PROUD PLANTERS

Oil palm seeds to cost 30pc more

2011-09-06T12:49:00.001+08:00

The increase is due to the recent hike in labour wages and foreign worker levy, fertiliser cost, electricity tariff and packaging material cost, says a director of Applied Agricultural Resources

Sungai Buloh: The price of oil palm seeds, now at RM1.85 each, will be raised by 30 per cent to RM2.35 starting January next year.

Business Times also understands that the higher grade semi-clonal seeds will be priced 45 per cent more at RM2.70.

"Over the years, we have invested heavily in oil palm breeding. This has enabled us to improve the seeds for higher yields. Most of the major seed producers in the country have also made similar price increases for 2012. It has been RM1.85 per seed since 2007," said Applied Agricultural Resources Sdn Bhd's (AAR) director of research Dr Kee Khan Kiang.

AAR, which advises more than 350,000ha of oil palm and rubber estates in Malaysia and Indonesia, is an associate company of Boustead Holdings Bhd and Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd, two highly successful public-listed companies.

Kee, in an interview at his office, said the decision to raise the price of oil palm seeds was due to cost rises.

"With the recent hike in labour wages and foreign worker levy, fertiliser cost, electricity tariff and packaging material cost, we have no choice, but to raise seed pricings," he said.

This is because starting this month, plantation firms will pay a minimum wage of RM650 per month to plantation workers, with an additional productivity-linked RM200 incentive.

It is estimated that this 10 per cent wage hike for employees would cost the industry an additional RM300 million per year. The arrears of wages and ex-gratia payment would further incur an additional RM364 million.

On the whole, the implementation of this new wage and extra remuneration will double Malayan Agricultural Producers Association (Mapa) members' oil palm production costs to RM2.2 billion from RM1.1 billion. AAR's parent companies are Mapa members.

"We've tried to absorb these costs, but at the same time, we need to take care of our shareholders' interest," he added.

To add salt to the wound, the Home Ministry has increased overall foreign worker levy by RM50, meaning employers in the plantation industry need to pay a higher levy of RM590 per worker.

"Whatever that is impacting plantation companies has a chain reaction on seed producers like us. We're equally hurt by these inflated costs," said Kee.

Major seed producers like Felda Agricultural Services Sdn Bhd, Sime Darby Seeds & Agricultural Services Sdn Bhd and AAR will, therefore, be facing burgeoning labour cost.

Since 1986, AAR has been one of the 10 licensed seed producers in the country, contributing to the replanting of unproductive trees so as to raise the national oil palm yield.

According to Malaysian Palm Oil Board, some 40 million germinated seeds have already been planted by farmers in the first seven months of this year.

Most of the replanting of old trees have been carried out in Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia while new plantings are undertaken in Sarawak.

For this year, Kee said, AAR is hoping to sell 8.5 million oil palm seeds this year, having sold 7.2 million last year.

"We already have confirmed bookings for 8.6 million seeds in hand with deposits paid. Orders are still pouring in, but unfortunately, we cannot meet the demand for this year," he said.

The Soy Deception: How Palm Oil is Protecting the Amazon Rain Forest

2009-12-04T14:15:00.004+08:00

When I searched the net to find out Deforestation : oil palm cultivation vs soybean cultivation, I found this interesting article from the source http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/soy-deception-article.htm

Have you ever wonder that if oil palm had not been introduced to Indonesia and Malaysia, we would not have cleared jungles for developing into oil palm plantations. Then more jungles in Americas and Europe could have been cleared for soybean and other oil crop during the past 100 years! Perthaps the whole Amazon rain forest could have been gone by now after being cleared for soybean and other oil crop cultivation so as to supply the great demand of cooking oil from Asia.

If the situation is reversed assuming that oil palm can be grown in Europe and Americas, and soybean is grown solely in Malaysia and Indonesia, where do you think the NGOs would be pointing their fingers to? May be the hot topic today is Deforestation for Soybean Cultivation in Malaysia and Indonesia?

Read on and what's your comment, planters and Agronomists in Malaysia and Indonesia?

The soybean industry is up to its old tricks, attempting to demonize the tropical oils. This time, the attacks are in the guise of environmentalism. However, if the truth were told, the soy industry would be exposed as one of the world’s worst offenders. Palm oil production, on the other hand, is protecting areas like the Amazon rain forest from destruction.

During the 1970s and 1980s the soybean industry was troubled by emerging evidence that soybean oil consumption lowered immunity, increased susceptibility to infectious disease, and promoted cancer.

At this same time saturated fats were being scrutinized because of their tendency, in general, to raise blood cholesterol levels. The bigwigs in the soybean industry got the bright idea that if they could demonize the competition, by making saturated fats appear to be the cause of heart disease—the nation’s number one killer—people wouldn’t pay much attention to the negative findings coming out about soybean oil. Starting in the mid-1980s the soybean oil industry began a multi-million dollar anti-saturated fat campaign. Saturated fats increased cholesterol, they said, and high cholesterol causes heart disease. The tropical oils (coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils) were singled out as being the worst offenders because of their high saturated fat content.

Some, but not all, saturated fats do raise total cholesterol, but there was no solid evidence that high cholesterol actually caused heart disease. That is why high cholesterol is only considered a “risk factor” rather than a cause. But that didn’t stop the soy industry. Gullible consumer advocate groups like The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and The American Heart Savors Association were swayed by the misleading information and began their own campaigns against saturated fats. In these groups the soybean industry found very vocal, high profile allies which spearheaded much of the criticism against saturated fats, and particularly against the tropical oils. These organizations placed anti-saturated fat ads in the media, published newsletters and magazine articles, and books, and lobbied for political action against the use of tropical oils and other saturated fats.

The soybean industry fed misleading information to these groups and allowed them to fight the battle. The soybean industry took a back seat and stayed out of the limelight. This was very clever from a marketing perspective because now the soybean industry wasn’t viewed as openly attacking their competition. Since the bulk of the attack came from supposedly impartial third parties, their message had more impact. People were swayed against saturated fats and the tropical oils.

Restaurants and food manufactures sensitive to customer fear of saturated fats, began removing these fats from their foods and replacing them with vegetable oils. Tropical oil consumption plummeted while soybean oil sales skyrocketed. In the United States soybean oil soon accounted for about 80 percent of all the vegetable oil consumed.

During this time, one thing the soybean industry conveniently neglected to tell the public was that the saturated fats were not being replaced with ordinary vegetable oil, but by hydrogenated soybean oil! Hydrogenated soybean oil contains toxic trans fatty acids and is far more damaging to the heart than any other fat. It has also been linked to numerous other health problems including diabetes, cancer, and various autoimmune diseases. In terms of health, it is absolutely the worse fat that could be used.

The soy industry was aware of many of the detrimental effects associated with hydrogenated vegetable oils and trans fatty acids, that is why it was never publicly announced that saturated fat would eventually be replaced by hydrogenated vegetable oils. They succeeded in demonizing all saturated fats, including healthy coconut and palm oils, for the sake of profit. The plan was an overwhelming financial success. Over the next two decades hydrogenated vegetable oils found their way into over 40 percent of all the foods on supermarket shelves, amounting to about 40,000 different products. Hydrogenated soybean oil consumption dramatically increased, so did numerous diseases now found to be associated trans fatty acids.

In recent years, however, coconut and palm oils have been making a comeback. Careful review of previous research and more current medical studies have exonerated the tropical oils from the claim that they promote heart disease. In fact, if anything, they appear to help protect against heart disease as well as many of the other diseases now known to be linked to hydrogenated vegetable oils.

With the growing awareness of the dangers of trans fatty acids in hydrogenated vegetable oils and the landmark announcement in 2002 from the United States Institute of Medicine stating that “no level of trans fatty acids is safe in the diet,” tropical oils are returning. Coconut and palm oils are naturally trans fat free. Palm oil in particular has enjoyed a resurgence internationally as a preferred cooking oil. Its excellent stability and high smoke point (437 degrees F) make it ideal for cooking and frying. In terms of health, it is far superior to hydrogenated soybean oil.

Many restaurants and food manufactures are now replacing their hydrogenated soybean oil with palm oil. Consequently, hydrogenated soybean oil sales are declining. The soybean oil industry is alarmed. In an effort to protect their profits they’ve returned to their old tried and true means of demonizing the competition in order to make their products more acceptable.

Relying on old friends, such as CSIP, a new wave of attacks have been focused on palm oil. CSPI reverting back to its old standard of trying to create fear in the minds of the public, continues to harp on the saturated fat issue. They have even published full page ads in the New York Times suggesting that palm oil is worse than hydrogenated soybean oil. The impact the CSPI has had with this approach has generally been flat. Too many people now are aware of the benefits of the tropical oils and the dangers of hydrogenated vegetable oils. Their anti-saturated fat rhetoric isn’t having the same impact as it did in previous years. There is just too much scientific evidence to refute their unfounded claims.

Desperate to find an alternative means of attack, the soybean industry has found a new ally in the Friends of the Earth, a highly vocal politically active environmental group. Fueled by support and misleading data from the soy industry, the Friends of the Earth have now waged a war against palm oil on the grounds that palm cultivation is destroying the environment. They claim that rain forests are being leveled to make room for palm plantations, destroying the ecology and bringing endangered species, such as the orangutan, to the brink of extinction. Anyone with any sense of responsibility for the environment would be emotionally swayed by this argument.

The problem, however, is that it’s not true. Like a magician, the soybean industry is a master of illusion. They were successful in creating the illusion that tropical oils caused heart disease and that hydrogenated soybean oils were a better option. Now that we have discovered the secret to that illusion, they are trying to trick us again. This time they are attempting to create an illusion that their competition is harming the environment while they, on the other hand, are environmentally friendly. In reality, the soybean industry is causing more destruction to the environment than probably any other agricultural industry on the planet.

In the time it takes to read this entire article, an area of Brazil’s Amazon rain forest larger than 200 football fields will have been destroyed, much of it for soybean cultivation.

Brazil holds about 30 percent of the Earth’s remaining tropical rain forest. The Amazon Basin produces roughly 20 percent of the Earth’s oxygen, creates much of its own rainfall, and harbors many unknown species. The Brazilian rain forest is the world’s most biologically diverse habitat. Close to 20 percent of the Amazon rain forest has already been cut down.

Now, industrial-scale soybean producers are joining loggers and cattle ranchers, speeding up destruction and further fragmenting the great Brazilian wilderness. Between the years 2000 and 2005, Brazil lost more than 50,000 square miles of rain forest. A large portion of that was for soybean farming.

Soybean production in the Brazilian Amazon soared after heat-tolerant varieties were introduced in 1997. In just ten years, exports of soybeans grown in the Amazon Basin have reached 42 million tons a year. Total annual soybean production in Brazil is about 85 million tons. Brazil will soon surpass the United States as the world’s leader in soybean production.

At the current rate of clearing, scientists predict that 40 percent of the Amazon will be destroyed and a further 20 percent degraded within two decades. If that happens, the forest’s ecology will begin to unravel. Intact, the Amazon produces half its own rainfall through the moisture it releases into the atmosphere. Eliminate enough of that rain through clearing, and the remaining trees dry out and die. Currently trees are being wantonly burned to create open land for soybean cultivation. Consequently, Brazil has become one of the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases.

There are few paved roads into the Amazon. The most controversial is the 1,100 mile long BR-163 highway which runs straight into the heart of the Amazon Basin providing an alleyway for industrial-sized soybean operations to grab up millions of acres of land. Because of the thousands of tons of soy transported over this road it is nicknamed the “soy highway.”

The decimation of the Amazon is, for the most part, done legally. Even the governor of the state of Mato Gross, on the edge of the Amazon Basin is a part of it. Governor Blairo Maggi is the world’s largest single soybean producer, growing 350,000 acres. That’s equivalent to 547 square miles of Amazon rain forest that has been leveled for soybean production. He is just one of many industrial-sized soybean operations in the area. In 2005 Greenpeace awarded Maggi the Golden Chain Saw award for his role in leveling the rain forest.

Clearing the land for soybean production is only part of the problem. Soybean cultivation destroys habitat for wildlife including endangered or unknown species. It increases greenhouse gases, which are believed to contribute to global warming and disrupts the life of indigenous tribes who depend on the forest for food and shelter. Soybeans need large amounts of acid-neutralizing lime, as well as fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. All of which are creating an environmental hazard. Toxic chemicals contaminate the forest, poison rivers, and destroy wildlife. Indigenous Indian communities complain about poisoned water and dying fish.

The environmental destruction caused by soybean farming isn’t limited to the Amazon, it occurs throughout the world wherever soybeans are produced. That’s hundreds of thousands of acres of deforestation, over cultivation and destruction of the land, and billions of tons of toxic chemicals spewed into the environment year after year, contaminating our soils, water, and destroying wildlife, not to mention what it is doing to us. New genetically modified soy was specifically developed to withstand the toxins so farmers could spray even more pesticides on them without diminishing yields. Talk about destroying the environment, the soybean industry has to rank near the top of the offender’s list.

Now, let’s take a look at the palm oil industry. When you compare soy cultivation to that of palm, there is a huge difference.

Palm cultivation is perhaps, the world’s most environmentally friendly commercial crop. After oil palms reach maturity they are commercially productive for at least a quarter of a century. That means that once the trees are planted, the soil remains essentially undisturbed for decades. Unlike soy, were the ground is dug up and recultivated every year, year after year. The soil in a palm plantation remains essentially undisturbed. Native grasses and scrubs are allowed to repopulate the space between trees. The natural habitat returns, complete with wildlife. An oil palm plantation takes on the appearance of a rain forest, filled with vegetation.

Wild boar, monkeys, birds, and other wildlife are allowed to roam in and out of the plantations, just as they do in the wild. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are rarely, if ever, used. Since the ground is continually covered with trees and growth, the soil is not eroded, maintaining the integrity of the environment from the tiniest soil organisms to the largest land animals. So a palm plantation blends into the environment without causing untold disruption.

Compare that with a soybean plantation where all trees and other vegetation are killed and removed. Only soybeans are allowed to grow. And what about wildlife? Animals would trample or eat the crops, so they are fenced out, shot, or poisoned.

Unlike soy and most other crops that produce once a year, oil palms produce fruit year round, so they are always in season. This allows for a high yield of fruit on comparatively little acreage. For this reason, the oil palm produces more oil per acre than any other vegetable source. For example, in one year on one acre of land a farmer can produce 18 gallons of corn oil, or 35 gallons of cottonseed oil, or 48 gallons of soybean oil. However, on the same amount of land you can produce 635 gallons of palm oil! No, that is not a misprint. You read that correctly, 635 gallons of palm oil compared to just 48 gallons of soybean oil.In terms of land use, you would need to plant 13 acres of soy or 35 acres of corn to produce an equal amount of oil from just one acre of palm.

So, soybean cultivation requires 13 times more land to produce the same amount of oil. And this land is stripped of all other vegetation, and continually plowed and replowed, and poisoned with pesticides. While oil palms are planted once and then the land is allowed to return mostly to its natural state without harming the environment.

More soybean oil is produced annually worldwide than any other oil. What that means is that millions of acres of land has and is being destroyed under soybean cultivation. More land, like that in the Amazon Basin, is being leveled and forests and wildlife habitat being destroyed to meet the increasing demand for soybean oil.

Replacing soybean oil with palm oil, is not only a healthier option, but would save countless acres of land from untold environmental damage. In the Amazon we have no idea how many rare species of plants and animals are becoming extinct in the name of corporate profit.

The Brazilian government acknowledged the lost 5,420 square miles of rain forest during 2006. This is an area more than twice the size as the entire state of Delaware! The good news is that the Brazilian Environment Ministry reported that the rate of Amazon destruction dropped 20 percent in 2007. Why the slowdown? You can thank the palm oil producers. Competition with palm oil has lowered the demand for soybean oil causing the soybean market to decline. With less of a demand for soybean oil, there is less incentive to clear the Amazon rain forest. The rising demand for palm oil (much of it as a replacement for hydrogenated soybean oil) has made a significant impact in slowing down the careless, yet legal, destruction of the Amazon.

Last year competition from palm oil saved 1,087 square miles of Amazon rain forest from being leveled for soybean cultivation. Some people might look at this and say, but places like Malaysia (the world’s biggest palm oil producer) also convert rain forest into farmland. However, in the past four years more Amazon rain forest in Brazil has been destroyed to make room for soybean cultivation than Malaysia has cleared in the past 100 years for palm oil production. Do the math.

When you compare palm oil to soybean, and in fact to any other oil crop, palm oil is by far the most environmentally friendly. There is no comparison. Hopefully, as demand for palm oil increases, the demand for soybean oil will decrease, saving even more of the Amazon rain forest, and the earth as a whole, from needless destruction.

Despite the massive destruction caused by the soybean industry, you never hear people crying out against the use of soybean oil. You don’t see the CSIP or the Friends of the Earth attacking the soybean industry for destroying the environment. Why is that? Why are the environmental and consumer advocate groups mysteriously quiet about soy, yet violently active against the palm oil industry? The answer is power, money, and influence. The soybean industry is very rich and powerful. They know how to manipulate the media and these special interest groups and use them as unknowing puppets. They feed them lies, half-truths, and misconceptions in order to con them and the public.

In the following months and years you will no doubt hear many graphic reports depicting how palm oil cultivation is destroying the earth, contributing to greenhouse gases, and driving animals into extinction. The truth is that palm oil cultivation has only a minor impact on the environment. Most of the cultivation is done in a very environmentally friendly manner. So don’t be fooled. The real danger is coming from the soybean industry. It took us over two decades to realize the harm the soybean industry caused to our health with the replacement of tropical oils with hydrogenated soybean oil. Let’s not make another mistake with the environment.

References
Severson, K. Clues on labels reveal hidden trans fats. The San Francisco Chronicle July 31, 2002.
Wallace, S. Last of the Amazon. National Geographic 2007;211:40-71.
Lehman, S. Brazil says Amazon deforestation is down. USA Today December, 7, 2007

Green concerns or trade barriers?

2009-12-03T13:35:00.000+08:00

Tuesday, December 1, 2009
News Source: New Straits Times

Malaysia's palm oil shipment to Rotterdam Port, the gateway to Europe has fallen by an average of 12 per cent every year since 2006's peak of 1.7 million tonnes. This year, it is poised to shed another 30 per cent to 900,000 tonnes.

At the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) conference last month, environment activist Wetlands International called for an address of "the alarming emissions from forest and peat swamp areas' conversion into oil palm plantations". The Netherlands-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) alleged that "the continuous emissions caused by drainage of carbon rich tropical peatsoil in Indonesia and Malaysia are enormous." At the end of the meeting, Wetlands lamented that its attempts to insert a Greenhouse Gas Emission criterion had been frustrated by members representing Indonesian and Malaysian oil palm planters.

In an interview with Business Times, Malaysian Palm Oil Association chief executive Datuk Mamat Salleh shed light on the ulterior motive and double standards deployed by the NGOs to the detriment of the global palm oil industry.

Under RSPO, palm oil has to be sustainably-produced. On the other hand, other vegetable oils like canola and soyaoil only need to be responsibly-produced. "Did you know that the term 'responsibly-produced' allows for genetically modified oilseeds?" Mamat questioned.

Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth (FOE), and Wetlands International claim oil palm cultivation cause tropical deforestation. But these NGOs are silent on soyabean, rapeseed and sunflower farming causing deforestation in temperate countries.

"How come these NGOs do not lobby for reforestation in Europe and the US? At the very least they should campaign for 10 per cent of the 100 million hectares planted with soyabean, rapeseed and sunflower to be with replanted with trees to absorb carbon dioxide from the polluted air there.

"How come these NGOs do not tell their own governments to replant forest and restore the habitats for racoons, beavers, frogs, wild foxes, deers and bears?" Mamat posed more questions.

The United Nations Copenhagen Climate Summit, scheduled to run from December 7 to 18, will see 192 countries meet to set targets on carbon emissions. As the summit draws near, Greenpeace and its affiliates have become more vociferous for a moratorium on the forest and peatland in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Without providing scientific evidence that can be verified, these pressure groups claim oil palm planting on peatland pollutes the air to the extent that this agriculture activity makes Indonesia the world's third biggest polluter, after the US and China.

Surprisingly, there is no such call by these NGOs for a moratorium on cars, ships, airplanes, oil exploration, coal mining and petrochemical processing industries, which all emit more carbon dioxide to the air than agriculture. "Isn't it ironic that the carbon emission of 3.5 tonnes from one tonne of depleting fossil fuel is tolerated while biofuels, which have the advantage of being renewable, are abhorred even though they are proven to be 35 to 65 per cent less polluting than fossil fuels?" Mamat asked.

Human settlement, forest clearing, industrial revolution in developed countries have long emitted the large portion of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere now.

"These Europe-based NGOs just close two eyes to unsustainable farming in their home countries. When we questioned their silence, they concede with their own governments' view that it was their grandfathers' right to clear-cut forest for industrialisation.

"But what about our grandchildren's rights to progress and prosperity?" Mamat asked.

On the one hand, Malaysia and Indonesia face threats from Greenpeace, FOE and Wetlands activists who are skilful at propaganda to impose moratorium on tropical forest and peatland.On the other hand, global vegetable oils trade thrives best when markets open up for free competition and more respect is accorded to representative governance.

When placed together - it doesn't take a PhD in economics or political science to conclude that the true motive of these NGOs is to put up trade barriers against tropical nations' palm oil to benefit rapeseed and sunflower farmers who are heavily subsidised by the EU government.

In a separate interview, Malaysian Estate Owners Association (MEOA) president Boon Weng Siew explained how Malaysia's small and mid-sized oil palm estates are already practising sustainable oil palm planting by virtue of compliance with the country's environmental and labour laws.

Established in 1931, MEOA represent 153 small and medium-sized estates of more than 40 hectares. All oil palm planters, whether smallholders or estate owners, comply to the Environmental Quality Act 1974 and the Environmental Impact Assessment Order 1987.

"We prepare and submit EIA reports for agriculture land development covering an area of 500 hectares or more. Open burning of plant residue is prohibited," he said. Apart from eco-friendly laws, oil palm planters observe the Employment Act, the Industrial Relations Act and the Minimum Standard of Housing and Amenities Act.

Estate owners are not required, by law, to provide accommodation, schools, clinics and places of worship but many of MEOA members do so as part of their corporate social responsibilities. "However, when accommodation for workers is provided, the site and buildings must comply with the Minimum Standard of Housing and Amenities Act 1990. The clinic also has to comply with the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998," Boon said.

To date, Malaysia's oil palm plantations span across 4.5 million hectares. To a question on Greenpeace and FOE's claim that monoculture oil palms are unable to support wildlife diversity, making the estates sterile, Boon replied, "That is not true. Shrubs, ferns, fungi and herbs, monkeys, birds, wild fowls, squirrels, rats and snakes flourish in oil palm plantations."

Plants, mammals, insects, reptiles and birds have adapted to the oil palm ecosystem. "Oil palm estates are the green lungs that generate oxygen which the developed part of the country breathes, fulfilling many of the rainforest functions," he said.

Boon also said planters today do not just plant, harvest and sell. "Oil palm planters are now more aware of the whole supply chain from the point of applying fertiliser to milling. We are also familiar with traceability, food safety, environmental and social responsibilities," he said.

"Malaysia's palm oil production is already sustainable by virtue of compliance with national environmental and labour laws," Boon added

Palm oil has become an accurate measure of the global markets

2009-12-03T13:32:00.001+08:00

In 2009 palm oil has not changed its colour or texture, but as an economic indicator it is unrecognisable. In a world of food and energy crises, of credit implosions, green politics and the rise of Asia, it has become the gauge that straddles them all — the ultimate global speedometer.

Through its price fluctuations and ever-changing trade destinations, palm oil has become an accurate measurement of hundreds of global markets.

Its versatility is the key, which is the main reason why the world consumes 42 million tonnes a year — twice as much as it did a decade ago. For all of the criticism that palm oil plantations attract for destroying the rainforest and endangering wildlife, the demand is a reading of a global population trying to feed and power itself under challenging circumstances.

The growth of palm oil has tracked the rising wealth of the middle classes in China and India, which buy up a quarter of all global supplies every year. Those who can afford to fry more of their food, and when other edible oil stocks can not keep up, or when prices rise too far, palm oil becomes the alternative.

As a biofuel feedstock, palm oil can meet a similar demand with energy, offering an alternative strategy when the markets are knocked out of kilter.

Palm prices tell us how rich the average Chinese family feels at new year, and with what sort of food the Muslim world will be breaking the fast each night of Ramadan. It tells us where London brokers think crude oil prices are heading and what Chicago futures traders think of this year’s soya bean crop and how badly El Niño is hurting South-East Asia this cycle.

In Malaysia and Indonesia, which between them meet about 87 per cent of the global demand, palm oil price movements dictate government policy, shape economic prospects and draw billions of dollars of direct investment.

For Malaysia, palm oil competes with tourism and manufacturing as the three biggest sources of economic growth. A couple of years ago, a bumper haul and dazzling prices allowed the Government in Kuala Lumpur to give a bonus to every civil servant in the country.

In Indonesia palm oil plays an even more central role in the country’s economic future. One popular view is that Indonesia belongs in three of the world’s most promising and exciting, emerging markets. The theory is backed by the idea that an industry that already employs two million people has the scope to double its output by 2014.

Perhaps most critically of all, palm oil is the canary in the mine for biofuel policy-making around the world. Setting stomachs and cars against each other in direct competition for calories is a finely balanced game, more likely to go wrong than right.

A poorly calculated subsidy in one country can cause dangerous price rises in a food commodity on another continent. In almost all cases, the price of palm oil is where the folly emerged.

News Source:business.timesonline.co.uk

Palm oil help feed an increasingly hungry world

2009-12-03T13:21:00.002+08:00

Monday, November 16, 2009
Source: New Straits Times

INDONESIA’S 7.1 million hectares (ha) of oil palm plantation’s current average oil yield of 2.8 tonnes per ha per year is set to surpass the 3-tonne mark by 2015, as trees mature and bear more fruits, says Indonesian Palm Oil Commission (Ipoc) executive chairperson Dr Rosediana Suharto.

"By 2015, the average oil yield at matured plantations should surpass 4 tonnes per ha per year as more young trees reach their prime fruit bearing age,” she told Business Times at the International Palm Oil Congress (PIPOC) 2009 in Kuala Lumpur last week.

“Big planters have their own replanting schedule. Since 2008, however, we’ve extended a helping hand to smallholders via the revitalisation programme. We want to increase our national average oil yield,” she said.

Ipoc collaborates with local commercial banks to facilitate cheaper loans to smallholders to replant their trees. High yielding seeds are sourced from the Indonesia Oil Palm Research Institute (Iopri), which contracts out hybrid seed breeding to 11 producers.

“Some of the Malaysian oil palm investors also have gentlemen agreements to supply high yielding seeds to smallholders within their plasma schemes,” she added.

Under the plasma scheme, the Indonesian government requires foreign investors to set aside 20 per cent of land to nurture smallholders in oil palm planting. While not all Malaysian investors are registered with Ipoc, Rosediana estimates that they operate 1.1 million ha of oil palm plantation there.

On this year’s palm oil output, Rosediana estimates it to be some 20 million tonnes, rising to 21 million tonnes in 2010, barring the occasional El Nino drought.

The United Nations Copenhagen Climate Summit, scheduled to start next month, will see 192 countries meet to set targets on carbon emissions. As heads of states from around the world prepare for the summit, Amsterdam-based Greenpeace stepped up its campaign for a forest moratorium in Indonesia.

Without providing data that can be verified, Greenpeace alleged destruction of Indonesia’s peatland forests alone accounts for 4 per cent of global annual emissions and placed the country third biggest polluter, after the US and China.

Is Greenpeace really a green group? Does it plant trees?

Greenpeace International 2007 annual report shows it received an annual contribution of €212 million (or RM1.07 billion) and the money was spent on propaganda. About €10 million (or RM50.7 million) was used for “forest campaign” but not a single cent went to tree planting. It organises theatrical demonstrations and dangerous publicity stunts that sometimes end up causing grevious bodily harm and property damage. In the last few years, Greenpeace’s fleet of ships with fancy names like “Rainbow Warrior” and “Esperanza” have terrorised palm oil tankers at seaports in Indonesia and New Zealand.

As the Copenhagen Summit draws near, it has become apparent that Greenpeace, Wetlands International, Friends of the Earth (FOE) and World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) are political extensions of the ruling majority in the European Union that assumes changes in tropical forest aggravates global warming.

The fact is oil palm planting has helped reduce poverty in developing countries like Malaysia and Indonesia. In balancing economics and ecologics, Rosediana noted these Europe-based environmental group tends to negate agriculture’s socio-economic contribution to the people of developing nations.

At the PIPOC 2009 evening forum on “Palm Oil: Balancing Ecologics with Economics”, United Plantations Bhd executive director and vice chairman Datuk Carl Bek-Nielsen made a poignant statement before an audience of more than 1,000 people.

“There is nothing like poverty and hunger that hastens environmental degradation. Conservation means responsible development as much as it means protection. Today there are more than 1.4 billion people living on less than US$1.25 (RM4.22 ) per day. Whatever strategies these enviromental activists pursue to save Brazil or Borneo’s biodiversity must first offer ways for its residents to improve their lives,” he said.

International banks and funding institutions need to change their way of thinking about this. Better health, better education, better economic conditions — that will help to protect the environment.

“Very often we speak of the 3-P principle of People-Planet-Profit. Lets us not forget the basic needs of the people ...the right to clean water, electricity, proper housing, healthcare and education,” he said.

Bek-Nielsen then referred to the latest United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2009 report, which shows there are now more than one billion starving people in the world. After gains in the fight against hunger in the 1980s and early 1990s, the number of undernourished people started to climb in 1995. Hunger now affects a record of 1.02 billion people globally, or one in six. Among chief causes are financial meltdown, high food prices, drought, flood and civil wars.

FAO director-general Jacques Diouf was reported as saying that in the fight against hunger, the focus should be on increasing food production. “It’s common sense that agriculture should be given priority but ...the opposite has happened,” he said.

Falling agricultural investment in developing countries over the last decade has lead to rising hunger worldwide. Arable land for agriculture stays the same but the world’s population continue to grow. Today, it has surpassed 6.5 billion people.

Going forward, it is inevitable that oil palm trees, with its high oil yield, offers a sustainable solution to help feed the world. Farmers in temperate countries have a choice of planting sunflower for vegetable oil or wheat for flour. With more global consumption of palm oil, more land can be free from the less efficient-yielding sunflower, to plant wheat to ensure enough global supply of bread and noodles.

GREEN GREEN GRASS OF HOME - PART 2

2009-11-08T16:20:00.002+08:00

I just bought a new pair of walking shoe. It was written in an article of a local Chinese newspaper that one should change his shoes after walking for 800km. Since I had started my morning walk in the golf course of Segamat Country Club last December after returning from Medan, Indonesia, I suddenly realized that it’s time for me to change my shoes. The old pair, indeed, had already worn out.

There is a Chinese saying, “Walking up the hill is easy but walking down is difficult”. Well, I used to join the regular walkers, Dr. Lim & wife, Law Pak Yee and Tan Teck Pow, to walk up and down Tee No. 8 of the golf course. It’s good for the heart and after 2 rounds I started sweating. Initially, due to the pain in my right leg, I could not keep up the pace with them. So I used to trail behind them. At that time, I said to myself, “It’s ok. They have been walking for years and I just join them.”

Then I started counting my steps. I counted about 150 – 155 steps walking up but to my surprise, it took me about 170 -175 steps walking down the slope. In other words, my steps were shorter while walking down because of the whole body weight exerted on my knees. Automatically, I was walking on my heels as if I was holding back the brake to slow down avoiding a possible fall if I was not careful. No wonder walking up I could take bigger steps because there was no worry of a fall at all.

After walking for almost a year, I am able to walk together with them at the same pace. Normally, we walk up and down for half an hour, and then we will walk on the green, green grass along the fairway back to the parking lot of the club house. Of course, we will come back the following morning unless we go outstation or because of rain.

Difference between Focusing on Problems and Focusing on Results

2009-09-06T12:52:00.004+08:00

Case 1

When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found out that the pens wouldn't work at zero gravity (ink won't flow down to the writing surface). To solve this problem, it took them one decade and $12 million.
They developed a pen that worked at zero gravity, upside down, underwater, in practically any surface including crystal and in a temperature range from below freezing to over 300 degrees C.

And what did the Russians do…?? They used a pencil.

Case 2

One of the most memorable case studies on Japanese management was the case of the empty soapbox, which happened in one of Japan's biggest cosmetics companies. The company received a complaint that a consumer had bought a soapbox that was empty. Immediately the authorities isolated the problem to the assembly line, which transported all the packaged boxes of soap to the delivery department. For some reason, one soapbox went through the assembly line empty.

Management asked its engineers to solve the problem. Post-haste, the engineers worked hard to devise an X-ray machine with high-resolution monitors manned by two people to watch all the soapboxes that passed through the line to make sure they were not empty. No doubt, they worked hard and they worked fast but they spent a whoopee amount to do so.

But when a rank-and-file employee in a small company was posed with the same problem, he did not get into complications of X-rays, etc., but instead came out with another solution. He bought a strong industrial electric fan and pointed it at the assembly line. He switched the fan on, and as each soapbox passed the fan, it simply blew the empty boxes out of the line.

Something2Share:

I think this simple principle applies to Plantation Management.

Always look for simple solutions.

Devise the simplest possible solution that solves the problems.

Always focus on solutions; not on problems.

Do not focus on the wrong thing to find a solution to a problem. I always believe that we need to solve a problem on site and not beating around the bushes and coming out an Action Plan which is time consuming and costly to implement. In certain cases, somehow a decision was made to solve a problem with another problem and later ended up with too many problems.

For instance, there is shortage of harversters in one division and the harvesting interval has been prolonged. You try to shorten the harvesting interval by mobilising harvesters from other division to help out. However, there is no surplus of harvesters in that division. By doing so, you are putting the other division in trouble. The obvious solution is to get in more workers as per requirement.

Another problem is pruning backlog. You do not have enough harvesters to do the pruning and you want your harvesters to concentrate on harvesting only. When there are so many unpruned fronds, a harvester has to take longer time to cut a ripe bunch. When the harvesters find difficulty to earn wages through productivity, they may abscond from your plantation and you will end up with acute shortage of harvesters. There is no other way but go to find a special gang of workers to clear the pruning backlog even you have to pay more. Do not still think of saving expenditure while trying to solve an overdue problem.

Branding Malaysian Palm Oil

2009-07-06T15:09:00.008+08:00

PALM oil is palm oil, right? As it is a commodity, should it matter who produces it or where it comes from? Is there such a thing as branding for a commodity? If you ask the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), the answers would probably be “Not necessarily”, “Yes” and “Yes”.

MPOC chairman Datuk Lee Yeow Chor says the council aims to develop the branding and image of Malaysian palm oil as a strategy to differentiate the oil from other commodities in the global edible oils and fats market.

“We will emphasise the good quality backed by R&D and the fulfilment of sustainability criteria. We will be using publicity material to link Malaysia-produced palm oil to these positive attributes,” he adds.

This is has been done before with other agricultural commodities, and with lasting results, in some cases. One example is the longtime use of the Woolmark logo to help the marketing of wool products. Another is the Got Milk? advertising campaign in the United States, which features famous people sporting milk moustaches.

The Malaysian palm oil industry has always maintained that palm oil is a good product, but clearly, it needs to be promoted more strongly. Lee says this is not because the various stakeholders here have not put in the effort.

“It’s just that we need to be a bit more innovative in employing new strategies and using more financial resources in order to promote palm oil, whose worldwide revenue has expanded by more than four times in the last 10 years to RM65bil last year,” he adds.

“If you use as a gauge that a commercial enterprise typically spends 1% of its turnover on marketing, that would mean the industry spending RM650mil on marketing and promotions. Of course, we’re spending far less than that.”

The Malaysia Palm plan is among the marketing and promotional measures that the MPOC will undertake in the coming months to boost Malaysian palm oil’s market expansion.

These efforts are increasingly necessary following developments in recent years that have altered the industry landscape.

For one thing, the rising concern over climate change, deforestation and other environmental issues, has turned oil palm cultivation in Indonesia and Malaysia into a target for activists and politicians because the industry has been accused of contributing to the planet’s woes.

In addition, the surge in crude oil prices has pushed palm oil into the biofuel arena, thus adding another dimension to the dynamics of the edible oils market.

These changes meant that the palm oil players have to deal with new stakeholders and new perceptions. The international environmental non-government organisations (NGOs) are strident voices in the lobby against the opening of plantations, particularly in Borneo and Sumatra.

The overseas media have covered the NGOs’ campaigns and in many instances, have adopted editorial stances in support of the NGOs. This, in turn, has influenced and will continue to sway the public and politicians in matters such as energy policy and the consumption of products containing palm oil.

Healing the damage caused by naysayers is nothing new to the Malaysian palm oil industry. In fact, the MPOC was formed in the early 1990s to thwart a smear campaign in the US, driven by soybean growers, that portrayed palm oil as bad for the heart.

The battle is different this time, and it calls for tactics not normally employed in Malaysia. The MPOC intends to do its own lobbying.

“It is found to be effective in certain countries. So we will do that, and in doing so, we will not just rely on our internal resources. We will have to outsource more and employ specialists in these areas that are new to us,” Lee explains.

“We believe there is a lot of misinformation out there about palm oil, which has not been corrected effectively. We believe palm oil has a credible story to tell. Whatever lobbying that will be done will be fact-based and well-researched, using various channels effectively.”

At the same time, the council will rely more on direct engagement with stakeholders. It has travelled to Europe to meet the NGOs, and it has organised seminars and brainstorming sessions with the NGOs and the media. It has also invited stakeholders to visit plantations in Malaysia.

Lee points out, “You’d be surprised that a lot of the NGOs have not seen what’s happening here. They make a lot of allegations against palm oil, and a lot of it is hearsay.

“That’s why we have to sponsor good research. We have done this in the past, but now, we want to do it through respected organisations in the US and Europe, so that there’s a credible message and it goes to the right forums.”

The idea is to commission more market-oriented studies on nutrition, science and the environment that are more accessible and easier to digest.

Lee acknowledges that it likely that some of the smaller plantation players and smallholders do not employ sustainable practices when clearing land and cultivating oil palm.

He argues, “In this kind of agricultural industry involving so many players, there are bound to be some black sheep. But we should not discredit the whole industry when the majority observe good agricultural practices.”

Lee, who is IOI Corp Bhd executive director, was appointed MPOC chairman earlier this year, replacing Datuk Seri Lee Oi Hian of Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd, who had stepped down after chairing the council’s board of trustees for 13 years.

The current MPOC chairman believes that the council should be “a Malaysian-based global organisation”.

“It has to be seen to be present and effective in all the countries that import palm oil. It has to be interacting with stakeholders at various levels in each of those countries,” he explains.

He adds that there is room to diversify palm oil’s export base, considering that the top five importers of Malaysian palm oil – China, Europe, Pakistan, India and the US – account for slightly more than 65% of the total export.

Something2Share:

It's, undoubtedly, a good move to market Malaysian Palm Oil worldwide.

As far as meeting the NGOs, let learn from Sun Tzu, who once said,“Know yourself, know your enemy. One hundred battles, one hundred victories.”

Dry spell may lift CPO above RM2,500

2009-06-17T09:06:00.004+08:00

Phenomenon will result in lower production and supply shortage

A looming El Nino phenomenon, which brings in dry spells, can result in lower crude palm oil (CPO) production towards year-end and help restore prices to stay above RM2,500 per tonne, say analysts.

A mild El Nino is believed to have taken place over the past one month in South-East Asia and a full-blown effect could be felt by November.

Analysts said CPO prices on average would appreciate by 45% to 62% year-on-year based on the previous El Nino events.

The El Nino, which occurs irregularly once every two to seven years, would normally last 12 to 18 months each time.

Every few years, an unusually warm current flows off the western coast of South America. Its appearance after Christmas lead sailors in Peru to christian it El Nino, the Christ-child in Spanish.

Regions prone to El Nino include South-East Asia, southern Africa and northern Australia with prolonged dry periods while heavy rain falls, sometimes with flooding, in Peru and Ecuador.

A foreign-based brokerage, in its latest plantation report, said: “If El Nino hits as expected in November, this will be a bonus for (oil palm) planters.”

It said two potential CPO price catalysts in the final quarter of 2009 would be El Nino and production shortfall in both palm oil and soyoil.

According to Malaysian Palm Oil Board statistics, local CPO production had been below market expectations for the past two months.

For May, CPO production was up slightly at 1.39 million tonnes from 1.29 million tonnes a month earlier.

Malaysian Palm Oil Estate Owners president Boon Weng Siew said a strengthening El Nino could affect the growth of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB).

“Due to the dry weather, the size of the palm fruits will be smaller and lesser in weightage. Smaller fruits will translate into lesser oil being extracted,” he told StarBiz.

He added that past experiences had shown that FFB production turned 10% to 15% lower in the event of an El Nino.

The La Nina’s (opposite of El Nino) reign last year, which brought heavy rainfall, was favoured for FFB development and higher yields in palm oil.

Boon said the full effect of the El Nino on FFB and CPO yields in local oil palm plantations could be felt within 18 months.

“This would mean CPO prices will likely trade above RM2,500 and even touch RM3,000 per tonne by 2010 on fear of shortage in supply linked to the El Nino impact,” he added.

It is expected that production from Indonesia and Malaysia, which control over 80% of the world’s palm oil production, could be affected by the El Nino phenomenon.

Last month, Malaysia – via Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Ministry – announced plans to set up a committee to study the impact of El Nino on the agriculture industry.

Something2Share:

Obviously, lower potential yield of FFB is expected as a consequence of hot and dry weather caused by El Nino phenomenon. There will be lesser Total Bunch Number and lighter Average Bunch Weight, the 2 important factors contributing to Yield per Hectare.

CPO price trading between RM 2,500 - 3,000 corresponding to lower crop production is predictable based on the 'Theory of Supply and Demand".

El Nino reduces rain in Indonesia and Malaysia

2009-06-11T20:06:00.003+08:00

World’s top two palm oil producing countries of Indonesia and Malaysia now facing a new crisis as a strengthening El Nino influence in the Indonesian Basin has reduced rainfall in the these countries.

Heavy rainfall was considered favorable for palm fruit development and high yields in palm oil, during La Nina’s reign last year.

The tide seems to be turning, as drier conditions have taken hold in the western Indonesian Basin these past 30 days. The outgoing heat-radiation analysis is a proxy for rainfall showing hotter and drier conditions in the top producing areas for palm fruit, in Sumatra, Borneo and the Malaysian peninsula.

Indonesia has been increasing the area of palm fruit plantations in Borneo and Sumatra. Trees planted 8-10 years ago are coming of age, partially explaining the surge in palm oil production last year to 20.98 million metric tons.

Favorable growing conditions with plentiful rainfall also have contributed to high yields and record palm oil output.

India and China are the largest importers of Asian palm oil buying up 15.2 million metric tons of the 32.7 million metric tons of palm oil shipments from Indonesia and Malaysia in 2008-09.

Something2Share:

The current hot and dry weather may becoming hotter and drier for another 3 month with the approach of El Nino phenomenon, as predicted by the Meteorological Department. It's no good and unfavourable for oil palm growth, both vegetative and reproductive.

Indonesia to double palm oil production by 2020

2009-05-28T18:45:00.003+08:00

Indonesia aims to more than double its crude palm oil output to 40 million tonnes by 2020 through increased yields and more plantations, officials said Wednesday.

Average oil palm plantation yields would increase from 3.5 tonnes to 4.5 tonnes a hectare while land under plantation would expand from 7.9 million hectares (19.5 million acres) to about 10 million, they said.

Plans to expand palm oil plantations have been opposed by environmental groups, who say Indonesia’s forests are vital carbon sinks in the fight against climate change and an irreplaceable source of biodiversity.

But officials say another 3.4 million hectares of carbon-rich peatlands have been set aside for future plantations, while forest land available for development stands at 10.1 million hectares.
That is around the size of Greece, or 20 times the size of neighbour Singapore.

Companies will be able to develop plantations on peatland areas this year after the government lifted a one-year freeze on peatland conversion imposed after protests from environmental groups.

Indonesian Palm Oil Board chairman Franky Widjaja told Dow Jones Newswires on the sidelines of a palm oil conference in Jakarta that higher yields meant fewer plantations would be required.
“Around 40 percent of our plantations are run by smallholders whose yields fall below three tonnes (a hectare). There’s much room for improvement when it comes to such plantations,” he said.

“If we can achieve at least a yield of four tonnes a hectare we would only need total plantation land of 10 million hectares.”Indonesia, the world’s largest producer of crude palm oil (CPO), is expected to produce 19 to 20 million tonnes of the commodity this year.Palm oil is used in everything from biscuits to soups, cosmetics and biofuel.

Bayu Krisnamurthi, a deputy to the coordinating minister for the economy, said there was a danger that large increases in CPO output might result in oversupply.

“The rising price of CPO over recent years has prompted more smallholder farmers to switch to planting oil palm from other crops such as coffee and rubber,” he said.

He said a balance had to be struck between production and demand, and industries such as biodiesel should be encouraged to ensure there was a market for expanded CPO production.

The biodiesel industry has been lobbying the government for a subsidy on the low-pollution fuel in order to cut production costs and make the industry viable in the face of falling crude oil prices and rising feedstock prices.

Krisnamurthi said Indonesia aimed to use 40 percent of its CPO for energy production, 30 percent for food and the remainder for other purposes such as cosmetics by 2020.

Something2Share:

That's good news for planters, plantation employees and workers. No worry of loosing job. Still many opportunities in the next 10 years!

SELLING COMBS TO MONKS? IMPOSSIBLE!

2009-05-10T13:14:00.009+08:00

If your company, Comb manufacturers assigned you to sell the comb to the monks in the temples? Can you do it?

What is your answer?
a) No Way , Impossible!
b) Crazy!
c) I will give it a try in order to follow my boss'instruction.
d) Well, I will try.
e) Ya, I think I can sell ??? (5pcs? 10pcs? 50pcs? or more...you name it)

Pick an answer above and read below to find out if you are/you are going to be a successful person or not at all.

The Story: SELLING COMB TO THE MONK

There was one company "manufacturing combs" which intends to expand its business and so the management wanted to employ a new Sales Manager.

The company ADVERTISED the vacancy in the newspaper . They are so many peoples turned up for the interview everyday....accumulated to almost a hundred peoples in just few days.

The Company now having the problem to choose the right candidate for this position . So, The Company interviewer had set A Difficult Task to whom who want to come for final interview.

The Task Is To : Selling Comb To Monks In Temples

Only 3 Applicants willing to stay on for this Final Interview challenge. (Mr A , Mr B , Mr C)

The Chief Interviewer instructed: "Now I want three of you here to sell these wooden combs to the monks in the temples. You only have 10 days to do it and report to me after that."

After 10 days, they reported.

The Chief Interviewer asked Mr A:"How many have you sold?"
Mr A answered:"Only One."
The Chief Interviewer asked: "How did you manage to sell?
Mr A answered: "The monks in the temples scolded me when I show them the comb . But on my way back to downhill I met a young monk who bought it to scratch his head due to dandruff."

The Chief Interviewer then asked Mr B: "How many did you sell?
Mr B replied: "10 pieces. I went to a shrine and noticed many devotees's hair was in bad shape due to strong wind outside the shrine. The monk in there listened to my advice and bought 10 combs for their devotees in showing respect to the Buddha statue."

Then, The Chief Interviewer asked Mr C:"How about you?"
Mr C replied: "1,000 units."
The Chief Interviewer and the other 2 interviews were astounded.
The Chief Interviewer asked: "How you did that?"
Mr C replied: "I went to a famous temple. After observing for few days I discovered that there were many tourists. I then told the Chief Abbot there. "Sifu, those who come here are much devoted. If you could give them a gift, it will be more elating to them. I told him that I have a bulk of combs here and ask him to raft his handwriting on the combs as a present to those visit here. He was very delighted and straight away ordered 1,000 pieces."

MORAL OF THE STORY ;

HARVARD UNIVERSITY had done a research that says :-

1) 85% of success is due to attitude and 15% is capability
2) Attitude is more important than intelligence , specials skills and luck .

In another word , professional knowledge only constitutes for 15% of success of a person and 85% is due to self-cultivation, public relation and adaptability ability.

Still remember the story of Selling Shoes to African ?
When 2 Salesmen were sent to that continent, one of them reported: "Can not do it. No one wears shoes there?"
The second salesman said: "It is good to market . A lot of opportunity."

Success and Failure is dependent on how we face problems.

Remember, when the economic is good, there are peoples going bankrupt .

When business is bad , there are many new millionaires produced as well. So , apply now the 85% right working attitude fully.

Something2Share:

I believe this basic principle of 85% right working attitude is also applicable to Plantation Management.

Many problems encountered by planters in their plantations can be overcome for they are not as difficult as "selling comb to monks in temples". Logically it's impossible for no monk will buy a comb because it is used for combing hairs. Monks in temples are simply not your customers!

Now with this story, we learn to "think out of the box" and even with 15% capability, we are confident to solve problems for nothing is impossible as long as we have the RIGHT WORKING ATTITUDE with COMMITMENT full of DISCIPLINE, DEDICATION and DETERMINATION. Every time when we watch MISSION IMPOSSIBLE movie, the ending is always POSSIBLE.

DO NOT FIND EXCUSES NOT TO DO THE POSSIBLE, BUT FIND WAYS AND MEANS TO DO THE POSSIBLE. That's the right working attitude!

Windfall taxes again for palm oil companies?

2009-04-16T19:33:00.005+08:00

Oil palm plantation companies in Peninsular Malaysia could start paying windfall taxes again in May and June should the average price of crude palm oil (CPO) touch RM2,500 per tonne this month.

But renewed payment of the windfall tax could be shortlived as CPO prices were likely to retreat as production increased in the second half of the year, industry players and analysts said.

On Bursa Derivatives Exchange yesterday, the CPO price for the benchmark June contract gained RM150 to close at RM2,485.

The Malaysian Estate Owners Association (MEOA) president Boon Weng Siew told StarBiz that planters might pay windfall taxes, at the most, for two months.

“The uptrend in CPO prices can fizzle out with the start of the peak production season from May to November,” he said.

OSK Research plantation analyst Alvin Tai is also maintaining a cautious view on CPO prices as he expects a strong recovery in palm oil production in the second half this year.

The current decline in palm oil inventory had helped drive CPO prices higher, he said, adding that the current price rally was mostly due to weak production rather than strong exports.

Tai said inventory would again go up if production recovered and the rise in production was not matched by an increase in exports.

Maybank Investment Bank analyst Ong Chee Ting is also wary of the current high CPO prices, and is maintaining an “underweight” call on the plantation sector.

CPO futures could trade in the range of RM2,300 to RM2,400 per tonne on concerns over tight supplies, according to MEOA’s Boon.

Ong said with spot CPO prices increasing 18% month-on-month to RM2,351 per tonne, “we are looking at raising our 2009 CPO price assumption to RM1,800 from RM1,600 previously.”

This would raise the net profit forecasts of large-cap plantation stocks by 10% to 25% this year, Ong said.

Under the recent mini budget, the Government set RM2,500 per tonne as the new CPO price threshold for windfall tax collection for peninsula planters and RM3,000 for Sarawak and Sabah planters.

In 2008, an estimated RM260mil to RM300mil of CPO windfall taxes were collected by the treasury from oil palm plantation companies based on the then CPO threshold price of RM2,000 per tonne.

Planters stopped paying the windfall tax last October when CPO prices dropped below RM2,000 per tonne.

Something2Share:

Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng (the owner-Chairman of IOI Corporation) thinks CPO prices could remain between RM 2,600 - 2,800 per tonne for the rest of 2009. Bullist or not, if prediction of my ex-boss comes true, then it's Win-Win situation for the plantation companies and the Government.

Malaysia’s IOI sees crude palm oil price rising to RM2,600-2,800 per tonne

2009-04-14T15:00:00.003+08:00

Malaysia's IOI Corp (IOIB.KL), the world's third-largest listed palm oil producer, said that the price of crude palm oil would rise to 2,600-2,800 ringgit per tonne in the remainder of the year.

Malaysian crude palm oil futures hit a 7-month high on Friday as a slew of industry data warned of tightening domestic inventories, with the benchmark June contract KPOc3 on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange closing at 2,299 ringgit ($636.3) per tonne.

"Six months ago I foresaw prices would likely surpass 2,000 ringgit a tonne," IOI's Executive Chairman Lee Shin Cheng told Monday's Business Times newspaper.

IOI shares have rallied along with other planters as palm oil prices have recovered. The stock closed at 4.30 ringgit on Friday, up from an Oct. 28 12-month low of 2.08 ringgit.

Something2Share:

Very good news to the planters. We hope Tan Sri Lee's prediction is absolutely correct, and then the plantation companies can be "laughing to the banks" again.

18,000 Oil Palm Trees Destroyed by Elephants in Malaysia

2009-04-05T12:50:00.007+08:00

GUA MUSANG, (Bernama) - A company, which has been awarded a contract to plant oil palms near Pos Blau here, suffered huge losses when 18,000 of the one-year-old palm trees in the 600 hectare plantation were destroyed by elephants since a month ago.

Syarikat Pembangunan Ladang Khazanah Nadi Alam Enterprise manager, Mohd Khazanah Ab Rahman estimated the company losses at almost RM500,000.

He said a herd of five elephants entered the plantation almost every night and destroyed the oil palm trees, as well as banana trees grown as cash crop at the plantation.

The elephants had destroyed about 10,000 of the 75,000 banana trees in the plantation, he told Bernama here.

Mohd Khazanah said workers at the plantation had taken various measures, including burning old tyres at night, to keep away the elephants, but were futile, adding that replanting of the oil palms would be carried out only after the pachyderm returned to the forest area.

He said the attacks by the elephants also caused the 60 workers at the plantation to fear for their safety.

Until now, the pachyderm had not gone near the workers’ “kongsi” (quarters) and the workers also took turns to keep watch every night, he added.

He hoped that efforts would be made by the Wildlife and National Parks Department to catch the elephants.

– BERNAMA

Something@Share:

Just wonder whether any electric fence put up to deter elephant intrusion? Some plantations even dug trenches as a double precaution in addition to electric fencing along the perimeter along the jungle edge.

Crude palm oil futures at 6-month top on surging oil

2009-04-03T11:50:00.002+08:00

Malaysian crude palm oil futures soared 5.1 per cent to a fresh 6-month peak yesterday, boosted by rising oil prices and fears of a supply squeeze, traders said.

The benchmark June contract rose as much as RM105 to RM2,175 per tonne before the close, a level unseen since September 29, 2008, before settling at RM2,159, up 4.3 per cent.
“The palm oil market is on a ball as all commodity complexes are looking at the G-20 meeting, taking a cue from the big jump in crude oil prices,” said a trader with a local commodities brokerage.

Oil rose more than US$2.50 per barrel to above US$50 yesterday as rising equities markets bolstered sentiment before a meeting of G20 global leaders which investors hope will deliver measures to restore global growth.

Traders said a recovery in Malaysian palm oil shipments could see domestic inventories in the world’s second-largest producerfall sharply. Cargo surveyor Societe Generale de Surveillance reported a 5.4 per cent increase to 1,223,716 tonnes in March.

Something2Share:

One of my planter friends said, "Now we can smile to the banks."

It's called Mindset!

2009-03-17T12:54:00.006+08:00

As my friend was passing the elephants, he suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at anytime, break away from the ropes they were tied to but for some reason, they did not. My friend saw a trainer nearby and asked why these beautiful, magnificent animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away.

"Well," he said, "when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it's enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free." My friend was amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because they believed they couldn't, they were stuck right where they were.

Like the elephants, how many of us go through life hanging onto a belief that we cannot do something, simply because we failed at it once before? How many of us refuse to attempt something new and challenging because of our so-called MINDSET?

Your attempt may fail, but never fail to make an attempt......
&
CHOOSE not to accept false boundaries and limitations created by the past.....

Something2Share:

I had come across some executives and staff in plantation management having mindset fixed with negative thinking formed by previous experience. Just like the chained elephants, their minds had been conditioned in such a way that they were stuck right where they were. “Last time we did like this also no problem what. Why change?” For years they had been running on the same spot and were just contented to remain as a Plantation Manager, an Assistant Manager or even a Field Conductor, as if there was no opportunity for personal growth and no chance for career advancement.

I used to encourage my subordinate to change their mindset from negative to positive and from passive to proactive; otherwise their performance would only be average even with the best estate practices, methods and tools. I told them,” Being average is either ‘the worst of the best’ or ‘best of the worst’. There is nothing to shout about being an average person.”

An average person having a fixed mindset is just like a “square”, resting on one surface and cannot move at all. On the other hand, a person having a growth mindset views past mistake or failure as a new challenge and takes it as a chance to improve himself. He will roll like a “ball” as and when he learns from his previous experience and moves on through hard work with a stronger willpower.

Do not fear failure and let the past mistakes bother you. As long as you keep on trying and insist on finding a way out to every problem, then you are able to perform much better than the last time.

Any planter having such a right mindset will surely perform well and with improved productivity he will eventually gain his promotion in his company.

Click on www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nh49a8q2E4 and enjoy "Baby Elephant Walk" in YouTube.

Lower crude palm oil price forecast

2009-03-14T21:52:00.006+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR: Crude palm oil (CPO) looks set to trade between RM1,500 and RM2,100 per tonne in the second half of this year, according to top international palm oil players.

They made the forecast at the end of the 20th Palm and Lauric Oils Conference/Exhibition 2009 (POC 2009) here yesterday.

The more subdued price forecasts, made by London-based LMC International Ltd chairman Dr James Fry and Godrej International Ltd director Dorab E. Mistry, took into account shrinking demand this year due to the global economic crisis.

But OilWorld executive director Thomas Mielke was slightly more upbeat, making a forecast of between RM2,000 and RM2,060 per tonne.

Fry said the local CPO futures were set for a soft landing by the middle of this year.

“CPO prices can fall back to RM1,500 per tonne following slower demand and lower crude oil prices,” he said. “I’m more bearish in view of the gravity of the deep recession, and I fear crude oil prices will fall further and if so, CPO will also follow suit.”

Mistry agreed that CPO prices could come under pressure by the second half of the year due to a strong pick-up in both palm oil and soybean oil production as well as weaker demand.

“The CPO price range from now to October will see a downward trend from RM2,000 to RM1,500 per tonne,” he reckoned.

But Mistry said he expected CPO futures on Bursa Derivatives Exchange to cross RM2,000 and “might briefly challenge at best RM2,100 per tonne” over the next few weeks.

Palm oil stocks in the next few months would tighten and “this will likely help palm oil prices,” he said.

Malaysian Palm Oil Board on Wednesday released its latest figures for February which indicated a further drop in palm oil stocks to 1.56 million tonnes from 1.83 million tonnes in January.

At POC 2008, industry players had made bullish projections of RM2,800 to RM4,500 per tonne for 2009.

Mistry, who had forecast that CPO could hit as high as RM4,500 per tonne by February this year during POC 2008, admitted he was too optimistic last year.

On a more positive note, Fry noted that “the prices of fertilisers have also gone down. This spells good news for oil palm planters as the fertiliser cost represents about 60% of their production cost.”

He expects the more efficient planters to still make a profit even if CPO prices drop to RM1,400-RM1,500 per tonne due to the lower fertiliser prices.

Mielke of OilWorld said via teleconferencing from Germany that globally, there could be increasing demand for palm oil, especially for food, this year.

He estimated that palm oil would account for about 56% of exports among 17 types of the world’s vegetable oils and fats from September 2008 to October 2009.

Mielke is optimistic that demand for global vegetable oils both for food and non-food items will exceed production this year.

Something2Share:

What goes up will come down and what comes down will go up. This is a repeated cycle but what matters most is the Time Factor: When? Hong soon? For how long?

It appears that the bullish projections of CPO prices in POC2008 have become bearish projections in POC2009 because of global economic crisis, as if there will not be bright price outlook this year.

We have to wait and see, and hope for the best for global economic recovery.

Thousands Of Plantation Vacancies, No Takers

2009-03-14T12:10:00.003+08:00

Despite more than 3,000 vacancies in the plantation sector, there are no takers, Malaysian Agricultural Plantation Association (MAPA) executive director Mohamad Audong disclosed today.

He said MAPA had made provisions to give priority to retrenched local workers to fill the vacancies, but so far, there were no applicants.

Mohamad said Malaysians should change their mindset as working in plantations was a very lucrative alternative as the perks and salaries were also attractive.

The lowest category of worker, that is, general worker, was paid a clean monthly wage of RM600.

For skilled and semi-skilled workers, the pay would vary from RM2,000 to RM3,000 a month.

Besides this, the workers are provided with free housing, transportation, electricity and water.

They are also entitled to medical benefits, Socso coverage and Employees Provident Fund contributions.

Mohamad said that the 400 MAPA member estates were employing a total of 125,000 workers and almost half of them were foreigners.

“However, in line with government policy, we are reducing our dependence on foreigners,” he explained.

He hoped retrenched Malaysians would consider working in the plantations and help realise the government’s policy.

On the ongoing negotiations with the National Union of Plantation Workers (NUPW), he said MAPA was reviewing its collective agreement with the union for the benefit of members who were oil palm harvesters and mill workers.

The NUPW, the country’s oldest union, represents 40,000 local and foreign workers in the plantation sector.

Something2Share:

This is not surprising. For the past 30 years, plantations have been mainly dependent on foreign workers, majority of them are Indonesian workers, beside Thai and Bangladashi workers. The Malaysians especially the younger generation are not interested to work in plantations located far from towns.

Yes. Plantations provide free housing, electricity and water but there have been cases only the older men are working in the estates, whereas thier wives and children are working in factories in nearby towns.

How to change the mindset of the retrenched Malaysian workers remains a BIG question for Plantation companies, MAPA and NUPW to crack their heads.

FLIGHTING SPIRIT

2009-02-20T13:15:00.006+08:00

To be successful in life, one has to acquire the fighting spirit and work diligently on his plan. A plan without action will lead to no way. That’s what the saying implies: Plan your work and work your plan. Taking action is to work the plan. A successful performance is the consequence of taking action and it must be fast action. Any delay may jeopardize the original plan.

What is FIGHTING SPIRIT? It’s associated with attitude towards achieving success in life, and it must be a positive attitude. There won’t be any fighting spirit if your attitude is negative. However, having a positive attitude is not good enough if without positive actions. If you are a NATO, no action talk only, then your so-called ACTION PLAN without actions is just a TALK PLAN.

In other words, having a positive attitude does not mean that you can get an instant success. It’s a long process of hours of hard work and it may take years of patience, endurance, tolerance, persistence and perseverance to be successful in life. One has to go through the process of making mistakes and gaining bitter experiences to prepare oneself to be on the route to SUCCESS. When you are brave in facing new challenges, good in problem solving, and wise in decision making, then you tend to focus on how to be successful rather than keep regretting on the past mistakes and allowing the past failures to keep bordering you. You will loss your fighting spirit if you focus on the wrong things.

When Muhammad Ali declared, “I am the Greatest”, he knew that he had that fighting spirit of a champion because he believed in his fighting style, which he described as "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee".

Bruce Lee once said,"When you're talking about fighting, as it is, with no rules, well then, baby you'd better train every part of your body!” Apparently, he never failed to train himself days and nights because of the fighting philosophy that he believed in, “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”

So anyone who wants to become a champion must posses a fighting spirit. You cannot win as a champion if you do not have the spirit to fight. You are what you think. Once you believe in yourself, you will discipline yourself with full dedication and determination. You will build up your self confidence to win as you train hard days and nights for the fight. A good fighter always thinks at least one step ahead of his opponent in order to beat him with a fast move to win the flight, becoming the champion.

Click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCEaz6ENgHY to watch and listen to Crazy Frog: 'We Are The Champions' on YouTube.

4 Traits Of Effective Leaders

2009-02-02T16:05:00.004+08:00

The story:

A young officer in the Army discovered that he had no change when he tried to buy a soft drink from a vending machine. He flagged down a passing private and asked him, "Do you have change for a dollar?"

The private said cheerfully, "I think so. Let me take a look."

The officer drew himself up stiffly and said, "Soldier, that's no way to address a superior. We'll start all over again. Do you have change for a dollar?"

The private came to attention, saluted smartly, and said, "No, sir!"

Moral of the story:

Each of us commands some authority. There are or will be those we guide, supervise, rear, mentor or lead. Some of us will be effective and others will feel as if we're running a cemetery: we've got a lot of people under us and nobody's listening.

Much has been written and taught about leadership, but there are at least four traits which are common in all people of authority who effectively elicit cooperation and respect from those who look up to them. Whether you are a parent, whether you find yourself in the workplace, sitting on a volunteer committee or teaching some-one a new skill, these traits will help you effectively guide those who would seek to follow.

These good leaders are,
L isteners: They take time to listen to the suggestions and concerns of those they endeavor to lead.

E ncouragers: They don't try to do it all themselves. Neither do they motivate by force or guilt. They encourage others and help bring out their best.

A ssertive: They say what needs to be said without being unkind. They tell the truth as they see it, openly and frankly.

D ecisive: They know what needs to be done and they make timely, even difficult decisions when necessary. But they can also take charge without running over the people in their lives.

In short, good leaders L-E-A-D!

It's said that the trouble with being a leader today is that you can't be sure whether people are following you or chasing you. But those who will develop these four traits are sure to find that their authority will be valued and respected.

Something2Sure:

One thing is for sure, i.e. a good leader must be able to lead his team members. In other words, a good leader must earn the respect from his team members so that they respect the person and value his authority. If respect is to be demanded, then the respect is for the chair but not the person. His authority has not much of a value.

When a Plantation Manager humbles himself taking notes while listening to suggestions put forward by his respective Assistant Managers, and then have open discussion with them, then there will be free flow of ideas. Eventually, the manager will be respected as a good leader.

In order to become an effective leader, the Plantation Manager will have to lead by example and encourage his Assistant Managers by constant motivation, and then push them up the ladder to success. In other words, a good leader is able to make leaders out of his team members.

Fertiliser Importers Set To Drop Prices

2009-01-21T23:33:00.004+08:00

FERTILISER importers are expected to drop prices by more than 15 per cent this quarter. This will benefit oil palm plantations as they use up some 3.5 million tonnes or 90 per cent of the country's chemical fertiliser imports.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Peter Chin said fertiliser prices in the world market, except for potash, have fallen significantly and it is only logical to see these savings passed on to the plantations.

"In the last quarter, they've dropped prices by 15 per cent. They are now calculating the quantum of price drop for this quarter. It's likely to be more," Chin told Business Times after meeting with Agriculture and Agro-based Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed and Fertiliser Industry Association of Malaysia (FIAM) in Putrajaya yesterday.

To help reduce the country's fertiliser import bill, the ministry and Bank Negara Malaysia recently approved barter of US$70 million (RM253 million) palm oil for fertiliser with North Korea and Russia.

Last year, oil palm planters paid more than RM6 billion to fertiliser importers for an estimated 3.5 million tonnes at market pricing.

Apart from North Korea and Russia, Chin said, Malaysia wants more barter trade with other fertiliser producing countries like Morocco, Jordan, Syria and Iran.

Since 1992, Malaysia has been bartering palm oil for other commodities via the Palm Oil Credit and Payment Arrangement (POCPA) with Bank Negara as credit guarantor.

FIAM chairman Zainal Matassan said: "Although barter trade is an option that would involve extra steps and procedure, we'll strive to find ways to implement fertiliser purchase via the POCPA. We'll revert to the honourable ministers soon, before the end of this month."

On another note, Malaysian Palm Oil Board had, effective January 1 2009, reduced collection of price stabilisation cess from all oil palm planters to RM2 per tonne.

Asked if the reduction could hamper implementation of the B5 mandate where 5 per cent biodiesel is blended into regular diesel for use in the local market, Chin replied: "No, it will not, because this mandate will be carried out step by step."

Something2Share:

The drop prices of fertilisers is indeed a good news to the plantation companies and the planters.

We look forward for further drop and also reduced price of MOP (Muriate of Potash) in near future.

GRATITUDE IS POWER

2009-01-10T10:17:00.004+08:00

When we are thankful for what we have - for the friends we have, and for the things we've got, we attract more good people and good things!

People, who always complain about what they DON'T HAVE, stay stuck. Complainers attract more things to complain about!

It is a law of life. It's hard to explain, but you can observe it around you. We get more of what we dwell upon.

That's why all the spiritual masters have taught the same lesson: 'Start by being thankful. Be happy with what you have now, and more will come your way.'

It's practical advice:
Every time you say a silent 'thank you' you become more peaceful – and more power... Keep Sharing!

Peace of mind rarely comes from getting more stuff. Getting more stuff usually leads to wanting even more stuff! Peace of mind starts with being grateful for what we have right now.

Something2Sahre:

In life, we have so many things to be thankful for. How true it is that we must be thankful for the things we have, such as having a happy family, owning a comfortable house and a family car, living harmoniously among the neighborhood, having friends who care and share good things with us, so on and so forth.

During the last Sunday church service at Charisma Assembly, Segamat, pastor Steven Wong reminded the church members that “Everyday is a miracle” and there are 5 things we should be thankful to God:

Thank God for FORGIVESS
Thank God for REDEMPTION
Thank God for HEALING
Thank God for LOVE and COMPASSION
Thank God for SATISFACTION and RENEWAL

Well, as for me, everyday is not just a miracle but a blessing from God. When we weak up in the morning, isn’t it wonderful that “God forgives our sins, redeems our lives from ruin, heals all our diseases, crowns us with loving, kindness and tender mercies and satisfies our desires with good things so that our youth is renewed like the eagle’s”?

Yes. When we are grateful for what we have right now, there will be peace of mind in us and that is the greatest satisfaction of all. Prais The Lord!

CPO prices to get full La Nina effect by end-May 2009

2008-12-31T08:44:00.004+08:00

Crude palm oil (CPO) prices will get the full impact of the rising La Nina weather risks, which are threatening major oilseeds and grain growing areas in the US and South America, by end-May 2009.

La Nina, usually marked by wet weather and abnormal heavy rainfall, was expected to disrupt the 2009 planting season for oilseeds and grains like soybean and corn in the US in March and April, a plantation industry consultant told StarBiz.

He said La Nina could also affect the harvesting season for soybean in Brazil and Argentina from February to April.

“All will depend on the length (time frame) of the La Nina weather pattern in 2009,” the consultant added.

He expects any disruption in planting or harvesting of soybean crops in 2009 would help bolster the currently-weak prices in most agriculture-based commodities, including CPO.

The world encountered a lengthy La Nina phenomenon from 1998 to 2001.

In 2001, it was reported that US farmers planted 1.6% less acreage of soybean and 4.8% less acreage of corn due to the wet weather caused by La Nina.

An analyst with a bank-backed brokerage said that increasing weather volatilities worldwide such as heavy rainfall in South-East Asia and drought in Australia last year led world markets to raise the risk premium for agricultural commodities.

In Malaysia, he said, abnormal heavy rainfall early last year created floods in major oil palm plantation areas like Johor and Pahang, giving a short-term boost in CPO prices.

Meanwhile, plantation stocks were traded higher on Bursa Malaysia yesterday as the CPO price closed above RM1,600 per tonne in line with soybean oil gains on the overnight Chicago Board of Trade.

On Bursa Malaysia Derivatives, the benchmark CPO for March delivery closed RM81 higher at RM1,671 per tonne.

Something2share:

Obviously there will be a greater demand of CPO if there will be less soybean oil due to adverse weather of La Nina affecting soybean crop production and harvest in 2009. Let hope for the rebounce of CPO price as predicted.

Oil palm planters may get cess respite from Govt

2008-12-24T17:31:00.005+08:00

I believe my planter friends working abroad will be glad to be updated if they have missed reading the news reported in today thestar online:

The Government is considering a reduction in the Malaysian Palm Oil Board cess payment or even suspend it for a certain period to assist planters in dire straits.

Primary Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui said the Government was willing to look into these options if there was justification that “the cess is truly burdening local planters” given the sharp fall in crude palm oil (CPO) prices.

“I am a reasonable minister. Give me the breakdown on the planters’ respective cost of production and at which CPO price level would these planters hit rock bottom. If necessary, we will audit them,” he told StarBiz in an interview.

Based on annual CPO production at 18 million tonnes and palm kernel production at two million tonnes, the total cess collection is estimated at RM220mil.

Local oil palm planters have been paying about RM11 per tonne in MPOB cess (see table for breakdown).

They also had to pay an additional cess of RM4 per tonne for the Palm Oil Price Stabilisation Fund.

MPOB’s revenue was mainly from cess collection (research and development and licensing enforcement) of RM9 per tonne of palm oil and palm kernel oil produced at the mills and crushers.

Chin, however, said: “To do away with the MPOB cess is like asking us to do away with MPOB, the central body, which takes care of the well-being of the local palm oil industry.”

Citing an example, he said a reduction of 13.3% in MPOB cess provided only about 40 sen savings for every tonne of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) produced.

This would mean the cess of RM11 per tonne of CPO will be reduced to RM9 per tonne while in FFB terms, the cess will be reduced from RM2.20 per tonne to RM1.80 per tonne.

However, Chin said, there was an imposition of a sales tax of 7.5% in Sabah and 5% in Sarawak.
In fact, a reduction of 13.3% in sales tax in Sabah, for example, would provide a higher savings of RM3 for every tonne of FFB produced, he added.

Chin said the Government was looking at various avenues to mitigate the plight of oil palm planters, especially smallholders, due to the weak CPO prices and excess palm oil inventory at 2.3 million tonnes.

“We have counteracted immediately by allocating RM200mil for replanting activities and RM200mil for biofuel initiatives,” he added.

Chin said the Government’s early intervention had stabilised the CPO prices at RM1,500 to RM1,600 per tonne currently.

SARAWAK OIL PALM PLANTERS SEEK RESPITE FROM GOVERNMENT

2008-12-19T09:22:00.004+08:00

I believe my planter friends working abroad will be glad to be updated if they have missed reading the news reported in today thestar online:

Sarawak oil palm planters, badly hit by the sharp fall in crude palm oil (CPO) prices, want the Government to give them some breathing space by waiving the windfall profit tax, lowering the cess and sales taxes, and regulating high fertiliser prices.

They have also proposed that the unused portion of the cess collected for the Cooking Oil Subsidy Scheme by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) be refunded directly to Sarawak plantation companies.

A waiver is also proposed for Sarawak plantation companies which are still paying their outstanding cess instalments.

Sarawak planters have paid about RM157mil in cooking oil cess this year.

Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners Association spokesman Paul Wong told StarBiz that Primary Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui had assured the association that its proposals would be studied. The association had a dialogue with the minister yesterday.

“The feedback to our proposals will be made known by January,” said Wong, who is also Sarawak Oil Palms Bhd chief executive officer.

Wong said the minister had also given an indication that Sarawak planters would be allowed to export their CPO tax-free, given the high national CPO stockpile.

About 10 Sarawak-based plantation captains attended the dialogue session, namely Sarawak Oil Palms, Sarawak Plantations Bhd, Solid Group of Companies, WTK Group of Companies, Rimbunan Sawit Bhd, Ta Ann Holdings Bhd, Seatex Development Sdn Bhd, Woodman Group, Rimex Group and KTS Group.

“We can also form a consortium to jointly set up our own refineries if the existing four refiners in Sarawak refuse to abolish the RM40 per tonne discount on our CPO price,” said Ta Ann Holdings managing director Datuk Wong Kuo Hea.

Sarawak Plantation group managing director Mohamad Bolhair Reduan said the Government should use the MPOB cess on research and development to assist Sarawak planters in sustainable management of peat areas as well as cultivating more efficient agriculture practices.

The Sarawak oil palm industry is still at an infancy stage with only about 20% of matured oil palm areas and low yields.

“Given our young plantations, the RM200mil replanting scheme and subsidy by the ministry recently will not benefit Sarawak,” he said.

With the CPO price currently at about RM1,500 per tonne, Wong said many Sarawak planters were incurring substantial losses and cash flow squeeze, given their high cost of production at RM1,800 to RM2,000 per tonne. Planters in the peninsula have a cost of production of about RM1,100 to RM1,200 per tonne.

Be Grateful: Everyday Is A Blessing

2008-12-18T22:58:00.005+08:00

Everyday is a blessing, and in each moment there are many things that we can be grateful for. The world opens up to us when we live in a space of gratitude. In essence, gratitude has a snowball effect. When we are appreciative and express that gratitude, the universe glows a bit brighter and showers us with even more blessings.

There is always something to be grateful for, even when life seems hard. When times are tough, whether we are having a bad day or stuck in what may feel like an endless rut, it can be difficult to take the time to feel grateful. Yet, that is when gratitude can be most important. If we can look at our lives, during periods of challenge, and find something to be grateful for, then we can transform our realities in an instant. There are blessings to be found everywhere. When we are focusing on what is negative, our abundance can be easy to miss. Instead, choosing to find what already exists in our lives that we can appreciate can change what we see in our world. We start to notice one blessing, and then another.

When we constantly choose to be grateful, we notice that every breath is a miracle and each smile becomes a gift. We begin to understand that difficulties are also invaluable lessons. The sun is always shining for us when we are grateful, even if it is hidden behind clouds on a rainy day. A simple sandwich becomes a feast, and a trinket is transformed into a treasure. Living in a state of gratitude allows us to spread our abundance because that is the energy that we emanate from our beings. Because the world reflects back to us what we embody, the additional blessings that inevitably flow our way give us even more to be grateful for. The universe wants to shower us with blessings. The more we appreciate life, the more life appreciates and bestows us with more goodness.

Something2Share:

I like it that everyday is a blessing.

For a retiree like me just stopped working at the age of 62, every morning I give thank to God for another day when I wake up and able to go for brisk walking and continue other activities throughout the day.

I am grateful that I am able to learn how to adjust myself to retirement lifestyle.

I am grateful that I can now really relaxing after years of hard work in plantations.

I am grateful that I can now spend more quality time with my family.

I am grateful that I will have more free time for travelling abroad with my wife.

I am grateful that now I can spend more time with my friends in kopitiam or coffee shops.

I am grateful that I can now have more time to do things that I like to do.

I am grateful that now I have time to learn new things that I have not done before.

When I went to see an Urologist last week, he told me that my prostate enlargement was 3 times of its original size. The choice was on me: Do I want to continue medication and keep suffering the problems of urination or to go ahead for surgery to remove the unwanted benign prostate tissue which is causing obstruction to urine flow from my bladder? In fact I had already decided to go ahead with laser surgery to remove the obstructing prostate tissue instantaneously with minimal risk, blood loss and discomfort.

I am grateful that the surgery was carried out smoothly and I was discharged from the hospital the following day.

Boustead: CPO will rebound in first-half 2009

2008-12-10T18:59:00.007+08:00

The major owner of the plantation Al-Hadharah REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) expects palm oil prices to trade between RM2,000 and RM2,200 a tonne.

BOUSTEAD Holdings Bhd believes palm oil prices will bounce back to between RM2,000 and RM2,200 a tonne in the first six months next year, boosted by shipments to China and the government's effort to cut stockpiles.

Prices of the commodity have already fallen 66 per cent from their peak of RM4,486 a tonne in March, to RM1,510 for February delivery, yesterday.

The major owner of the plantation Al-Hadharah REIT is, however, convinced that prices will improve in the first half next year.

"Crude palm oil (CPO) is mainly used for food. We believe the buyers from China will continue to use palm oil because of the price difference - it's now at a US$300 discount to soya oil. That's quite attractive," Boustead group managing director Tan Sri Lodin Wok Kamaruddin said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.He blamed the current weak CPO prices on excess stocks due to high production, as well as the falling crude oil price which has dropped drastically from nearly US$150 (RM545) a barrel not too long ago to below US$45 (RM163) currently.

CPO prices have been tracking that of crude oil because it can be used to produce biofuel.

The government has also announced plans to boost the usage of palm oil, which will help to cut stockpiles, Lodin Wok said.

This includes getting government vehicles to switch to biofuel for power, a plan that will later involve industrial vehicles, he said.

The government has also set aside RM200 million to speed up the replanting of oil palm trees that are more than 25 years old.

Boustead is selling two more estates into the Al-Hadharah REIT, boosting the world's first Islamic plantation property trust to RM805 million.

The REIT, 60.5 per cent held by Boustead after the asset sale, is paying RM188.8 million for both the Malakoff and Bebar estates.

With a low gearing of 15 per cent, Lodin Wok said, the REIT aims to buy more assets to expand its size. A REIT cannot exceed 50 per cent gearing under the Securities Commission's rule.

Something2Share:

One morning I was talking to RS, a plantation owner, as we were doing brisk walking at the golf course in Segamat Country Club. He was puzzled why the drastic drop in CPO price was linked to falling crude oil price. Previously, the rise or fall of CPO price was linked mainly to soya oil price.

This morning as I was talking to Mr. Khor, a tractor dealer, he reminded me that the unusual escalating CPO price was in fact boosted up in the name of BIOFUEL due to the skyrocketing crude oil price. It reached the record high at USD 147.27 a barrel in mid-July 2008.

I think many plantation companies and owners can still be lauging to the bank if the CPO prices will be traded between RM 2,000 - 2,000 per tonne.

By rough calculation, if COP (Cost of Production) is estimated at RM1,500 per tonne of CPO, and the trading price is expected to be traded at RM2,200 per tonne, then the profit margin will be about 47%.

If COP is estimated at RM1,300 per tonne of CPO, and the trading price is expected to be traded at RM2,000 per tonne, the profit margin wii be about 54%.

Perhaps instead of focusing on how, where and when to cut cost, we should look at ways and means to increase oil yield per hectare in order to reduce COP. Any attempt to cut fertilizer input will affect the yield quite adversely 2 years later.

Higher palm oil prices expected in 2009

2008-12-10T18:39:00.005+08:00

Global palm oil prices are likely to rise in 2009 as stocks in key exporters Malaysia and Indonesia fall, Hamburg-based oilseeds analysts Oil World said yesterday.

“The palm oil market is torn between the bearish outside developments, especially very weak crude mineral oil, and its own constructive longer-term fundamentals,” it said.

Palm oil prices have fallen by almost 60 per cent from a record high in March after the global economic crisis hit commodity markets.

“We expect appreciating palm oil prices in 2009 due to the prospective reduction in Malaysian and Indonesian palm oil stocks in December/June 2008/09 resulting from a decline in the biological yield cycle, seasonally lower production (and) higher demand for edible palm oil,” it said.

New government rules compelling more vegetable oil to be blended with fossil fuels to reduce pollution is also likely to generate extra demand for palm oil, it said. Indonesia, Malaysia and Colombia are among countries which are compelling more palm oil blending with fossil fuels.

“The current low palm oil prices, relative to other edible oils, will stimulate demand in the near to medium-term,” it said. “The decline in world exports of soy oil will shift demand to palm oil.”

But it warned the global economic crisis made physical palm oil demand difficult to assess. - Reuters

Something2Share:

With the recent sudden drastic drop in CPO price, everyone in the plantation sector in Malaysia and Indonesia has been very panic striken. Cutting cost has been the major issue for reviewing Budget 2009. In view of the high cost of fertilizers, the top management teams have been debating on reducing fertilizer input in 2009. The main concern is how to maintain the cost of production so as there will be still room for making profit. To the employed planters, they are most worried about “hair-cut” on their salaries and bonus since Christmas, 2009 New Year and Chinese New Year are around the corner.

The above news is, indeed, very encouraging and I believe it’s a booster jab for the plantation companies, the plantation owners and the planters. If what is expected (appreciating pal oil prices in 2009) comes true, at least we are able see light in a dark tunnel.

SPECULATION A THREAT TO OIL PALM PLANTERS

2008-12-06T17:32:00.005+08:00

This write up by LOONG TSE MIN is downloaded from thestar online (Saturday December 6, 2008) and is of interest to all planters.

Speculation in the crude palm oil (CPO) futures market could pose a threat to the plantation industry under current market conditions.

Interband Group palm oil trader Jim Teh told StarBiz that there was a strong speculative element in CPO prices that shot up from RM1,488 per tonne to about RM1,600 last week on thin volume but had tapered off this week

He said importers from China and India had early this year defaulted on their contract orders partly due to speculation as “CPO prices were pushed up and then suddenly dipped”.

Many of the contracts were locked in at RM3,000 per tonne. When CPO fell to RM2,500 per tonne in August, importers in both countries lapsed on their contracts amounting to about 150,000 tonnes.

At the current CPO price of about RM1,500 per tonne, Teh said a further 300,000 to 400,000 tonnes worth of CPO futures contracts were defaulted in October.

“If prices are high but importers default on the contracts, what is the use to the planters?” Teh asked.

Fertiliser prices had shot up in tandem with the CPO price, he said, adding: “Planters, especially smallholders, will be hit in terms of high cost of fertilisers and left with excess stock.”

Teh estimates CPO to trade between RM1,300 and RM1,450 per tonne for the first half of 2009.

At an average price of RM1,400 per tonne, most plantation companies would still have a profit margin of about 25%, which was good, given the current market conditions, he said.

A chief executive officer with a major plantation group holds a differing view.
“I don’t think there is much speculation as most of the foreign funds have left the (CPO) market.

We can see that CPO prices have not dropped to RM1,200 as predicted even as crude oil falls below US$50 a barrel, which is a sign that CPO price is quite stable,” he said.

He also did not see how higher prices were bad for the industry as it gave better profit for plantation companies.

However, United Malacca Bhd CEO Dr Leong Tat Thim concurred with Interband’s Teh.
“Aggressive fluctuation in CPO prices is not good for the industry as it is bad for both buyers and sellers,” Leong told StarBiz.

“Prices between RM1,600 and RM1,800 per tonne will be good and viable to the industry.”

Leong said he expected the CPO price to hold at its current level and bounce back to RM2,000, by the end of next year.

This was due to measures taken by the Government to reduce the current high CPO stock through replanting subsidy and mandatory use of biofuel in all commercial vehicles, he said.

“There is another favourable factor which is the wide price disparity of US$300 per tonne between CPO and soya bean oil prices.

“This makes palm oil a very attractive alternative,” he added.

Leong said planters were trying to keep costs below RM1,000 per tonne of CPO.

“During these difficult times, I hope the Government at federal and state levels will not consider imposing additional taxes on the palm oil industry.”

GREEN GREEN GRASS OF HOME

2008-12-06T13:55:00.006+08:00

I am learning to adapt myself to the retirement lifestyle after returning from Indonesia to Malaysia about a week ago. Being a planter for so many years, I have been so used to walking the fields in the plantations. However, when I stayed back in Tembung office, Medan, I did not even have the time for a morning walk. I had to leave my residence in Jalan Kartini the latest by 0715 WIB to avoid the traffic jam in order to reach office before 0800 WIB.

Now back in Segamat, Johor, I am able to join my friends for brisk walking in early mornings at Segamat country club. We walk across the green and fairway of the golf course for at least 30 minutes while breathing in the fresh air. This reminds me of the song “GREEN GREEN GRASS OF HOME” sung by Tom Jones. I totally agreed with my friends that walking on the soft grasses is much comfortable to our feet and exerts minimal impact to leg injury than walking on the hard and rough surface of tar road. Nevertheless, we have to be early before the golfers tee off and start hitting the golf balls. My friends are the regular walkers and seldom skip walking except on raining days or go out of Segamat town.

As we are all aware, regular morning walk improves our blood circulation and makes our hearts stronger thus it works more efficiently. My friends tell me that by doing regular brisk walking, they are able to keep fit and stay much healthier than others who fail to make brisk walking a habit. It needs to take initiative and commitment to wake up early to go for morning walk regularly and to stick with it for at least 6 month. There must be persistence full of determination, dedication and discipline if we want to make brisk walking a habit. I remember my late father used to go for morning walk very regularly during the good old days in Kuala Lipis, Pahang. He brought along a long walking stick with him to chase away any stray dogs coming near him. Well, since I am now a retired man, I am determined to treat morning walk as my daily routine too.

Oh Yes. I hope you can join me too to start “Chale Chalo” (brisk walking) from today onwards. And I hope you sing along with me and here are the lyrics of “GREEN GREEN GRASS OF HOME”:

The old home town looks the same,
As I step down from the train,
And there to meet me is my mama and my papa.
Down the road I look, and there comes Mary,
Hair of gold and lips like cherries.
It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.

The old house is still standing,
Though the paint is cracked and dry,
And there's the old oak tree that I used to play on.
Down the lane I walk with my sweet Mary,
Hair of gold and lips like cherries.
It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.

Yes, they'll all come to see me,
Arms reaching, smiling sweetly.
It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.

[spoken:]
Then I awake and look around me,
At the four gray walls that surround me,
And I realize that I was only dreaming.
For there's a guard, and there's a sad old padre,
Arm in arm, we'll walk at daybreak.Again,
I'll touch the green, green grass of home.

Yes, they'll all come to see me
In the shade of the old oak tree,
As they lay me 'neath the green, green grass of home.

Click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSajFnkUxQY to watch and listen to Tom Jones singing 'Green Green Grass of Home' on Youtube.

TALK LESS DO MORE

2008-12-04T09:32:00.004+08:00

This is a cigarette’s advertisement on a big signboard across one main road in Medan, on my way to Tembung office. I am not interested on the brand of the cigarette advertised as I am a non-smoker. I was attracted by the phrase it used for advertisement, i.e. “TALK LESS DO MORE”. This reminded me of the English proverb, “ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WRODS’. Obviously, people who DO MORE are men of action.

It seems to imply that people who are not men of action tend to TALK MORE DO LESS. They are always gossiping, complaining and chit-chatting that they keep on talking, talking and talking, especially when they are on the phone, so much so that more time is spent on talking and there is little time left for doing. These are the people as if they are the empty drums making the most noise.

There are certain professions such as teachers, lecturers, actors, lawyers, motivators, advisors and consultants who are required to TALK MORE DO MORE. Politicians also TALK MORE, especially during election campaign, but not many politicians DO MORE.

I feel sorry for you if you TALK LESS DO LESS. You have nothing to show not to mention the least expectation of you to excel in performance.

There are planters who TALK MORE and also planters who TALK LESS. It’s not important whether they TALK MORE or TALK LESS, they need to WALK MORE DO MORE.

Taking Another Look: Importance of Second Chances

2008-10-28T12:30:00.003+08:00

When we meet someone for the first time, we often create a defining image in our minds of who that person is. We may also determine whether or not that someone is worth getting to know. Sometimes when an initial interaction is particularly uncomfortable or challenging, we can decide to close our hearts to this new acquaintance entirely. But being too quick to judge can cause us to lose out on a potentially wonderful, enriching relationship. First impressions don't always give the complete picture, so if you meet someone who leaves you less than impressed; consider giving them a second chance. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Everyone deserves to be given a second chance. We know from personal experience how painful it can feel to be misunderstood or judged. We have good hearts and want them to be seen. We have so much to offer and want others to welcome our gifts. When someone shuts us out before they even know who we are, it can feel frustrating, hurtful, and confusing. By giving others a second chance, we can extend the same courtesy we would ask for ourselves. In this way, we set a precedent for all our relationships: to allow everyone the freedom and safety to simply be human. Whether it is a blind date, the man sitting next to you on the airplane, or your new neighbor, everyone has a full life outside of their interaction with you. They may be preoccupied with a personal or business situation that affects the way they are presenting themselves, or maybe they had a rough day or some bad news. If you give them the room to be who they are, where they are, you will allow yourself to do the same.

When you are considering giving someone a second chance, first check in with your inner knowing. If you find that your intuition is advising you to keep your distance, it is important to honor the guidance you receive. By honoring your intuition when it has wisdom to share, you can feel confident and happy in your decision to give others a second chance.

Something to share:

How true it is that the first time you come across a person you tend to ignore him just as he takes no notice of you. This is a common human nature. But will you take the initiative and friendly approach to start the conversation and connect the relationship with him the second time meeting him?

Few days ago I saw this Indonesian guy in the pool when I went for a swim in Tiara Hotel’s swimming pool. Before I got into the pool, he started swimming away. So there was no chance to say “Hello”. Yesterday I was in the sauna room after the ping pong games with my colleague, SS. The door opened and this guy walked in. I looked at him and he looked at me but there was no eye contact. After a while, I decided to open my mouth and talked to him in Bahasa Indonesia. Once we had started our conversation, I found that he was as friendly as me and he spoke fairly good English. I felt glad that I had made a new friend because of taking the second chance.

One day my HRD personnels came to see me and proposed to promote someone who had sat for the evaluation test and his result was just at the borderline. The reason given was that he was the next in line. They also explained to me that the mill manager was satisfied with his performance and supported the promotion. Accordingly, the not so good result might have been due to his sick condition on the day the test took place. I told them on principle I could not approve such a recommendation but I could consider giving him the second chance. I suggested allowing him to re-sit the test and we would judge again by his new result. He passed with flying color and eventually he got his promotion.

Yes. “Everyone deserves to be given a second chance!” Don’t you agree?

Making Mistakes

2008-10-24T10:01:00.004+08:00

We failed because we made mistakes. We made mistakes because we were lack of experiences. Thus, with the right concept, we had learned to gain experiences from the mistakes we had made. We had introspected to find out where go wrong. We needed to analyze the whole process one more time. Through evaluation, then we are able to avoid making the same errors but come out with a better action plan to make it the next time.

Something to Share:

Everybody makes mistakes for no man is born perfect. In actual fact, the more mistakes we make, the better we will become as we have learned through making mistakes. That’s what we call gaining experiences.

Peter F. Drucker, the father of Modern Management, once said,”The better a man is, the more mistakes he will make, for the more things he will try. I would never promote into a top level job a man who was not making mistakes….. He is sure to be mediocre.”

You may make hundreds of mistakes but each mistake made must not be the same as the previous mistake. That’s what we call experimenting.

A positive thinking person needs to do thing right the first time or at least he makes an attempt to do so. If not, he must learn the lesson and does it right the second time. Something is not right if a person keeps doing wrong and repeating the same mistake!

I used to tell my subordinates that there are 3 types of managers in plantations.

1st type – he has not learned from his own mistakes. (Gaining no experience thus chance of demotion or being sacked is great.)

2nd type – he has learned from his own mistakes. (Gaining limited experiences thus chance of promotion is slim.)

3rd type – he has learned from his own mistakes and also from other people’s mistakes. (Gaining more experiences thus chance of promotion is great.)

Higher Cost Of Production: A Great Concern To All Planters

2008-10-22T12:11:00.007+08:00

PETALING JAYA: The sharp drop in crude palm oil (CPO) prices, rising cost of raw materials and burdensome taxes have resulted in the cost of production (COP) escalating among local plantation players, hurting smaller and newer plantation companies, especially those from Sarawak.

Planters claim that the current COP had surged, on average, RM1,200 to RM1,700 per tonne now. The COP of more efficient planters jumped at least 50% to RM1,200 per tonne currently from RM600 to RM650 in the past five years. The COP at the less efficient planters, as well as new planters, which meant younger palm trees with lower yields, shot up 87.5% to above RM1,500 per tonne from RM800 earlier.

“Just imagine with a COP above RM1,500 at the current CPO price of RM1,600 to RM1,700 per tonne, many medium to small-time planters will be facing difficulties in making (decent) margins,” said Malaysian Estate Owners’ Association president Boon Weng Siew.

Analysts have estimated that the COP among Sarawak oil palm players would be the highest nationwide at RM1,700 to RM2,000 per tonne.

“At current CPO price of RM1,700, how are Sarawak players going to break even or service their high borrowings at the banks and pay the windfall tax?” Boon asked.

He said the COP situation has changed dramatically, especially the price of fertilisers. The price of fertilizers had gone up by almost three folds to RM4,000 per tonne from RM1,300 to RM1,400 per tonne over the past three years.

The COP of efficient planters like IOI Corp Bhd and United Plantations Bhd is estimated to be in the range of RM1,100 to RM1,200 per tonne “at best,” according to Boon. Analysts have projected the two companies’ yield at 25 to 28 tonnes per ha per year, which was higher than the national industry average of 20 tonnes.

Plantation giant Sime Darby Bhd is said to have an average COP of about RM1,100 per tonne.

Plantation analysts projected the COP for medium-sized planters like IJM Plantations Bhd, Tradewinds Plantation Bhd and Asiatic Development Bhd at RM1,300 to RM1,500 per tonne.

Of late, many oil palm planters nationwide are struggling to keep their escalating COP at bay while grappling with the current decline in crude palm oil (CPO) prices.

They also have to contend with taxes deemed unfair such as the windfall tax and the cess imposed by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), as well as the high cost of fertilizers, chemicals and fuels.

The CPO price trend in November and December would be critical to determine the actual margin erosion among local plantation companies, an analyst with a bank-backed brokerage said. But he noted that the average CPO price at RM3,000 per tonne so far this year was still higher than the 2007 average at RM2,600 per tonne.

“I strongly believe that major oil palm plantation companies can still make good profits for 2008, given the higher CPO average this year and many have locked in their CPO selling price at RM3,000 per tonne in the previous months,” the analyst said.

Boon said many Sarawak-based oil palm plantation players, as new entrants with poor FFB yields, would be hit harder this year, given the bearish CPO price, high COP and the various taxes imposed on them such as the windfall tax.

Last week, seven major Sarawak oil palm companies appealed to the Government to waive the windfall tax or raise the CPO threshold price to RM3,000 per tonne from RM2,000 for calculating the windfall tax.

The Government has imposed a windfall tax on CPO sales at above RM2,000 per tonne, with a 15% tax applicable to plantations in mainland Malaysia, and a 7.5% tax for those in east Malaysia.

Ta Ann Holdings Bhd, a giant timber group with heavy investments in oil palm plantations, is worried. Managing director Datuk Wong Kuo Hea said: “Seasoned Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah planters have enough hectarage of profitable harvesting area to be financially self dependent. Sarawak, as a late entrant, has the lowest area planted with only 20% that can contribute to profit. We are also not financially self-sufficient in our operation and still require huge injection of funds into our new plantations.”

Analysts have projected that many Sarawak planters would continue to make losses from the first to fifth year of harvesting but would start to make profit only in year six if the CPO price was at RM1,700 per tonne.

Top listed Sarawak-based planters include Ta Ann, Sarawak Plantations Bhd, Rimbunan Sawit Bhd, Sarawak Oil Palm Bhd and WTK Holdings Bhd

Close Friends

2008-10-15T11:29:00.003+08:00

When we are close friends with someone, we intuitively know when they need a hug, a helping hand, or a sympathetic ear. Likewise, when we are going through bleak periods in our lives, we count on friends to support us through loss, illness, and other setbacks, both big and small. And while part of being a good friend means being there when the other person needs us, it is just as important to be there for our friends so we can share in their joyous celebrations and triumphs.

After all, who else would our friends want to celebrate their promotions, graduations, marriages, and good news with than their loved ones and good friends? Yet depending on what is happening in our lives, it can sometimes be difficult to be there for our friends during the good times. We can become so busy with our own lives that we forget to make time. Or, we may be so focused on our own problems that we may not feel like celebrating with our friends. We may even take their joyful moments for granted, assuming that as long as we’re there for our friends during the bad times that we are doing our jobs. Yet part of being a true friend means also being there during the good times. Success and happiness can feel empty without someone to share them with, and who better to join in our victory dances than our good friends.

Taking the time from our busy lives to honor our friends’ happy moments is a wonderful way to show them that they matter. And in many ways, by wanting you around during their happy occasions, your friends are also honoring you. After all, it is the people we cherish that we want around us to sing at our birthdays, visit our newborn babies, and pop open that bottle of champagne with when we reach a milestone moment. The next time a friend wants you to be there to celebrate with them, remember to feel honored that they thought of asking you. Together, you can celebrate their happiness and your rich friendship.

Something to share:

Tan Jing Ming, my old pal, wrote his comment in my other blog (I Hope You Sing – You’ve Got A Friend): “Close friends are usually childhood friends where we have been friends for many years during our younger days and shared a lot fun together.” Yes. Close friends are our intimate friends. They are also our lifelong friends since childhood. We used to spend most of the time together after school; having fun together in various outdoor games and activities. Thus our relationship got closer day by day as we grew up in our hometown. But sad to say that only few in number remained keeping in touch as we have separated from each other and settled down in different places. The relationship somehow seems to be drifted apart as time goes by.

On the other hand, we do get close to some of our colleagues in our workplace and later become intimate friends. But most of them remain as casual friends. Our other casual friends also include our neighbors, our club members, our church members, parents of our children, friends of our colleagues and co-workers, and people we used to come across every now and then in our everyday lives. These are new and old acquaintances that we bump into and whenever we come across each other we used to nod our heads and say “Hello” without close fellowship. So the relationship remains casual.

There is no excuse for not having time for our friends who are staying in the same town or city. There is also no reason why we can’t meet up a friend when he happens to be in town. The Chinese saying puts it very clearly, “Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?” 有朋友自远方来，不亦乐呼？(You Peng You Zi Yen Fang Lai, Bu Yi Le Hu) No mater how busy we are, we must always be ready to give our good friends our time. Yes. It will be a joyful moment to meet up and spend time with friends coming from other places. Our time is not only the precious gift that we can give, but also the top priority that we should make ourselves available for friends. When we are invited by our friends to attend their special functions, I am sure our presence will be much felt, honored and greatly appreciated by them.

I feel bad when I couldn’t attend the wedding of Lim Keng Hian’s son in Kuala Lumpur in May 2008 as I was told all of a sudden to make a trip to Acheh on the wedding date. Actually I felt honored of his invitation and I really wanted to share the happy moments with him and his family. Moreover, I was expecting to meet some of our old friends and ex-colleagues whom we had not met for quite a number of years at the wedding dinner. I am sure they were invited too.

As I plan to retire soon, I think I will not have any more excuses but the time to attend any invitation of my friends in near future. I will be a much happier person from now on to share the joyfulness of my close friends who have added richness to my life.

Wisdom & Decision Making

2008-10-07T10:13:00.004+08:00

WHERE CAN WE FIND WISDOM?

Who among us does not look back in regret over a past decision? Sometimes we had inadequate information to make the right judgment. But often we simply lacked the necessary wisdom to make the right choice at the right time.

- THE NIV QUIET TIME BIBLE (Ecclesiastes 7/Pg 791)

Something to share:

Wisdom comes with experience, and experience come with age. God says, “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom,” and “Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding.” (Proverbs 4:7a & 3:13) With adequate experience, you will have the wisdom to make the right decision at the right time to gain success. But if you make the right decision at the wrong timing, it’s unacceptable. Making a wrong decision is already a mistake but if at the wrong time, then it’s a disaster. As a consequence, our reputation or position could be at stake.

It’s essential to make analysis well before making a decision. Always gather adequate information to do a thorough cost- and -benefit analysis before making decision. Don’t be in a hurry to make decision if you are not sure of your perception and situation. However, this doesn’t mean that you can become indecisive by adopting the so-called “wait and see” attitude. The “keep delaying” attitude is another form of your indecisiveness. It’s better to make a decision than not making decision at all. However, any decision made should be an effective one. Then it’s a right decision.

Why do people look back and regret over a past decision? It’s alright to look back and learn from past mistake but it’s just a waste of time if you keep regretting over it. Remember that what had been done cannot be undone. If you think you had made a wrong decision in the past, then you should look forward to spend time on gathering adequate information to make a right decision today so that you won’t regret over it later on.

Our life journey is a process of decision making. As a leader, you must realize the power of decision making. Timing is of paramount important. Thus, decision making must not long past its time and purpose. You are solely responsible for making a decision and don’t find a scapegoat to blame for the wrong decision made. You must learn from the past mistakes once you realize that a wrong decision had been made. When you are determined not to repeat the same mistakes, such determination will give you the power to make a right decision but make it at the right time. Once a decision has been made, then it’s time to act immediately. Any delayed action is undesirable because circumstances may change rapidly. Therefore, to be really successful, you have to make the right decision at the right time and followed by fast action with total commitment.

Mind Your Own Business?

2008-09-28T21:13:00.002+08:00

One day, a little mouse living on a farm, spied the farmer and his wife opening a package. He was aghast to discover that the package contained, not food, but a mouse trap. The mouse ran to the farmyard warning everyone. "There is a mouse trap in the house; there is a mouse trap in the house!"

The chicken raises his head and exclaimed. "Mr. Mouse, I can tell you this trap is a grave concern to you, but it has no consequence to me and I cannot be bothered with it."

The mouse turned to the pig. "I am so very sorry Mr. Mouse, but the trap is no concern of mine either."

The mouse then turned to the bull. "Sounds like you have a problem Mr. Mouse, but not one that concerns me."

The mouse returned to the house dejected that no one would help him or was concerned about his dilemma. He knew he had to face the trap on his own. That night the sound of a trap catching its prey was heard throughout the house.

The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness she could see that it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The wife caught a bad fever and the farmer knew the best way to treat a fever was with chicken soup. He took his hatchet to the farmyard to get the soup's main ingredient.

The wife got sicker, and friends visited her round the clock. The farmer had to feed them, so he butchered the pig. The farmer's wife got worse and died. So many friends and family came to her funeral that the farmer had to slaughter the bull to feed them all.

So the next time we hear that one of our team-mates is facing a problem and think it does not concern or affect us, let us remember this:

When anyone of our team members is in trouble, we are all at risk.

Something to share:

Mind your own business? That’s too bad and it’s definitely a wrong attitude. You just can’t mind your own business when your friend or your team member is in trouble.

You will get “slaughtered” too in the end if you refused to mind the business right from the beginning. If you are not concerned and refuse to help, thinking that it’s none of your business to intervene and you can get away with it, then you are wrong! Always remember that the fire in your neighbour’s house may spread to your house in the same row. That’s the moral of the story.

Well, in the context of teamwork, it’s no more a matter of whether it’s your business (your problem) or my business (my problem) but rather it’s our business (our problem). Whenever a team member gets into trouble (having problem), we have to show our concern and start minding each other’s business (solving the problem collectively). Every team member will have to accept each other and offer help when needed. No matter what the differences, all team members must stay beside each other and support each other. We will either swim or die with our team members in the river of trouble, but there is always a WAY OUT when we stick together.

That’s the true spirit of teamwork!

INFLUENTIAL FRIENDS

2008-09-24T10:07:00.004+08:00

Life in a foreign country can be difficult. There are new foods, unexpected customs, new ways of speaking or even a new language, different ways of dressing and much more. Something that helps a great deal in such a situation is a friend from the new culture who can help you make the adjustment and introduce around.

- The NIV Quiet Time Bible (Pg 526)

Sharing experiences:

A Chinese proverb says, 在家靠父母，岀門靠朋友 (zai jia kao fu mu, chu men kao peng you) It means: “It is your parents that you can rely on at home, but it is your friends that you can count on when out in the society.”

How true it is that when we come to a new country to work as an expatriate, surely a local friend who is quite influential in the local society is of great help to show us around the places where to eat and where to shop; what rules and what laws and orders we should observe and what things we should try to avoid. In fact, I feel that the sooner the better for us to get acquainted with more local friends but must be helpful, trustworthy and reliable. Better still if we have some old friends who came before us to guide us with useful tips and to share their experiences with us. Then even though we may be naïve and fresh to the new country, we won’t have to make the wrong move and get into unnecessary troubles.

There are many Malaysian planters working in various places in different provinces in Indonesia, from Sumatra to Kalimantan, and now some even in Sulawesi, Papua and Irian Jaya. I think most of us have gone through the language shock when we find out that the Bahasa Malaysia we speak at home is so much different from Bahasa Indonesia. I believe learning the cross-cultural knowledge and customs in Indonesia is very essential for any expatriate to maintain good and harmony working relationships with the local staff and workers. We certainly need our Indonesian friends and the old timers here to help us make the adjustment and quicken our adaptability in the new working environments here.

In another Chinese proverb, it is known as 入乡随俗 (rù xiāng suí sú ) :“Follow the local custom when you go to a foreign place” or “In Rome do as the Romans do.” As expatriates working abroad, we need our local friends to point out to us that it is in the best interest to learn how to be tolerant and observe the culture of the home country with respect and with some degree of sensibility. Undoubtedly, it takes time and effort to develop cross-culture communication when we first come into interacting with local managers, executives, colleagues and co-workers, bearing in mind that the most effective communication should be two-way. We need to learn from our local friends how to value and enjoy our differences in backgrounds, races, religions, languages, tradition, customs and culture, and then we are able to focus on what we have in common in the context of teamwork and good management practices.

Poetry In Motion - Moving Your Body

2008-09-19T15:24:00.004+08:00

Our bodies love movement. When we stretch or dance, our bodies adjust, realign and start to become fluid with the rhythm of life. Our mood lifts and we feel more connected with the world around us. If you are feeling stuck, ready to release old energy or eager to feel more alive, try moving your body. By giving your muscles a chance to do what they were created for, you may find that all areas of your body and your life benefit as well.

Many times we can be so busy that we forget moving our body is even an option. Some of us remain seated at our computer for hours every day or rush from task to task with robotic precision. When we are caught up in crossing items off our to-do lists, we tend to neglect all the opportunities there are to enjoy our bodies in the process of living. If this is true for you, begin looking for opportunities to move. You might try dancing or moving about freely as you clean your home, tend your garden or care for your children. If you are able to devote a set amount of time to self-care, practices such as yoga, dance, tai chi and walking are all great ways to keep your body in motion.

Imagine how freeing it would feel to trust your body's movements completely; knowing it has a perfect strength and rhythm of its own. See if you can sense your bones providing graceful support, your muscles and tendons expanding and contracting in just the right measure, your lungs changing pace to fill deeply with fresh air. Movement is a vital celebration of life. It is a way to proclaim your own existence and relish in the joy of being alive. Today, and into the future, give yourself the gift of your body in motion.

Something to share:

How lucky we are working as planters that our job practically requires us to walk the fields. Planters are paid to walk everyday. That was the remarks of a senior planter to me in 1985 when I was transferred to Makassar Estate, Keratong, Pahang, in 1985. He was the Manager of Merchong Estate and we were neighbors.

In fact the basic work’s ethics for planters is none other than walking in the fields. No wonder someone had commented, “THE BEST PLANTATION PRACTICE IS THE PLANTER’S BOOTS AND NOTHING BEATS WALKING THROUGH THE FIELDS”

By the way, walking is an excellent exercise. It is a gentle, low-impact and safe exercise; just moving our bodies in motion as we swing our hands. But when planters walk in the fields, they also turn their heads left and right as they are trained to be observant and sharp in vision.

The normal advice from our doctors is to take a minimum of 30 minutes brisk walking for at least five days a week. For planters, walking in the fields for hours is not a problem. Don’t be surprised that there are still many senior planters way pass the age of 60 and are still walking in plantations all over the world. Well, thank God that it’s just because of their daily walking life that has been keeping them in good health.

Swimming is also another great exercise to keep our bodies in motion, beside golfing, walking, dancing, yoga and tai chi.

I would like to suggest to you to put on your MP3 or walkman and listen to Johnny Tillotson singing “Poetry In Motion” while you are brisk walking. The song’s lyrics may lighten you to swing and move your whole body in motion.

When I see my baby

What do I see?

Poetry

Poetry in motion...

How nice !!!

Broken Connection?

2008-09-10T15:42:00.003+08:00

Something happened in the past and it wasn't pleasant. Heavy words were exchanged, a friendship broke up, and we lost contact with people we are now missing. Broken connections are a tragic fact of our fast-moving life. But whatever the reason for the breakup, these connections can be repaired. Maybe not all of them, but we should notresign; we should give it a try. Don't forget that time is a healer. And modern technology makes it easier than ever for us to reconnect.

“Keep your friendships in repair.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Don't be dismayed at good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.”- Richard Bach

A friendly e-mail that communicates that you would like to reconnect is just one idea. Or you could send an unexpected birthday card to the other party. Or depending on the situation, you could even make a phone call addressing the issue in positive, conciliatory words, or use friends in common to convey a message. I am sure you can think of many other ways, once you've made the decision to try. But what if it doesn't work? Then you can pat yourself on the back and be proud that you tried. And then just let go.

Wouldn't it be nice to reconnect with someone? Have the courage to try.

Something to share:

As illustrated in the Chinese Proverb: 海内存知已，天涯若比邻 (hai nei cun zhi ji, tianya ruo bi lin). The world is but a little place, after all.

A broke up 友情(you qing) friendship does not mean that your friend had become your enemy and that the friendship between you and him or her had been totally ruined. Whatever reasons that caused the break up; don’t you think it’s time to forgive and forget and to reconcile the broken relationship?

You may feel that it’s easier to forgive than to forget. You may be ready to forgive someone who had hurt you deeply, but somehow you still have a hard time trusting that person again. Why? What if that someone is having the same feeling as yours?

Make an attempt to meet up and reconnect again. Make up your mind to forgive and forget. Let be friends again. The world is but a little place, after all.

UNLIMITED ENTHUSIASM

2008-09-08T11:02:00.003+08:00

When a group of two hundred executives were asked what makes a person successful, eighty percent (80%) listed enthusiasm as the most important quality. More important than skill. More important than training. Even more important than experience.

Before water will produce enough steam to power an engine, it must boil. The steam engine won't move a train an inch until the steam gauge registers 212 degrees. Likewise, the person without enthusiasm is trying to move the machinery of life with lukewarm water. Only one thing will happen: that person will stall.

A. B. Zu Tavern asserts that enthusiasm is electricity in the battery. It's the vigor in the air. It's the warmth in the fire. It's the breath in all things alive. Successful people are enthusiastic about what they do. "Good work is never done in cold blood," he says, "heat is needed to forge anything. Every great achievement is the story of a flaming heart."

You may have all of the skill, training and experience you've ever need. Add enthusiasm to those assets and you will be truly unstoppable!

Something2share:

How true it is that enthusiasm does make a big difference between you and others. When you are interested in your job and feel enthusiastic in doing it, you can perform better than others who are still lack in enthusiasm. Why? That’s because with enthusiasm, you are more certain and sure of your skill, potential and experience, thus you are in a better position to excel in performance than others.

With enthusiasm, there is accomplishment and you can become a good leader. With unlimited enthusiasm, you will become a great leader. Not only you can influence other persons but also you will have a high command over them to accomplish what you want them to do as you have earned their respect. A great leader is always there to teach, to train, to coach, to guide, to motivate, to encourage, and to lift up team members so as to make them leaders too.

In Beijing Olympics 2008, Michael Phelps of USA, at 6ft 4ins tall with unlimited enthusiasm in swimming, became “The Impossible” winning 8 gold medals in the 400m medley, 200m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 4x100m free relay, 4x200m free relay, 200m medley, 100m butterfly and the 4x100m medley and set world records in all the eight finals. Usain Bolt of Jamaica, at 6 ft 5ins tall with unlimited enthusiasm in running, became “The Incredible” and the new fastest man on earth breaking both men’s 100m and 200m world records. He also won another gold medal together with his teammates in men’s 4 x 400m relay event, breaking the world record too. Both of them are great sportsmen indeed!

Don’t be just a good planter. Show your unlimited enthusiasm in whatever you do in plantation management, and “you will be truly unstoppable” to become a great planter.

THE RUNNER'S DISCIPLINE

2008-09-06T10:45:00.002+08:00

We often wonder why thousand of marathoners seem to enjoy themselves in grueling races. Certainly, for most, it’s not the hope of winning. What is it then? Explaining it to his readers, writer Art Carey said,” The real joy of the Boston Marathon is just finishing, just winning the contest with yourself – doing what you have set out to do.” That’s the attitude the Hebrews were supposed to have. Stay in the faith-race to the end.

THE NIV QUIET TIME BIBLE (Hebrews 12: Page 1518)

Something2Share:

I believe we can learn something out of the discipline of the marathon runners. It was rightly said that the marathon runners who had trained hard for the race, went all out to finish the race with endurance and perseverance, even if not in a position to win the race.

We have heard of John Steven Akhwari, the marathon runner from Tanzania, in 1968 Mexico City Olympics. We read about him, being a disciplined athlete, hobbled in pain to reach the finish line with a bandaged leg. Although he finished in the last place but he had accomplished the mission that he was supposed to do. He was well aware that his country sent him there to finish the race.

Just as written in Hebrews 12:1, ”Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” and in Hebrews 12:11, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

Likewise, we have to discipline ourselves in our workplace, to do “what we have set out to do.” Each time we finish our task, no matter how tough it is, we know that we can do it with discipline, dedication and determination, and then full of diligence, persistence and perseverance. That’s what we call job satisfaction ("real joy") and we all feel proud of it!

WINNING THE RACE

2008-09-05T10:48:00.004+08:00

Coaches tell us that what distinguishes average from superior athletes is the will to win. Endowed with equal physical strengths, one reaches the height of stardom while the other slips into obscurity. One succeeded and the other failed. What made the difference? THE WILL TO WIN.

Something2share:

The 29th Summer Olympic Games held in Beijing 2008 was just over on 24 August with a total of 10,500 athletes competed in 302 events and in 28 sports. The open ceremony was held on 8 August (i.e. 08.08.08). There were 43 new world records and 132 new Olympic records set during the Games. Great and marvelous results that had been achieved by gold medalists in Beijing Olympics!

The remarkable and amazing ones are none other than Michael Phelps of USA winning 8 gold medals in swimming events and broke the record of most golds in one Olympics. We had also witnessed Usain Bolt of Jamaica breaking men’s 100m world record at “9.69 seconds” and also setting men’s 200m world record at “19.30 seconds”. Both of them had “the will to win” and they had won!

Likewise, we must also have “the will to excel” in our performance and “the will to succeed” so as to be successful in our professions.

A Persian Story of the Jumping Frogs

2008-08-30T10:04:00.004+08:00

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead.

The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead.

Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out.

This frog, though, was deaf, unable to hear the others plea. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

This story teaches us two lessons:

There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them.

Something2Share:

How true it is that at time we need to turn our deaf ears to what others say. Don’t listen to them. They are not your true friends but enemies in disguise. When they speak negative words to you, you can sense it that they are taking the opportunity of your bad situation to discourage you, to pinch you down, to make you more depressed, and to destroy you in the end. (They are just like the group of frogs telling the 2 poor frogs fell into a deep pit to give up hope and die.)

There are also people who like to gossip, spread rumor and carry tales about you in the company. Do not be one of them. Always believe the principle of “Do right fear no man but fear God.” In the end, you will be blessed and you will be a blessing to others.

The worst that you could have encountered is one of your colleagues who had told unfounded lies to your boss so that you are no longer stand in his way for his promotion in the company. That’s the evil intention in him. In Chinese, such person is known as 小人 (xiao ren : wicked man). He is 狼披羊皮（lang pi yang pi : a “wolf” putting on the “sheep’s skin”). Beware of this kind of person and keep a distance from him. Don’t ever associate with him.

God wants us to be good and not to be wicked. He wants us to be righteous gentlemen showing tender care to others with love. When we can speak words of encouragement, we are able to help others and lift them up. Unlike the wicked men, they speak words of condemn to drag people down.

Positively speaking, by constant sharing and keep on motivating others, we are able to turn "give up" into "take up", "misery" into "hope", "loss" into "win", "failure" into "success" and "unhappiness" into "joy"!

The Friend We Want To Be - Evaluating Our Relationships

2008-08-22T10:40:00.004+08:00

There comes a time in all our lives when we may need to evaluate our relationships, making sure that they are having a positive effect on us, rather than dragging us down. Without realizing it, we may be spending precious time and energy engaging in friendships that let us down, rather than cultivating ones that support and nourish us along our path. Life, with its many twists, turns, and challenges, is difficult enough without us entertaining people in our inner circle who drain our energy. We can do so much more in this world when we are surrounded by people who understand what we're trying to do and who positively support our efforts to walk our path.

We can begin this evaluation process by simply noticing how we feel in the context of each one of our close relationships. We may begin to see that an old friend is still carrying negative attitudes or ideas that we ourselves need to let go of in order to move forward. Or we may find that we have a long-term relationship with someone who has a habit of letting us down, or not showing up for us when we need support. There are many ways to go about changing the status quo in situations like this, having a heart to heart with our friend showing through example. This process isn't so much about abandoning old friends as it is about shifting our relationships so that they support us on our journey rather than holding us back.

An important part of this process is looking at ourselves and noticing what kind of friend we are to the people in our lives. We might find that as we adjust our own approach to a relationship, challenging ourselves to be more supportive and positive, our friends make adjustments as well and the whole world benefits.

Something to share:

Friendship is very valuable for “he who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare.” It’s true that at time we have to evaluate our relationships with our friends. We should make every effort to maintain friendship instead of breaking relationship with friends due to misunderstanding, disagreement or conflict. We have to learn how to value and restore the relationship with friends.

Be frank when we come to evaluating/restoring relationship with friends. Never talk bad or point finger from the back. Be open and transparent. As friends, we must learn to get along with one another. Any disagreement, conflict and misunderstanding among friends will have to be resolved in order to maintain the valuable friendship.

It’s better for you to take the initiative step and make the first move if you want a heart-to-heart talk with any friend, whether you feel being let down or you have let your friend down. Go to the friend the sooner the better and make things right in a face–to–face meeting. Any delay is undesirable as it may deepen the misunderstanding and sour the relationship further. Of course the meeting should be well timed and at the right place to meet. How to talk is as important as what to say. The right approach by you and your friend will build up a better supportive friendship in the end.

THE BETTER WAY TO UNDERSTAND SOMEONE IS TO SHARE THE SAME VIEW !

It’s a dog’s life after all

2008-08-11T11:33:00.002+08:00

A butcher watching over his shop is really surprised when he saw a dog coming inside the shop. He shoos him away. But later, the dog is back again. So, he goes over to the dog and notices he has a note in his mouth.

He takes the note and it reads "Can I have 12 sausages and a leg of lamb, please. The dog has money in his mouth, as well".

The butcher looks inside and, behold, a ten dollar note. So he takes the money and puts the sausages and lamb in a bag, placing it in the dog's mouth.

The butcher is so impressed, and since it's about closing time, he decides to shut up shop and follow the dog. So off he goes.

The dog is walking down the street when he comes to a level crossing. The dog puts down the bag, jumps up and presses the button.

Then he waits patiently, bag in mouth, for the lights to turn. They do, and he walks across the road, with the butcher following him all the way.

The dog then comes to a bus stop, and starts looking at the timetable. The butcher is in awe at this stage. The dog checks out the times, and then sits on one of the seats provided.

Along comes a bus. The dog walks around to the front, looks at the number, and goes back to his seat. Another bus comes. Again the dog goes and looks at the number, notices it's the right bus, and climbs on.

The butcher, by now, open-mouthed, follows him onto the bus. The bus travels through the town and out into the suburbs, the dog looking at the scenery.

Eventually he gets up, and moves to the front of the bus. He stands on 2 back paws and pushes the button to stop the bus. Then he gets off, his groceries still in his mouth.

Well, dog and butcher are walking along the road, and then the dog turns into a house.

He walks up the path, and drops the groceries on the step. Then he walks back down the path, takes a big run, and throws himself against the door.

He goes back down the path, runs up to the door and again, it throws himself against it.

There's no answer at the house, so the dog goes back down the path, jumps up on a narrow wall, and walks along the perimeter of the garden. He gets to the window, and beats his head against it several times, walks back, jumps off, and waits at the door.

The butcher watches as a big guy opens the door, and starts abusing the dog, kicking him and punching him, and swearing at him.

The butcher runs up, and stops the guy. "What in heaven's name are you doing? The dog is a genius. He could be on TV, for the life of me!" to which the guy responds:

"You call this clever? This is the second time this week that this stupid dog's forgotten his key."

Something2share:

The message is clear: DON’T REPEAT THE SAME MISTAKE

When I was Plantation Manager many years ago, I used to remind my Assistants, “You are good, but if you repeat the same mistakes, you are good-for-nothing!”

For those who had accepted my statement positively, they were extra careful not to repeat the same mistakes again as they didn’t want to be good-for-nothing. I had also told them, "Don’t be just good. Try to be better. Aim for the best.”

I feel proud of those who have climbed up the ladder of success and now holding higher position than just a Plantation Manager. They are not only good for not repeating the same mistakes, but they have taken my advice and have been motivated to be better and are aiming for the best in their career path.

WHO'S YOUR BEST FRIEND?

2008-08-06T12:13:00.006+08:00

Former prisoner James Knapp confessed to police that he'd robbed two stores in Oklahoma (USA), because he missed his old cell mates. Police said they'd see if James could be reunited with his buddies.

But I think Mr. Knapp might have said something worth listening to. We need friends, no matter where we find them.

And do you know who your best friend is? Automaker Henry Ford was having lunch with a man, when he suddenly asked the man that very question. "Who is your best friend?" Ford asked.

The man hesitated and Ford went on. "I'll tell you who your best friend is," he said. Then he wrote this sentence for the man to read: "Your best friend is he who brings out the best that is within you." Our best friends are those who do more than simply like us. They also believe in us. They support us but, occasionally, they nudge us as well.

Someone put it well: "A friend is someone who knows you as you are, understands where you've been, accepts who you've become, and still, and gently invites you to grow."

Now...who is your best friend?

Something to share:

In life, we have had many childhood friends as we went through schooling in primary and secondary schools. But as we grew up, many of us had left our hometowns to attend higher education in other big towns or cities or even went abroad to study overseas. Others had gone to seek employment else where. Later we could have settled down in other places and have our families there. Some could have migrated overseas to other countries. Thus as time went by, we might have lost contact with most of them. But if we are still keeping in touch with few of them, we can consider them as our lifelong friends.

For those who were fortunate to have the opportunity furthering their studies, they also made friends in colleges and universities. Then they met new acquaintances in their workplaces, in club houses and places they used to hang around after work. They also have neighbours in where they stay. They happened to know some of them if not all and whenever they met they said “hello” to each other or just waved hand to show their friendliness but they did not have close relationship. Over a period, somehow there bond to be few of them who later became friends once relationship had been established gradually and eventually. They will most likely meet up everyday in kopitiam (their favourite coffee shop) and keep talking on all sorts of topics especially the current affairs in town and in the country.

Nevertheless, no matter where we are, we do need friends although only a limited number of them with whom we can have and maintain a close and intimate friendship. These are the friends who have the same interests, hobbies and philosophy like ours. We have the same kind of character, same direction, same dream and same goal. Thus we are able to communicate and to understand each other very well that we share joys and sorrows together. We will encourage, motivate and support each other in time of need. Obviously, we have become buddies.

Yes. I do agree that “a best friend is the one who brings out the best that is within you”. Remember, a best friend is also a true friend. Someone says,"A true friend is one who holds your hand and thus touches your heart.” When you hear “I’ll be there for you” from a friend, he is, undoubtedly, your true friend and your best friend!.

Actively Participating Showing Up For Life

2008-07-20T09:25:00.005+08:00

The way we walk into a room says a lot about the way we live our lives. When we walk into a room curious about what's happening, willing to engage, and perceiving ourselves as an active participant with something to offer, then we have really shown up to the party. When we walk into a room with our eyes down, or nervously smiling, we are holding ourselves back for one reason or another. We may be hurting inside and in need of healing, or we may lack the confidence required to really be present in the room. Still, just noticing that we're not really showing up, and having a vision of what it will look and feel like when we do, can give us the inspiration we need to recover ourselves.

Even if we are suffering, we can show up to that experience ready to fully engage in it and learn what it has to offer. When we show up for our life, we are actively participating in being a happy person, achieving our goals, and generally living the life our soul really wants. If we need healing, we begin the process of seeking out those who can help us heal. If we need experience, we find the places and opportunities that can give us the experience we need in order to do the work we want to do in the world. Whatever we need, we look for it, and when we find it, we engage in the process of letting ourselves have it. When we do this kind of work, we become lively, confident, and passionate individuals.

There is almost nothing better in the world than the feeling of showing up for our own lives. When we can do this, we become people that are more alive and who have the ability to make things happen in our lives and the lives of the people around us. We walk through the world with the knowledge that we have a lot to offer and the desire to share it.

Something to share:

Life is more meaningful when we are willing to share our ideas, our thoughts, our knowledge, our experiences with other people, whether they are our family members and relatives, our colleagues and coworkers, our friends and newly acquaintances. Exchanging views and learning from each other will certainly enrich our lives and broadening the way we think and the way we see things in life. When we are able to look at things more openly with real understanding, then we can agree to disagree with other people for it's just a matter of different opinions.

At times when arguement arises, do not loss our heads and start to blame and criticize with finger pointing. It becomes worst when you try to play the role of a judge. This will not improve the already sour situation. I am sure no one likes to be victim of blame and target of critiicism. On the other hands, why do we allow ourselves get into unnecessary heated arguement? I think the best way to avoid an arguement is to humble ourselves so as to continue the discussion in a much friendly manner. There is nothing wrong to say,"Correct me if I am wrong" rather than to say "No, you're wrong".

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." How true it is that when we show a little respect for other people, they will in return show a bigger respect for us. When in contact with people, uttering words such as "Good morning", "Excuse me" and "Thank you" will brighten our everyday life as they'll respond well in return with smiles. How come? Well, when our words make them feel so good, it's natural that they want us to feel good too. Be nice to other people and we are able to get along with them easily. That's make us "a happy person" in life!

THINK LITERALLY TO FIND WAY OUT

2008-07-09T15:20:00.007+08:00

I have also shared with my colleagues and friends the story of a moneylender and a young girl. It’s about the girl’s father, a poor farmer, who could not pay back the money he borrowed from the moneylender and could be thrown into jail. The moneylender proposed a deal to the young girl. He would forgo her father’s debt if she would accept the deal. However, if there was no deal, then her father would be sent to jail for not able to pay back the money.

The girl accepted the deal to save her father but she was asked to pick a river pebble from a moneybag. If she picked a black pebble, she would become the young wife of the moneylender but her father’s debt would be forgiven. If the pebble she picked was a white one, she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven.

The moneylender was cunning as the girl saw him putting 2 black river pebbles into the moneybag. She could not expose the moneylender as a cheat for the deal would be called off. She knew that whichever pebble she picked, it would be a black one anyway and she had to marry to the old man. The picking would be witnessed in front of other farmers and village elders.

It seemed to be a very fair deal to the young girl but in actual fact it was not. She would be the end looser the moment she accepted the deal as the end result had already been fixed by the moneylender. Nevertheless, she would have no choice as she wanted to save her father from going to jail.

Now how will you suggest a way to help the girl to jump out from the moneylender’s trap and free herself from becoming the young wife of the moneylender and save her father from his debt and imprisonment?

Someone suggested that the girl took a white pebble hidden in her hand and then putting her hand into the bag and pulling it out quickly, thus showing the white pebble in her hand. But the cunning moneylender would have checked the girl’s hand before allowing her putting it into the bag to pick a pebble.

Do you think there was no choice for the girl but she had to pick one of the black pebbles to save her father and married to the old ugly moneylender?

There were other suggestions from my colleagues and friends as well but the correct one was a little trick played by the smart young girl. She had to show her hand before she put it into the bag to pick the pebble. The moment she pulled her hand out from it, she deliberately fell down and dropped the pebble on the ground full of other river pebbles.

What if she chose to throw away the pebble?

Surely someone in the crowd could have possibly seen the black color of the river pebble, right?

Well, she apologized for her clumsiness and asked the village head to examine the color of the remaining pebble in the bag. Since it was a black pebble, then the pebble she picked and dropped on the ground must be a white one. The moneylender dared not admit his dishonesty and the girl changed what seemed to be an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one.

I shared this story with the purpose to motivate my colleagues and friends and put confidence in them. First of all, we must be bold enough to accept all challenges even though the circumstances may not be in favor of us. In this story, if the young girl chose to disclose the cheating of the moneylender, the deal will be called off and her poor father will be sent into the jail.

For every problem, there is a solution. However, if we choose to focus on the problem, in this story both pebbles were black, and then we may not able to find the answer. We know that whichever pebble she picked would be a black one.

However, when we keep focusing on finding the way out and think literally, we can rule out all wrong possibilities and find the right one. The young girl put on her thinking cap not to expose the moneylender as a cheat by putting 2 black river pebbles into the moneybag, but by just playing a small trick, she got what she wanted for not becoming the young wife of the moneylender and her father was pardoned of his debt and need not go to jail.

In other words, when we are given a mission we must strike for a DEAL. With that in mind, then we can all put in our best efforts to get the DEAL without making any silly move that may jeopardize it. Once the DEAL is on, only then we'll focus on our vision. That is to see that the DEAL gets through. Eventually, we can achieve what we aim for.

What Really Makes a True Winner?

2008-07-07T10:27:00.002+08:00

Lately I asked my colleagues and subordinate this question, "If you are in a 100m race, and after overtaking the 2nd runner, you are now in what position?” Most of them answered, without thinking, “In position one.” Then I asked them another question, “How about you overtaking the last runner? What position you are in now?” Again without thinking, they answered,"2nd last.”

I told them both answers were wrong. To the 2nd question, it’s not logical as you should be running in front of the last runner. When you overtake the 2nd runner, the 1st runner is still ahead of you, so you are only taking over the 2nd position.

My purpose of asking is not meant to test their wisdom but rather to motivate them not to waste time thinking of the last runner, but focus on reaching the finish line not just to beat the 2nd runner but also the 1st runner in order to be in position No. 1.

To be a winner, you have to have a vision to become a winner. First of all, you must realize that you were born to be a winner and you need to believe in yourself that you will become a winner. Always get up as a winner. In other words, you must see yourself as a winner in the mirror every morning. With such a strong self-confidence, then you must possess pleasant character and good qualities to become a winner.

1. Winners are focused. They have a sense of mission and work with a purpose. They know how to get to the finish line ahead of the other runners.

2. Winners are fully committed. It has to be a total commitment! Somehow, they will have to put in the extra courage going all out to win.

3. Winners are well disciplined. They follow rules. There is no partial obedience to instructions. It must be whole-hearted obedience to their trainers and it is done joyfully with enthusiasm!

4. Winners never make excuses. They will not give lame excuses for temporary set back but rather they remain cool, analyze thoroughly, plan again and take fast action to overcome all mistakes and errors in order to win.

5. Winners are dedicated. They find strong reasons to win. They make things happen.

6. Winners are determined. When a job has to be done, it can be done and has to be done. They will not leave their jobs half-done or half-undone.

7. Winners never point finger. They accept responsibilities and not to put the blame on their subordinates or finding “scapegoats” on the others to get themselves out of the troubled waters.
8. Winners value time management. They manage their time better than the others. They realize that “早起的鳥兒有虫吃 early birds catch the worms.” They ensure that they are at the workplace much earlier than their subordinates. They are no latecomers to office (or muster ground for planters) as they are good leaders.

9. Winners stand tall. They never bow down to adverse environment and difficult situation. They never quit. They take their earlier defeats as valuable lessons. They don’t give up but get up and start over again to fight like a champion until they win.

10. Winners are optimists. They don’t cry over spilled milk. They brush aside worries and fears. Just as illustrated in the above picture, as written in Chinese, “笑到最後后的人才是真正的贏家 a person who laughs till the end is a true winner!”

All in all, God wants winners to be “more than conquerors”! (Roman 8:37)

HEALTH OR WEALTH?

2008-07-04T15:01:00.003+08:00

If it's got to be one or the other, health is the obvious choice, right? Then why do so many of us sacrifice it for wealth? Mainly because we believe we can get away with it. And we can for a while.

But as the days and years go by and we are preoccupied with our daily routines, we don't think of our health - as long as it doesn't come to the fore. And even then, there are always pills to help us get by: pills for headaches, pills for high blood pressure, and pills for sleeplessness.

Out of shape? Overweight? Fatigued? Let's take care of it later.

Not just now - time is money!

"So many people spend their health gaining wealth, and then have to spend their wealth to regain their health.” - A.J. Reb Materi

”The first wealth is health.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

But there won't always be time. When a heart attack, a chronic disease, or a loss of physical capacity reminds us of our mortality, our priorities will change. Gaining more influence and wealth will be toppled from their lofty rankings. If we choose wealth over health, we may end up spending our wealth trying to regain our health. It would be a lot easier and wiser to change our routines now, while there is still time.

What about today? Why not walk up the stairs instead of taking the elevator?

Something to share ….

“恭喜發財GONG XI FA CAI!” That’s what the Chinese greet one another when they meet on the 1st day of Lunar New Year. They wish their friends, relatives, colleagues and business associates a prosperous new year to get richer and gather more wealth. I prefer to greet everyone “恭喜健康 GONG XI JIAN KANG” to wish them good health and stay healthy.

A Chinese saying puts it very clearly,” 健康才是財富 Health is wealth. 無病才是幸福 No sickness is happiness.” But most Chinese ask for wealth from 財神爺 God of Fortune, not for health!

To stay healthy, we have to take the doctor’s advice:

Have regular exercise. Walk instead of ride. Cycle instead of drive.
(For planters, we are paid to walk the fields. How nice!)

Drink 8 glasses of pure water instead of 8 cans of soft drinks.
(Most planters drink more than 8 glasses of water a day, since we sweat a lot while walking in the fields.)

Have adequate sleep of 8 hours for proper rest after a hard day’s work.
(Most planters used to go to bed earlier and wake up early in the following morning to conduct the muster call.)

Eat 5-7 portions of green vegetables and fruits a day. Go for white meats such as fishes and chicken rather than red meats such as beef, mutton and pork.
(Growing own organic vegetables and fruits such as papaya, bananas, pineapples, guava, star fruit, avocado, etc using bunch ash, empty bunches and biosolids and rearing kampong chicken are good hobbies for planters. For planters who like fishing, there are plentiful of fresh water fishes in ponds, drains, streams and rivers.)

Don’t try to save some money on your health! Have regular medical checkups. Prevention is better than cure.

WORDS

2008-07-03T13:46:00.004+08:00

Emily and her millionaire husband visited their construction site. A worker who wore a helmet saw her and shouted, "Hi, Emily! Remember me? We used to date in the secondary school."

On the way home, her millionaire husband teased her, "Luckily you married me. Otherwise you will be the wife of a construction worker."

Emily answered,” You should appreciate that you married me. Otherwise, he will be the millionaire and not you."

When we always forget mutual respect and courtesy, we may say anything without considering if it would hurt the other party. Many relationships break off because of wrong speech. Frequently exchanging teasing remarks plants the seed for a bad relationship. It's like a broken egg - cannot be reversed.

Something to share…

Words can heal and words can hurt. Using the right words improves good relationship. On the other hand, using the wrong words hurts the other person’s feeling and as a result the relationship sours. It becomes worst if the other person is having a “kiasu” attitude. When he or she does not want to be teased, it is a natural response that he or she will give it back to you, very badly.

A Chinese saying puts it this way, “病從口入, 楇從口出 Sickness enters into our mouths, and trouble comes out from our mouths.” When we have eaten unclean foods, we fall sick and may get food poisoning. When we have spoken unclean words, we get into big troubles.

If we speak bad words that hurt, obviously these words of lies, gossip, rumor and carry tales will damage our relationship with other people. On the other hands, if we speak good words that heal, surely these words of encouragement and motivation will improve our relationship with other people.

When married couples always speak words of care and concern, words of understanding and appreciation, words of kindness and love, they will eventually enjoy more and more of their companionship and live on much happier together.

How true it is that “a good word makes it glad” as written in Proverbs 12:25 and ”pleasant words are like a honeycomb; sweetness to the soul and health to the bones” in Proverbs 16:24.

BE FIRM ON YOUR ACTION!

2008-07-02T13:33:00.005+08:00

A couple bought a donkey from the market. On the way home, a boy commented,” Very stupid. Why neither of them rides on the donkey?” Upon hearing that, the husband let the wife ride on the donkey. He walked besides them.

Later, an old man saw it and commented, "The husband is the head of family. How can the wife ride on the donkey while the husband is on foot?" Hearing this, the wife quickly got down and let the husband ride on the donkey.

Further on the way home, they met an old lady.

She commented, "How can the man ride on the donkey but let the wife walk. He is no gentleman." The husband thus quickly asked the wife to join him on the donkey.

Then, they met a young man. He commented, "Poor donkey, how can you hold up the weight of two persons. They are cruel to you." Hearing that, the husband and wife immediately climbed down from the donkey and carried it on their shoulders. It seems to be the only choice left. Later, on a narrow bridge, the donkey was frightened and struggled. They lost their balance and fell into the river.

You can never have everyone praise you, nor will everyone condemn you. Never in the past, not at present, and never will be in the future. Thus, do not be too bothered by others words if our conscience is clear.

Something to share….

“Do right and fear no man.” That’s what my xifu, Mr. Tony Chew, had taught me. Since then, I had shared this with many planters who had worked with me and under my guidance. Doing right is that you know your conscience is clear as you are well guided by honesty and integrity. Thus, you do not fear your boss! You have established a strong bond of TRUST between you and your boss.

On management aspect, as long as we know what we are doing is on the right track, then we do not need to bother of what others had said and commented even if they might be out of good intention. Don’t be indecisive! If you can’t make up your mind and keep changing the way you are doing while listening to wrong advice, then you will loss your directions and end up doing wrong things.

Just like you are playing a game of chess, those onlookers who stand behind you are fond of making comments to influence your next move. Don’t listen to them and don’t get distracted. Just focus and concentrate on the game in order to study and analyze your opponent’s last move. Then you know that the next move you make is a right move. When it’s game over, you are pretty sure that you have just won the game!

TRUST

2008-07-02T10:18:00.005+08:00

A telephone operator told me that one day she received a phone call.

She answered, "Public Utilities Board." There was silence.

She repeated, "PUB." There was still no answer.

When she was going to cut off the line, she heard a lady's voice, "Oh, so this is PUB. Sorry, I got the number from my Husband's pocket but I do not know whose number it is." Without mutual trust, just imagine what will happen to the couple if the telephone operator answered with just "hello" instead of "PUB".

TRUST is a very important factor for all relationships. When trust is broken, it is the end of the relationship. Lack of trust leads to suspicion, suspicion generates anger, anger causes enmity and enmity may result in separation.

Something to share ...

In plantation management, the manager is entrusted to spend in millions Ringgit Malaysia or miliars Rupiah Indonesia once the annual budget has been finalized and approved. Thus, the trust in him to spend wisely and honestly is the main concern of the boss. He will put “eyes and ears” all over the places to cross-check and monitor just to make sure that the manager he engaged is a trusted person of honesty and integrity. Any bosses, for that matter, do not want his managers to cheat, to take bribe from contractors and to accept commission from suppliers.

However, some bosses are very light-eared. They will believe whatever information they received. It’s a pity that in some cases, the TRUST has been destroyed by gossips, rumors, hearsays, carry tales, lies, and cock-and-bull stories about the managers. There is a Chinese saying, “用人不疑, 疑人不用 When engage people do not suspect him. If there is suspicion do not engage him.”

A person of honesty knows that when integrity is lost, all is lost! He is aware of doing right and fears no man but fears God. In other words, a person who fears God will have to do right and do no wrongs according to God’s will, thus he needs not fear his boss as long as he is honest with integrity. After all, integrity and respect come to those who can do good jobs!

I'm the BOSS!

2008-06-30T09:34:00.005+08:00

The boss was complaining in our staff meeting the other day that he wasn't getting any respect.

The next day, he brought a small sign that read: "I'm the Boss!"

He then taped it to his office door.

Later that day when he returned from lunch, he found that someone had taped a note to the sign that said:

"Your wife called, she wants her sign back!"

Something to share:

This joke reminds me of what my colleague, SS, once told us,”Hey! Is our company ruled by the BRA?” Well, well, well, I am sure there are such instances that you might have come across whereby some wives do show their “bossiness” in workplace or office of their husbands for reasons best known to them.

It has been well said that “behind a successful man, it’s his woman”. Sorry ladies, it’s behind, not in front!

In the Bible as written in Colossians 4:18 & Ephesians 5:25, God says,” Wives, submit to your own husbands as is fitting in the Lord.” &”For the husband is head of the wife.” But God also says in Colossians 4:19,”Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.”

To all husbands, this is what I want to share,” Love your wives as much as they love you.” And, of course, to all wives, “Respect your husbands as much as you are respected.”

Planters are always grateful to their wives for their understanding and supportive attitude towards their so called “occupational hazard” working environment in remote plantations. When their children reach schooling age, most planters move their families to nearby towns and become weekend husbands and fathers.

I remember that my previous company when giving out long service rewards to its executive staff during the annual dinner, my ex-boss had been very generous to give “special reward” to the wives as a token of appreciation. The wise old man knew that without the support of the wives, his long serving executives wouldn’t have stay on for 10, 20 or even 30 years with the company!

THE SOUND OF ECHO & THE ECHO OF LIFE

2008-06-09T13:48:00.005+08:00

A man and his son were walking in the forest. Suddenly, the boy tripped and feeling a sharp pain, he screamed, “Ahhhh!” Surprised, he heard a voice coming from the mountain, “Ahhhh!”

Filled with curiosity, he screamed, “Who are you?”, but the only answer he received was, “Who are you?”

This made him angry, so he screamed again, “You are a coward!”, and the voice answered: “You are a coward!”

He looked at his father, asking, “Dad, what is going on?”

“Son,” the man replied, “Pay attention!”
Then he screamed, “I admire you!”
The voice answered: “I admire you!”

The father shouted, “You are wonderful!”, and the voice answered, “You are wonderful!”

Then the father explained, “People call this ECHO, but truly it is LIFE!
Life always gives you back what you give out.
Life is a mirror of your actions.
If you want more love, give more love!
If you want more kindness, give more kindness!
If you want understanding and respect, give understanding and respect!
If you want people to be patient and respectful to you, give patience and respect!
This rule of nature applies to every aspect of our lives.”

Life always gives you back what you give out.

Your life is not a coincidence, but a mirror of your own doings.

Something to share…..

How truly it was spoken that “the echo of life” relates to what we get in life depends on what we have given out.

“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” That’s God words in the Bible. It means that the more you give, the more you will receive. That’s God’s blessings on cheerful givers!

There is no short cut to success.

We have to put in all our skills and efforts to score goals.

To finish the race in number one position, the champion has trained harder than the other runners have and he runs the race faster than the number two runner does.

For a job well done, we have to give our best and do our best.

When we think positively, talk positively, listen positively, discuss positively, plan positively, and act positively, we get positive results.

When we see ourselves as “winners,” we become “winners.”
When we see ourselves as “champions,” we shall be the “champions.”

Yes. When you have decided to be successful, there is always a great price that you are willing to pay and you have to do whatever it takes to become a winner or a champion

That’s what we call “THE ECHO OF LIFE.”

OLD DOGS RULE

2008-06-02T17:40:00.009+08:00

A wealthy old Gentleman decides to go on a hunting safari in Africa, taking his faithful, elderly Jack Russell terrier named Killer, along for the company.

One day the old Jack Russell starts chasing rabbits and before long,

discovers that he's lost. Wandering about, he notices a leopard heading rapidly in his direction with the intention of having lunch.

The old Jack Russell thinks, 'Oh, oh! I'm in deep doo-doo now!' Noticing some bones on the ground close by, he immediately settles down to chew on the bones with his back to the approaching cat.

Just as the leopard is about to leap, the old Jack Russell exclaims loudly, 'Boy, that was one delicious leopard! I wonder if there are any more around here?'

Hearing this, the young leopard halts his attack in mid-strike, a look of terror comes over him and he slinks away into the trees.

'Whew!’ says the leopard, 'That was close! That old Jack Russell nearly had me!'

Meanwhile, a monkey who had been watching the whole scene from a nearby tree, figures he can put this knowledge to good use and trade it for protection from the leopard. So off he goes, but the old Jack Russell sees him heading after the leopard with great speed, and figures that something must be up.

The monkey soon catches up with the leopard, spills the beans and strikes a deal for himself with the leopard. The young leopard is furious at being made a fool of and says, 'Here, monkey, hop on my back and see what's going to happen to that conniving canine!

Now, the old Jack Russell sees the leopard coming with the monkey on his back and thinks, 'What am I going to do now?', but instead of running, the dog sits down with his back to his attackers, pretending he hasn't seen them yet, and just when they get close enough to hear, the old Jack Russell says...

'Where's that damn monkey? I sent him off an hour ago to bring me another leopard!'

Moral of this story:

Don't mess with the old dogs -- Age and Skill will always overcome Youth! And Treachery!

Bullshit and Brilliance only come with age and experience.

Something to share……..

I bet you have a good laugh. Do share with your friends so that there will be more people laughing after reading this joke.

Don’t try to test the wisdom of old people. Remember that “Wisdom comes from experience and experience comes with age.”

Old men are wise. That’s why they are called “wise old men”. Some preferred to be called “young old men” because they like to be “youthfully challenged.”

A Plantation Manager was asked, “Why there are still some left over rubber seedlings left growing in the ex-nursery?” “I purposed left there to see whether the Assistant takes initiate to remove them,” he answered calmly.

During a slide presentation, one Manager pointed out a spelling error.
“Very good. That proves my point that you guys are listening and one of you can spot the purposely spelt error.” Is it not a wise answer from the Planting Adviser to avoid an embarrassment?

ARE YOU GOOD LISTENERS?

2008-05-31T09:37:00.003+08:00

We all do it. It’s as common as flies around a horse. While someone else is talking, we’re thinking about what we’re going to say next instead of about what is being said to us. We know others are worth more care and attention. But the habit is hard to break.

- THE NIV QUIET TIME BIBLE (1525)

Something to share ….

Undoubtedly, a good leader talks with a voice of authority and shouts with a voice of command. It’s nothing unusual that a leader is a good talker and has the habit of keep talking all the time. He expects his team members to be followers and listen to his talking most of the time. However, at time a leader must himself be humble to stop talking but listening to his team members.

I must admit that I had not been a good listener all these years. At times I would like to cut in when the other person was still talking to me. I gave my excuse that at my current age I had a tendency to forget if I did not speak out immediately especially when I needed to respond to him. Nevertheless, I did excuse myself for stopping him from talking and allowing me to cut in. With that understanding, there was little hard feeling from the person I spoke to.

Somehow the successful leaders are good listeners, as they have discovered the value of listening. It is essential and necessary for anyone who wishes to communicate well with others. Dale Carnegie put it rightly,” The secret of influencing people lies not so much in being a good talker as in being a good listener.”

Unless we are willing to break the hard habit of keep on talking and learn to listen to others, we are not able to get good feed back and reliable information from our subordinates, colleagues and coworkers. “Why should I tell him if he’s not listening to me?” That’s normal human attitude.

Always remember: BEFORE YOU SPEAK …. LISTEN.

In James 1:19, God reminds us,” Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak…”

Become a better listener and doer of his Word.

Offer Your Hand

2008-05-24T12:11:00.005+08:00

Little girl and her father were crossing a bridge.

The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter, "Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river."

The little girl said, "No, Dad. You hold my hand."

"What's the difference?" the puzzled father asked.

"There's a big difference," replied the little girl.

"If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go."

In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond. So hold the hand of the person whom you love rather than expecting them to hold yours...

Something to share …..

Yes. A caring father is the one who holds his child's hand because under no circumstances he will let go the hand.

A true friend is the one who offers you help when he/she knows you are in difficulty and not the one who say,” Come to me if you need help.”

A good leader is the one who shows you the way and not the one who tells you, “Ask if you don’t know.”

Surely you have something to share and add on…..

BE OBSERVANT AND LEARN TO PAY ATTENTION

2008-05-17T14:44:00.005+08:00

First-year students at Medical School were receiving their first Anatomy class with a real dead human body. They all gathered around the surgery table with the body covered with a white sheet.

The professor started the class by telling them: "In medicine, it is necessary to have 2 important qualities as a doctor. The first is that you not be disgusted by anything involving the human body."

For an example, the Professor pulled back the sheet, stuck his finger in the butt of the corpse, withdrew it and stuck his finger in his mouth.

“Go ahead and do the same thing," he told his students. The students freaked out, hesitated for several minutes, but eventually took turns sticking a finger in the butt of the dead body and sucking on it. Each one tried his best not to puke.

When everyone had finished, the Professor looked at them and told them,"The second most important quality is OBSERVATION. I stuck in my Middle finger and sucked on my Index finger. Now learn to pay attention."

Something to share…..

Well, I am sure we have a good laugh after reading this joke.

In the course of learning, being just beginners, we obviously had a tendency to be naive and ignorant. We were easily tricked and made “a laughing stock” as we were raw and fresh without any experience. We were lack of observation and had not learned to pay attention.

A planter is trained to be very observant in the fields. As he walks the fields, he is able to see and detect things not right in plantation he managed. His eye sight should be as sharp as an eagle.

Paying attention through observation, he is able to act accordingly to put things in order by enforcing strict discipline on his field staff and taking remedy action to get things done and corrected in the fields without any hesitation and delay. Supervisory staff and mandores are trained to be observant as well in carrying out check and control duties in the fields. Any slack in supervision may be due to poor observation and not paying full attention to workers who are supposed to get work done.

A planter will not compromise on work standard and quality. There will be no excuses for work half done or half undone. Works for today need to be done will have to be done. It’s a matter of DEDICATION and COMMITMENT, involving planning, organizing, implementing, delegating, follow up and monitoring.

As long as a planter pays attention to the principle of “plan your work” and practice “work your plan”, eventually it’s a job “well done”.

That’s what we call “job satisfaction”!

MONKEY IN THE PLANE

2008-04-29T14:00:00.022+08:00

Once in Brazil a plane crashed, only a monkey who was travelling in the plane left alive. Fortunately the monkey was intelligent enough to understand our language and reply in actions.

The officials went to see the monkey in the hospital and had a talk with the monkey.

Officer: "When the plane took off what were the travelers doing?"
Monkey: "Tying their belts."
Officer: "What were the air hostesses doing?"

Monkey: "Saying Hello! Good morning!"

Officer: "What were the pilots doing?"

Monkey: "Checking the system."

Officer: "What were you doing?"

Monkey: "Looking for my people."

Office:"After 10 minutes what were the travellers doing?"
Monkey: "Having beverages and snacks."

Officer: "What were the air hostesses doing?"

Monkey: "Serving the travellers."

Officer: "What were the Pilots doing?"

Monkey: "Handling the steering."

Officer: "What were you doing?"

Monkey: "Eating & throwing."

Officer: "After 30 minutes what were the travellers doing?

Monkey: "Some were sleeping and some were reading."

Officer: "What were the air hostesses doing?"

Monkey: "Make up."

Officer: "What were the pilots doing?"

Monkey: "Handling the steering."

Officer: "What were you doing?"

Monkey: "Nothing."

Officer: "Just before plane crash what were the travellers doing?"

Monkey: "All were sleeping."

Officer: "What were the pilots doing?"

Monkey: "Handling the air hostess."

Officer: "What were you doing?"

Monkey: "Handling the steering!"

Something to share…..

From the management aspect, the problem usually starts when you are not in control and divert your attention to other issues (Not doing the things you are supposed to do but doing things that you are not supposed to do). You are asking for big trouble when you let go your job function to someone who plays “monkey” and has no knowledge of doing your job. A “plane crash” means you are finished, i.e. loosing your job since you are solely responsible and accountable.

A Plantation Manager is entrusted to manage the whole plantation, thus he must be disciplined, determined and dedicated to his job responsibility as he is overall in-charge of all operations, as well as the management, administration and accounting of the plantation. Delegation must be followed up and at times followed through. Do not delegate to the wrong hands! Do not expect a Trainee Assistant who is still on the job training or a Junior Assistant who is still lack of experience to in-charge of a division and able to deliver. They are still in need of much guidance and coaching. Normally the Senior Assistant is the 2nd man whom the Manager relies on to organize and carry out most operations in the plantation. However, if he just let go without follow up and closely monitoring, he may end up in big trouble.

When come to decision making, the manager must insist that he is to be consulted for making the final decision.

The principle is basic and simple.

The Manager must be in TOTAL CONTROL.

LOVE YOUR JOB

2008-04-22T14:42:00.004+08:00

Extract of Mr. Narayana Murthy's Speech during Mentor Session:

I know people who work 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, or more. Some people do so because of a work emergency where the long hours are only temporary. Other people I know have put in these hours for years. I do not know if they are working all these hours, but I do know they are in the office this long. Others put in long office hours because they are addicted to the workplace.

Whatever the reason for putting in overtime, working long hours over the long term is harmful to the person and to the organization.There are things managers can do to change this for everyone's benefit. Being in the office long hours, over long periods of time, makes way for potential errors.

My colleagues who are in the office long hours frequently make mistakes caused by fatigue. Correcting these mistakes requires their time as well as the time and energy of others. I have seen people work Tuesday through Friday to correct mistakes made after 5 PM on Monday.

Another problem is that people who are in the office long hours are not pleasant company.They often complain about other people (who are not working as hard); they are irritable, or cranky, or even angry. Other people avoid them. Such behaviour poses problems, where work goes much better when people work together instead of avoiding one another.

As Managers, there are things we can do to help people leave the office. First and foremost is to set the example and go home ourselves. I work with a manager who chides people for working long hours. His words quickly lose their meaning when he sends these chiding group e-mails with a time-stamp of 2am, Sunday.

Second is to encourage people to put some balance in their lives. For instance, here is a guideline I find helpful:

1) Wake up, eat a good breakfast, and go to work.
2) Work hard and smart for eight or nine hours.
3) Go home.
4) Read the books/comics, watch a funny movie, dig in the dirt, play with your kids, etc.
5) Eat well and sleep well.

This is called recreating.
Doing steps 1, 3, 4, and 5 enable step 2.
Working regular hours and recreating daily are simple concepts.
They are hard for some of us because that requires ‘personal change’.
They are possible since we all have the power to choose to do them.

In considering the issue of overtime, I am reminded of my oldest son. When he was a toddler, if people were visiting the apartment, he would not fall asleep no matter how long the visit was, and no matter what time of day it was. He would fight off sleep until the visitors left. It was as if he was afraid that he would miss some thing. Once our visitors' left, he would go to sleep. By this time, however, he was over tired and would scream through half the night with nightmares. He, my wife, and I, all paid the price for his fear of missing out.

Perhaps some people put in such long hours because they do not want to miss anything when they leave the office. The trouble with this is that events will never stop happening. That is life! Things happen 24 hours a day. Allowing for little rest is not ultimately practical. So, take a nap. Things will happen while you are asleep, but you will have the energy to catch up when you wake.

Hence,

"LOVE YOUR JOB, BUT NEVER FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR COMPANY BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE COMPANY STOPS LOVING YOU" - Narayana Murthy

Something to share….

As employees, I am sure we all love our jobs. Question is should we work like a workaholic and expecting our subordinates and staff to be the same?

There is a time to work. There is also time for proper rest and relax to release stress; to play and do regular exercise after work so as to stay healthy.

Working hard is different from working long hours as if can’t stop working. The principle of success is “work hard and work smart”. It is not how much a person works, but it is how he or she works that makes the difference.

Well, we are always reminded of “sense of belonging” when working for any company. Irrespective of our title and position, obviously being employees to any company we are accountable and responsible to our jobs. We have to give in our best efforts to work skillfully, enthusiastically and efficiently to achieve company’s goals and objectives. All in all, we want to contribute and be valued as assets to our companies. We do not wish to become liabilities to our companies!

To me, it’s not a question of falling in love with the company, but rather any employee will feel much secure if being recognized as a team player in the organization. Surely an employee wants to be appreciated, honored and respected by his or her employer and enjoys the rewards in term of salary increment and annual bonus. When there is such a strong bond between employer-employees relationships, then the employees have something to look forward and happy to stay on.

When things turn out otherwise, may be Mr. N Murthy is absolutely right; the company has stopped loving you. You are no more treated as a member of the family, so to speak. That’s the time you better decide to leave the company and call it a day. Go and find another company where you can work and find happiness in your job.

In Colossians 3:23-24, we are taught that we should do our job with all our heart, meaning love our job, as if we are serving our Lord, Jesus Christ.

“Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.”

To Err Is Human (My Stupid Mistakes)

2008-04-17T11:34:00.003+08:00

Life doesn't always go in a straight line. Making mistakes is part of the game. Some are inevitable and we just have to accept them and make the best of them. But some could have been prevented, which only proves that we didn't learn from our earlier mistakes.

A friend told me about a very special list, a personal accounting of every mistake he made."To make mistakes is normal," he said, "but to make the same mistake twice is inexcusable."

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.- George Santayana

Mistakes are painful when they happen, but years later a collection of mistakes is what is called experience.- Denis Whitley

I liked the idea and immediately adapted his system. That was many years ago and my list has grown to a respectable size! It contains documents and jottings about all the mistakes, the misjudgments, and the stupid decisions I have made.

Being reminded of past mistakes is unpleasant, but I do go through the folder periodically in order to prevent myself from repeating them. It’s a difficult but very effective way to learn. Have you ever thought of making a list of your mistakes? Try it!

Something to share …..

What’s a great idea! Keep a list of our mistakes as days go by for periodical review as we move on in life. To me, “a collection of mistakes” should be known as bitter experiences.

We have been taught, “To err is human.” It’s normal to make mistakes. Otherwise, we will never learn. But it’s just stupid of us to repeat the same mistakes. That’s what team members always being reminded by their team leader.

Inexcusable. Why not?

Well, there is still a tendency of making the same mistakes again if we do not keep a list of our mistakes reminding us not to repeat them. Question is whether we are able to excuse ourselves for such stupidity?

Don’t blame others. Don’t blame your superior. Blame your ownself if you have never learned but appear stupid of committing the same mistakes over and over gain.

On the other hand, we should have learned from our past mistakes and bitter experiences as we move on our career path. We become much wiser in making good judgments and right decisions. The end results are always sweet out of job satisfaction.

Don’t you think so?

To Forgive Is Devine

2008-04-11T17:06:00.006+08:00

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face.

The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him.

After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:
TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?"

The other friend replied "When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."

LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.

Something to share….

In life, many times when we were embarrassed, insulted or humiliated, we felt hurt and began emotionally upset. Anger started boiling in us and hatred began to grip into our heart. We swore that we would take revenge one day. Worst if we were slapped on the face. Evil thought straightaway flashed across our mind, “Yeah. It must be a tooth to a tooth, an eye to an eye!” That’s human’s wickedness in nature. Too resentful!

Learn to write your emotional wounds in sand. Why? That’s because it will never heal unless you are willing to forgive. If you don’t, do you know that you are the one who really suffers? The pain will dominate your whole life! Make a wise decision. Let the “winds of forgiveness erase it away.”

On the other hand, always be grateful to someone who has been good to you. Be thankful that you have a best friend who is always there to encourage you, to motivate you, and to lift you up when you are down. Bury your gratefulness and thankfulness in your heart as if you “engrave it in a stone where no wind can ever erase it”.

FINISH THE RACE

2008-04-01T21:58:00.004+08:00

Have you seen pictures of marathon runners? CONCENTRATION and DETERMINATION seem to ooze from every pore. These people set their hearts and minds on one thing – finish the race. They focus on the next step, the next checkpoint, until the race is complete.

They shed pounds, unnecessary clothing or anything else that might slow them down. Attach their official number and they are ready to run.

Marathon runners not only shed anything that might slow them down, they also dress carefully. They choose the best running shoes and the most comfortable shorts and shirt possible.

We are to live like marathon runners. We are to take off anything that slows us down and set our hearts and minds on the finish line.

- THE NIV QUIET TIME BIBLE (Pg 1466 & 1467)

Something to share …..

When we have acquired the positive attitude and the correct mindset of a marathon runner, then there will not be any excuses that a work is half done or half undone. A work half done or half undone is no better than a work not done. The result is the same at the end of the day. You have not delivered! Can any excuses given can reverse the situation and make the work done? Obviously, the answer is “No”. After all, a work not done is not done, irrespective of any excuses given.

DETERMINATION is the main key to get work done. Once you are determined to get work done, you will find ways and means to complete it at the end of the day. Any obstacles along the way will not stop you from accomplishment because you are so focused and concentrated on the job that you have probably made up your mind not only to get it done, but you also want to do the best out of it. Once you have made up your mind, you have already pictured yourself on the finish line.

Many have been touched by the real story of a marathon runner finishing the race in the last place 40 years ago. John Steven Akhwari was from Tanzania. He participated in the Mexico City Olympics in 1968. Unluckily, he fell badly during the race and he was bruised with blood on his injured leg. It seemed that he was the only runner left on the track as he entered the stadium that evening. It was reported that, just about an hour ago, the winner of the marathon race had been declared over the official announcement.

Apparently, John Steven Akhwari, being a DISCIPLINED marathon runner full of DEDICATION and DETERMINATION, did not give up with a bandaged leg but pressed on as he hobbled in pain to reach the finish line. The remaining crowd of spectators roared out their appreciation with cheer and applauds just as he crossed the finish line. For the very first time, an athlete finished in the last place was given a standing ovation! Obviously, this act of PERSISTENCE, PERSEVERANCE and DETERMINATION had won him the due respect from all over the world.

When asked why he continued running, he simply answered, "My country did not send me 7,000 miles to Mexico City to start the race. They sent me here to finish it.” His words had indeed inspired many people and motivated them.

Do Your Job Well

2008-03-09T18:33:00.005+08:00

“If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well!” I would like to have a dollar for every time I heard that growing up. I don’t think I understood the saying nearly as well as I do after years of working on it. INTEGRITY and RESPECT come to those who do a good job. We recognize excellence when we see it, and we are offended by a job half-done.

- The NIV Quiet Time Bible (552)

Something to share ....

Never leave a job half-done or half undone! We must hold on to our promises and fulfill our commitments as we are dutiful and responsible to finish our everyday jobs.

A job “well done” is not only just a compliment but it’s also praise and an admiring comment on how much we honor our profession. It’s truly a whole-heartedly commitment for any employee to do his job well as a real Professional.

To do our best is to do what needs to be done regardless of how difficult or impossible the situation may seem to be. For a job “well done”, we just do it without any reservation or hesitation and concentrate on doing what is best with all our hearts.

In Colossians 3:23 the Bible says,” Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.”

Thank the Lord for giving you a job (in his kingdom), and recommit yourself to be faithful in your tasks.

A LITTLE RESPECT

2008-03-02T21:17:00.005+08:00

One of my favorite and most influential teachers was a high-school English teacher. His class was extremely difficult and challenging, but I loved it and worked diligently in order to do well. The reason I respected this teacher so much is that he listened to me and valued me. We would all like to be respected by others, and so we try many ways of gaining that respect. Some try to gain it through controlling others or by demanding it. However, one of the ways respect is gained is by appreciating others and showing them respect.

Something to share….

“Respect is to be earned and not demanded.” How true it is! When a boss demands respect from his employees, the respect shown to the boss is just a superficial one. It is not a true, sincere respect from the heart. Perhaps it is just a fear of being scolded, a fear of no annual increment, and a fear of not getting any bonus, a fear of no promotion or even a fear of loosing the job.

Mutual respect is one important aspect in life. An old Chinese saying puts it this way,” When a person respects me with only 30%, I shall in return respect him with 70%.” When a boss treats his employees as valuable assets and treats them with due respect, then he will be highly respected in return.

In one occasion, I told one of my ex-bosses that respect was not to be demanded. I still remember that he got stun, judging from his face expression, after hearing what I had told him. Then I noticed his face changed with a little smile shown with his lips as I continued to say that he had earned my respect. Undoubtedly, we will respect our bosses much more when they are willing to listen to us, acknowledge our performance and contribution, and appreciate us as valuable assets to their organizations. After all, the key to a good and successful employer/employee relationship is none other than for bosses to treat their employees fairly with proper respect and trust.

My ex-boss was quite satisfied with the field condition during one of his visits. He told me in front of the Managing Director, “Loh, if you can keep all the fields clean, then we will rather spend time having tea with you in your bungalow.” But a boss is a boss. Even though knowing happily that we had achieved the budgeted crop, somehow he still commented, “Loh, I think your cost is a bit on the high side.”

In Luke 6:31, it was clearly stated,” And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.” In other words, you have to treat others the same way as you want them to treat you. That’s mutual respect!

Give a little respect to others; in return you’ll earn a bigger respect!

Old Age Becoming Wiser

2008-02-28T17:28:00.005+08:00

A police car pulled up in front of an older woman's house, and her husband climbed out. The polite policeman explained that "this elderly gentleman" said that he was lost in the park and couldn't find his way home.

"How could it happen?" asked his wife. "You've been going to that park for over 30 years! How could you get lost?"

Leaning close to her ear so that the policeman couldn't hear, he whispered, "I wasn't lost - I was just too tired to walk home."

These bodies become less cooperative as we age. For some, work becomes less fun and fun becomes more work. One older friend commented, "I've reached the age where the warranty has expired on my remaining teeth and internal organs."

But I like the spirit of Charles Marowitz. "Old age is like climbing a mountain," he says. "The higher you get; the more tired and breathless you become. But your view becomes much more extensive."

Atop the mountain, one has a better view of the world. One can see above the differences that divide people. One can better see beyond petty hurts and human fragility. Atop the mountain, one has a longer view of the past and can therefore understand the future with more clarity. Atop the mountain, one looks down on dark clouds of gloom and despair and fear and notices that they are neither as large nor as ominous as those beneath them would believe. It is also clearer that however dark they may appear, they too, are fleeting and will someday pass.

George Bernard Shaw said, "Some are younger at seventy than most at seventeen." I think it is because they have a broader outlook.

It will take a lifetime to climb the mountain, but, for me, the view will be worth the journey.

Something to share……

Many people who climbed up Mount Kinabalu in early mornings were to get to Low’s Peak, the highest summit of the mountain, just in time to get a glimpse of the spectacular sunrise. If old age is like climbing a mountain, then I will make sure that I will be at top of the mountain to see sunrise and not sunset.

As we age and grow older, we also grow wiser. Ever heard of, “Wisdom comes from experience, and experience comes with age”? We gathered our working experience as our year of service increased. We learned through our mistakes, mainly from the bitter experience that we had gone through. Then we gradually acquired relevant knowledge through practical experience and became wiser in problem solving and decision making.

The words of God confirmed that,” The splendor of old men is their grey head.” (Proverbs 20:29b) For old men are “wise people who store up knowledge.” (Proverbs 10:14a)

“Everybody, no matter how old you are, is around 24, 25 in their heart,” said Bruce Willis in People. With such thinking in mind, life moves on……

Be a wise old man, always feels young in heart!

2ND DAY CNY (8 FEB 2008)

2008-02-08T20:01:00.001+08:00

FAMILY REUNION (CNY 2008)

2008-02-07T22:36:00.000+08:00

CHINESE NEW YEAR

2008-02-06T17:32:00.000+08:00

Year of the Rat begins on 7th Feb 2008. We, the ethnic Chinese in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and those in Melbourne, Cairo, Moscow, Paris, London and Boston, and all other placess of the world, will be celebrating Chinese New Year together with the Chinese in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and China tomorrow.

By the way, how many of you know that the Koreans, the Vietnamese and Mongolians are also celebrating for their Lunar New Year which falls on the same day as the Chinese New Year?

“Rush Home” is the headline on today’s Star newspaper. It reported that a million of travellers were on the road as Chinese New Year exodus began. My two brothers, Kong Fatt and Kong Teck, and their wives and children together with my sister and her son are leaving KL at about 3pm to Segamat to celebrate Chinese New Year with us. Kong Teck and wife took a MAS flight to KLIA from Sibu this morning. We expect them to arrive in the evening to have family reunion dinner, all dishes specially cooked by my wife, on the eve of Chinese New Year.

I came back much earlier on 2 Feb, taking the 1525WIB MAS flight from Medan to KLIA. My wife and our youngest daughter, Josephine, drove all the way from Segamat to fetch me from KLIA. Our elder son, James, arrived home at about 11am this morning. He came back in his friend’s car, leaving Singapore at 6am. Our eldest daughter, just given birth to a baby boy, Jonas, in early morning on 16 January, is staying back in Kuching and not able to join us. So are Julie and John. Both of them are still in Melbourne, Australia.

To all my friends, pals and buddies, I wish you “Gong Xi Fa Cai” (in Mandarin) or “Kong Hee Fatt Choy” (in Cantonese). May you and your families be blessed and may you prosper as we celebrate a joyful and happy Chinese New Year on 7 Feb 2008.

TOMORROW WILL NEVER COME (There Is Always A Tomorrow For Tomorrow)

2008-02-02T11:46:00.000+08:00

Have you ever heard of a guy’s plan to rappel off a sheer cliff of 100 feet near Bear Trap Ranch in Colorado, USA? All week he had been preparing himself for the rappelling trip. His physical preparation included “learning the ropes” on smaller cliffs and his mental preparation involved watching and talking to veteran rappellers.

However, when the day he was supposed to go, he was still very busy with a camping trip. The next day no one was going. The day after something else came up. From then until the end of the week he was going to make the rappelling trip….tomorrow. It never happened!

To this day, 20 years later, he still wonders,” Why didn’t I go? Was I unsure of my skills, was I too timid to take up the challenge or …….?

Something to share…..

When I was the Manager of Mekassar Estate near Bandar Mudhazam Shah, Keratong, Pahang from December 1985 – November 1988, I always wanted to make a trip to Tioman Island. However, I kept on postponing the trip. I have not visited the island till today.

Then again, when I was managing Morisem Estate in Kinabatangan, Sabah from December 1988 – December 1990, my intended trip to Brunei had also never come about till today.

When I was Plantation Controller for JCC Group from June 1995-December 2003, I used to visit its plantations in Sabah. I talked so much of making a trip to Labuan one of these days, but it never happened too. My problem was that I kept postponing the trip thinking that I could make it tomorrow.

This is the trouble of human’s weakness, keep postponing our plan as if we can make it tomorrow. Then we often find excuses because there is always a tomorrow for tomorrow. How true it is when someone says, “Tomorrow will never come.”

How to breakthrough this human’s weakness? Well, I think we have to keep telling ourselves “Do it now” whether it is a planned trip, a job assignment, a work programme or anything we plan to do today. We have to constantly remind ourselves to do it “Today Not Tomorrow”. Otherwise, there is always another tomorrow when tomorrow comes.

Believe in Yourself

2008-01-27T15:42:00.000+08:00

If you are just like the cat that seeing itself as a lion in the mirror, then you are able to see yourself as a winner and not a loser. It is all in your mind and you are what you think you are! When you are told that you were born to be an eagle, then don’t behave like a chicken. Neither do you fly like a pigeon. Stretch out your wings and soar like an eagle into the high sky where there is no limit to vision.

It is a fact of life that everyone wants to be “somebody” such as a doctor, an engineer, an accountant, a successful businessman or a proud planter. Yes. You need to have a burning desire to be “somebody”. Once you have that burning desire, you start to believe in yourself. That is important. There is power in believing yourself. You will obviously build up your self confidence. When you visualize yourself as a winner, then you will succeed and will not become a failure. However, all successful men did go through much failure and even some big failure before they became successful. They learned as they had gone through many trials and errors.

When you give up believing in yourself and lack of self confidence, then you are afraid to try because you are worried that you will fail. You will loss your spirit to give it a try for you dare not fail. But is it not better to try and fail than never try at all? Have you ever heard of “Failure is the mother of success”? How true it is that failure is a major contributor to its success!

It is all right to make mistake for the first time but always bear in mind not to give up the first time you fall down. On the other hand, do not repeat the same mistake over and over again. Otherwise, you will give an impression that you have never learned from your mistakes. However, if you can attempt to do it right the first time, why not?

Believe in yourself, build up your self confidence, have big vision of your future, keep trying and always do your best in whatever circumstances, then you are on your road to success!

Get Them Involved, Not Just Tell & Show

2008-01-24T07:58:00.000+08:00

Have you ever encountered that when you tell your subordinate to do something, he/she will come out with a lot of excuses for not doing what had been told to do? The lame excuse is none other than “Sorry, Sir, I forget.” I am sure you’ll “vomit blood” of having subordinate with that kind of attitude.

Worst of the situation is even after showing him/her how to do it, yet the work has not been carried out. What’s an excuse when he/she says, “Sorry, Sir. I can’t remember.” This time, you almost “vomited blood.”

Now you have to involve him/her in actual doing it, then he/she understands not only how to do it but also why and when to do it.

In plantation management, there is no short cut to get work done. Plantation Manager must walk the fields often with his Field Assistants. They may be good in theory but they are lack of actual working experience. Don’t just tell and show them, get them involved in all field operations, from jungle clearing right up to maturity when due for harvesting, one at a time with hand-on training and guidance, then they will understand that there is no way they can forget what had been told. It’s not may but must remember what had been shown in order to grow in their career path as a Practical Planter. No planter can run away from his commitment and integrity.

Likewise, the Field Assistant must walk the fields even more often with his Field Conductors. This is MLM, not Multi-Level Marketing but Multi-Level Management. They must learn the “tricks” from Plantation Manager and know how to involve his Field Conductors to get work done as expected from them.

Get everybody down the lines to get involved. Isn’t this "TEAMWORK"?

A Rare Photo

2008-01-20T23:30:00.000+08:00

This photo was taken when Tan Peng Hoo and I were on our way back to Jambi after our visit to plantations in Sumsel Region on 26 July 2007.

When we reached Pauh after Sarolangun, suddenly I saw this man carrying something strange on his back as he walked along the roadside. I took out my camera but my driver already drove pass him. Then to my astonishment, I saw him actually carrying a wounded wild boar on his back. I told my driver to stop the Land Cruiser and waited for him to come near. I quickly rolled down the mirror, stopped him and told him that I wanted to take a photo of him carrying the wild boar. Guess what he said? “Mau bayar, pak”, that’s what he asked from me. No big deal. So I paid him a token sum before I took the photo.

Later on, I told Peng Hoo that this picture is worth much more than the small sum of money I paid the man as it was taken by chance. I wouldn’t have taken this rare picture if I did not bring along my camera.

My friends, whenever you go outing remember to bring along your digital cameras. You never know what you will come across by change to snap a spectacular photograph.

The Miracle Tree

2008-01-17T00:07:00.000+08:00

When Pak Joni MS came to see me on 15.1.2008 morning, I felt very happy when he told me that his book on “Kelor” or the "drumstick tree" (Moringa olcifcra) has finally been published. The book was co-edited by Pak M Sitorus and his wife, Bu Nelly Katharina.

We have Moringa trees planted in Bukit Indah Estate in Jambi Region and I was told by Pak Hendra Sugianto that it was our Agronomy Consultant, Mr. Chiu Sheng Bin, who introduced it. It was Pak Tan Peng Hoo who downloaded all the information on the botany, method of cultivation and its great nutrition value and encouraged them to translate into Bahasa Indonesia.

Moringa tree is well known as “The Miracle Tree” because its leaves and pods can be an extremely valuable source of nutrition for people of all ages. Our intention is to have many Moringa trees planted near labour quarters in our plantations as if we are growing multi-vitamins for our workers so that they can have Moringa leaf powder and pods in their daily meals.

Do get hold a copy of this book. It’s on sales in bookshops in Indonesia. By the way you can get more information when you visit the website of www.treeforlife.org

Friends, Pals & Buddies

2008-01-13T08:48:00.000+08:00

On 8 January 2008 morning, I was waiting for Pak Chiu Sheng Bin at Sun Plaza, Medan. We had an appointment at 11.30am to have lunch at Super Kitchen Restaurant on LG floor. He was taking 1350 flight to Penang. While waiting, it came across my mind that those people passing by in front of me were all strangers to me. None of them was my friend until Pak Chiu arrived. Then I suddenly realized that the friends I have are actually very few in number.

Even though we may claim to have a thousand friends but if we feel that we have none to spare, then the thousand in number is still inadequate. We have to make new friends in areas of our residence, our workplace and marketplace and ensure that they keep growing in number. Nevertheless, we will have to choose our friends wisely. Select those who are with us and not against us.

Obviously, birds of feathers flock together. We choose friends of same dream and same vision. We select friends who have same purpose in life and are going in the same direction with us. We are able to click closely with friends with same hobbies and share more on same interests. Make friends with those who can give us constant support and big hope and are able to lift up our spirit. These are the people with whom we want to expand our relationship.

Mix with the right type of friends. Truly, it pays to keep the right company. Spend more time with friends who have the same philosophy and discipline like us. They are able to influence us to move on and change our way of thinking with positive words and encouragement. They are able to help us to achieve our goals in life.

Gather a group of people as our friends or advisors who are able to assist us along our career path. They should include teacher, lecturer, doctor, dentist, accountant, engineer, banker, lawyer, tax consultant, insurance agent and of course, fellow planters. Do make friends with mechanics, plumbers, electricians, air-conditioner technicians and other handy men. How true it is that “a friend in need is a friend indeed.” We never know when we need their service and assistance.

In Proverbs 18:24, the word of God teaches us that “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Be friendly all the times and there are surely some close friends whom we can call “brothers”.

However, God warns us in 1 Corinthians 15:33,” Bad company corrupts good character.” Disassociate ourselves from people who are not right for us.

Happiness is….

• receiving an unexpected phone call from a childhood friend
• receiving sms from good friends during weekends
• receiving emails from many friends
• receiving a postcard from a close friend on an oversea trip
• looking at photographs of old pals
• drinking coffee with buddies in a kopitiam during weekends
• reading comments posted by friends, pals & buddies in my blog

Postive & Negative Words

2008-01-10T07:48:00.000+08:00

A man, who was unhappy in his work, unhappy with his family and unhappy with life in general, decided to escape to get away from it all. He joined a mute monastery, where he took a vow of silence. He could say only 2 words every 5 years.

This is perfect, he thought. No stress, no one to bug me, nothing but silence.

So he stayed there 5 years without uttering a syllable. At the end of that time, his superior called the man into his office and said,”You have 2 words you can speak. Would you like to say anything?”

The guy nodded his head and said, “Bad food!”

He went for another 5 years without uttering a syllable, and again his superior called him into his office and asked if he would like to say anything.

He nodded his head and said “Hard bed!”

Another 5 years passed, and his superior called him in and asked him if he would like to say anything, and the guy said, “I quit!”

His superior responded, “Well, I’m not surprised. You’ve done nothing but complaining since you got here!”

Something to share……

This story reminds us of someone who might have complained in silence for years since started working in plantations. “Bad boss”, “Hard job” and finally “I (bag and) go!” What’s a pity! He just could not make it to become a practical planter.

Negative words such as “I can’t”, “No way”, “What for?”, and “So what?” are damaging and could even pull us down and make us becoming failures. It is not surprising that people with negative thinking always find excuses not to do the possible!

Whereas positive words such as “I can”, “No problem, “Why not?”, and “Let’s try” will lift up our spirit to accomplish our job assignment. People with positive thinking always find ways and means to do what others cannot do!

In Proverbs 16:24, it was written, “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb. Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.”

Words of encouragement such as “Do your best”, “You can make it” and “See you at the top” can fill us with burning desires and motivate us to act fast with full commitment.

Every one of us is seeking happiness in life. Someone says, “I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.”

When employees are valued, appreciated, and treated with proper respect by their employers only then they feel happy to work in the organization. However, to most employees who desire of being rewarded with annual increment and bonus, I believe that the real happiness in them is getting job satisfaction when they also hear words of praise such as “Excellent”, “Well done” and “You’re great!” We will surely feel proud of ourselves when we know that we have contributed towards the achievement of the organization’s goals.

The Bibles teaches us that in regardless of which company we work for and who we serve, we are actually serving our heavenly father. As written in Colossians 3:23-24, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ.”

Once we understanding this, there bounds to be happiness and joyfulness in serving as we give our very best to do what needs to be done with all our heart.

Max Anders teaches us that “The surest road to happiness is living for God, placing our ultimate hope in the next world, and learning to be grateful for the small things that come our way in this world.”

Friends, give a thought about it.

When To Retire?

2008-01-06T23:21:00.000+08:00

The hard-working late retirees probably put too much stress on their aging body-and-mind such that they are so stressed out to develop various serious health problems that forced them to quit and retire. With such long-term stress-induced serious health problems, they die within two years after they quit and retire.

The late retirees are small in number, tend to die quickly after retirement and disappear from the population of old people beyond the age of 70.

On the other hand, people who take early retirements at the age of 55 tend to live long and well into their 80s and beyond. These earlier retirees probably are either wealthier or more able to plan and manage their various aspects of their life, health and career well such that they can afford to retire early and comfortably.

These early retirees are not really idling after their early retirements to get old. They still continue doing some work. But they do the work on the part-time basis at a more leisure pace so that they do not get too stressed out. Furthermore, they have the luxury to pick and chose the types of part-time work of real interest to them so that they can enjoy and love doing that “fun” work at a more leisure pace.

However, when you get older, you should plan your career path and financial matter so that you can retire comfortably at the age of 55 or earlier to enjoy your long, happy and leisure retirement life into your golden age of 80s and beyond. In retirement, you can still enjoy some fun work of great interest to you and of great values to the society and the community, but at a part-time leisure pace on your own term.

On the other hand, if you are not able to get out of the pressure-cooker or the high-speed battleground at the age of 55 and “have” to keep on working very hard until the age of 65 or older before your retirement, then you probably will die within 18 months of
retirement.

By working very hard in the pressure cooker for 10 more years beyond the age of 55, you give up at least 20 years of your life span on average.

Something to share…..

My colleague, FN, used to tell me, “Before 55, it’s working time. After 55, it’s overtime. After 60, it’s extra time. After 65, it’s anytime.”

I am thankful to God for his constant blessing on me for staying healthy and able to work extra years and walk extra miles (as a planter) well passed my age of retirement at 55. Like many other cheerful retirees, I would like to spend quality time with my dear wife so that we have our free time to travel and visit our children whenever we feel like to.

I did plan to retire in December 2007 as I have just passed 60 and it’s extra time for me. However, in obligation to my boss’ request, I will stay on for a while till my youngest son’s graduation in June 2008. I look forward to get out of the high pressure cooker on the day my boss agrees to release me.

Retirees of my age will certainly like to enjoy long, happy and leisure retirement life. God goes to these people who have past retirement and He recharges them so that they will age gracefully and live like Bob Hope who passed away at the age of 100. Continue giving and sharing......