,   I received a letter dated 15 July 2025 from Datuk Sr. Bernard Liew Chau Min , Chairman of the Sabah Surveyors Board, in response to my complaint lodged on 15 December 2022. The delay of over two and a half years in addressing this matter raises serious concerns about the efficiency of our statutory bodies and their ability to drive progress in Malaysia .

When Rhetoric Meets Reality in a Local Housing Nightmare In a recent LinkedIn post (Copied below for your convenience) that has sparked thoughtful debate among Sabahans , veteran lawyer Ronny Cham , Founder and Senior Partner of Ronny Cham & Co (established in 1984), passionately critiques the slogan "Sabah for Sabahan" as a "dangerous illusion." Drawing from his decades of experience in Kota Kinabalu, Cham argues that true progress for Sabah lies not in isolation from the Federal Government but in "intelligent partnership, accountability, and integrity in leadership." He warns against divisive rhetoric that severs the "lifeline" of federal support for defense, infrastructure, education, and health—essentials that Sabah lacks the capacity to fully provide on its own. Disclaimer: To be clear, I'm not here to debate MA63. This post simply contrasts what Cham claims with his actual actions.