Palm Oil Image Overseas

3 October 2009
A concerned reader form Toronto Canada commented in The Star to neutralise negative views of palm oil. He suggested that MPOC reviews its own marketing strategies and public statements so that concerns raised by Western environmental groups can be addressed, rather than refuted. I agree that Malaysia has to distance itself from the slash and burn practices of the Indonesians. Our Malaysian planters are more professional in our land cultivation and management practices and that we have embarked upon projects that showed the world that Malaysian palm oil is sustainably cultivated. We have addressed the issue of the Orang Utans and other endangered species by developing the Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Sabah and preserving all the species there, including the rhinos, Malayan Tiger, etc. We avoided planting in areas deemed to have a much richer biodiversity by cultivating oil palm on less fertile soils, like peat and others. The Malaysian government also practise strict policing of sustainable policies on the ground. Whatever good we have done are not highlighted in foreign papers, hence our international readers only know about the bad side of palm oil, the recent one being the rape and apparent cover-up of the logging incidents. Malaysia must act fast to defend Malaysian palm oil, our major source of income.

Malaysia - Tanah Tumpahnya Darah ku

16 September 2009
Today is the day when Malaysia was formed, with the inclusion of Sabah and Sarawak. Today Malaysia celebrates 46 years of its formation and unision with the two sovereign states mentioned earlier. It was a great idea of our former Prime Minister, Tengku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj to include the two former colonies of British Borneo to join Malaya in forming Malaysia. We have now a bigger melting pot of races - Malays, Chinese, Indians, Sikhs, Kadazans, Bidayuh, Melanau, Dayak, Bajau, Penans, etc,etc. Our country is so blessed, we have peace and prosperity and the promise of 1Malaysia strengthens the bondage amongst all the diverse races.
1Malaysia disandarkan kepada 3 teras dalam memperkukuhkan perpaduan nasional ia-itu:
Prinsip Penerimaan, Prinsip Kenegaraan, Prinsip Keadilan Sosial. Our tagline Rakyat di dahulukan, Pencapaian diutamakan.Justeru pemimpin dan rakyat perlu saling memahami dan menghayati lapan nilai IMalaysia, ia-itu Budaya Kecemerlangan, Ketabahan, Rendah Hati, Penerimaan, Kesetiaan, Meritokrasi, Pendidikan dan Integriti.
PS1. About 2 months ago, Bank Negara Malaysia(BNM) released its new RM50 note. Of course, the Ist Yang Di Pertuan Agong continued to grace the new Ringgit, highlighted with our national flower, the Bunga Raya. It was obvious the striking splash of red differentiates the old and the new note. I was really proud to see that the new RM50 note also carried the image of the hybrid oil palm species, short and sturdy. Of course, it was nostalgic to see the proud image of our Tengku shouting "Merdeka!" seven times. Malaysia, Tanah air ku, Tanah tumpahnya darah ku.....

PS2. 16 September has been declared a public holiday beginning 2010 to commemorate Malaysia Day.

1Malaysia

Saturday 6th September 2009
Today we broke our fast at the Dome in Subang Parade. Actually, I missed my favourite snack there - Bruschetta. As we entered, we saw one group consisting of a Chinese family already seated at the front corner table. The table next to ours was a Malay couple with a little kid in the stroller. Besides ordering Bruschetta as a starter, we also ordered other dishes as well. Just as we were waiting for the break fast time, came an Indian waiter informing us that we could now break fast. Quite bewildered., I asked him, "Bang (meaning Azan) already?" and he replied "Yes, already," with a twist of the head, typical of our Indian friends. Hmmm, I told my husband this is truly 1Malaysia in action. An Indian informing the Malays that its time to break our fast, in the company of a Chinese family having their dinner.
1Malaysia - Rakyat di Didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan. This is a noble aim for all Malaysians to achieve. Congratulations to our Prime Minister for reviving the spirit for all Malaysians.

I remembered this spirit of togetherness was forever alive  when we were overseas, especially amongst students studying in a foreign country. When I first went to UK to further my studies, I stopped by London for a nite or two before proceeding to Loughborough University. Not knowing how to go there, I enquired some students around how to reach there. Coincidentally, there was someone going to the same University. She was Esther Lim, a sweet Chinese girl also being offered the same Masters in Library Studies programme. So we went together on the same coach. While in Loughborough, of course, I made beautiful friends, Malays, Chinese and Indians alike.  People like Husna, Tuan Ngah, Norhayati, Zainab, Rahman, Mr Wong Tuck Chong, Norfizah, Zul, Ghafur, Ghazie, Lawrence, Amir, Siva, Md Did, Mariam and husband Zul, Norli, Jack  etc, etc.  Eventhough it was 34 years ago, the spirit lived on, the memories played on........and can never fade away.

PS Both Husna and I revisited Loughborough in July 2008. It was a very nostalgic visit....walking past the Faulkner and Eggington Court where we used to stay and play together, strolling along Forest Road to go to the market every Thursday, taking the bus to Nottingham almost every weekend....

MALAYSIA - Tanah Air Ku

Monday 31 August 2009
Malaysia celebrated her 52nd Birthday today! In the Star, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad splashed out a full page advertisement, wishing all Malaysians A Happy 52nd Merdeka. The advert carried a beautiful image of 3 little chidren brandishing the Jalur Gemilang, against the background of an oil palm plantation. I thought this is a very symbolic image of the future of Malaysia - One Nation. One Dream.
The night before on Astro, I was attracted to the Cerita Anak Malaysia (CAM), featuring Chef Wan, the No I in the World Celebrity Chef. I did not know that Chef Wan grew up in the midst of the oil palm in a
FELDA Scheme in the sixties. He seemed nostalgic in the episode which was shot at his kampung, reminded him how he toiled the land with his father and brothers, performed the assisted pollination, carried the big Fresh Fruit Bunches(FFB), cried out for his father when he saw snakes sliding through the palms in the late evenings before going back home.Definitely, Chef Wan is a second generation FELDA settler, and a very succesful one at that. Congratulations to him, with his passion for cooking and a dtermination to be successful, he travelled around the world, but never forgetting his roots. A true Malaysian!
P/S I remembered Chef Wan well when we invited him over to Rumah PUSPANITA in the late 1990s to grace the occassion of A Cooking Demo using Palm Oil. Of course, the ladies enjoyed his joke here and there....macam mak nenek!

Joint Ventures(JV)

Monday 24 August 2009
Today, I read the Star and agree totally with our YAB Prime Minister when he said that RISDA, FELCRA, and FELDA should form a business consortium to carry out critical downstream activities. He said he was confident that the threeagricultural agencies could multiply their profits and eradicate poverty by working together. "The three remain separate but the projects can be carried out together through a consortium.
He further suggested that these agro aagencies could jointly set up a palm oil mill so that the oil palm fruits harvested at their plantations be sent at one processing centre to extract the oil, resulting in bigger economic profits for all. As a Prime Minister, YAB Datuk Seri Najib could see the macro outlook of strategic partnership, the economics of integrating facilities for the economic benefit of the stakeholders in such a joint venture. Afterall, it is for the ultimate aim of producing more palm oil for the country.
As a former government servant, I look forward to such innovative approach in national development. I am pretty sure such an idea never occurred in the minds of the CEOs of the agencies concerned because each Management is too busy trying to better their corporate performance, maybe solving problems at the micro level that they cannot see the macro side of things ie local joint ventures with sister organizations.. We need such Think Big ideas to benefit the rakyat.

Knowledge Sharing

Sunday 23 August 2009

On Wednesday 19 August, I was invited as a guest lecturer to give a talk to a group of Masters Students taking the Masters in Library Studies at UiTM Campus Puncak Perdana, Shah Alam. Prof Dr Szarina in particular wanted me to talk on Information Entrepreneurship, a subject very new to our local library and information scene. I was at first reluctant to take up the offer because I had to dig up my files and I did not know where to retrieve them. Well, she persuaded me nevertheless, and of course deep in my heart, I felt it an obligation that I must do it. I believe knowledge must be imparted and must be shared, especially amongst young people who are enthusiastic to learn and thirsty for knowledge.
As I walked into the lecture room, I could see the smiles on the fresh young faces and I know I must make my talk interesting. Of course, I have already prepared my slide presentation, so it was an easy task for me running through the presentation. I broke the monotony by asking what is it that made them want to take up librarianship as a degree. They answered me well but I was not convinced with some of the answers, like they knew better how to look for information and references, compared to their friends who were not taught the skills to source for information.
I hope my talk has inspired them to internalise all the information, knowledge and experiences that they undergo while studying for their Masters and try to translate them for application in their future jobs and their workplaces upon their return.
I did exactly that whenever I went overseas to deliver a paper at any Conference or upon return from any Familiarization Visit sent by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board(MPOB). I would always be looking out for new and interesting features that I would be able to adopt and adapt at my workplace upon my return. I told the students also that as librarians and knowledge workers, we should "menghayati" what it is that we can develop into an anchor product and/or service out of the resources that we handle everyday at our workplace. For MPOB, it is the R&D findings which actually are the corporate assets, the Intellectual Property(IP) that I had capitalised on and processed them into a database, PALMOILIS, which is now being subscribed by members of the palm oil industry. I told them that we should listen to our readers, our customers, what actually they want from our information service.
When I retired from government service at the end of 2005, I have left behind a 'legacy' (if I may use the term), a one-stop reference and information centre on oil palm /palm oil, providing a good physical environment for my dedicated staff to work in, an all-encompassing science and technology centre on the R&D achievements of the commodity, and a tourist attraction for the general public to know more about Malaysia's Golden Crop. See it for yourself at http://palmoilis.mpob.gov.my/Vtour/index.htm

Orang Utans to the Rescue

August 18 2009
Today in the Star 18 August 2009, I saw an article which delighted me tremendously. Rhino rescue - Tam, a mature male found wandering in an oil palm estate a year ago, will be the first resident of a new rhino sanctuary in Sabah. The sanctuary is an initiative jointly set up by Sime Darby Foundation and the Sabah Governmnet. Congratulations to Sime Darby, the biggest conglomerate player in the Malaysian palm oil industry! The company will be pumping in RM7.3 million, including RM5mil for the infrastructure to build the 4,500ha for the rhinos in the Tabin Wildlife Reserve. The project is part of Sime Darby's Big 9 campaign to protect 9 endangered Malaysian animal species - the Sumatran Rhino, Orang Utan, Hornbill, Sun Bear, Banteng(Wild Cattle), Clouded Leopard, Pygmy Elephant, Proboscis Monkey and the Malayan Tiger. Good for the Orang Utans. This is a noble act not only to preserve our own species, but also to show the world that Malaysian oil palm industry is not destroying the natural habitat of the Orang Utans.