I always wonder, when is the right time to die. For most of us, we can die anytime we want. When we die, the most our close ones will cry a little bit. Maybe a minute or two. Some may cry longer… (Some husbands will cry much less – for the death of a wife will make them able to marry their scandals…)
BUT, it is not so for one family. The family of the late Mr. Danny Chia. His untimely death was the biggest sin he ever made. The sin which has to be shouldered by his young daughter. A sin that will make her live as a permanent resident of Brunei Darussalam. All started with the sin of the father, the late Mr. Danny Chia of refusing to stay alive six months longer. Yes, the late Mr. Danny Chia died six months too early…
The late Danny Chia had gone thorough the Ujian Bahasa Melayu which he took in November 2007. He was so happy with the result. He was one step away from getting his Brunei Darussalam’s citizenship. With the citizenship his young daughter can follow suit. That was rightly so for most of us, the new citizens. As most fathers, he had plans for his daughter…
Then one night, he got sick. He went to the SSB hospital ER in KB to get his treatment. Around 11 pm, he sms’s his wife to tell her where he was and for what reason. He had a sore-throat. A few hours later, he was gone… The family so shocked, reported his death to the Immigration Department.
He died before receiving his letter from the Immigration Department for his ‘loyalty oath’ to our beloved HM. He never receive the invitation letter. AND because of his failure to receive the letter and attend any ‘loyalty oath’ ceremony – his passing the Ujian Bahasa Melayu has now became null and void. The Immigration Department was quick to come out with a verdict – the daughter couldn’t get her citizenship.
My I asked this humble question:
Does the late Danny Chia choose to die that early?
Can’t our Government be humane enough to to treat this unfortunate incident separately?
Was it really a sin for the late Danny Chia to die before ‘loyalty oath swearing ceremony’ thus making his young daughter to continue her life as a permanent resident?
By taking (and passing) the Ujian Bahasa Melayu, isn’t ‘he’ proven enough how loyal he was towards our beloved HM, the government and our law. the late Danny Chia, to me was an example of a true law abiding citizen (AND he was born here, in Brunei, himself).
Is it a sin to die early?
May you rest in peace, my friend…