During my whole life I had met with many wonderful and good people who assisted me and help shaped my entire life.Had not been for them I would not had come so far as achieving so much.Can be said I would be nothing without them giving me that little push from afar or behind..
Therefore I am forever grateful to them.So it be right I record them here which I hope could served as a legacy to all my children for any future references.It should also served as a reminder that there were in deed many kind souls out there who had contributed to my life making it more meaningful.
Dating back during my childhood.as far as I could remember our dear Auntie,our mother's youngest sister.She had been staying with us when we were mere kids living along Anson Road,Teluk Anson.She in fact was like an elder sister to all of us.
I remember te days when we were about thirteen years old or so,she always saw to that we (myself and other siblings) do not go without food.Times were difficult for us then.Our old house was sold and we were living in an office cum room along Immigration Road.
Many mornings as we passed her house on our way to school she would invite us in for breakfast.Although those were only simple bread and "kaya" ,it meant a lot to us then.Otherwise we would passed the day without anything.
Our Uncle seem to be extremely stern those days.We were always afraid of him then and never dared looked him in the face.But in reality he was the kindest of all men I knew.Each time he saw us he never uttered a word of disapproval of our presence.Those days he too had a family plus a few others to feed with his income those days.
I think he knew we feared him so he always tried to avoid looking into us every time we were there..It was only when we grew up much later that we realized what a real gentleman he was.He was a very kind man with a sort spot for the very sick and older folks.
These were shown as he treated many privately after working hours,many of those who were too sick and rejected by the Hospital .He was by trade a hospital Assistant and an extremely well known one.It was known at that time that should you not know him then there should be some thing wrong with you.I mean your attitude.
We owed our Auntie and Uncle more than words could expressed.Not only did they supplied us food but also hospitality to our younger brother who was still schooling when I went away to work in Taiping .My sister was then doing a teacher course in U.K..Our mother was working in some small holding far from town.Our father a temporary teacher in a small village in Bagan Datoh.So we were always grateful to them.
Without their assistants we would not be able to continue schooling until school certificate..Our Auntie always saw to it that we attended school those days.Those were the days when our parents were away far off working for our survivals.So with much gratefulness I record these facts down to show our gratitude to them forever.Our Auntie is still alive today and may God bless her and continue to bless her forever.
Another family I wished to thank were the Chong family.They residence staying in the government bungalow opposite our house.Their children were our great friends from a young age.I remembered that when we had no money to purchase our school books.
Their father would run through our school buying lists to locate them.On finding them he would without second though gave them to us.Mind you at time he still had school going children our ages.Yet he surrendered those books to us.Maybe he had the means to buy new ones but considering that wonderful gesture shown.It was from the heart.This I could remember forever.
He was like our uncle a stern and quiet man. Likewise he seldom talked yet had a heart which weighed the weight of gold.We were very poor then and he knew our plight and without a word he helped us.Kind man like this are not seen nowadays.
Those were the days when I and his sons Suan Leng and Suan Hoe were good friends.We often played together and together,painted many beautiful dreams like most children did those days.I remmembered the mango tree in front of their house where we laid especially during fruiting season.Waiting for the mangoes to fall.Consuming them under the tree under the shade of the tree under the hot sun of the majestic, windy sky.
Suan Leng was well,tall handsome guy and well respected by many those days.I remembered a day where I was once surround by a group of Indian boys.All quite big sizes and all were sons of our school gardener.They had wanted to teach me a lesson and were on the point of attacking me in their numbers.
My younger brother shouted out loudly for Suan Leng to come to my aid.Our location was more than 100 meters from his house yet he could hear the distance shouts for help from my brother.So immediately he sprinted to us.However,there no need of him to hurry as the magical call of his name were sufficient to draw the attentions of many youths from opposite the field to come in to help.
A number of Chinese came in, so did two or three Malays from nearby.Seeing them those gardener sons ran away without a fight.So you see Suan Leng was important to me those days.He had a share in most of my fights.So were the days when we went kite chasing..Yeah those were the days.Nowadays where got kites to chase?.Good friends and wonderful experiences together will be remembered.
Next to remember was our dearest Auntie Mdm Cheah Foong Lin nee Mrs Ng.Ek Teong. Ever since she always lend a helping hand to us.Each time she was down from Kuala Lumpur where she work initially as a Staff nurse. She would either gave us some cash or brought us white cloth,so that we can have decent clothing.The cloth were from her share as a staff nurse for new uniforms from her employer
.When our paternal grandmother was very sick in Kuala Lumpur she would sent for us to stay with her family.She hoped that would had kept our grandmother happy as she longed to see us then.That was between 1957 1nd 1958.So we were down in Kuala Lumpur almost every school holidays.EVen after the demkse of our dear grandmother she continued to sent for us to be with her.This I think helped her to remind her of her dear mother our grandmother.
She went all out to secure me a job in the plantation the minute I left school.When I was without one she even saw to that I was employed even at her husband's sawmill.Her eyes beamed brightly with pride on her face the day I could stood strongly on my own initiatives. So was it when my brother stood on his own.This was so because all other relatives not the Cheahs had failed her miserably..Her untimely demised left a vacant spot within our hearts but she would well remembered by us.
When I was about fourteen years old or so,a Chinese school teacher one Mdm Thai had sorted to re-instead me back to school in the afternoon class when I failed to attend class because inability to pay my school fees for a couple of months.The fees was only $ 5.00 per month yet I did not had the means to pay that.I was too shy to except her offer to continue studying Chinese without paying fees.
Those days at that age I felt the embarrassment it would had caused.All the other classmates could afford that minimium fees but sadly I was the odd one who could not.So I choose to stay away despite various efforts to make me changed my mind..Yes I am grateful to her anyway.In any case I had a few years of Chinese education and therefore can conversed some words in Mandarin.Not that bad really,at least I know some Chinese and most important write my name.
When I began working in the plantation,my first Manager was Mr Kooi Pang Yong at Hurst Estate,Ulu Sapetang,Taiping.I was a young brat then and could not understand much about working life.Yeah I fonder many a times.Had not been a guardian angel in the guise of him I would had landed into many troubles beyond control.
Actually when I first joined the plantation my salary was extremely low.Had not been his generosity in providing me cheap food I would not had survived till then in planting.Finally when I left that Company in Bentng Estate,Bentong,Pahang he gave an excellent testimony.A testimony which had vouched me through the planting industries after my unfortunate demolishing from the "white men "plantations.
I was fortunate that his testimony carried weights among Chinese owned plantations.Although it was just a simple piece of paper that proved invaluable to my career.So I had companies who were against those "white men' as well on my side.To them "white men" were not that smart but most corrupted planters around.Well.with that I survived in planting.
My career i planting was never smooth as a bed of roses.I ahd diappointments in bith Guthries's and Ulu Selangor Estate which nearly destroyed my planting career.But after a short stinct in the Sawmaill in Karak I re-discovered myself.Yeah my blood were already adapted to planting and a return to it was imminent.I was fortunate
I need not wait long for my application was duly accepted by St.Andrew Estate,Batang Berjuntai,Selangor.Within a month I was promoted to Manager.Life was hard and I had to pushed myself to tne brink.A lot of patience and hard work won me the confidence of the Boss.As long as I served them I was the best planter around but once I wanted to resign after ten years there their faces turned sour.Of hand I became the worst they eve had.
From there I diverged into businesses but what an awfully wrong moved I committed.Planter were never good business mman and I learned it the hard way.However,It took a huge beating with heavy losses to end my businesses.I was deeply in dept then and without a job in hand.
Having no where to go we left for Bentong where my in-laws were.We thought we could take shelter there temporarily.Intially every thing seem alright but somehow the conservative thinkings of the -in-laws nearly put us on the road again.Had it not been the interferance of a brother-in-law we were allowed to stay on a little longer.
Within that time I was lucky to secure another planting position.The testimony I received from the Chinese Manager was recognized.It put me through the interviews.I was placed in charged of Sri Jaya Oil Palm Estate,Sri Jaya,Pahang.It was 5000 acres estate.Coming with it were two other divisions Tavy Estate,Gambang (5000 acres) and Semambu Estate,Kuantan ( 1000 acres).
Here I put a lot of hard work.patience and honesty to put me in the confidence of the Boss.My experiences were put int good use.I was cautious all through and took each day by itself to achieve my goal.The environment were hostile but with my experiences those were nothing.
It was here that I met with a good friend unfortunately he was with us for only a short period.He was non other than my friend Albert Tey.Together we were a force to reckon with much to the dislike of Loo Poh Wei.But what else could he do except drinking his stouit and kept mum.Anyway Albert's stay was short before long he was on his way to better jobs ahead,.
I believe the good Lord was guiding throughout my fifteen years there.Working conditions were excellent because i had the Boss on my side most of the time. I got the best of it.
Failing health stopped me from prolonging my career there.When hospitalized I found one thing.While there you will know who your real friends and relative were.These who meant you well and those who do not.That the plain truth I know.Fate had been cruel absolutely cruel for only when you are sick you discovered the truth.Well,it was never too late.At least now you know who were who.
In the University Medical Centre I did meet a number of wonderfully people.Those doctors especially the ladies were very professional except one who told the blatant truth that I was to die during my 1st.Chymore therapy.It was good to know that I was going to die and well prepared for the worst,but I did not.Praise the Good Lord for extending my life thus far.
Most of the nurses were helpful,so the bad ones could be forgotten.The kins of most patients were also cooperative and often too helpful.During my therapy my cousins from Singapore also visited me during which they re-introduced me to the Lord.Their simple prayer to Him met with his kind approval of grace.Thereafter I began to response to medication went on to recover from that dreadful disease.
In July 2007 I was formerly baptized .Praise the Lord for His everlaaaaaaaaasting love for each and everyone of us.
Meerry Christmas to all.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Dead Man'Tales Chapter 7 Talking About Those Staffs Under Me On All Plantations I had managed
I had always condemned most of the Bosses I had worked for.Now will the other way around be just as bad or even better.Now,I relate you all be my judge.
To boss around others was actually an extremely not easy as can be.To begin with I rose from the rank and file from one company then flew around for promotion after promotion.To be frank I was never meant to be some one very bossy.
Ever since schooling days I was never a leader.Was never given the opportunity to be a class monitor and worst even a school prefect.I was at the bottom rank in most of the classes I had been to.So no out standing achievements whatsoever.My small statue does even give me a chance to either be a tiny captain of any team which I was involved.I got no good credential to show.
I had a low profile and could not boast about it.I had stage fright and never good as a speaker.In fact I could not speak well in front of every body.I never shone out as a scout or even in church.Whatever it be even with my small size and unimpressive look I still had the courage to go after a girl I once fell in love with at sixteen.Of course,the outcome was disastrous with my small outlook and not smart character I was sadly told to get lost.
Coming from a poor family was no shame as I joined planting as soon as I left school after competing form five.My initial motive were to secure a job first then worked my way up.The planting came in handy as jobs those days were scared.True,I was an estate boy but that does not qualify me to anything.I knew nothing about rubber accept that my mother used to be a rubber tapper and I do helped out during school holidays by cleaning latex cups.
I was a no good then roaming the street deep into the night and still went to school as normal in the early mornings.As I teenager I mixed freely with all .gangsters or no gangsters,good or bad should they liked to be my friends I was their's.In fact at one time I turned real bad.I had a gang of foursome buddies.I think we were quite notorious then and fearsome too as no one dared challenged us to any fight,let alone stared at our directions.
Of course I only turned real bad after I was rejected by the one I truely loved.Realizing that was not going to lead me any nearer towards her I gave up immediately as soon as I got a job and left for it.Outwardly I was bad but in fact I was not - so turning over a new leaf was no big deal.Mind you I was a marked man all the while by the police who had tagged me as notorious and dangerous
As a junior planter I had no direct contact with most of the staffs or shall I say no control over them.All had to follow instructions. from the Manager.So I just adhere to as per instruction nothing more noting less.In that my experience with handling them were not that effective.Many a times I ended up being frustrated for many failed to follow me.
Should I reprimand them there was always the Manager who would listened to both parties before any actions instituted.What a mess that would had ended up.Nevertheless having to go through him could had me in the wrong.Even it were for me the prolonging of the case would have bad consequences on me.Should they follow those instructions given would then be stale.So no point continuing,some thing elsemight had developed.
Being a junior it was always like that because the power was not installed in you,you just simply had to follow instructions,right or wrong.No two way about it.You have to develop your experiences as you grow with your position.So in the initial few years I just had to follow instruction and worked hard.The difference between being employed in an Asian owned plantation and those of the European were different.In that we had to work honestly hard and no hanky panky.
I repeated my school certificate examination as a private candidate and got through after a second attempt.No big deal really as I had only to pass my English paper that .With that I was able to apply to more established company.That was after I was employed in the Chinese owned plantation for six and a half years.
I was so elated when I first successful with my application with Guthrie's.I had high esteem of that prestigious Company before,but how awfully wrong I was?. One had to be in it to discover the horrors dwelt within.No big deal really.I am writing from the hell I had been through and all the facts were the truth.Well,you are at liberty to disagree with me
It was a big led down for me in that Company.The stink there nearly forced me out of planting for good.It was hell from the very beginning.But I think that was to be the biggest lesson in my life for survival in my entire life.Had not been it I would not been so far from home.It was a lesson well acquired say what you may.'but that really pushed to the brink into comfort zone of success.It was a long long tough journey which paid dearly at the end.So they said there is a rainbow always at the end.In there
I had my first tastes of corruption at its best.I always thought Plantation Manager were hard working honest guys but not so or no where near it.Believe me one had to be involved within its core to understand what I am talking.Those "orang putih" Manager were the most corrupted in this world.Many of them made full used of their influences and privileges to extort as much as they could from whomsoever concerned.Whether Contractors or otherwise.
When they made the poor Contractors to give them treat before whenever they went on long leave .We the other staffs were roped in to enjoy some of the crumbs that fell off their tables.Such lavish dinners included going to the Cabarets to dance to the wee we hours.All the senior staffs were made to abide by that rule to enjoy ourselves to the fullest.All fully taken care of by th Contractors.
Here in Guthre's I actually learned never to rely or trust anyone on the staffs on all jobs important ,urgent or otherwise.I am not saying that some staffs were utterly no good.Even if they were reliable their daily job should be treated with extra care.Any minor over looking could land you into serious trouble.Sad to admit all these I acquire the hard way.
Stupid may it sounded but that was the truth.Initially I though that the junior staffs like the Senior conductor would be to assist you where ever possible but not so. Many were so dumped that they simply followed instructions blindly ignoring the fact that there was always a Manager around to check on all instructions given.hen an instruction was given it was always expected he followed it strictly.It was expected of him to look into it personally because me as Assistant had other job to attend first.
My conductor just issued another instruction to an odd job worker.When a worker was requested to do a job he just simply do it.Doing it right or wrong does not bother him.And that was happened,the worker completed the job on his own in the field in the absence of the conductor.
Unfortunately the Manager came in directly to inspect and to his dismay found it not done accordingly.Getting mad he shouted abusively swearing - not at the worker, no,- not even the conductor.He shouted abusively with vulgar words on the Assistant in the presence of the stunk worker..The Assistant was actually attending to so other job in another field .
The mad Manager did allow the Assistant to explain or allowed to defend himself. and so a bad mark was bestowed on his records. so where were the fairness?.There was nothing I could do to the staff not even a warning.I therefore had to absolve all myself.The Manager had been bias to me through out my stay.To me it was three months of hell under him the other months he was on leave .I was victimized for the slightest mistakes and made a laughing stock by him and his cronies.I think many of my so called mistakes were circulated in that Company as jokes.How cruel people can be I tell you.
I had served for him for only three miserable months yet given an extremely adverse report from from him for my entire probation of six months.The "orang putih" demoted me to the cadet training Centre where I was supposed to undergo training under a Manager who walked like a duck.A Nair.Likewise this duck showed his displeasure with me from the very beginning.In any case I never learn anything from him.Oh maybe his "Catherine",s wheel.Anyway what can you learned from some one who had been nothing but a chief clerk.
As I said before I always had high regards for this prestigious Company but once in it I can spilt at it and condemn it till the hell come.It was never what I had believed in.On the out side apparently an extremely high esteem Company to work in.In reality it was never so.Everything were so bias and unfair from the start.There were split in to cliques so you are either within them or out you go.For me a new man was neither so when in trouble out I went away without any sympathy from any where.I learned of them just to late
While at the Training Centre,I mixed freely with the others hoping for the best.Admittedly it took alot of courage of me to survive with them.But then loser was no chooser so I had to bit my lips and went on.It weax difficult to pretend that you were indeed stupid.Keep a keen eye over what were transpiring among us that I discovered the real truth at the training Centre.
Unbelievable there appeared to be keys (duplicates) to the Training Manager and safe.I have reason to believe that these were inherited from earlier batches of cadets.That were the reasons why certain cadets were acclaimed as so smart some real stupid.The smart ones apparently had the keys.(n any case with such a Training Manager what could be expected of Him?So bias a Manager.
My case was totally different as I was an out cast from the very beginning.All had expected me to leave peacefully on my own.It was their racket.This were so the white Manager had no high regards of Chinese trained assistants who ever he be.Agreed I do not speak as fluently as they initially.I may not have spoken as fluently as they but I was more honest than them.Right?He should be sacked not demoting me.How awful?What a stinking world we lived in?.
On leaving Guthrie's I next joined another small plantation as its Manager.Thata was Ulu Selangor Estate,Kuala Kubu Bahru,Selangor.It had an acreages of slightly over one thousand .I inherited a Senior Conductor from the past management.Not much were expected of him as he was the son of my predecessor.THe whole estate were ran on contract and worst of all the Boss had full confidence on him.After six months I made it a point that it ought to be me or him to b in full control.The Boss excepted him so I was forced to leave.
During my tenure there I met a couple of good friends.As I was only there for a short period nothing much transpired between them and me.Actually I could had made used of my position to make something out of my stay but I did not take advantage of that.So I left everything as it was.
In K.C.Cheah Sawmill too I had no control over the staffs>I could had remained there had not been the in fighting among staffs many of which were related to me or somehow.However none of them could have touched me or anything else.See,I had my pride and I want to be more independent of all connections.It was no point fighting with people whom I know for promotion etc.I rather worked my way up.In any case my blood were for planting never sawmilling
I was then a married man and had a family to think of.So I applied to returned to planting..The "white men"plantation had no room for me but fortunately I am a Chinese.Chinese planters are welcome to Chinese owned concerned.So within a short time I was successful with my application.These people had no respect for the "orang putih" and were pleased with my credentials although scaled by the "orang putih".
So I joined St.Andrew Estate,Batng Berjuntai,Selangor in October 1970.Initially I had to work under a young upstart who knew nothing about plantations. Any way his diminishing were simple and quick because he showed his stupidity within a month or so and was sacked with immediate effect.Thereafter I took over.
There were only two staffs under me then.A clerk and a Senior Conductor.The clerk was a haf baked nut from Penang while the Conductor was the son of one of the Bosses.The clerk could not assist me much except looking after the accounts and the Conductor knew nothing except weighing latex and rubber.Lazy in field work ,so I had to rely on my own initiatives or the "kanganies",
.All the "kanganies "were local head men.All allotted to their own jobs.Any way I recruited a junior conductor within a short period.It was difficult to find one so I just took anything that came along.It proved futile as that did not worked well,because these young men could not stand the pressure of having me running after them all the time.So it did not take long for him to abscond from us.
I tried out another few and it ended just it were..There were two brothers believe me one after the other became insane on account of me Maybe I was too harsh on them.Cannot help it because I had learned things the hard,hard way.So I just had to be sure all instructions were adhered to as closely as possible.There was no time to relax and sleep.
Later I recruited my own cousin to work as a conductor and it was through plenty of hard work plus pressure that he finally made a grade of himself.He learned well from me after a couple of years. Today he could worked independently on his own.Well in fact he is in charged of a plantation of reasonable size, not an "orang putih" one but Chinese owned.There were others I trained but they never made the grade.Guess I was a very difficult man to serve under.
When I was Manager of Sri Jaya Oil Palm Estate,Sri Jaya,Pahang ,I inherited an Assistant Manager who began his career a few years ago in that estate and three conductors.I also had a store-keeper plus a junior clerk.Except for the Assistant allthe staffs were Malays.
Anyway the staffs were not to my expectations.The Assistant knew only the estate well.His job to me was just below average.He never had any respect of me either by his attitude from the beginning till his departure a couple years later.Faced with such I had to work doubly harder.To begin with I had to talk to all the staffs daily to enquiry about their activities daily..Should I dislike their work I would re-direct them as to what I wanted from them.That helped a lot.
The Assistant I allowed him as he was and watched him from afarThis being so because I doubted his sincerity towards me.Since he was such I might as well ignore him completely.Allowed him to moved around freely around the fields as well as those Contractors.Should the Contractors misbehaved as him then I will know how to due with them.The move paid off as most were aware of my intentions.Those abiding by my rules survived failing which perished
I had no fear for the Assistant as he was never within the god books of the Boss so were all the Contractors.With me gaining a better foot hold in the plantation all silently had to accept that I was there to stay.So no play,play.
There were some people whom i promoted but useless they tried to deceived me.But to no avail as my position was solid as a rock with the Boss.At two of them tried to usurp me but similarly was rejected by me for good.There was one good one I recruited but he inturn left for a better paid position.So it was difficult to recruit good assistants and in need I promoted conductors whom I can trusted to fill those position far off. and it paid off handsomely.
These people with lesser education dare not tried to be funny and very obedient.All instructions were strictly adhered to plus I need not pay that high wages.Well,if required I simply increased their payments slightly to encouraged them.That worked well.The Boss accepted my plan well because al;l he wanted were trustworthy staffs who followed instructions.
In my care were two other smaller plantations.All fully converted Oil Palm by me.By promoting junior staffs to be in charged of them proved fruitful and well met the Boss approvals.So how can the Boss not like me.Other than them I also had high regards for most of my "kapalas" and "kanganies".These people were actually assets to me and with them I had full control of every where.So don't play play with me..
To boss around others was actually an extremely not easy as can be.To begin with I rose from the rank and file from one company then flew around for promotion after promotion.To be frank I was never meant to be some one very bossy.
Ever since schooling days I was never a leader.Was never given the opportunity to be a class monitor and worst even a school prefect.I was at the bottom rank in most of the classes I had been to.So no out standing achievements whatsoever.My small statue does even give me a chance to either be a tiny captain of any team which I was involved.I got no good credential to show.
I had a low profile and could not boast about it.I had stage fright and never good as a speaker.In fact I could not speak well in front of every body.I never shone out as a scout or even in church.Whatever it be even with my small size and unimpressive look I still had the courage to go after a girl I once fell in love with at sixteen.Of course,the outcome was disastrous with my small outlook and not smart character I was sadly told to get lost.
Coming from a poor family was no shame as I joined planting as soon as I left school after competing form five.My initial motive were to secure a job first then worked my way up.The planting came in handy as jobs those days were scared.True,I was an estate boy but that does not qualify me to anything.I knew nothing about rubber accept that my mother used to be a rubber tapper and I do helped out during school holidays by cleaning latex cups.
I was a no good then roaming the street deep into the night and still went to school as normal in the early mornings.As I teenager I mixed freely with all .gangsters or no gangsters,good or bad should they liked to be my friends I was their's.In fact at one time I turned real bad.I had a gang of foursome buddies.I think we were quite notorious then and fearsome too as no one dared challenged us to any fight,let alone stared at our directions.
Of course I only turned real bad after I was rejected by the one I truely loved.Realizing that was not going to lead me any nearer towards her I gave up immediately as soon as I got a job and left for it.Outwardly I was bad but in fact I was not - so turning over a new leaf was no big deal.Mind you I was a marked man all the while by the police who had tagged me as notorious and dangerous
As a junior planter I had no direct contact with most of the staffs or shall I say no control over them.All had to follow instructions. from the Manager.So I just adhere to as per instruction nothing more noting less.In that my experience with handling them were not that effective.Many a times I ended up being frustrated for many failed to follow me.
Should I reprimand them there was always the Manager who would listened to both parties before any actions instituted.What a mess that would had ended up.Nevertheless having to go through him could had me in the wrong.Even it were for me the prolonging of the case would have bad consequences on me.Should they follow those instructions given would then be stale.So no point continuing,some thing elsemight had developed.
Being a junior it was always like that because the power was not installed in you,you just simply had to follow instructions,right or wrong.No two way about it.You have to develop your experiences as you grow with your position.So in the initial few years I just had to follow instruction and worked hard.The difference between being employed in an Asian owned plantation and those of the European were different.In that we had to work honestly hard and no hanky panky.
I repeated my school certificate examination as a private candidate and got through after a second attempt.No big deal really as I had only to pass my English paper that .With that I was able to apply to more established company.That was after I was employed in the Chinese owned plantation for six and a half years.
I was so elated when I first successful with my application with Guthrie's.I had high esteem of that prestigious Company before,but how awfully wrong I was?. One had to be in it to discover the horrors dwelt within.No big deal really.I am writing from the hell I had been through and all the facts were the truth.Well,you are at liberty to disagree with me
It was a big led down for me in that Company.The stink there nearly forced me out of planting for good.It was hell from the very beginning.But I think that was to be the biggest lesson in my life for survival in my entire life.Had not been it I would not been so far from home.It was a lesson well acquired say what you may.'but that really pushed to the brink into comfort zone of success.It was a long long tough journey which paid dearly at the end.So they said there is a rainbow always at the end.In there
I had my first tastes of corruption at its best.I always thought Plantation Manager were hard working honest guys but not so or no where near it.Believe me one had to be involved within its core to understand what I am talking.Those "orang putih" Manager were the most corrupted in this world.Many of them made full used of their influences and privileges to extort as much as they could from whomsoever concerned.Whether Contractors or otherwise.
When they made the poor Contractors to give them treat before whenever they went on long leave .We the other staffs were roped in to enjoy some of the crumbs that fell off their tables.Such lavish dinners included going to the Cabarets to dance to the wee we hours.All the senior staffs were made to abide by that rule to enjoy ourselves to the fullest.All fully taken care of by th Contractors.
Here in Guthre's I actually learned never to rely or trust anyone on the staffs on all jobs important ,urgent or otherwise.I am not saying that some staffs were utterly no good.Even if they were reliable their daily job should be treated with extra care.Any minor over looking could land you into serious trouble.Sad to admit all these I acquire the hard way.
Stupid may it sounded but that was the truth.Initially I though that the junior staffs like the Senior conductor would be to assist you where ever possible but not so. Many were so dumped that they simply followed instructions blindly ignoring the fact that there was always a Manager around to check on all instructions given.hen an instruction was given it was always expected he followed it strictly.It was expected of him to look into it personally because me as Assistant had other job to attend first.
My conductor just issued another instruction to an odd job worker.When a worker was requested to do a job he just simply do it.Doing it right or wrong does not bother him.And that was happened,the worker completed the job on his own in the field in the absence of the conductor.
Unfortunately the Manager came in directly to inspect and to his dismay found it not done accordingly.Getting mad he shouted abusively swearing - not at the worker, no,- not even the conductor.He shouted abusively with vulgar words on the Assistant in the presence of the stunk worker..The Assistant was actually attending to so other job in another field .
The mad Manager did allow the Assistant to explain or allowed to defend himself. and so a bad mark was bestowed on his records. so where were the fairness?.There was nothing I could do to the staff not even a warning.I therefore had to absolve all myself.The Manager had been bias to me through out my stay.To me it was three months of hell under him the other months he was on leave .I was victimized for the slightest mistakes and made a laughing stock by him and his cronies.I think many of my so called mistakes were circulated in that Company as jokes.How cruel people can be I tell you.
I had served for him for only three miserable months yet given an extremely adverse report from from him for my entire probation of six months.The "orang putih" demoted me to the cadet training Centre where I was supposed to undergo training under a Manager who walked like a duck.A Nair.Likewise this duck showed his displeasure with me from the very beginning.In any case I never learn anything from him.Oh maybe his "Catherine",s wheel.Anyway what can you learned from some one who had been nothing but a chief clerk.
As I said before I always had high regards for this prestigious Company but once in it I can spilt at it and condemn it till the hell come.It was never what I had believed in.On the out side apparently an extremely high esteem Company to work in.In reality it was never so.Everything were so bias and unfair from the start.There were split in to cliques so you are either within them or out you go.For me a new man was neither so when in trouble out I went away without any sympathy from any where.I learned of them just to late
While at the Training Centre,I mixed freely with the others hoping for the best.Admittedly it took alot of courage of me to survive with them.But then loser was no chooser so I had to bit my lips and went on.It weax difficult to pretend that you were indeed stupid.Keep a keen eye over what were transpiring among us that I discovered the real truth at the training Centre.
Unbelievable there appeared to be keys (duplicates) to the Training Manager and safe.I have reason to believe that these were inherited from earlier batches of cadets.That were the reasons why certain cadets were acclaimed as so smart some real stupid.The smart ones apparently had the keys.(n any case with such a Training Manager what could be expected of Him?So bias a Manager.
My case was totally different as I was an out cast from the very beginning.All had expected me to leave peacefully on my own.It was their racket.This were so the white Manager had no high regards of Chinese trained assistants who ever he be.Agreed I do not speak as fluently as they initially.I may not have spoken as fluently as they but I was more honest than them.Right?He should be sacked not demoting me.How awful?What a stinking world we lived in?.
On leaving Guthrie's I next joined another small plantation as its Manager.Thata was Ulu Selangor Estate,Kuala Kubu Bahru,Selangor.It had an acreages of slightly over one thousand .I inherited a Senior Conductor from the past management.Not much were expected of him as he was the son of my predecessor.THe whole estate were ran on contract and worst of all the Boss had full confidence on him.After six months I made it a point that it ought to be me or him to b in full control.The Boss excepted him so I was forced to leave.
During my tenure there I met a couple of good friends.As I was only there for a short period nothing much transpired between them and me.Actually I could had made used of my position to make something out of my stay but I did not take advantage of that.So I left everything as it was.
In K.C.Cheah Sawmill too I had no control over the staffs>I could had remained there had not been the in fighting among staffs many of which were related to me or somehow.However none of them could have touched me or anything else.See,I had my pride and I want to be more independent of all connections.It was no point fighting with people whom I know for promotion etc.I rather worked my way up.In any case my blood were for planting never sawmilling
I was then a married man and had a family to think of.So I applied to returned to planting..The "white men"plantation had no room for me but fortunately I am a Chinese.Chinese planters are welcome to Chinese owned concerned.So within a short time I was successful with my application.These people had no respect for the "orang putih" and were pleased with my credentials although scaled by the "orang putih".
So I joined St.Andrew Estate,Batng Berjuntai,Selangor in October 1970.Initially I had to work under a young upstart who knew nothing about plantations. Any way his diminishing were simple and quick because he showed his stupidity within a month or so and was sacked with immediate effect.Thereafter I took over.
There were only two staffs under me then.A clerk and a Senior Conductor.The clerk was a haf baked nut from Penang while the Conductor was the son of one of the Bosses.The clerk could not assist me much except looking after the accounts and the Conductor knew nothing except weighing latex and rubber.Lazy in field work ,so I had to rely on my own initiatives or the "kanganies",
.All the "kanganies "were local head men.All allotted to their own jobs.Any way I recruited a junior conductor within a short period.It was difficult to find one so I just took anything that came along.It proved futile as that did not worked well,because these young men could not stand the pressure of having me running after them all the time.So it did not take long for him to abscond from us.
I tried out another few and it ended just it were..There were two brothers believe me one after the other became insane on account of me Maybe I was too harsh on them.Cannot help it because I had learned things the hard,hard way.So I just had to be sure all instructions were adhered to as closely as possible.There was no time to relax and sleep.
Later I recruited my own cousin to work as a conductor and it was through plenty of hard work plus pressure that he finally made a grade of himself.He learned well from me after a couple of years. Today he could worked independently on his own.Well in fact he is in charged of a plantation of reasonable size, not an "orang putih" one but Chinese owned.There were others I trained but they never made the grade.Guess I was a very difficult man to serve under.
When I was Manager of Sri Jaya Oil Palm Estate,Sri Jaya,Pahang ,I inherited an Assistant Manager who began his career a few years ago in that estate and three conductors.I also had a store-keeper plus a junior clerk.Except for the Assistant allthe staffs were Malays.
Anyway the staffs were not to my expectations.The Assistant knew only the estate well.His job to me was just below average.He never had any respect of me either by his attitude from the beginning till his departure a couple years later.Faced with such I had to work doubly harder.To begin with I had to talk to all the staffs daily to enquiry about their activities daily..Should I dislike their work I would re-direct them as to what I wanted from them.That helped a lot.
The Assistant I allowed him as he was and watched him from afarThis being so because I doubted his sincerity towards me.Since he was such I might as well ignore him completely.Allowed him to moved around freely around the fields as well as those Contractors.Should the Contractors misbehaved as him then I will know how to due with them.The move paid off as most were aware of my intentions.Those abiding by my rules survived failing which perished
I had no fear for the Assistant as he was never within the god books of the Boss so were all the Contractors.With me gaining a better foot hold in the plantation all silently had to accept that I was there to stay.So no play,play.
There were some people whom i promoted but useless they tried to deceived me.But to no avail as my position was solid as a rock with the Boss.At two of them tried to usurp me but similarly was rejected by me for good.There was one good one I recruited but he inturn left for a better paid position.So it was difficult to recruit good assistants and in need I promoted conductors whom I can trusted to fill those position far off. and it paid off handsomely.
These people with lesser education dare not tried to be funny and very obedient.All instructions were strictly adhered to plus I need not pay that high wages.Well,if required I simply increased their payments slightly to encouraged them.That worked well.The Boss accepted my plan well because al;l he wanted were trustworthy staffs who followed instructions.
In my care were two other smaller plantations.All fully converted Oil Palm by me.By promoting junior staffs to be in charged of them proved fruitful and well met the Boss approvals.So how can the Boss not like me.Other than them I also had high regards for most of my "kapalas" and "kanganies".These people were actually assets to me and with them I had full control of every where.So don't play play with me..
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
