DR Ashok Segar, 61, is from Singapore, but home to him is Kuching, Sarawak.
In 2013, he and his wife, Marites Martinez Segar, 51, were searching for a place to settle down and retire and according to the Internet, Sarawak at that time was ranked top of the list.
However, Dr Ashok had never been to Sarawak and didn’t know anyone from the state. Nevertheless, he and his wife decided to hop on a plane and find out for themselves.
According to him, they hired a car for 24 hours with a driver who could drive them around and he was amazed at the outcome.
He said that Sarawak was welcoming and everywhere they went, somebody spoke English. Sarawakians were also culturally accepting; regardless of race and language that they spoke, the message delivered was ‘You are welcome’.
Both Dr Ashok and his wife have been living in Sarawak for the past nine years ever since they moved here in 2014 under the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme. His wife, a Filipino, met Dr Ashok in Singapore, while she was working as a certified clinic assistant.
New Sarawak Tribune interviewed Dr Ashok at his residence in Serian to find out more about his life stories and struggle to secure a permanent resident status based on the revamped MM2H programme in 2012.
After living in Sarawak for the past nine years, Dr Ashok is accustomed to the culture, the language and the community in Sarawak. The multiracial unity was something that caught Dr Ashok’s attention and he said it was unique to the state.
In love with Sarawak
Because of that, he has fallen in love with Sarawak, In Singapore, he said the level of inclusivity was not as evident as it was in Sarawak.
“You can walk into any kopitiam (coffee shop) here, immediately you’d realise that a Muslim food stall is next to a Chinese stall.
“It is different in Singapore. Today, every kopitiam is segregated; the Muslim food stalls are on one side and the rest of the food stalls are on the other side,” he said.
Expressive and full of life, Dr Ashok stands close to 6 feet tall and is someone with a soft heart and a warm presence.
When asked why he chose Serian as his new home, he said he wanted a quiet place away from the hustle and bustle of noisy urban life.
“I love this place, it is a place like no other. This is home. I have no reason to go back to Singapore or have thoughts of leaving.
“I would like to stay here permanently and as I said in 2012, there was a possibility of that (staying here permanently) happening,” he said.
As a general medical practitioner for over 30 years, he is keen on sharing his knowledge of medicine with the community.
Interested specifically in liver problems and diabetes, he wants to teach the local community the importance of proper diet intake and food control.
“I would like to teach the locals what I have learned,” he said.
Home for all
Dr Ashok bought an empty farmland in Serian. He and his wife then designed their house just like a longhouse. The first impression of the house is that it’s cosy and homey.
Dr Ashok enjoys his retirement in the village. Despite being a city boy from Singapore, he loves his current environment.
“It is cooler here and the air is fresh. Here, life is slower and people always have time for you,” he said.
In his home are pictures of his family’s history, his parents and pictures of his wife with the dogs they have adopted over the years.
Interestingly, Dr Ashok is related to legendary Malaysian runner Tan Sri Dr Mani Jegathesan, also dubbed as the ‘Flying Doctor’. A picture of Mani hangs in his living room.
Dr Ashok welcomes guests with food and sugar-free drinks. He is very welcoming not only to humans but also animals.
His residence, ‘Tes Paradizoo’, is named after his wife Marites. In their backyard, you can see wild boars, dogs, cats, chickens, goats and monkeys.
“Most of the animals are rescued by the locals. They found them and they sent them here.
“I have been doing this for years. They know that I take care of them. My wife has cooked for them (the dogs and cats) every day for the past nine years,” he said.
Dr Ashok’s house is also home to fishes in Sungai Endap, which passes by his compound.
He is connected to the
Sarawak Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals (SSPCA) and Save Our Strays (SOS) Kuching.
Dr Ashok has also rescued a wounded ‘musang akar’, the small-toothed palm civet, also known as the three-striped palm civet.
The fight to call Sarawak home
After staying in Sarawak under Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme and part of the revamped MM2H programme in 2012, which assured permanent resident status to high net-worth individuals who brought more than RM7.2 million into the country for investments or savings, Dr Ashok has not been given a permanent resident status yet.
He said this was despite meeting all the requirements of the MM2H programme.
“My application has been pending for nine years. I have been hitting roadblocks from the time I got here.
“It’s not a smooth journey. Hopefully, I will be recognised for what I’ve done and contributed,” he said.
Dr Ashok, still a fully registered practitioner holding a practising licence in Singapore, would like to impart his knowledge to the people here.
However, he needs permission from the authorities to do that.
In October last year, it was stated that Sarawak welcomed non-Sarawakian medical professionals who met immigration, regulatory body requirements.
Dr Ashok, who meets all the requirements, however, is still waiting for his permanent resident status.
He has been a general practitioner since 1992, and if granted permission, he would love to bring patients from abroad for medical tourism.
“I would like them to come here so they can enjoy Tes Paradizoo, fish in the river and do all sorts of things.
“It’s a great attraction. I would love them to come. I just hope that I will be permitted to do so,” he said.
Dr Ashok said he had spent more than RM7.2 million in Sarawak. He has also installed a 10.2kWp grid-connected solar generator at his residence.
“I’ve invested so much and have met all the criteria. I hope that the authorities will look at that because we are here on a retirement basis.
“And we want to make this our permanent home. We have no plans to make this our temporary stay,” he said.
