Monday, July 23, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Chapter 18 My Businesses
Planters do not maketh a good businessman,sensitivities and instinct bore no truths,so I learned the hard way.It took a great failure to bring me back to my senses.Yes,I had a huge failure in fact it was really expensive lesson which ultimately destroyed me.That failure made me a bankrupt.The plunging into business in fact brought me down upon my knees.With that I had practically to crawl all my way back to Paradise the hard way.
I was devastated but I did not grieved very long over it or cried over split milk.Well,for one I had a family to fend for,at least that motivated me to survive on or gathered all my strength to fight back for survivor.
It all began in the my tenth year of service with the same old plantation company.I was doing fine in that plantation but the payment were not attractive compared with counterparts with the planting circle.Sad to admit I was really lowly paid.Sometimes,being contended in the job was important,but as time drifted by and with the children growing older,money became matter of concerned.
I had every intention of moving on but with my extremely bad track record,applications to many plantation companies ended in utter failures.The odds were piled against me.Many of my applications ended up without even a single reply,maybe as trash.So in order to improve my position I was forced to indulge in business.
Business ? Well,I was never a businessman never good at it but nevertheless I dived head on onto it without the experience nor sufficient capital to rely on.It proved to be a fatal move.I guess I was too straight forward to be a businessman.Yes,I learned the hard way to know that only crooks can be a good one.You need not agree with me.
Once indulged in it I never knew what hit me I was faced with heavy losses which I never anticipated.On paper everything seem so nice and profitable as well as lucrative but never so.Friends whom you thought you could had relied on betrayed you Soon you realized whom your enemies really were.One thing I truly learned was never trust absolutely anyone.
The business opportunity came when the trench to utilize the rubber wood as timber were becoming popular.Rubber wood were in abundance and securing them were quite easy. All we had to do were to secure contract for felling of old rubber stand.For as long as you can offer better service and terms for clearing ,burning and planting,the contract were well in hand.
Sawing rubber timber were quite new and appeared extremely profitable.Well,at least on paper it was.But involved in it we were faced with numerous unthinkable problems.Problems which beyond our wildest imaginations.
Securing the required quantity of rubber wood were quite easy and the problems only began when we started our operations .We had insufficient capital initially so we invited a few shareholders to join us . Sort of sleeping partners.That was easily sorted out.
With the small capital we invested in three mini band-saws which could to move about from area to areas.When everything seem to run smoothly we were confronted by the forestry people who rushed in out of no where to chain-locked all our band saws.With that all our operation were forced to cease .
Before that happened we had actually tried to apply for a licence for our operations.We were misdirected to run all over the state in fact the country,trying to locate whoever were responsible,from DFO to S FO,running - from departments to departments with no definite results.I mean no one seem to know what to advice us.For another all those Authorities do not know whether rubber wood could be considered as timber.That a cruel joke to us all.
When we questioned those who locked our saws,they replied weakly and negatively.It seemed all they knew was we required a licence to operate those mini-saws.There were no definations ,all they understood were saws whatever they be mini or otherwise.As far as we were told mini-saws were never listed as machinery to be licenced.Our saws had all the safety features before operation required.
The whole thing in sawn rubber wood was so new that was why all were caught in a lurched. and all were ignorant with no one interested in committing themselves.Seeing no one claiming responsibility over it we cut those chains and moved to another spot.Somehow they caught us again and locked those once again Surprisingly we were never prosecuted in any court.All these "ding dong "battle went on for sometime with us moving around.
Somehow we were never issued any summons nor were we charged in court, so just carried on like fighting a "gorilla warfare" with them.All these cost us a lot of funds. So whatever profits we had were plowed back into the running about operations.There were other unnecessary expenses while on the move because it also involved many uncalled for pay off to those concerned when we were left untouched at times.
Our problem did not stop short at that The freshly sawn timber had to be properly treated with insecticides,fungicides and whitening agent.It surely ere difficult processes whereby the timber had to be immersed wholly in the mixture of insecticides,fungicides and whitening agent.One wrong move would render the timber useless being prone to boring insects attack.Not only that those timber ought to be air dried thereafter.
The timber would then be graded with cracks if any removed.Those with black pigments were similarly cut off.With that stringent grading much of the timber would have been rejected.All these reduced our profits.All moldy materials were also excluded.
Further the graded timber had to be bind up into piles to ease handling.Thereafter delivered to furniture factory .There were not many of them around those days.The most notable one around was the factory for United Furniture based in Temerloh,Pahang.
Alas our problems did not end there,in fact they bugged us further on.The quality control in that factory were more stringent and their grading were not on the spot.Unpleasantly it took them quite a while maybe weeks before the process our timber.That surely were not good for our air dried timber.
So before long it again turned moldy and before we knew it the whole delivery were rendered as inferior.The claimed were re-directed back to us and we had to send teams of workers to re-treat them..That of course burden us and ate away our profits.With that our pay cheques were butchered further,leaving us with very little on the plate.You think our were over then?
But sad to admit."No - no way". We have to chase after them,making several attempts before we really secured them safely in our hands.All those trips to the factory cost us money,too.It was never cheap traveling to Temerloh for them.At the end of the day our profits went to nothing and we were drained down to heavy losses.The seemingly profitable business venture were loaded with heavy debts.
Our shares holders started to cause troubles and after a series of quarrels we decided to close shop with heavy losses.Another thing I learned from this business venture was never involved others who had no ideas about the industry . Another thing for sure was that what ever business you do you must be the sole controller of it otherwise just forget it.
Beside that rubber wood business I was also involved in estates supplies business.I had great fate in many plantation friends ,but how wrong I was.Their supports I foreseen never materialized,all backfired and I was again devastated here.
Armed with that believe that many so called friends would support me I opened up businesses for estate supplies.This proved to me that I should not had placed my confidence in them to support me.Friends were friends,but never rely on them,it is best to rely on our self.When they in need you can help them but do not depend on their aids in time of need,never.
Another thing business was extremely competitive without the slightest doubt and the undercutting of prices of commodities were unbelievable,actually beyond my wildest dreams.These people having been long in the market could supply goods with prices far beyond my reach.How dreadful but true.Now how can these be true.
Again I was caught in a lurch because these suppliers could obtained their goods at much lower pricing than myself.Then there was also another criteria of lower pricing because of quantity purchased.These big timers could purchased in large quantum at much cheaper price..I being a small timer therefore were no match.
There were the questions of stolen goods being sold through them .Apparently they also had their hands on most stolen goods at a much reduced price.So where was I among them,a just nobody.
True I could be a winner should all my so call friends come to my aid in time of need.But alas money talked.No money no friends so I learned again the hard way.Those big timers could over do what I can do.No need to talk so much about them.Yes I lost again badly.
Of course there were some good ones who helped me.In many cases I was indebted to them.The few could hardly tie me over but at least I know who my real friends are.God bless them.
I was devastated but I did not grieved very long over it or cried over split milk.Well,for one I had a family to fend for,at least that motivated me to survive on or gathered all my strength to fight back for survivor.
It all began in the my tenth year of service with the same old plantation company.I was doing fine in that plantation but the payment were not attractive compared with counterparts with the planting circle.Sad to admit I was really lowly paid.Sometimes,being contended in the job was important,but as time drifted by and with the children growing older,money became matter of concerned.
I had every intention of moving on but with my extremely bad track record,applications to many plantation companies ended in utter failures.The odds were piled against me.Many of my applications ended up without even a single reply,maybe as trash.So in order to improve my position I was forced to indulge in business.
Business ? Well,I was never a businessman never good at it but nevertheless I dived head on onto it without the experience nor sufficient capital to rely on.It proved to be a fatal move.I guess I was too straight forward to be a businessman.Yes,I learned the hard way to know that only crooks can be a good one.You need not agree with me.
Once indulged in it I never knew what hit me I was faced with heavy losses which I never anticipated.On paper everything seem so nice and profitable as well as lucrative but never so.Friends whom you thought you could had relied on betrayed you Soon you realized whom your enemies really were.One thing I truly learned was never trust absolutely anyone.
The business opportunity came when the trench to utilize the rubber wood as timber were becoming popular.Rubber wood were in abundance and securing them were quite easy. All we had to do were to secure contract for felling of old rubber stand.For as long as you can offer better service and terms for clearing ,burning and planting,the contract were well in hand.
Sawing rubber timber were quite new and appeared extremely profitable.Well,at least on paper it was.But involved in it we were faced with numerous unthinkable problems.Problems which beyond our wildest imaginations.
Securing the required quantity of rubber wood were quite easy and the problems only began when we started our operations .We had insufficient capital initially so we invited a few shareholders to join us . Sort of sleeping partners.That was easily sorted out.
With the small capital we invested in three mini band-saws which could to move about from area to areas.When everything seem to run smoothly we were confronted by the forestry people who rushed in out of no where to chain-locked all our band saws.With that all our operation were forced to cease .
Before that happened we had actually tried to apply for a licence for our operations.We were misdirected to run all over the state in fact the country,trying to locate whoever were responsible,from DFO to S FO,running - from departments to departments with no definite results.I mean no one seem to know what to advice us.For another all those Authorities do not know whether rubber wood could be considered as timber.That a cruel joke to us all.
When we questioned those who locked our saws,they replied weakly and negatively.It seemed all they knew was we required a licence to operate those mini-saws.There were no definations ,all they understood were saws whatever they be mini or otherwise.As far as we were told mini-saws were never listed as machinery to be licenced.Our saws had all the safety features before operation required.
The whole thing in sawn rubber wood was so new that was why all were caught in a lurched. and all were ignorant with no one interested in committing themselves.Seeing no one claiming responsibility over it we cut those chains and moved to another spot.Somehow they caught us again and locked those once again Surprisingly we were never prosecuted in any court.All these "ding dong "battle went on for sometime with us moving around.
Somehow we were never issued any summons nor were we charged in court, so just carried on like fighting a "gorilla warfare" with them.All these cost us a lot of funds. So whatever profits we had were plowed back into the running about operations.There were other unnecessary expenses while on the move because it also involved many uncalled for pay off to those concerned when we were left untouched at times.
Our problem did not stop short at that The freshly sawn timber had to be properly treated with insecticides,fungicides and whitening agent.It surely ere difficult processes whereby the timber had to be immersed wholly in the mixture of insecticides,fungicides and whitening agent.One wrong move would render the timber useless being prone to boring insects attack.Not only that those timber ought to be air dried thereafter.
The timber would then be graded with cracks if any removed.Those with black pigments were similarly cut off.With that stringent grading much of the timber would have been rejected.All these reduced our profits.All moldy materials were also excluded.
Further the graded timber had to be bind up into piles to ease handling.Thereafter delivered to furniture factory .There were not many of them around those days.The most notable one around was the factory for United Furniture based in Temerloh,Pahang.
Alas our problems did not end there,in fact they bugged us further on.The quality control in that factory were more stringent and their grading were not on the spot.Unpleasantly it took them quite a while maybe weeks before the process our timber.That surely were not good for our air dried timber.
So before long it again turned moldy and before we knew it the whole delivery were rendered as inferior.The claimed were re-directed back to us and we had to send teams of workers to re-treat them..That of course burden us and ate away our profits.With that our pay cheques were butchered further,leaving us with very little on the plate.You think our were over then?
But sad to admit."No - no way". We have to chase after them,making several attempts before we really secured them safely in our hands.All those trips to the factory cost us money,too.It was never cheap traveling to Temerloh for them.At the end of the day our profits went to nothing and we were drained down to heavy losses.The seemingly profitable business venture were loaded with heavy debts.
Our shares holders started to cause troubles and after a series of quarrels we decided to close shop with heavy losses.Another thing I learned from this business venture was never involved others who had no ideas about the industry . Another thing for sure was that what ever business you do you must be the sole controller of it otherwise just forget it.
Beside that rubber wood business I was also involved in estates supplies business.I had great fate in many plantation friends ,but how wrong I was.Their supports I foreseen never materialized,all backfired and I was again devastated here.
Armed with that believe that many so called friends would support me I opened up businesses for estate supplies.This proved to me that I should not had placed my confidence in them to support me.Friends were friends,but never rely on them,it is best to rely on our self.When they in need you can help them but do not depend on their aids in time of need,never.
Another thing business was extremely competitive without the slightest doubt and the undercutting of prices of commodities were unbelievable,actually beyond my wildest dreams.These people having been long in the market could supply goods with prices far beyond my reach.How dreadful but true.Now how can these be true.
Again I was caught in a lurch because these suppliers could obtained their goods at much lower pricing than myself.Then there was also another criteria of lower pricing because of quantity purchased.These big timers could purchased in large quantum at much cheaper price..I being a small timer therefore were no match.
There were the questions of stolen goods being sold through them .Apparently they also had their hands on most stolen goods at a much reduced price.So where was I among them,a just nobody.
True I could be a winner should all my so call friends come to my aid in time of need.But alas money talked.No money no friends so I learned again the hard way.Those big timers could over do what I can do.No need to talk so much about them.Yes I lost again badly.
Of course there were some good ones who helped me.In many cases I was indebted to them.The few could hardly tie me over but at least I know who my real friends are.God bless them.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Chapter 17 My Friends In Batang Berjuntai
the problems never existed and the felling and clearing should be It is a small world.Well I made quite a number of friends in Batang Berjuntai.Friends can come by easily but good friend were few.Few that I could think of.Here I write about some of them.You be be my judge whether they were really my so call good friends.
Being the so called Manager of St.Andrew Estate,surely a lot of people wanted to be my friends for their own gains or otherwise.The local businessmen who wanted some of my business definitely became friendly with me.In a Chinese Company I had to be extra careful with all of them,as many of them could also be the friends of the Bosses,too.
One wrong word or step could land me in deep trouble with the Bosses.This I learned long ago.I always made it a point to first know who you are dealing with.Well talking to them then referring back to the Bosses went a long long way.From there you know them better and deal with them as per requirement.
Most important whoever they be,I kept abreast with them or at arm's length away.Because many a times we could be dependent on them for some services.Being friendly should come in handy.S o they could be useful.In this case you offended neither he nor the Bosses.However, I was always careful with their coffee or dinner treat which mostly I refused to accept.
And should I accept I made sure the dinner would be affordable myself.Because should I be not pleased with the meeting I can just simply tell the other party concern to fly kite and flatly refused their offer.In any case I did not entertain the fact he giving a treat without any strings attached.Yeah under no obligations nor favours.In such cases they cannot accused me of any wrong doing which they can relate back to the Bosses.
Contractors coming in for jobs go all out to gain favors to win a contract. Do not entertain them much and often refer them back to the Bosses to make the final decisions.In such cases the Bosses often referred back to us for the ultimate choice of contractors.However,do not be carried away by such small scheme of the Bosses.
Adhere to them always for the decisions.That would be the safest choice,should anything go wrong the bosses cannot blamed them on you.Because they would equally be guilty as you in that bad decisions.By such you have all the friends by your side.Nor the contractor concerned dared to side lined you.
Contractors,however never be considered as friends.So I always kept a safe arm's length from them.Their selection be left to the Bosses ,by so doing we can easily tell them off should their performances be bad. We would not be under undue obligations to be rectify them .Or penalized without being bias or with favors.Of course you could then be unpopular with them but who cares.
In my case we had initially a felling contractor who came in a calling by doing the first contractor with us for free with him taking away all the rubber wood.He was supplying firewood to all the brick kilns around Kuala Lumpur areas.That was the only demand then.
Following when the demand for rubber wood timber became significant he supplied rubber logs to all the existing millers.He got the contract for felling because he was doing felling,clearing and burning for us free of charged at a stipulated time frame.In return he be allowed to remove all the existing rubber timber.
With him around our replanting in all the fields were relatively low.Only the transplanting were all done by us.That too was done cheaply as those days temporary workers from the nearby kampongs were easily available.Odd jobs were scare those days for the locals.all readily available.
Even for rubber tapping or harvesting,locals were easy to come by.There were no shortages at any time People were that choosy and accept any jobs that came by.But today the trend had changed drastically.Kampongs folks shy away from most plantation jobs and Chinese women do not want to tap for rubber plantation anymore.Many things shave transpired since then.
Coming back my friends in the plantations were mostly from my neighboring estates.My immediate neighbor were from Sungei Rambai Division,a sister division of Sungei Tinggi Estate,a property under Socfin.However their Suprintendant were often on transfer here and there.
So within my stay in St.Andrew I actually meet with a number of them.Say what you like my opinion of them were that these people were quite a cocky lot.Proud sort of,just because they were in Socfin.Though they were such I was friendly with all of them.Well,when they were our friends they were actually a friendly lot.
There were a handful of them.For example initially there was a Mr.Lam.I know his small family then.However later he transferred away ,to be replaced with another Mr Jimmy Ong.Young fellow who had a baby with him ,apparently left behind by his wife after their divorced.He came in with a huge back ground.It seemed that he was the brother-in-law of Lee Leong Sik.
I all these people because we had a common boundary and shared the same problems along it such scarp rubber thefts.Many of their thieves after committing a crime there crossed over to our side.Should they be captured by us we treated them as stealing from us.
On one occasion a theft was found dead in the dividing drain,floating along with him was a bog of scrap rubber.Apparently he had been shot dead but both plantation refused any knowledge of it.For one I am pretty sure it could never be us as our guides do not carry any shotguns.
There were many others whom I also know but the one I knew longest those days was one My Ranny Tan .My family and and his had been friends for quite sometime.Well we were good friends.
Then I had neighbors of small holders from the plantation which were fragmented from a large plantation.This small holders were next to the town,Batang Berjuntai.Following we had Java Selangor Estate on the other side of town.
We shared a common boundary mid way on the other side of our plantation.Their Manager was a "good" friend of mine.His plantation were fully rubber and it was only in the later stage that they begin converting to Oil palm.The Manager,Mr.Deva Dass ,well what can I say,we shared many happy moments together with our families.
Opposite of this plantation was another small Chinese Owned estate,namely Stratmore Estate.Its Manager was a long time friend of us.Our families were quite close together.He was fortunate there as a small plantation it surely had quite a lot of activities.But then his Boss was his childhood friend.
Beside them we also had many other plantation friends from surrounding plantations.Many of them come and go,that was why our relationship was only casual.In life we meet a lot of people whom we had considered as friends but in reality were they?.
There were some we though were true friends but in they end especially when in times of need their sincerity were questionable.They turned away from your plight,some even went further to destroy you,out of all things.Well,I had encounter many such people.In any case it served no purpose in exposing them now,so let them be just like gust of wind along our way.
When in Batang Berjuntai,we made many friends with the locals.We were never like those 'white planters" who does their shopping and other things in the city,we preferred to be serviced by the locals. That was why we had many friends there.That small town provided us most of our food stuffs with its small market,groceries from their shops.Their coffee shops also served cheap and wonderful food .
While there we were at times treated by our own group hospital.Our plantation was one of biggest contributor to the running of the Hospital and we were therefore Director of the Hospital. Its President were always elected by the Board of Directors and it was here that my so called friends in the Board were never my friends.
For they banded together to out vote me,giving preference to some small contributor.Had it been others I think we would had withdrew from that group Hospital,but instead I just simply gave my blessing to those elected.In any case it was a non-paying job and it served me nothing more except plenty of extra work.
But one thing for sure,then I knew who were truly my friends.Any other in my shoes would had withdrawn from them but I put on a brave front.Maybe they thought I was incapable,that was something seemingly bias when we were the biggest contributor to the hospital.I was in no mind to quarrel with them over such matter and allowed things be.
Within me I knew I was betrayed by so called friends.THe anger imbedded within waiting for the moment to strike back.It may take years .Revenge then certainly were sweet for back stabbing.So in future should there be requirement where I could easily assist them I simply ignored them returning the same favor.Nothing just tit for tat.
They never treated me as friends at those critical moments where I needed their support most they abstained away.Then, why should I be a bloody fool to call them my friends ever again or ever treat them likewise.Yes,I would not reveal what sort opinions I had formed about them.
By then they ought to know what went wrong along the way.They had no good feelings about me in the past and my returning the same opinion was definitely right.I do not betrayed my friends unless they did that to me first.Every body had excellent memories
I am a grateful man.and am ever willing to give a helping hand to anyone who had helped me before.That went a long way even those who require my help I will go all out to assist where ever I can,even a stranger.All he had to do was just to ask.
Being the so called Manager of St.Andrew Estate,surely a lot of people wanted to be my friends for their own gains or otherwise.The local businessmen who wanted some of my business definitely became friendly with me.In a Chinese Company I had to be extra careful with all of them,as many of them could also be the friends of the Bosses,too.
One wrong word or step could land me in deep trouble with the Bosses.This I learned long ago.I always made it a point to first know who you are dealing with.Well talking to them then referring back to the Bosses went a long long way.From there you know them better and deal with them as per requirement.
Most important whoever they be,I kept abreast with them or at arm's length away.Because many a times we could be dependent on them for some services.Being friendly should come in handy.S o they could be useful.In this case you offended neither he nor the Bosses.However, I was always careful with their coffee or dinner treat which mostly I refused to accept.
And should I accept I made sure the dinner would be affordable myself.Because should I be not pleased with the meeting I can just simply tell the other party concern to fly kite and flatly refused their offer.In any case I did not entertain the fact he giving a treat without any strings attached.Yeah under no obligations nor favours.In such cases they cannot accused me of any wrong doing which they can relate back to the Bosses.
Contractors coming in for jobs go all out to gain favors to win a contract. Do not entertain them much and often refer them back to the Bosses to make the final decisions.In such cases the Bosses often referred back to us for the ultimate choice of contractors.However,do not be carried away by such small scheme of the Bosses.
Adhere to them always for the decisions.That would be the safest choice,should anything go wrong the bosses cannot blamed them on you.Because they would equally be guilty as you in that bad decisions.By such you have all the friends by your side.Nor the contractor concerned dared to side lined you.
Contractors,however never be considered as friends.So I always kept a safe arm's length from them.Their selection be left to the Bosses ,by so doing we can easily tell them off should their performances be bad. We would not be under undue obligations to be rectify them .Or penalized without being bias or with favors.Of course you could then be unpopular with them but who cares.
In my case we had initially a felling contractor who came in a calling by doing the first contractor with us for free with him taking away all the rubber wood.He was supplying firewood to all the brick kilns around Kuala Lumpur areas.That was the only demand then.
Following when the demand for rubber wood timber became significant he supplied rubber logs to all the existing millers.He got the contract for felling because he was doing felling,clearing and burning for us free of charged at a stipulated time frame.In return he be allowed to remove all the existing rubber timber.
With him around our replanting in all the fields were relatively low.Only the transplanting were all done by us.That too was done cheaply as those days temporary workers from the nearby kampongs were easily available.Odd jobs were scare those days for the locals.all readily available.
Even for rubber tapping or harvesting,locals were easy to come by.There were no shortages at any time People were that choosy and accept any jobs that came by.But today the trend had changed drastically.Kampongs folks shy away from most plantation jobs and Chinese women do not want to tap for rubber plantation anymore.Many things shave transpired since then.
Coming back my friends in the plantations were mostly from my neighboring estates.My immediate neighbor were from Sungei Rambai Division,a sister division of Sungei Tinggi Estate,a property under Socfin.However their Suprintendant were often on transfer here and there.
So within my stay in St.Andrew I actually meet with a number of them.Say what you like my opinion of them were that these people were quite a cocky lot.Proud sort of,just because they were in Socfin.Though they were such I was friendly with all of them.Well,when they were our friends they were actually a friendly lot.
There were a handful of them.For example initially there was a Mr.Lam.I know his small family then.However later he transferred away ,to be replaced with another Mr Jimmy Ong.Young fellow who had a baby with him ,apparently left behind by his wife after their divorced.He came in with a huge back ground.It seemed that he was the brother-in-law of Lee Leong Sik.
I all these people because we had a common boundary and shared the same problems along it such scarp rubber thefts.Many of their thieves after committing a crime there crossed over to our side.Should they be captured by us we treated them as stealing from us.
On one occasion a theft was found dead in the dividing drain,floating along with him was a bog of scrap rubber.Apparently he had been shot dead but both plantation refused any knowledge of it.For one I am pretty sure it could never be us as our guides do not carry any shotguns.
There were many others whom I also know but the one I knew longest those days was one My Ranny Tan .My family and and his had been friends for quite sometime.Well we were good friends.
Then I had neighbors of small holders from the plantation which were fragmented from a large plantation.This small holders were next to the town,Batang Berjuntai.Following we had Java Selangor Estate on the other side of town.
We shared a common boundary mid way on the other side of our plantation.Their Manager was a "good" friend of mine.His plantation were fully rubber and it was only in the later stage that they begin converting to Oil palm.The Manager,Mr.Deva Dass ,well what can I say,we shared many happy moments together with our families.
Opposite of this plantation was another small Chinese Owned estate,namely Stratmore Estate.Its Manager was a long time friend of us.Our families were quite close together.He was fortunate there as a small plantation it surely had quite a lot of activities.But then his Boss was his childhood friend.
Beside them we also had many other plantation friends from surrounding plantations.Many of them come and go,that was why our relationship was only casual.In life we meet a lot of people whom we had considered as friends but in reality were they?.
There were some we though were true friends but in they end especially when in times of need their sincerity were questionable.They turned away from your plight,some even went further to destroy you,out of all things.Well,I had encounter many such people.In any case it served no purpose in exposing them now,so let them be just like gust of wind along our way.
When in Batang Berjuntai,we made many friends with the locals.We were never like those 'white planters" who does their shopping and other things in the city,we preferred to be serviced by the locals. That was why we had many friends there.That small town provided us most of our food stuffs with its small market,groceries from their shops.Their coffee shops also served cheap and wonderful food .
While there we were at times treated by our own group hospital.Our plantation was one of biggest contributor to the running of the Hospital and we were therefore Director of the Hospital. Its President were always elected by the Board of Directors and it was here that my so called friends in the Board were never my friends.
For they banded together to out vote me,giving preference to some small contributor.Had it been others I think we would had withdrew from that group Hospital,but instead I just simply gave my blessing to those elected.In any case it was a non-paying job and it served me nothing more except plenty of extra work.
But one thing for sure,then I knew who were truly my friends.Any other in my shoes would had withdrawn from them but I put on a brave front.Maybe they thought I was incapable,that was something seemingly bias when we were the biggest contributor to the hospital.I was in no mind to quarrel with them over such matter and allowed things be.
Within me I knew I was betrayed by so called friends.THe anger imbedded within waiting for the moment to strike back.It may take years .Revenge then certainly were sweet for back stabbing.So in future should there be requirement where I could easily assist them I simply ignored them returning the same favor.Nothing just tit for tat.
They never treated me as friends at those critical moments where I needed their support most they abstained away.Then, why should I be a bloody fool to call them my friends ever again or ever treat them likewise.Yes,I would not reveal what sort opinions I had formed about them.
By then they ought to know what went wrong along the way.They had no good feelings about me in the past and my returning the same opinion was definitely right.I do not betrayed my friends unless they did that to me first.Every body had excellent memories
I am a grateful man.and am ever willing to give a helping hand to anyone who had helped me before.That went a long way even those who require my help I will go all out to assist where ever I can,even a stranger.All he had to do was just to ask.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Chapter 16 Ten Years In St Andrew Estate.
I was attached to S Andrew for ten years and as long as I served them those Bosses had high regards for me.But they attitude transformed drastically once I submit my resignation.All sort of accusations the devil could think of were directed at me.All without any basic truth otherwise I would be doing the Jailhouse rock. Chinese Bosses were mostly like this.
What it was I survived.Plenty of hard work and patient dealing with them.Well being honest goes along long way.Their spies???.Never fight head on with them,as they said,"If you cannot win them join them.Pretend to be frighten of them and strike them real hard at the correct moment".
That would certainly captivate them with surprises and most passed away without knowing what hit them?".Being so soft also gain you the confidence and trust of the Bosses.Crooks ought to be taught the lesson their way.Once you had the trust of the Bosses it would be plain sailing all the way.
When I took over the plantation my Senior conductor was one of the Bosses' son.Should he be efficient I could be in trouble or ever be employed by them,having him behind my back,but that was not to be.He was placed there to work under me.Unfortunately he had neither experience nor a good worker.
He was lazy and often stay around the bungalow loitering away the time.With him not knowing how to assist me in any way I just simply allow things be whatever it be One thing good about him was he was never a tale carrier but with that poor mentality and that sort of attitude,his tales were also meaningless virtually harmless.
Burden with much work,I was forced to rely on the junior conductors.Initially I had much troubles recruiting them and training them to work the way I require them.Failing which I can further rely on the "kanganies"or "kapalas". In many cases they were served me better than the other staffs and many of them reliable.I had actually trained one and promoted him to our staff.
Junior staffs served better because they keep records which were necessary.I find it quite difficult to train them.Many left because they could not stand the pressure I mounted on I had very experienced with few of them.I remember one whom I thought quite obedient but he turned out to be quite a rogue.He absconded after working for about two years.That was after I stood guarantor for his motor cycle.
Thereafter I had another who thought that plantation was a place where they can always sleep in the house,but with my presence almost every where he soon had a nervous breakdown and eventually had to be sent home.His brother came in to take over from where he left off.
He was slightly a better worker than his brother.However,our water shortage problem got the better of him.Seeing the workers plight he amazingly suddenly turned saintly,wanting to champion the workers' caused.
Dressed in white clothing safron (Indian style saree for males) and with forehead brushed with ashes and red dot.Walking around with a lighted lamp,some betel eaves and a few pieces of dried betel nuts on a plate.
Acting like a "pusari"or Indian priest he gathered a huge following of workers to march to my bungalow.On arrival he cursed me and demanded to see my well claiming that I had plenty of wholesome water while the poor poor workers were suffering from shortages.
He further abused me for bulling the poor workers and with holding back all necessary amenities for them.He acting as though he was besieged by some demons. Or he might had perceived that he was a sort of savior sent to save the poor workers from a tyrant like me.
In raged I looked sternly at him and ordered him to inspect the well with a few workers.They went up and found my well empty and dry.When they were satisfied with their inspection I grabbed and handled him strongly,roughly and aggressively.
I gave him a terribly bad shaking and threw him heavily on the ground .He crushed to the floor groaning in pain.There were no replies from all the other workers,nor they lifted a hand to assist him up.. With that he slowly crept up shamefully and seemingly powerless
The godly image he portrayed prevailed no more.Not a single soul present sided with him.Thereafter he left with head bowed down and in shame.He was cursed by the workers from that moment.He left us without resigning.Semi-insane.Yes,poor devil he absconded from us.
Thereafter I was more careful in whom I employed as my junior conductors.Few years later a cousin was recruited as my junior conductor and he proved more worthy f my judgement.All others were similarly wasted materials.He proved his worth and I taught him well.In so much when he left us he could stand by himself.
Not only that I even promoted a "kangany" to staff.He was hard working and most important obedient.Following instructions without questioning.I taught him how to handle the check rolls as well as other field work.Later I promoted him to another sister estate which was also brought under my charged. I only visited that estate at least twice a week.
That estate was in Kajang,namely Paradise Estate.Initially it was planted solely with rubber and here too I converted them to Oil Palm.Those days most plantation were planted with poor yielding Tjir 1 Seedlings.The timely conversion brought in much profit for the Boss.The whole plantation was prime land,situated a short distance from town.Currently I think it had been turned into a huge housing estate.
In Paradise Estate,I also learned about the Chinese Tea trade.Do you think most Chinese Tea were imported from China?.Think again,what I know was most Chinese tea purportedly to be from China were imitations.My boss was a big Chinese
Tea merchant.He imported cheap tea leaves from Java and stored them at Paradise.Those tea were retreated mixed with guava leaves to make them slightly bitter just similar to those imported from China.He had to treatment plant at the back of his bungalow.I know because I was made to taste his tea everytime I paid him a visit every month or so.He was so wealthy yet had to relied on such lowly tricks.To me he was a bloody crook.
There were also two smaller estates in Kerling under me.These properties were given away on contract,but my visits there were always weekly.The rubber were also smoked on Contract.Only thing were I had to be there whenever they weighed those rubber as the rubber were sold to the local dealer there.
I was attached to St,Andrew for ten long beautiful years of which I converted all the low yielding fields into Oil Palm.During those years I had the confidence of the Bosses because the conversion to Oil Palm brought in huge profits as the the transformation progressed.The smiles on their faces were telling,of course.
There was a trail for Cocoa cultivation those days.It was sort of experimental plot as the price of Cocoa was similarly attractive then.This crop as I perceived was a difficult crop to deal with.Even on a small experimental plot crop were pilfered.Of all personals ,some junior staffs were involved.
This crop were easily disposed off because there were many buyers of such stolen items even in small quantities.Treated or otherwise.This was simply outrageous.I therefore never wanted to expand from that plot but the Bosses were interested.They soon gave up those ideas as the prices fluctuated very much.
Anyway the lost of crops through pilferage were sufficient to deter them.With the successful establishment of Oil Palm in the first replanting we dived further into replanting all other low yielding rubber fields.We were fortunate as there were a drastic change in the clearing of those fields as the demand for rubber wood was slowly gaining importance.
Initially as firewood for brick kilns all round.There were also demand for the wood be properly sawn into useful timber for the manufacturing of furniture.The clearing were cleared free of charged by the felling contractors and in many case the transplanting done by them, without extra costs.
With those out off their minds what we made were all profits and without those extra costs for replanting everything were all profits for the Bosses.The increasing Oil Palm prices those were ever accommodating.
All these made the faces of those Bosses beaming with pride.The conversion to Oil Pam brought in much profits they had never anticipitated.I was attached to them for ten beautiful years.I was never well paid here but the independence to work alone without hindrance from outsiders made me struck with them.
Well,job satisfaction was all I had.Not well paid but sufficient to survive on went a long way.Should I be well paid with loads of problems which burden and weary me down to earth.With plenty of worries and sleepless nights,where then were the joy of working?.I believe in enjoying your work and when you have that the pay does not bother or count.What can you ask for when you have that?.
While it lasted I had the confidence of the Bosses all of them but soon changed beyond my wildest imaginations.Their attitude took a drastic transformation once I decided to leave them.All sort of accusations were piled against me.What a ridiculous bunch?.The main Boss even accused me of cheating them using the overtime pocket chechroll against
Payments in this check-rolls were only marked paid.Workers were never made to sined against their names.All these happened in all the plantations every where or in estates where I had been to.It was a normal practice every where.Yes,sad to say I could be charged because he made some workers to admit that they were never paid.Well,he forced me to pay for some losses pending his investigations which never happened.
Well,like a bloody fool I paid for that folly on my part.That was in order to prevent my name being tarnished any further.On second thought had I committed a crime he would not have stop short at that,he would definitely had indiscriminate me for good,but he did not.He just showered his anger on me and wanted me to pay for leaving them.I gave him that to buy his coffin.My regret was I never been dishonest with them.
It never pays to be honest.Honesty maybe the best policy but there was also a Chinese saying "Being honest - At the end you will surely end up being pauper".
What it was I survived.Plenty of hard work and patient dealing with them.Well being honest goes along long way.Their spies???.Never fight head on with them,as they said,"If you cannot win them join them.Pretend to be frighten of them and strike them real hard at the correct moment".
That would certainly captivate them with surprises and most passed away without knowing what hit them?".Being so soft also gain you the confidence and trust of the Bosses.Crooks ought to be taught the lesson their way.Once you had the trust of the Bosses it would be plain sailing all the way.
When I took over the plantation my Senior conductor was one of the Bosses' son.Should he be efficient I could be in trouble or ever be employed by them,having him behind my back,but that was not to be.He was placed there to work under me.Unfortunately he had neither experience nor a good worker.
He was lazy and often stay around the bungalow loitering away the time.With him not knowing how to assist me in any way I just simply allow things be whatever it be One thing good about him was he was never a tale carrier but with that poor mentality and that sort of attitude,his tales were also meaningless virtually harmless.
Burden with much work,I was forced to rely on the junior conductors.Initially I had much troubles recruiting them and training them to work the way I require them.Failing which I can further rely on the "kanganies"or "kapalas". In many cases they were served me better than the other staffs and many of them reliable.I had actually trained one and promoted him to our staff.
Junior staffs served better because they keep records which were necessary.I find it quite difficult to train them.Many left because they could not stand the pressure I mounted on I had very experienced with few of them.I remember one whom I thought quite obedient but he turned out to be quite a rogue.He absconded after working for about two years.That was after I stood guarantor for his motor cycle.
Thereafter I had another who thought that plantation was a place where they can always sleep in the house,but with my presence almost every where he soon had a nervous breakdown and eventually had to be sent home.His brother came in to take over from where he left off.
He was slightly a better worker than his brother.However,our water shortage problem got the better of him.Seeing the workers plight he amazingly suddenly turned saintly,wanting to champion the workers' caused.
Dressed in white clothing safron (Indian style saree for males) and with forehead brushed with ashes and red dot.Walking around with a lighted lamp,some betel eaves and a few pieces of dried betel nuts on a plate.
Acting like a "pusari"or Indian priest he gathered a huge following of workers to march to my bungalow.On arrival he cursed me and demanded to see my well claiming that I had plenty of wholesome water while the poor poor workers were suffering from shortages.
He further abused me for bulling the poor workers and with holding back all necessary amenities for them.He acting as though he was besieged by some demons. Or he might had perceived that he was a sort of savior sent to save the poor workers from a tyrant like me.
In raged I looked sternly at him and ordered him to inspect the well with a few workers.They went up and found my well empty and dry.When they were satisfied with their inspection I grabbed and handled him strongly,roughly and aggressively.
I gave him a terribly bad shaking and threw him heavily on the ground .He crushed to the floor groaning in pain.There were no replies from all the other workers,nor they lifted a hand to assist him up.. With that he slowly crept up shamefully and seemingly powerless
The godly image he portrayed prevailed no more.Not a single soul present sided with him.Thereafter he left with head bowed down and in shame.He was cursed by the workers from that moment.He left us without resigning.Semi-insane.Yes,poor devil he absconded from us.
Thereafter I was more careful in whom I employed as my junior conductors.Few years later a cousin was recruited as my junior conductor and he proved more worthy f my judgement.All others were similarly wasted materials.He proved his worth and I taught him well.In so much when he left us he could stand by himself.
Not only that I even promoted a "kangany" to staff.He was hard working and most important obedient.Following instructions without questioning.I taught him how to handle the check rolls as well as other field work.Later I promoted him to another sister estate which was also brought under my charged. I only visited that estate at least twice a week.
That estate was in Kajang,namely Paradise Estate.Initially it was planted solely with rubber and here too I converted them to Oil Palm.Those days most plantation were planted with poor yielding Tjir 1 Seedlings.The timely conversion brought in much profit for the Boss.The whole plantation was prime land,situated a short distance from town.Currently I think it had been turned into a huge housing estate.
In Paradise Estate,I also learned about the Chinese Tea trade.Do you think most Chinese Tea were imported from China?.Think again,what I know was most Chinese tea purportedly to be from China were imitations.My boss was a big Chinese
Tea merchant.He imported cheap tea leaves from Java and stored them at Paradise.Those tea were retreated mixed with guava leaves to make them slightly bitter just similar to those imported from China.He had to treatment plant at the back of his bungalow.I know because I was made to taste his tea everytime I paid him a visit every month or so.He was so wealthy yet had to relied on such lowly tricks.To me he was a bloody crook.
There were also two smaller estates in Kerling under me.These properties were given away on contract,but my visits there were always weekly.The rubber were also smoked on Contract.Only thing were I had to be there whenever they weighed those rubber as the rubber were sold to the local dealer there.
I was attached to St,Andrew for ten long beautiful years of which I converted all the low yielding fields into Oil Palm.During those years I had the confidence of the Bosses because the conversion to Oil Palm brought in huge profits as the the transformation progressed.The smiles on their faces were telling,of course.
There was a trail for Cocoa cultivation those days.It was sort of experimental plot as the price of Cocoa was similarly attractive then.This crop as I perceived was a difficult crop to deal with.Even on a small experimental plot crop were pilfered.Of all personals ,some junior staffs were involved.
This crop were easily disposed off because there were many buyers of such stolen items even in small quantities.Treated or otherwise.This was simply outrageous.I therefore never wanted to expand from that plot but the Bosses were interested.They soon gave up those ideas as the prices fluctuated very much.
Anyway the lost of crops through pilferage were sufficient to deter them.With the successful establishment of Oil Palm in the first replanting we dived further into replanting all other low yielding rubber fields.We were fortunate as there were a drastic change in the clearing of those fields as the demand for rubber wood was slowly gaining importance.
Initially as firewood for brick kilns all round.There were also demand for the wood be properly sawn into useful timber for the manufacturing of furniture.The clearing were cleared free of charged by the felling contractors and in many case the transplanting done by them, without extra costs.
With those out off their minds what we made were all profits and without those extra costs for replanting everything were all profits for the Bosses.The increasing Oil Palm prices those were ever accommodating.
All these made the faces of those Bosses beaming with pride.The conversion to Oil Pam brought in much profits they had never anticipitated.I was attached to them for ten beautiful years.I was never well paid here but the independence to work alone without hindrance from outsiders made me struck with them.
Well,job satisfaction was all I had.Not well paid but sufficient to survive on went a long way.Should I be well paid with loads of problems which burden and weary me down to earth.With plenty of worries and sleepless nights,where then were the joy of working?.I believe in enjoying your work and when you have that the pay does not bother or count.What can you ask for when you have that?.
While it lasted I had the confidence of the Bosses all of them but soon changed beyond my wildest imaginations.Their attitude took a drastic transformation once I decided to leave them.All sort of accusations were piled against me.What a ridiculous bunch?.The main Boss even accused me of cheating them using the overtime pocket chechroll against
Payments in this check-rolls were only marked paid.Workers were never made to sined against their names.All these happened in all the plantations every where or in estates where I had been to.It was a normal practice every where.Yes,sad to say I could be charged because he made some workers to admit that they were never paid.Well,he forced me to pay for some losses pending his investigations which never happened.
Well,like a bloody fool I paid for that folly on my part.That was in order to prevent my name being tarnished any further.On second thought had I committed a crime he would not have stop short at that,he would definitely had indiscriminate me for good,but he did not.He just showered his anger on me and wanted me to pay for leaving them.I gave him that to buy his coffin.My regret was I never been dishonest with them.
It never pays to be honest.Honesty maybe the best policy but there was also a Chinese saying "Being honest - At the end you will surely end up being pauper".
Friday, January 13, 2012
Chaptter 15 St.Andrew Estate,Batng Berjuntai
It was indeed a blessing to have a good testimony from the first Manager.The Manager whom I had worked with since I first joined planting in Hurst Estate and also in Bentong Estate.He gave me that testimony in good faith when I resigned from him to join Kumpulan Guthrie.
It was armed with that, I secured that position in St.Andrew Estate,Batang Berjuntai,Selangor.I never had the full support of Guthries.Had I any thing it would had been nothing but rubbish anyway.Any references to them by any employer would certainly spelled disastrous for me.
I am optimistic I would prevail in any Chinese owned concerned.For Chinese Company wanted only people who could perform with honesty.Most important could make profit for them.Most believe those from the Agency houses were rubbish and corrupted.
They also believed that most plantation planters and their subordinates were heavy drinkers.Admittedly I am not sociable by their standard because I do not drink and mixed around freely.For all I know planters were supposed to work in the interest of the Company And that does not include social drinking or fooling around in clubs.Drinking leads to all other vices without a doubt.
Heavy drinking promotes corruption.Nothing is free in this world and know all Contractors of plantations were ever willing to buy all the planters or their staffs a drink anytime any where,if you are game they were ever ready to serve you..These were often adhere to favors in all future tender for contacts in their plantations.Work performed badly could be adjusted by a few drinks.
With my knowledge and experiences in Chinese owned concerned I was pretty sure I was a force to reckon with and to survive under them were just simply child's play. To be able to toy with their spies and informers were doubtlessly fun requiring a little bit of wits to out outsmart them.
With the removing of the young joker from the Manager's position in St.Andrew Estate I took over the whole set up.For a starter I had the great flood of Kuala Selangor to contend with.That flood came in late Dec.1970.Fortunately where we stayed stood on high ground,so were all the other quarters.
Water,water every where.As we were caught red handed without food supplies we had to purchase them from town.Like us the town proper of Batang Berjuntai was situated on a small hill,thus safe from the flood.All other areas under water.
No small vehicles could endured the high level of the flooding water.There were little sign that the water would be recede within the next few days.With food ration running low we were forced to make a trip to town.Our plantation's lorry came in handy as it could traveled in those flooded estate's road.
Along with us we also had several of our workers.They could be useful just in case we find ourselves in trouble on the way out.Anyway many of them also wanted to replenish their food rations.We were happy we made it to town safely.
Despite the flood the market had its supplies of vegetables,fish and meat.All the sundry shops were opened for business as usual.What a great relief for all of us.The flooding water actually subsided within the next week end.
With the flood gone it was to be followed with cleaning up in the fields.Missing latex cups had to be replaced.Many of them being washed away when the flooding water receded.There were rubbish of broken branches and leaves littering around the base of trees which had to be cleared.Tappers paths and roads also to be cleared properly.
The trees had also to be rested ,thus allowing time for them to recover from the flooding shock,before we resume tapping them.Many new latex cups were purchased to replace those washed away.or buried in mud.The first few days of tapping yielded only a small quantity of latex because the dried up cuts ought to be shaved off first.
When I went there most of the mature fields were established with PBIG seedlings which were extremely low yielding.Then we had slightly better yielding clones such as GT1,PB 86 and RRIM 605.Fortunately we we had some high yielding young fields of clone RRIM 600 and P.B. 5/51.
With such planting materials the crop was therefore not very impressive.The low rubber price did not help then.It did improved after I joined them but the profit obtained was never pleasing to the Bosses.
There was no way you could squeezed extra crop from those present clones.The price although had improved but that meant nothing much because our yield were comparatively low.I even adhered to extra tapping but to no avail..So I suggested to the Bosses to replant all those low yielding fields to Oil Palm which was becoming a crop to watch then.
However, they were doubtful of my capabilities.Any way there was a neglected field of old rubber which was long overdue for replanting.It was there they tested me.Replant that field to Oil Palm without any any estimates.
Oil Palm germinated seeds were ordered by a supplier for the D x P germinated seeds.I created a nursery for those germinated seeds by the canal sides.It was in the middle of the estate and only source of water for the seedlings.When the seeds came in we had them planted in the pre-nursery in tiny polythene bags.
With them healthy with three to four leaves stage we had them transplanted into bigger polythene bags.They were spaced out in the nursery proper and watered by daily sprinkling of water from the canal.
My concentration was on clearing the field for transplanting.The field had a rubber stand of old seedling trees and left in neglected for countless years.The girth of those trees were extremely huge in circumferences.I estimated that we had about eighty trees per acre.
Having been left in a lurch for years the field was over grown with plenty of wild rubber seedlings growing wildly within its inter-rows.Just imagine some of its stand had attained tappable sized.How awful? Having such condition my first thought were to slash them down but with that there be plenty of regenerations of the seedlings That could be more disastrous..
With that out of question next was to poison them with 2-4-5 T tree killer.We gave it a trial but proved costly and futile.Time was running out and in haste I decided to fell those old rubber stand first.Rubber timber was not in demand then.No contractors appeared interested in our job.
So I went on to fall those trees by employing the chain- saws men ourselves.Fortunately I had the support of the Boss to proceed with that.Chain saw workers were recruited to perform those felling on a daily paid basis.
Those people were quite ruthless as they demanded we supply them the fuel also.With alternative we supplied them the petrol.What they did not anticipate was my presence in the field most of the time.Nevertheless work went on smoothly .The old stand were thus cut down with many breakdown cuts of those fallen trees.
The fallen trees were left in the field to dry by itself in the hot sun.In the meantime I also had a "chokra" gang of Javanese workers stacked those broken down cuts.Actually very simple stacking of those which could be carried onto the bigger tree trunks .It was just a simple stacking where ever possible.
When dry sufficiently we set fire to it according the direction of the wind.The fire was very kind to me as it brunt away furiously.It gave me a fantastically good burnt besides it also destroyed a major part of those wild seedlings together with it.Most important the fire killed those wild rubber seedlings far below its root .With that no regeneration of those seedlings were possible.
Following a re-stacking was done on those branches not burnt away.On running through that the remaining wild seedlings were chopped down below ground level and chopped seedlings stacked on to the unburnt plies and again set on fire to burn.The whole process were repeated again and again until we had the whole field cleared just before the rainy season set in.
The cost of the whole clearing job was done below the expected cost comparatively.The drains constructed to suit the planting of rubber when they newly planted that field were left intact.Nevertheless,we left those as they were.
On lining the field we found those drains not a hindrance to the new lining for Oil Palm.Neither did we deepened those drains thereafter or allowed them to be filled up by nature.A simple road system were laid out for that field.
With the onset of the rainy seaon transplanting was planned.The Boss thought it wised to consult with some other planters.They send in you know who?. A certain Lee shin Cheng.Yeah it was him but he was little known then.
Of all bullshit I had to fetch him from town.I waited until he turned up and drove him immediately to the transplanting field.On arrival his immediate reaction was jumping down from the land rover like a hero.
Walked proudly towards a first palm planted and gave it a kick."Look!!! not planted firmly:,he said harshly."Of course it was not,because I had to fetch you first before coming to this field.What do you expect?". Workers were workers they had to instruct them on the spot.I have learned before it does not work that way.Should want it properly done you had to be there.Never depend on your conductors or kanganies.
I hated his guts to be frank for no planter in his right sense would ever kicked the palm as he did.He utterly had no respect for anything as though he was smart.I told him straight in the face,"If you want my job,just take it,and you don't have to do it like that". There after he toned down.The palm was tightly packed thereafter and all other planting rectified.
Those days in 1972 that fellow was not even the Manager Of Bidor Bahru Estate,Bidor.Later I learned that he was just a petrol kiosk owner and his station was directly in the middle of the old Klang Road.Presently no more existing.He told then he was just a pineapple planter on his own plot of land in Klang..
However not long later he took over his cousin in Bidor Bahru Estate.How I know? Because I was his cousin's friend.
That estate was wholly a rubber plantation,yet he talked as though he was an expert.Without a doubt his fortune were excellent that why he was what is today.So Lee what? No big deal.That was the sole contact with this so called big man,he was fortunate I was not his superior otherwise he would be nothing.
It was armed with that, I secured that position in St.Andrew Estate,Batang Berjuntai,Selangor.I never had the full support of Guthries.Had I any thing it would had been nothing but rubbish anyway.Any references to them by any employer would certainly spelled disastrous for me.
I am optimistic I would prevail in any Chinese owned concerned.For Chinese Company wanted only people who could perform with honesty.Most important could make profit for them.Most believe those from the Agency houses were rubbish and corrupted.
They also believed that most plantation planters and their subordinates were heavy drinkers.Admittedly I am not sociable by their standard because I do not drink and mixed around freely.For all I know planters were supposed to work in the interest of the Company And that does not include social drinking or fooling around in clubs.Drinking leads to all other vices without a doubt.
Heavy drinking promotes corruption.Nothing is free in this world and know all Contractors of plantations were ever willing to buy all the planters or their staffs a drink anytime any where,if you are game they were ever ready to serve you..These were often adhere to favors in all future tender for contacts in their plantations.Work performed badly could be adjusted by a few drinks.
With my knowledge and experiences in Chinese owned concerned I was pretty sure I was a force to reckon with and to survive under them were just simply child's play. To be able to toy with their spies and informers were doubtlessly fun requiring a little bit of wits to out outsmart them.
With the removing of the young joker from the Manager's position in St.Andrew Estate I took over the whole set up.For a starter I had the great flood of Kuala Selangor to contend with.That flood came in late Dec.1970.Fortunately where we stayed stood on high ground,so were all the other quarters.
Water,water every where.As we were caught red handed without food supplies we had to purchase them from town.Like us the town proper of Batang Berjuntai was situated on a small hill,thus safe from the flood.All other areas under water.
No small vehicles could endured the high level of the flooding water.There were little sign that the water would be recede within the next few days.With food ration running low we were forced to make a trip to town.Our plantation's lorry came in handy as it could traveled in those flooded estate's road.
Along with us we also had several of our workers.They could be useful just in case we find ourselves in trouble on the way out.Anyway many of them also wanted to replenish their food rations.We were happy we made it to town safely.
Despite the flood the market had its supplies of vegetables,fish and meat.All the sundry shops were opened for business as usual.What a great relief for all of us.The flooding water actually subsided within the next week end.
With the flood gone it was to be followed with cleaning up in the fields.Missing latex cups had to be replaced.Many of them being washed away when the flooding water receded.There were rubbish of broken branches and leaves littering around the base of trees which had to be cleared.Tappers paths and roads also to be cleared properly.
The trees had also to be rested ,thus allowing time for them to recover from the flooding shock,before we resume tapping them.Many new latex cups were purchased to replace those washed away.or buried in mud.The first few days of tapping yielded only a small quantity of latex because the dried up cuts ought to be shaved off first.
When I went there most of the mature fields were established with PBIG seedlings which were extremely low yielding.Then we had slightly better yielding clones such as GT1,PB 86 and RRIM 605.Fortunately we we had some high yielding young fields of clone RRIM 600 and P.B. 5/51.
With such planting materials the crop was therefore not very impressive.The low rubber price did not help then.It did improved after I joined them but the profit obtained was never pleasing to the Bosses.
There was no way you could squeezed extra crop from those present clones.The price although had improved but that meant nothing much because our yield were comparatively low.I even adhered to extra tapping but to no avail..So I suggested to the Bosses to replant all those low yielding fields to Oil Palm which was becoming a crop to watch then.
However, they were doubtful of my capabilities.Any way there was a neglected field of old rubber which was long overdue for replanting.It was there they tested me.Replant that field to Oil Palm without any any estimates.
Oil Palm germinated seeds were ordered by a supplier for the D x P germinated seeds.I created a nursery for those germinated seeds by the canal sides.It was in the middle of the estate and only source of water for the seedlings.When the seeds came in we had them planted in the pre-nursery in tiny polythene bags.
With them healthy with three to four leaves stage we had them transplanted into bigger polythene bags.They were spaced out in the nursery proper and watered by daily sprinkling of water from the canal.
My concentration was on clearing the field for transplanting.The field had a rubber stand of old seedling trees and left in neglected for countless years.The girth of those trees were extremely huge in circumferences.I estimated that we had about eighty trees per acre.
Having been left in a lurch for years the field was over grown with plenty of wild rubber seedlings growing wildly within its inter-rows.Just imagine some of its stand had attained tappable sized.How awful? Having such condition my first thought were to slash them down but with that there be plenty of regenerations of the seedlings That could be more disastrous..
With that out of question next was to poison them with 2-4-5 T tree killer.We gave it a trial but proved costly and futile.Time was running out and in haste I decided to fell those old rubber stand first.Rubber timber was not in demand then.No contractors appeared interested in our job.
So I went on to fall those trees by employing the chain- saws men ourselves.Fortunately I had the support of the Boss to proceed with that.Chain saw workers were recruited to perform those felling on a daily paid basis.
Those people were quite ruthless as they demanded we supply them the fuel also.With alternative we supplied them the petrol.What they did not anticipate was my presence in the field most of the time.Nevertheless work went on smoothly .The old stand were thus cut down with many breakdown cuts of those fallen trees.
The fallen trees were left in the field to dry by itself in the hot sun.In the meantime I also had a "chokra" gang of Javanese workers stacked those broken down cuts.Actually very simple stacking of those which could be carried onto the bigger tree trunks .It was just a simple stacking where ever possible.
When dry sufficiently we set fire to it according the direction of the wind.The fire was very kind to me as it brunt away furiously.It gave me a fantastically good burnt besides it also destroyed a major part of those wild seedlings together with it.Most important the fire killed those wild rubber seedlings far below its root .With that no regeneration of those seedlings were possible.
Following a re-stacking was done on those branches not burnt away.On running through that the remaining wild seedlings were chopped down below ground level and chopped seedlings stacked on to the unburnt plies and again set on fire to burn.The whole process were repeated again and again until we had the whole field cleared just before the rainy season set in.
The cost of the whole clearing job was done below the expected cost comparatively.The drains constructed to suit the planting of rubber when they newly planted that field were left intact.Nevertheless,we left those as they were.
On lining the field we found those drains not a hindrance to the new lining for Oil Palm.Neither did we deepened those drains thereafter or allowed them to be filled up by nature.A simple road system were laid out for that field.
With the onset of the rainy seaon transplanting was planned.The Boss thought it wised to consult with some other planters.They send in you know who?. A certain Lee shin Cheng.Yeah it was him but he was little known then.
Of all bullshit I had to fetch him from town.I waited until he turned up and drove him immediately to the transplanting field.On arrival his immediate reaction was jumping down from the land rover like a hero.
Walked proudly towards a first palm planted and gave it a kick."Look!!! not planted firmly:,he said harshly."Of course it was not,because I had to fetch you first before coming to this field.What do you expect?". Workers were workers they had to instruct them on the spot.I have learned before it does not work that way.Should want it properly done you had to be there.Never depend on your conductors or kanganies.
I hated his guts to be frank for no planter in his right sense would ever kicked the palm as he did.He utterly had no respect for anything as though he was smart.I told him straight in the face,"If you want my job,just take it,and you don't have to do it like that". There after he toned down.The palm was tightly packed thereafter and all other planting rectified.
Those days in 1972 that fellow was not even the Manager Of Bidor Bahru Estate,Bidor.Later I learned that he was just a petrol kiosk owner and his station was directly in the middle of the old Klang Road.Presently no more existing.He told then he was just a pineapple planter on his own plot of land in Klang..
However not long later he took over his cousin in Bidor Bahru Estate.How I know? Because I was his cousin's friend.
That estate was wholly a rubber plantation,yet he talked as though he was an expert.Without a doubt his fortune were excellent that why he was what is today.So Lee what? No big deal.That was the sole contact with this so called big man,he was fortunate I was not his superior otherwise he would be nothing.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Chapter 14 K.C.Cheah Sawmill (Phg.),Karak,Pahang.
Well,what could I do but to follow the leader,I need not wait long before my Auntie offered me a job at K.C.Cheah sawmill,Karrak,Pahang.So we shifted to Karak where we rented a low cost house as residence.
Karak was a small quiet town.A one main road town with a Chinese new village hanging in its back ground and a fast flowing river behind that..Most things were extremely cheap then for the three of us (our new born daughter,Yue Kit,my wife and me).
Actually I was receiving only a small allowance from the sawmill.We were fortunate as a distant relative of my wife offered her to tap in his newly opened up plot of rubber,yielding her some $ 10/= ringgit per day.With that our life were seemingly comfortable.
Of course,it hurts me having to depend partly on my wife's earning to survive comfortably.Say what you may,a man ought to brave sufficiently to face the consequences.Sometimes a lot of patient and guts came along to face what were installed in the future.
The sawmill had much to offer actually and I learned a lot from my stay there.For sure I acquired some knowledge about logging as the Mill had large concession of land for logging. Therefore I acquired much knowledge of the quality and quantity of timber extracted from those forest.
As I was a beginner at the Mill I had to go about mostly all by myself to assist around.There was no one to order me about,so I just hanged around wherever there was work in progress.Funny everyone seem to be suspicious of my movement.Many harbored ill feelings about my present there.That was why no one really bothered about me.
Initially I lived in the Mill in a room provided.Later my wife shifted to Karak and we stayed in Karak town.By then our first child had came along.We were quite happy with our lives although my earnings were not much but we got by..
The mill itself also had much to learn.There I learned how to break down huge logs into required sizes,before sawing them to per specifications.Staying within could mean a guarantee of a good future but I never like its working environment.
There were too many relatives working within the same work place.Everyone with high expectation from the Uncle.
It definitely brought about relationship deterioration, jealousy and discontent among scores of them.
At times a distance uncle or an Uncle's friend might pay a courtesy to the Mill but I simply ignored them.This brought about much complaints that I was arogant and had no respect for them.They expected me to "kowtow"to them which I would condone.
Further I was branded as extremely "hot headed". Many a times back stabbing,with every one trying their level best to get into the good book of our Uncle.Of course there was no need for me to adhere to any of such tactics.I believe on myself.
Also this Mill, was without a strong and efficient leader, everyone seem to be the Boss around.Considering all these I have second thoughts about my future there.That was definitely no place for me.My future need not come by relationship with the Boss.It ought to be through my own hard work and abilities.
By such at least I had something to shout about should I succeed on my own.Earn my status that my children could be proud of in the near future.After pondering over it I was damn sure my future should be in planting never to divert away from it.So with my mind set I once again I took up my pen and wrote away new applications for a planting position.
The so called European Agency may be hostile towards my applications but remember there were also Malaysian owned plantations.It did not take long before I was requested to attend an interview from a Malaysian Owed Plantation.
The Directors were impressed with me and immediately offered me a position to work under some one they had also just recruited.Working under some one else,no big deal.I accepted because I just wanted to return to planting by hook or by crook.
My resignation was not well received by my Uncle.Nevertheless,my mind was made up to leave and I left.It was really a great relief to left his Company.But I know my Auntie was very happy that I could stand up on my own.Well I got her blessings.She had always wanted me to stand up on my own.
I joined St.Andrew Estate,Batang Berjuntai,Selangor in October 1970,working under a young brat.This fellow was a young man who was very out spoken.His sweet talks in Hokkien convinced the Bosses to offer him the Manager position,when in reality he had no or little experience in plantation management.
He was actually bluffing his ways around.He was a joker for all of us including the workers.He was always sleeping in the bungalow and whenever the Boss came to the plantation for a surprised visit.On receiving the news he would take a short run round the field towards the office,coming in panting and sweating profusely as if he had been working very hard in the fields.With sleepy eyes he fooled those Bosses.
Well,he fooled the unsuspecting Boss most of the time.Every one of us knew his bags of tricks. To promote good relationship among all including the "kanganies" he threw a lavish dinner at his bungalow.Well what could I do but to join the leader.When in Rome do as the Romans does.
A leopard never changes its spots,before long this young brat began to show its fangs.He wanted more money for his service and was not satisfied with what he was paid.He hatched out a plan to sell some of our RSS sheets.
He gave instructions for the lorry driver to divert part of the rubber consignment to his brother's rubber dealer's shop in Cheras.He foolishly accompany that consignment.While they were weighing those rubber the Boss suddenly appeared with the Police to arrest him.Having been caught red handed he was thus sacked.All were prosecuted in court.
This young man never opened his eyes and ears widely to look around first before attempting something foolish.Obviously, the lorry driver was a Boss's man.The Boss was actually informed as soon as he re-directed part of the rubber away from the go-down.Secondly it was rather foolish of him to follow that load of rubber.
I had always known that to serve under Malaysian Chinese concerned one must play it smart.See,all Malaysian Chinese concerned usually had plenty of spies around.To work there safely one must bear in mind the rules.Never to trust anyone even those who were very friendly with you.
Another golden rule was never be greedy to accept any small bribes or gifts from anyone.Never allow anyone to pay for even a cop of coffee.Most Bosses had close contact with suppliers we dealt with.Should the suppliers or contractors be extravegrant or lavish,just be careful and never take what they say for granted.For what transpired among you would be relaid back to the Bosses.
My experiences with such people dated back to Hurst Estate,Gunong Inas Estate,Benton Estate and again going through Ulu Selangor Estate,meeting many of such people.They stopped at nothing to get into the good books of the Bosses.
Presently I am doubly sure of my standing and know how to tackle all these Bosses' informer or even the Bosses,themselves.All their movements and thoughts were always within my finger tips.Well, for one their body languages easily gave them away.I am also a good mind reader.What I had acquired in my past experiences were very useful in my future in planting.
In St Andrew I was no more the young nervous young man.In fact I was already a transformed man,a man ready to face any challenges.I was more bold in my actions.Of course being honest,sincerity and hard working were always the best policies.Coupling with these ought to be satisfied with what ever you were paid.Reward had its way of finding you.
Have no doubt over that.I took up the job here without even considering the pay.Believe me no others would have accepted that. And even worst still had to serve under some one so stupid and without any experience in planting.
My patient finally paid off finally when he was sacked for attempting to sell rubber belonging to the Company.He was shifted out with immediate effect and I stood in place to replace him.That was the day we always remembered as following that event the great flood in Kuala Selangor set in.
Karak was a small quiet town.A one main road town with a Chinese new village hanging in its back ground and a fast flowing river behind that..Most things were extremely cheap then for the three of us (our new born daughter,Yue Kit,my wife and me).
Actually I was receiving only a small allowance from the sawmill.We were fortunate as a distant relative of my wife offered her to tap in his newly opened up plot of rubber,yielding her some $ 10/= ringgit per day.With that our life were seemingly comfortable.
Of course,it hurts me having to depend partly on my wife's earning to survive comfortably.Say what you may,a man ought to brave sufficiently to face the consequences.Sometimes a lot of patient and guts came along to face what were installed in the future.
The sawmill had much to offer actually and I learned a lot from my stay there.For sure I acquired some knowledge about logging as the Mill had large concession of land for logging. Therefore I acquired much knowledge of the quality and quantity of timber extracted from those forest.
As I was a beginner at the Mill I had to go about mostly all by myself to assist around.There was no one to order me about,so I just hanged around wherever there was work in progress.Funny everyone seem to be suspicious of my movement.Many harbored ill feelings about my present there.That was why no one really bothered about me.
Initially I lived in the Mill in a room provided.Later my wife shifted to Karak and we stayed in Karak town.By then our first child had came along.We were quite happy with our lives although my earnings were not much but we got by..
The mill itself also had much to learn.There I learned how to break down huge logs into required sizes,before sawing them to per specifications.Staying within could mean a guarantee of a good future but I never like its working environment.
There were too many relatives working within the same work place.Everyone with high expectation from the Uncle.
It definitely brought about relationship deterioration, jealousy and discontent among scores of them.
At times a distance uncle or an Uncle's friend might pay a courtesy to the Mill but I simply ignored them.This brought about much complaints that I was arogant and had no respect for them.They expected me to "kowtow"to them which I would condone.
Further I was branded as extremely "hot headed". Many a times back stabbing,with every one trying their level best to get into the good book of our Uncle.Of course there was no need for me to adhere to any of such tactics.I believe on myself.
Also this Mill, was without a strong and efficient leader, everyone seem to be the Boss around.Considering all these I have second thoughts about my future there.That was definitely no place for me.My future need not come by relationship with the Boss.It ought to be through my own hard work and abilities.
By such at least I had something to shout about should I succeed on my own.Earn my status that my children could be proud of in the near future.After pondering over it I was damn sure my future should be in planting never to divert away from it.So with my mind set I once again I took up my pen and wrote away new applications for a planting position.
The so called European Agency may be hostile towards my applications but remember there were also Malaysian owned plantations.It did not take long before I was requested to attend an interview from a Malaysian Owed Plantation.
The Directors were impressed with me and immediately offered me a position to work under some one they had also just recruited.Working under some one else,no big deal.I accepted because I just wanted to return to planting by hook or by crook.
My resignation was not well received by my Uncle.Nevertheless,my mind was made up to leave and I left.It was really a great relief to left his Company.But I know my Auntie was very happy that I could stand up on my own.Well I got her blessings.She had always wanted me to stand up on my own.
I joined St.Andrew Estate,Batang Berjuntai,Selangor in October 1970,working under a young brat.This fellow was a young man who was very out spoken.His sweet talks in Hokkien convinced the Bosses to offer him the Manager position,when in reality he had no or little experience in plantation management.
He was actually bluffing his ways around.He was a joker for all of us including the workers.He was always sleeping in the bungalow and whenever the Boss came to the plantation for a surprised visit.On receiving the news he would take a short run round the field towards the office,coming in panting and sweating profusely as if he had been working very hard in the fields.With sleepy eyes he fooled those Bosses.
Well,he fooled the unsuspecting Boss most of the time.Every one of us knew his bags of tricks. To promote good relationship among all including the "kanganies" he threw a lavish dinner at his bungalow.Well what could I do but to join the leader.When in Rome do as the Romans does.
A leopard never changes its spots,before long this young brat began to show its fangs.He wanted more money for his service and was not satisfied with what he was paid.He hatched out a plan to sell some of our RSS sheets.
He gave instructions for the lorry driver to divert part of the rubber consignment to his brother's rubber dealer's shop in Cheras.He foolishly accompany that consignment.While they were weighing those rubber the Boss suddenly appeared with the Police to arrest him.Having been caught red handed he was thus sacked.All were prosecuted in court.
This young man never opened his eyes and ears widely to look around first before attempting something foolish.Obviously, the lorry driver was a Boss's man.The Boss was actually informed as soon as he re-directed part of the rubber away from the go-down.Secondly it was rather foolish of him to follow that load of rubber.
I had always known that to serve under Malaysian Chinese concerned one must play it smart.See,all Malaysian Chinese concerned usually had plenty of spies around.To work there safely one must bear in mind the rules.Never to trust anyone even those who were very friendly with you.
Another golden rule was never be greedy to accept any small bribes or gifts from anyone.Never allow anyone to pay for even a cop of coffee.Most Bosses had close contact with suppliers we dealt with.Should the suppliers or contractors be extravegrant or lavish,just be careful and never take what they say for granted.For what transpired among you would be relaid back to the Bosses.
My experiences with such people dated back to Hurst Estate,Gunong Inas Estate,Benton Estate and again going through Ulu Selangor Estate,meeting many of such people.They stopped at nothing to get into the good books of the Bosses.
Presently I am doubly sure of my standing and know how to tackle all these Bosses' informer or even the Bosses,themselves.All their movements and thoughts were always within my finger tips.Well, for one their body languages easily gave them away.I am also a good mind reader.What I had acquired in my past experiences were very useful in my future in planting.
In St Andrew I was no more the young nervous young man.In fact I was already a transformed man,a man ready to face any challenges.I was more bold in my actions.Of course being honest,sincerity and hard working were always the best policies.Coupling with these ought to be satisfied with what ever you were paid.Reward had its way of finding you.
Have no doubt over that.I took up the job here without even considering the pay.Believe me no others would have accepted that. And even worst still had to serve under some one so stupid and without any experience in planting.
My patient finally paid off finally when he was sacked for attempting to sell rubber belonging to the Company.He was shifted out with immediate effect and I stood in place to replace him.That was the day we always remembered as following that event the great flood in Kuala Selangor set in.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Chapter 13 Home Sweet Home
With no where to turn to, I was forced to return home in Teluk Anson..Yes, Home sweet home with the rest of my family members.In the comfort of home, I seemingly was missing something in my life.I was now so lonely with no shoulder to hang on to.
Opposite our rented house was where an old frame once dwelt.The house where I visited her was still there but without any sign of her or her siblings. Their home had been sold and they had moved out. Further,she was already married.Presently I had returned home a shameful man.A failure so point seeing her or even any old friends.I had nothing to prove.
I went around town alone without any intention of meeting any old friends.No point rejoining any of them since I had disassociated myself with most of them.I just cycled and cycled aimlessly around. I do not want to revert to the old,old ways.The bad past was already the past,we got to move forward.
Then I came to a tiny jetty where I stood starring the the rising of high tide. The sound of waves after waves splashing on its river banks making some rhythmic sound.The cool breeze came along giving me some cold, cold feelings.Yeah,funny this was the river that I learned to swim when as a young boy,so I was never scared of it.
This was the very river I had learned to swim in. I can float in it and swim like a fish in it.As I watched the water movement my mind ran across many things.Many sweet memories of the past came into my mind.Of course the bad ones also came by.
My thinking then came on to my present situation and tear drops appeared within my eyes.Bravely I wiped off those tears away.No use crying over split milk,I got to think of my future.True, a job was much in dire need but something more important in my life should also be sorted out.I require someone to share my moments of glories and failures.
Someone that I truly love and adored ,most important be a partner of my life.That some one should have the courage to share my life.Whose shoulder was bold and strong sufficiently to with stand the weight of my weary head.And most important to console me me time of need.Many men are weaklings.Most may appeared strong and hard headed but with an extremely fragile heart
My mind ran through a number of candidates-girl friends of the past..But with the old frame was no more round to re-kindle any burning desire for her.There was no denial that I truly loved her very much.Now that I cannot bring her back and she gone forever, that ought not to be the end of the world for me.
I had to sort out the next in line.My mind ran through a long list of lovely women friends in my life.Well,there was the church where I met that first girl.There were a couple of beauties there those schooling days.Unfortunately,I had not been in contact with any of them for so long.My returning to that church would had surprised many,but that was only what I had in mind.
My failures stopped me from going into that church.Had I been a success returning would had meant something not when this time I had returned in shame.I definitely do not like sympathetic looks at me specially at such an hour of need.I was not a believer then.So I stayed away.
Then,there was one I was kissed and then good-bye in my first days in Hurst Estate Taiping,Perak..It had been years ago since I left in a lurched and I was never in touch with her.Maybe she was by now happily attached to some one else.No point digging up old tales which could hurt her more.So allowed whatever be as it was..
In my home town there were at least two of them but similarly had no contact with them,only scarcely meeting only when home.This time while at home my mind was not thinking of them either,do allowed them be.
My mind drifted from Perak to Pahang.Ah, here was where I had the most girls friends.There was an acquaintance whom I met and went out with a couple of times but later she returned to Raub never to be heard again.She was lovely but did not have the charm to bind me up.and be faithful to her.
Then came to my mind my present day wife.We had been steady for more than two years before we parted.She was always loving towards me.There was no denying that she was very beautiful.She was the loveliest of them all.She was badly hurt when we separated.In her broken heart days she even left Bentong to work else where.
We had parted for more than one and a half years.To win her back would be mountain too high to surmount.But having the sole aim to win her back nothing would be insurmountable.Another thing was I had lost contact with her now was locating her appeared an impossible task.With all her friends hostile towards me the mission seemingly impossible.
I believe when there was a heart and will,everything should prevail, nothing were impossible.Her friends would not trust me that was for sure but my friends would.Well,it was simple just be sincere with my mission, my sincerity and right altitude could drive home my point. My truthful should win their compassion to divert her where about to me..Through them I got her address.
Of course there was a very young girl whom I befriended during my final days in Bentong.I believe she did loved me too.However just loving me was insufficient I require something more from her.Her support in glory and failures were imperative. Here I was in want of some one to hang my head in those time of need.
Further my mind ran through some others who had fleeting moments with me.Maybe they were just passing passion nothing big to contemplate with.Well,those were however never proven.
Right now I faced my own dilemma.I required immediately someone to lift me up.My spirit was at its lowest ebb. I was in dire need for some one to support me and help me,guiding me,walking with me as I surged ahead in the days to come.Men I believe were quite timid animals and their heart extremely fragile.In times of failures they most require some one's shoulder to cry on.
The address I received in good faith came in handy.Without hesitation I packed and left for the addressed destination that was Yong Peng.Yong Peng?. Never been there but to find her I must venture there without fail.
The taxi took me there ,arriving in the afternoon after a few hours.Instinctively I took up a room at the sole hotel in the one street town.Following I immediately went out to locate her .As it was a cowboy town,finding her was easy.
The hair dressing saloon where she worked had no customer at that hour.So I just walked in to greet her.Well she was caught with full of surprises but nevertheless glad that I came to see her.Without hesitation I drove home my point being there.It definitely caught her off guard.
There were little doubt that she still loved me very much as her response were so positive.She accepted me without any regrets and I kissed her passionately on the spot.No big deal I had won her back with eased.That evening we had dinner together.
The eyes of the town younger male folks were glaring angrily at my presence but I just ignored them.Well there were some admirers of her.Maybe I came just in time before she was courted by some locals there.
When I first set eyes on her she was more beautiful than before.With short trimmed hair and a slimmer out look.Extremely fair,charming and beautiful.Who would not fall for her.I consider myself damn lucky to have bulged in at he right timing,failing which could be disastrous for me forever.
There were no doubt that I swept her off her feet with my sincerity and excellent altitude.She had no reply with my direct approach.Flabbergasted? Maybe.I left after re-confirming everything with her.Only to return to take her home for good a week later.We actually married immediately thereafter at the Registrar of Marriages,Teluk Anson.My uncle and brother stood as our witnesses. That was in 1968.
With that settled,my mind at eased I easily secured another position as Manager of Ulu Selangor Estate,Kuala Kubu Bahru.This was a very hilly rubber plantation.The plantation was actually situated on part of a very steep part of a hill.Be fore I took over that plantation
The plantation was well known for an accident along the high way between the estate and Rasa.The road accident happened in the early morning while its lorry was transporting tappers to work.The crush killed twenty over of its tappers on the spot.
I never like the way the estate was ran - on contract.Every thing in contract.Contractor having a strong hold over everything.Manager just hanging around at his mercy.Not me I tried to wrestle all from him but unfortunately the Boss trusted him more than me.So with no other alternative I was forced to leave.It was either him or me.
There were no official housing for us so we had to rent a shop lot for office cum home,located in town.My conductor stayed with me in another room.While there we also made a number of friends.In a small town like that,everyone seem to know each other.
I was jobless for a short spell.Now armed with better experiences I think I could fare better in future planting position,but my Auntie seeing my joblessness offered a job at her husband's sawmill. Well,no harm venturing in that new post offered.Maybe I could learn and experience new things.It was as per Chinese saying,"Riding a cow to look for a horse".
What it be my mind still was all gamed for future planting life.I never gave up hope for returning to planting.Thus I began applying for position in that field.To my dismay I soon found that all my applications to the western sector wee all rejected.Apparently they made sure I have no future with them.Therefore my bad name spread far and wide.
That certainly dealt a cruel blow to my future in planting.I felt frustrated.However,I refused those failures to deter me,I continued writing despite knowing my short comings.There were no replies to all my applications.Many just simply ignored my applications.
It was really disheartening not receiving even a simple reply.My frustration led me to conceive the notion of giving up for good. In despair I refused to yield to their onslaught.I continued with my applications whenever there were opportunities advertised in the medias.Sometimes no replies could mean some other things.Was it so?.
Opposite our rented house was where an old frame once dwelt.The house where I visited her was still there but without any sign of her or her siblings. Their home had been sold and they had moved out. Further,she was already married.Presently I had returned home a shameful man.A failure so point seeing her or even any old friends.I had nothing to prove.
I went around town alone without any intention of meeting any old friends.No point rejoining any of them since I had disassociated myself with most of them.I just cycled and cycled aimlessly around. I do not want to revert to the old,old ways.The bad past was already the past,we got to move forward.
Then I came to a tiny jetty where I stood starring the the rising of high tide. The sound of waves after waves splashing on its river banks making some rhythmic sound.The cool breeze came along giving me some cold, cold feelings.Yeah,funny this was the river that I learned to swim when as a young boy,so I was never scared of it.
This was the very river I had learned to swim in. I can float in it and swim like a fish in it.As I watched the water movement my mind ran across many things.Many sweet memories of the past came into my mind.Of course the bad ones also came by.
My thinking then came on to my present situation and tear drops appeared within my eyes.Bravely I wiped off those tears away.No use crying over split milk,I got to think of my future.True, a job was much in dire need but something more important in my life should also be sorted out.I require someone to share my moments of glories and failures.
Someone that I truly love and adored ,most important be a partner of my life.That some one should have the courage to share my life.Whose shoulder was bold and strong sufficiently to with stand the weight of my weary head.And most important to console me me time of need.Many men are weaklings.Most may appeared strong and hard headed but with an extremely fragile heart
My mind ran through a number of candidates-girl friends of the past..But with the old frame was no more round to re-kindle any burning desire for her.There was no denial that I truly loved her very much.Now that I cannot bring her back and she gone forever, that ought not to be the end of the world for me.
I had to sort out the next in line.My mind ran through a long list of lovely women friends in my life.Well,there was the church where I met that first girl.There were a couple of beauties there those schooling days.Unfortunately,I had not been in contact with any of them for so long.My returning to that church would had surprised many,but that was only what I had in mind.
My failures stopped me from going into that church.Had I been a success returning would had meant something not when this time I had returned in shame.I definitely do not like sympathetic looks at me specially at such an hour of need.I was not a believer then.So I stayed away.
Then,there was one I was kissed and then good-bye in my first days in Hurst Estate Taiping,Perak..It had been years ago since I left in a lurched and I was never in touch with her.Maybe she was by now happily attached to some one else.No point digging up old tales which could hurt her more.So allowed whatever be as it was..
In my home town there were at least two of them but similarly had no contact with them,only scarcely meeting only when home.This time while at home my mind was not thinking of them either,do allowed them be.
My mind drifted from Perak to Pahang.Ah, here was where I had the most girls friends.There was an acquaintance whom I met and went out with a couple of times but later she returned to Raub never to be heard again.She was lovely but did not have the charm to bind me up.and be faithful to her.
Then came to my mind my present day wife.We had been steady for more than two years before we parted.She was always loving towards me.There was no denying that she was very beautiful.She was the loveliest of them all.She was badly hurt when we separated.In her broken heart days she even left Bentong to work else where.
We had parted for more than one and a half years.To win her back would be mountain too high to surmount.But having the sole aim to win her back nothing would be insurmountable.Another thing was I had lost contact with her now was locating her appeared an impossible task.With all her friends hostile towards me the mission seemingly impossible.
I believe when there was a heart and will,everything should prevail, nothing were impossible.Her friends would not trust me that was for sure but my friends would.Well,it was simple just be sincere with my mission, my sincerity and right altitude could drive home my point. My truthful should win their compassion to divert her where about to me..Through them I got her address.
Of course there was a very young girl whom I befriended during my final days in Bentong.I believe she did loved me too.However just loving me was insufficient I require something more from her.Her support in glory and failures were imperative. Here I was in want of some one to hang my head in those time of need.
Further my mind ran through some others who had fleeting moments with me.Maybe they were just passing passion nothing big to contemplate with.Well,those were however never proven.
Right now I faced my own dilemma.I required immediately someone to lift me up.My spirit was at its lowest ebb. I was in dire need for some one to support me and help me,guiding me,walking with me as I surged ahead in the days to come.Men I believe were quite timid animals and their heart extremely fragile.In times of failures they most require some one's shoulder to cry on.
The address I received in good faith came in handy.Without hesitation I packed and left for the addressed destination that was Yong Peng.Yong Peng?. Never been there but to find her I must venture there without fail.
The taxi took me there ,arriving in the afternoon after a few hours.Instinctively I took up a room at the sole hotel in the one street town.Following I immediately went out to locate her .As it was a cowboy town,finding her was easy.
The hair dressing saloon where she worked had no customer at that hour.So I just walked in to greet her.Well she was caught with full of surprises but nevertheless glad that I came to see her.Without hesitation I drove home my point being there.It definitely caught her off guard.
There were little doubt that she still loved me very much as her response were so positive.She accepted me without any regrets and I kissed her passionately on the spot.No big deal I had won her back with eased.That evening we had dinner together.
The eyes of the town younger male folks were glaring angrily at my presence but I just ignored them.Well there were some admirers of her.Maybe I came just in time before she was courted by some locals there.
When I first set eyes on her she was more beautiful than before.With short trimmed hair and a slimmer out look.Extremely fair,charming and beautiful.Who would not fall for her.I consider myself damn lucky to have bulged in at he right timing,failing which could be disastrous for me forever.
There were no doubt that I swept her off her feet with my sincerity and excellent altitude.She had no reply with my direct approach.Flabbergasted? Maybe.I left after re-confirming everything with her.Only to return to take her home for good a week later.We actually married immediately thereafter at the Registrar of Marriages,Teluk Anson.My uncle and brother stood as our witnesses. That was in 1968.
With that settled,my mind at eased I easily secured another position as Manager of Ulu Selangor Estate,Kuala Kubu Bahru.This was a very hilly rubber plantation.The plantation was actually situated on part of a very steep part of a hill.Be fore I took over that plantation
The plantation was well known for an accident along the high way between the estate and Rasa.The road accident happened in the early morning while its lorry was transporting tappers to work.The crush killed twenty over of its tappers on the spot.
I never like the way the estate was ran - on contract.Every thing in contract.Contractor having a strong hold over everything.Manager just hanging around at his mercy.Not me I tried to wrestle all from him but unfortunately the Boss trusted him more than me.So with no other alternative I was forced to leave.It was either him or me.
There were no official housing for us so we had to rent a shop lot for office cum home,located in town.My conductor stayed with me in another room.While there we also made a number of friends.In a small town like that,everyone seem to know each other.
I was jobless for a short spell.Now armed with better experiences I think I could fare better in future planting position,but my Auntie seeing my joblessness offered a job at her husband's sawmill. Well,no harm venturing in that new post offered.Maybe I could learn and experience new things.It was as per Chinese saying,"Riding a cow to look for a horse".
What it be my mind still was all gamed for future planting life.I never gave up hope for returning to planting.Thus I began applying for position in that field.To my dismay I soon found that all my applications to the western sector wee all rejected.Apparently they made sure I have no future with them.Therefore my bad name spread far and wide.
That certainly dealt a cruel blow to my future in planting.I felt frustrated.However,I refused those failures to deter me,I continued writing despite knowing my short comings.There were no replies to all my applications.Many just simply ignored my applications.
It was really disheartening not receiving even a simple reply.My frustration led me to conceive the notion of giving up for good. In despair I refused to yield to their onslaught.I continued with my applications whenever there were opportunities advertised in the medias.Sometimes no replies could mean some other things.Was it so?.
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