Chapter 14 The Raging Fire Turning To Ashes

Ken had it so easy did not come so easy as perceived.He had to work it the hard way enduring all those who were against him from the beginning.From their sconce he had to prove to them he was no pushed over.

As was known the Assistant was not friendly nor co-operative, the moment he stepped into that plantation.He had to sleep without the comfort of a mattress on the first night.The Company was quick to response to his requirements.

Every one expected him to leave but he disappointed them badly and he had to act fast to let them know that he was their immediate superior and was there to stay.The Assistant tried to frighten him away by disowning most of the work he was doing and loaded them on to Ken.

Ken being new,this was a blessing in disguised for in that way he learned about the whole plantation and its workers faster.The stupid action of the Assistant thus failed in his desire to rid the Manager who thus proved he was the rightful heir to the position and never him.Here the Boss was right in not choosing him to replace his Manager.

That really displaces him and cornered him.He was indeed a pathetic case.Ken had no choice but to place him out of position because of his bad motives.In the end he resigned on his own much to the satisfaction of the Boss.

Thereafter he promoted a Chinese conductor to Assistant and stationed him in Kuantan but this man proved to be over ambitious for he indulged in private business.Wanting to become rich was alright but do it correctly.But could not blame him for he knew while attached to that company his chances of becoming Manager was nil.

Though he tried some beyond description, tricks against Ken he failed to dislodge him.Worst of all the Boss referred back to Ken,thus putting him in bad tastes.He had to resign on his own accord.He was fortunate as he met with the Manager of a neighboring plantation who recommended him to Indonesia.

Another Assistant was recruited who proved to be a very good hunter and an obedient Assistant.He stayed for a couple of months before,again he had to hire another Assistant.He gave the opportunity to a Chinese conductor of a European plantation.

This Assistant although big in size talked like a girl.Rounding the plantation was like going on a trip,as he swirled round the plantation on his motor cycle and only on all the main roads.All these can be observed from the motor tracks he made daily.
Giving him a raincoat was only to shield him from the rainfall as he stayed below the palms.The Boss had seen it by accident.

For Ken working in heavy rain was nothing and the Boss had seen him in the rain on heavy rainy days.When met with the Boss he told the Boss that his workers were still at the bottom of the hill,therefore he must also be around to see that everything were in place and most important the crop collected back.With that the Boss had full praised of him.

The above Assistant position was not confirmed by Ken.He was not performing his duties as required and was also talking with contractors despising the Manager about his work.Apparently he appeared to be working for the contractors.Since he was no assistance to Ken,he was forced to sack him

Another Assistant was recruited by the Boss.This time an Indian his talks impressed the Boss very much but he was a crook.When Ken was on the run from police for employing illegal workers and stayed away for three weeks this Assistant tried to swindle the plantation and also tried to usurp the Manger's position during his absence,but Ken's timely return destroyed his plans once and for all.He was also sacked by Ken without notice.He was forced to save his own skin as he had during Ken's absence collected money from many unsuspecting workers for work permits.

There after no more Assistants were recruited for the main plantation to assist him.No big deal actually.Ken promoted two new recruits to be in charged of the plantation in Kuantan and also Gambang.

His actual staffs consisted of three conductors and a female clerk.Three Malays from nearby "Kampong" and a Chinese.Ken was forced to accept them as they were and slowly trained them to his styles of work.He held weekly discussions with them explaining to them what was required of them.He made sure everyone of them understand the check rolls and how to work on it.

Finally after a few months all were versed with them.He allotted every one a harvesting contractor for supervision.Extra contractors were divided among themselves.He made the Assistant to look after the spraying contractors,but when the conductors were made to look after them.

Later as he promoted the Chinese to be Assistant of the Kuantan plantation he engaged another Chinese to fill his place.Actually he was the brother of the one he promoted.His original job was a fisherman.

The local agricultural college recommended several candidates to the plantation as field assistants.Interviewed and selected a number of them despite their ignorance in plantation.Non survived the field jobs given and left on their own accord.To have recruited them was the greatest joke of all time.

To recruit experienced conductors will be absurd as those coming will expect better gradings and then when employing them where will those he inherited be.So there was a difficulty in employing experienced conductors.The Boss do not want smart conductors but conductors that can follow instructions and worked accordingly.The Boss apparently had too much experiences in dealing with conductors.He prefers Ken to train his own men.Those were the problems.You pay peanuts you get monkeys.Monkeys apparently were better than experienced ones for they do not have bags and bags of tricks. Only thing for Ken was he had to performed doubly harder.

Going through the contractors.Initially he had eight contractors,four spraying contractors and five harvesting contractors.Five harvesting contractors harvesting five blocks A,B,C,D and E.

The spraying contractors were to perform three rounds of spraying yearly.All worked done was to be passed by a visiting adviser.Ken have only been there after a year or so one contractor was sacked for bad work.His fields were distributed to the three existing contractors.

There five harvesting contractors and because of the Mill's compliant one bad one of the lot was removed,only to be replaced by another.All the contractors actually supplied all the workers,most illegals brought in by "Tai Kongs".The turn over of worker were very bad with many absconding from time to time.

Initially the replacements were easily available but because of constant police harassment even illegals were difficult to secure,beside being very costly.
Contractors who cannot bring harvesters were replaced until four were left.

Observing their difficulties the management stepped in to recruit the workers for them,but still that did not worked well,so Ken requested permission to take over those not performing.The Boss was also agitated by their performance thus removed all of them accept one.

Since 1998,all the recruitment were through the management the Boss ordered Ken to take over all even the last contractor.Fortunately Ken had trained the conductors to do the check rolls.So every single conductor had to do the check rolls of harvesters under them.Weeders check rolls were also distributed to them.

Taking over was simple only thing was he had to select good "kapala"over the workers.The "kapalas" were allotted to all the respective conductors and among them was also a head "kapala" to look after the "kapalas".

Similarly the plantations in Kuantan and Gambang were also taken over with harvesters and weeders recruited by the main plantation.All went well without any troubles and that pleased the Boss very much.Ken by no means had done a great job in taking over everything almost single handed.

The labor force were solely Indonesians with the drivers mostly local Malays from nearby kampongs.Even with legal Indonesian labor force there were no many unforeseen problem so Ken enlisted the service of local police to help to maintain a peaceful force.
It was necessary for protection as well as to keep an eye over all the workers.

The local police were from Paya Rambutan and the main force from Gambang.