Correct Way Of Eating Fruits

Something to share….
I am sure we have been advised to eat more fruits but the question is there are still many of us do not eat fruits at the right time. May be we are still being ignorance because of our habitual way of eating fruits immediately after meals. In actual fact, we are supposed to eat fruits in between meals, at least minimum one hour before or one hour after a meal, meaning fresh fruits are to be eaten empty stomach. Ideally we should eat fruits as snack between meals.

I have changed to the correct way of eating fruits. How about you?

How To Stay Young

I came across this in a Japanese restaurant in Jambi, located on 1st floor of Well Top Center (WTC) overlooking Batanghari River. Well, if we discipline ourselves and stick to “Positive Eating” & “Positive Living”, there is no doubt that we are able to stay young and live on with God’s blessings.

How To Stay Young

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids?

If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

"How old are you?" "I'm 4 and a half!"
(You're never 36 and a half.)

You're 4 and a half, going on 5!
(That's the key.)

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back.

You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

"How old are you?" "I'm going to be 16!"
(You could be 13, but hey, you're going to be 16!)

And then the greatest day of your life . . . . You become 21.
(Even the words sound like a ceremony . . . You BECOME 21.
YESSSS!!!)

But then you turn 30.
Oooohh, what happened there?

Makes you sound like bad milk.
He TURNED; we had to throw him out.

There's no fun now, you're just a sour-dumpling.
What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21. You TURN 30, Then you're PUSHING 40.
(Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away.)

Before you know it, you REACH 50 . . . and your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70!
After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80s and every day is a complete cycle.
You HIT lunch. You TURN 4:30. You REACH bedtime.

And it doesn't end there.

Into the 90s, you start going backwards; "I was JUST 92."

Then a strange thing happens.

If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"

May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

Something to share….

In the Bible, the LORD said, “I will not allow people to live forever; they are mortal. From now on they will live no longer than 120 years.” (Genesis 6:3) So my friends, all of us can make it to a healthy 100 and a half if we change our bad eating habits. God had warned us, “No fat of animals shall be eaten,” and “Never use the blood of birds or animals for food.” (Leviticus 7:23 & 26) Why? Our doctors used to tell us that the excess fats we eat can influence the level of cholesterol in our blood and can increase the level of triglycerides. Saturated fats raise blood cholesterol. Blood of birds or animals is no good for consumption as it contains bacteria, virus, and other toxins. Remember, the next time you order steak, make sure it’s “well done”! Always eat right (cereals, beans and nuts; less meat but more on white meat), eat green (fruits & vegetables) and drink more plain water (also Chinese tea & honey) that make you look good and to slow down aging.

Sleep well and exercise enough. Staying up late till midnight or early morning and having too little or never exercise are bad health habits. Quit smoking if you want to live long. Studies have shown that smoking increases heart rate, narrows blood vessels, raises blood pressure, scars our lungs, and can cause spasms of the coronary arteries.

Don’t worry too much. Be happy most of the time. Always be joyful and often have good laughter, long and loud, with cheerful friends. Keep smiling to make more friends. In Proverbs 17:22a, it was written, “Being cheerful keeps you healthy.”

Love your beighbour and always be kind and forgive others. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. GOD said, “Be kind and honest and you will live a long life; others will respect you and treat you fairly.” (Proverbs 21:21)

Keep learning. I remember one Chinese saying stated,” The longer you live, the more you learn.” Learn more about the computer, gardening, fishing, traveling and whatever. “Never let the brain idle. An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

Jimmy Tan is my childhood friend in our hometown, Kuala Lipis, Pahang. He used to tell me how he enjoys “armchair travelling” at home watching his favourite Astro’s programme. For a pensioner like him after retirement, his house is his refuge. He told me he travelled quite a bit lately, visiting his children in Ipoh and just returned from Kuantan with his wife.

A doctor, in his study on the care of the elderly, found that people who lived above 100 years of age all had one thing in common. These centenarians had a positive outlook on purpose in life. To them the future looked bright. They had a reason to be alive even at old age.

When comedian Bob Hope left the world’s stage few years ago, he died at age of 100 years. He looked younger than many others and had lived a long life all because he gave laughter to his audiences and shared his happiness with many other people around the world.

Two thousand years ago, JESUS said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) Sharing is a form of giving. I believe that the more we share and give, the more we are blessed. Everyday is a gift from GOD. Thank GOD for today. Each day when we wake up, we thank GOD for keeping us vitally alive and filling us with boundless energy and excellent health. Thank GOD that we are able to stay young as we age gracefully. GBU & PTL

7 Principles Of Eagle

Something to share…
An ecologist was astonished to see an eagle in a poultry farm but its behaviour was no difference from other chickens. The farm owner told him that he found an angle egg and put it together with other chicken eggs for the hen to hatch. It’s no more an eagle as it grew up with the chicks.

The ecologist believed that once an angle was born, it should remain as an eagle. He asked for permission to pick up that eagle and threw it up into the sky, anticipating that it would stretch out its wings and started to fly. However, the eagle dropped to the ground and mingled with the chicks and followed them eating the chicken feed.

Asking for a 2nd chance, the ecologist took the eagle and climbed up the water tower. He hoped that this time it was high enough for the eagle to stretch its wings to fly. The eagle could still see its chicken friends down below. It dropped back to the ground and joined them happily eating the chicken feed.

Without giving up, the ecologist asked for the last chance to prove that an eagle was an eagle. He brought the eagle up to the hill top far away from the poultry farm. “Eagle, this is where you are belonged,” the ecologist threw the eagle into the sky. This time the eagle could not see its chicken friends, naturally it stretched out its wings and soared away into the sky.

Morale of the story…
Don’t be a chicken if you were born to be an eagle!

Are you just like the eagle bred and grown up in a chicken farm? Acquired the same behaviours of chicken in scratching the soil on the ground to look for worms and insects to feed on? So well adapted to the living environment of the chicken farm that simply refused to stretch out its wings and soared like a real eagle? Believing that you are just one of them but knowing that your odd appearance is so much difference from them?

Surely you will agree with me that we cannot become what were born to be if we choose to remain where we are and what we are. Just like an eagle grown up in the chicken farm not knowing how to fly would have died as a chicken if not being discovered by the ecologist. God wants us to discover our wings (potential) to experience the thrill of flying. He will lift us up and throw us into the sky to find our wings and stretch them fully out in order to soar into high sky. He wants us to maximize our potential and move on into our purpose in life that He has given us. Remember, if we were born to be eagles, God wants us to be born winners, not “born losers”.

10 Important Words In Life

Something to share….

No great work was ever accomplished by just one person alone. There is always a supporting team behind him. So start putting “I” in “Team”.

No one person can claim credit on a job well done. The credit must goes to the people on the ground. How nice to say,” We did it together”. That’s teamwork!

Seorang pemberani adalah dia yang mampu mengalahkan egonya dan bukan musuhnya, karena kemenangan sejati adalah kemenangan atas diri sendiri. (A bold person is able to defeat his own ego and not his enemies because the real victory is a victory over oneself)

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is nit self-seeking, it is not easily angered; it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves. Love never fails.” – 1 Corinthians 12:6,7 & 8a

When you smile at someone, you can even make friends with strangers. So keep on smiling, you will make many friends.

Rumour is just a make up story. There is no truth in it. Don’t listen to rumour and don’t spread rumour.

Someone said, ”Coming together is the beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success!”

Do not waste time on jealousy. Be busy stirring up God’s gift (talent) that there is no time for jealousy on other people’s achievement, success and wealth.

Knowledge is the foundation for success. That’s why “wise men store up knowledge” – Proverbs 10:14a

“Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded” –Hebrews 10:35

Apple Juice & Removal Of Gallstones

Something to share…..
Dr Lai Chiu Nan’s 6 Days apple juice treatment works wonderfully to remove gallstones in a natural way. I came to know this more than 10 years ago and many of my friends have benefited from this treatment without going for operation.

Ah Thien of Sabah almost had his gallbladder operated in the hospital in 1996. When we met up in Sandakan just few days before his operation appointment, he gave it a try when I told him about this apple juice treatment. To convince him, I called Loke YF (exIOI manager) in JB to tell him personally over the phone the beneficial experience of this apple juice treatment. The doctor was surprised of the disappearance of gallstones when Ah Thien went to the hospital for re-examination. He passed on this good news to his friends and relatives so much so that whenever a person wanted to buy Epsom salt from the pharmacy, straight away they knew that it’s for removal of gallstones treatment.

Lee MK (JCC manager) also drank the apple juice and passed out the gallstones. One day Alan Yap of Lahad Datu called me and asked for the apple juice treatment for his Indonesian mandore who refused to go for operation. According to Alan, his worker suffered great pain and could hardly walk. One week later, Alan called again saying that his worker still suffered the pain. I told Allan to bring his worker to see Lee MK who could witness to him so that he would repeat the 6 Days treatment one more time. Later I received good news from Allan that his worker was able to walk without pain after passing out the gallstones. No operation was required. Lee also told me that the worker thanked him many times whenever they met each other in Lahad Datu town for the encouragement and confidence given to him.

On 4/10/2005 when I and my family visited David Vun, my old friend, in Sydney, Australia I told him and his wife about this apple juice treatment. After my return to Malaysia, he asked me to email him the write up of the treatment. Later he told me that it worked and he had passed on to his friends and relatives.

To be more effective, drink green apple juice. You can buy 100% pure apple juice from supermarket in 2 liters packing. The treatment needs 6 liters only (4 x 250ml = 1 liter per day). Nevertheless, do include apple juice as one of your daily drinks. It’s good for you.

REMOVING GALLSTONES NATURALLY by Dr Lai Chiu-Nan

Gallstones may not be everyone's concern but may lead to cancer. We all have them (big or small, many or few). "Cancer is never the 1st illness. There are a lot of other problems leading to cancer. I came across some materials stating that people with cancer usually had stones,” said Dr Lee of China.

One symptom of gallstones is a feeling of bloatedness after a heavy meal as if you can't digest the food. If it gets more serious, you feel pain in the liver area." Dr Lee offers the apple juice treatment which is good for those with a weak liver. Liver and gallbladder are closely linked.

1) Drink 1 glass (250ml) 100% apple juice 4 times a day for 5 days. 1 glass at breakfast, 1 glass at unch, 1 glass at dinner & 1 glass before going to bed. It softens the gallstones. Eat normally.

2) On the 6th day, skip dinner. At 6pm, take a teaspoon of Epsom salt (magnesium sulphate) with a glass of warm water. At 8 PM, repeat the same for purging purpose. It helps to flush out all solid stuff. It also opens the gallbladder ducts. At 10 PM, drink half a glass of olive oil mixed with half a glass of lemon juice. The oil lubricates the stones to ease their passage. Lemon juice helps to extract the stones out from gallbladder ducts.

Soon you will purge again. This time you can find greenish stuff floating in your toilet bowl, if you have gallstones. "You may want to count them. I have had people who passed out 40, 50 or up to 100 stones.” as told by Br Lee. "Even if you don’t have any symptoms of gallstones, you still might have some. It's always good to give your gall bladder a clean-up every now and then.”

A Trip To Kuala Tungkal

Photo 1 : Actually there are 2 "pokok sialang". There are plentiful of beehives on both trees. Try counting?

Photo 2: Tan Seng Theong & me

Photo 3: Tan ST & my driver, Pak Marshudi

Happiness is when an old friend made a special trip to Indonesia to meet up in Jambi.

I came to know Tan Seng Theong when he was Assistant Manager in Hwa Li Estate in the early 1980s. At that time I was Manager of Pukin Estate. We were both proud to be Keratong planters of Pahang.

After so many years, we met again in Lahad Datu , Sabah, in the 21st century when he joined a fertilizers company. That was during one of my visiting trips as Plantation Controller of JCC Group. Our last encounter was during the farewell dinner for me held in one restaurant, Lahad Datu, in December 2003 after I had decided to join Sawit Mas Group in Indonesia and commenced work in January 2004.

We made a trip to Kuala Tungkal from Jambi on 29th January 2007. Tan wanted to see the suitability of its port to ship in fertilizers for his newly joined company in West Malaysia. He also visited our kebun of PT BBIP on our way back, He asked my driver to stop when he saw the “pokok sialang” (a tree full of beehives) along the roadside near Desa Abadi. This reminded him of the cover picture of THE PLANTER (published in May 2006). By the way, a bottle of 1 litre pure honey was sold for Rp 50,000.00 (@RM 20.00) at the roadside stall.

Tan is a jolly good fellow. His laughter is as loud as mine. God says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine.” (Proverbs 17:22a) and “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and a good news gives health to the bones.” (Proverbs 15:30) How true it is that laughter is the best medicine which helps us to take away our worries! Praise the Lord for the friendship that we have valued for such a long along time.

Aging Beautifully & Gracefully

Talking of aging beautifully and gracefully, I would like to share an article (written by Lydia K Kristanto) which was emailed to me by Albert Teh, a true brother in Christ. The message is clear, “old age without God can produce bitterness, loneliness, and hopelessness.” God provides us joy, strength, hope, and comfort.

In Psalms 92: 12a, 13a & 14, it was written,” The righteous will flourish like palm trees. They are like trees planted in the house of the LORD, that still bear fruit in old age, and are always green and strong.” In Proverbs 16:31, it was written,” Long life is the reward of the righteous; grey hair is a glorious crown.”

How true it is that “aging is a basis for hope (not a reason for despair), a gradual maturing (not a slow decaying), and a chance to be embraced (not a fate to be undergone).”

AGING BEAUTIFULLY: A Homemaker’s Reflection

These days I keep on wondering whether my body parts are breaking down. When I walk, I could hear my knee joints creaking. My right hand loses the strength to carry a pail of water. The fingers do not seem to obey instructions anymore. They get locked at their pleasure, any time and any place. It throws me into panic especially while I am driving. Suddenly I can’t move the steering wheel without much pain. But the most frightening part is losing the power to remember. It translates to leaving the front door unlocked the whole night, forgetting to switch off the gas stove, the table fan, and taking medicines on time. Names and words come to mind as trickles of water during rationing. Recently I can’t even remember my own cell phone number. Slowly but steadily, I have to admit that aging at last has set in. That brings to mind the slogan which is used to comfort the middle-aged: The best is yet to come. What a mockery!

The Reality of Aging

The process of aging begins when one is born. But different terms are used to describe the manners of growth. A baby is developing into a child, a child is growing into a teenager, and a teenager is maturing into an adult. But when one hits mid-life, the evolution is called aging.

The Preacher painted a chilling picture in Ecclesiastes 12 of what it means to grow old.

The light of the sun and moon and stars is dim to your old eyes, and there is no silver lining left among the clouds. Your limbs will tremble with age, and your strong legs will grow weak. Your teeth will be too few to do their work, and you will be blind, too. And when your teeth are gone, keep your lips tightly closed when you eat! Even the chirping of birds will wake you up. But you yourself will be deaf and tuneless, with a quavering voice. You will be afraid of heights and of falling, white-haired, and withered, dragging along without any sexual desire. You will be standing at death’s door. (NLT)

Then I stumbled into a more frightening picture as I read Henri J.M. Nouwen and Walter J. Gaffney’s book on ‘Aging: The Fulfilment of Life’. I was struck at their usage of Isaiah 53. 2-4 to describe the plight of marginalised aged people.

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
He was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Now and then, our newspapers display the pictures of centenarians celebrating their birthdays accompanied by institutional care givers. Most often, they are females. I must admit that the scenes do not give me an incentive to live so long. Staring at my eyes are faces of loneliness, life-weary gazes and end results of rejection. I commented to my husband, “If I have to be that old, I want to be mobile and look as good as I am today.” I realise it is everybody’s impossible dream.

Behind the toothless smile, the deep-set eyes framed by the hollowed cheeks speak volumes of sad events. The faraway haunting look mourns the loss of loved ones, the loss of one’s faculties, and the loss of dreams and everything familiar. At the same time, the dim eyes see the impending perils and uncertainties which will descend on the present generation. But they would not hear of it.

Age-defying Culture

Two years ago, I went for a photo-shot with my eighteen-year old daughter. “Seventeen,” a magazine for teenagers wanted our picture together besides the short word of appreciation which my daughter wrote for Mother’s Day. After the photo session was over, the young lady in-charge asked me some data about myself. When I told her that I was 61, she almost fell off her chair. As she looked at me in disbelief, I offered to show my IC. That incident made my day.

Why did I feel so good? Was it the fact that for one moment in time I won the age-defying game? The quest for eternal youth has been as old as human civilisation. The pursuit of physical perfection is relentless. Almost daily, we are bombarded with new health and beauty products which feed our vanity. The surgeon’s scalpels will be able to give us our dream face and body. Pharmaceutical companies compete to deliver better and safer Viagra-type of products for both men and women.

On September 21, 2005, the Malay Mail printed an article on “The Ugly Side of Beauty” by Paul Bracchi. He mentioned the usage of skin from executed Chinese criminal being used in ‘lip and anti-wrinkle’ products. If you covet thick and luxuriant hair, it is available in fashionable London for RM4, 000.00 This ‘Virgin Russian hair’ is obtained from children in Siberia for RM9.50, as they need money for food. Women who seek abortion and are willing to wait until the foetus is five-month old will receive payment. The nutrient-rich umbilical cords and placentas of aborted foetuses become vital ingredients to promote regeneration and repair.

How far does our present age-defying culture go? The latest mention in the news is the vocal cords-lift. What’s the use of having the looks of a person half your age, when your voice is croaking and quavering?

Aging with Enthusiasm

At present Malaysia has about 1.1 million people aged 60 years and above. The reality of aging can be very painful when one’s resources are very limited. Only a fraction can afford the luxury of age-defying offerings. But the Bible provides the best remedies to age beautifully.

The Preacher in Ecclesiastes has a word for caution for younger people. “Do not let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honour him in your youth before you grow old and no longer enjoy living.” (12.1) His words contain the truth that old age without God can produce bitterness, loneliness, and hopelessness.

Simeon was an old man who lived in Jerusalem. He was righteous and devout. It means God was his joy, his strength, his hope and his comfort. As his body weakened, his spirit grew stronger. He believed he would not die until his eyes saw the Saviour of the world. God had made that promise to him. With enthusiasm, he looked forward to the day when God’s words became a reality. Faithfully he lived year by year honouring and worshipping God. On the very day when Mary and Joseph presented baby Jesus in the Temple, Simeon was there. He took the baby in his arms and sang his song of thanksgiving and praise.

Going through old age with zest is hard unless God helps us. One of the fears in my life is to be cynical in old age. It will lead to suspicions and withdrawal from the community. Let the world sink if need be, I could not care less. But then God calls his children, young and old, to be his salt and light. I have no option to be anything less. If the Lord is my everlasting light, I have to radiate his light with my life. Each new day becomes like a gift parcel. With eager fingers I unwrap it and wonder, “What is inside?”

Aging with Grace

On the day when baby Jesus was presented in the Temple, Anna, a prophetess was also there to witness the wonderful grace of God. She was eighty-four years old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshipping God with fasting and prayer. When she saw the baby, she began to praise God. After that, she spoke about Jesus to all who had been waiting for the arrival of the promised King.

Anna is a picture of a person receiving and giving grace. At a relatively young age, she became a widow. Living without the head of the family is a harsh reality. The Old Testament records that God has special care for widows. He makes special provision for them in the Book of the Law. No one is to oppress them or take advantage of their helplessness. He is their defender and protector.

Being a recipient of God’s grace, Anna dispensed grace to those who came to the Temple. We could almost imagine her, moving among the worshippers comforting and strengthening them with God’s word and her gentle touch.

Instead of being sad and bitter, Anna becomes God’s tool of blessing. Our younger generation needs to value the older people in their community. They are the bridge linking the past and the future. Their rich experiences and wisdom will be forever lost if there is no willing listeners.

Aging with Dignity

The last chapter of Deuteronomy recorded that “Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.” For the past two weeks before that, he was addressing the second generation of Israelites as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. This was the group of people who had never seen the display of God’s glory in Mt. Sinai nor heard his voice. To make it easier to remember the laws and regulations on how to live as God’s people among idolatrous nations, Moses compressed them into a song.

What makes Moses alert to the end? Being a shepherd for forty years? A forty-year walk in the wilderness? Listening to God for instructions? Teaching and minding the wayward and stubborn people?

It’s all of them. The physical hardship shaped his strength and stamina. The time spent with God strengthened and enabled Him to lead His difficult people. Moses began his ministry by asking the Lord to send someone else to do the job. He ended as the prophet whom the Lord knew face to face.

With God’s help, I echo the belief of the authors of ‘Aging: The Fulfillment of Life’ that “aging is not a reason for despair but a basis for hope, not a slow decaying but a gradual maturing, not a fate to be undergone but a chance to be embraced.”

Is the best yet to come? Yes!

About the author (Lydia K Kristato):

She is savouring her golden years pottering around the house she shares with her husband and daughter. It includes cooking up tales on her computer screen and preparing messages.

Worry About Aging?

If you already have these 5 foods in your daily diets, that’s fine. If not, do hurry to include them in your routine diets. As we are getting older in age, we do not wish to age fast. So we need to get proper advice on the right type of foods to partake to slow down aging. I believe all of us want to age beautifully and gracefully.

Recently I used to share a Chinese saying with my friends. It says,” Health is wealth. No illness is happiness.” How true it is! Eat the right foods to strengthen our immune system so that we will seldom get sick. Stay healthy and look good. That’s our wealth!

Soil Science Conference Of Malaysia 2007

Photo 1: Conference Hall for presentation of papers

Photo 2 : Pak Andre & me

Photo 3 : Partcipants from SMG, PT EMAL & PT JAW (Indonesia)

Photo 4 : The Sago "worms" eaters (Pak JF Tarigan; his colleague from Medan & his contractor's son, Hartono)

Photo 5 : Sarawak cultural dance

Pak Andre Hotlando Nevtin (GM, PT KU) and me from Sawit Mas Group attended the Soil Science Conference of Malaysia 2007 held on 17th-19th April in Kingwood Resort, Mukah, Sarawak. We were there to listen, learn and update ourselves the latest information and technique on “peat and other soil factors in crop production”.

Among the many topics presented and discussed, we noted the following important points regarding Oil Palm cultivation and management on deep peat:-

** After drainage, good compaction is very critical for oil palm development on peat. It has a direct effect on the increase of bulk density and thus allow to:
- Overcome the incidence of leaning palms
- More efficient uptake of water and nutrients

**Never compromise on compaction. Not advisable to compact on wet ground. Should use broad chain excavators for compaction.

**FFB yield of oil palm on deep peat has been found performing better in compacted area as compared to uncompacted area.

**Shanting-hole planting technique is recommended for a proper leaning direction and an early palm recovery.

**OP seedlings must be well culled in the nurseries. Ensure healthy seedlings being selected for planting and become producing palms.

**Higher density planting at 180 SPH and 200 SPH in deep peat showed significant higher yield per hectare during the 1st 4 years FFB production. However, in view of faster palm etiolation enhanced by high SPH, the ideal planting density in peat should be 160.

**For effective management of peat, the most cost- effective approach is to have strict control of water level at 50 -75cm from peat surface so as to minimize peat subsidence and maximize yield on peat.

Smoke starts chocking Jambi City (The Haze is back!)

As reported in The Jakarta Post on 30 June 2007, the smoke had started choking Kota Jambi.

Accordingly, NOAA's satellites showed 13 hotspots in forests and plantation areas in Jambi province. Secretary to the Forest Fire Monitoring Center at the Jambi Forest Agency, Frans Tandipau said that the 13 hotspots were located in a number of districts, in Tebo regency on 29.6.2007. He said that police officers and a number of officials from regental administration were heading to the locations of forest fires. With the dry season expected in July, it is anticipated that the farmers are preparing to clear their lands using the inexpensive slash-and-burn method. This will inevitably lead to forest fires and this is just the beginning. Haze situation will get worse once the fires spread to peat forests.

Jambi is among the worse province choked by haze from forest fires and peat fires in 2006. Others badly affected areas by these fires include Bengkulu province, and a number provinces in the Kalimantan Island. Eventually, the haze was blown across the Malacca Straits and spread to Singapore, Malaysia, Southern Thailand and Brunei Darussalam. It has become a transboundary problem of haze pollution within the Asean region for many years.

On 1 July The Star newspapers reported that slight haze was detected in northern areas of Malaysia. It has been confirmed by the Meteorological Services Department that the haze is back although it has not strongly affected visibility or air quality.

It was reported that the visibility at 2pm 30.6.2007 in Alor Star, Prai, Butterworth, Penang, Ipoh and Sitiawan was between 5km and 9km while it was more than 10km for the rest of the peninsula including the Klang Valley.

The Indonesian government promised that it would strengthen its effort to fight forest and peat fires in 2007. It has promised to reduce its hotspots by 50 per cent this year. Such commitment is a "big challenge" indeed. A haze masterplan that covers fire prevention and suppression, legislation and enforcement as well as regional and international collaboration is the obvious answer to the transboundary haze problem. Nevertheless, we are keeping our fingers crossed that recurrance of haze will be much under controlled and won't be as bad as last year.

Three Parrots

A man wanted to buy his son a parrot as a birthday present.





The next day he went to the pet shop and saw 3 identical parrots in a cage.

He asked the clerk, "How much for the parrot on the right?

The owner said it was $250.
"$250", the man said. "Well, what does he do?
"He knows how to use all of the functions of Microsoft Windows XP Professional”, responded the clerk. "He can do all of your spreadsheets and type all of your letters."

The man then asked what the 2nd parrot cost.
The clerk replied, “$500, but he not only knows Microsoft Windows XP Professional, but is an expert computer programmer.”

Finally, the man inquired about the cost of the last parrot.
The clerk replied, "$1,000."
Curious as to how a bird could cost $1,000, the man asked what this bird's specialty was.
The clerk replies, "Well, to be honest, I haven't seen him do anything. But the other two call him BOSS!”

More experiences with persons we call them BOSSES:

Incidence 1:
I remember one visit of my old boss to Pukin Estate. Spotting a patch of sheet lallang at the far end of the palm rows, Mr. Chan turned his head to my Assistant and asked in a sarcastic tone, ”Mr. Lee, when did we grow paddy in our estate?” I knew that he was shooting arrow the manager.

Incidence 2:
In the VA Questionnaire, the Manager wrote that all lallang had been tackled. Unfortunately, a sporadic patch of flowering lallang was spotted. The Manager quickly apologized,” Sorry, Sir. I had checked with my Senior Assistant and he had given me his assurance.” The VA asked, “Who is the Manager of the estate?”

Manager is the BOSS of the estate. Don’t take things for granted. At the end of the day, he is solely responsible for all works carried out in his plantation. Things will definitely go wrong if merely delegation without follow up. Always remember to check and cross check. Walk the fields more often. Seeing is believing. Solve problems at site. There is no short cut about it.

When the Manager queried his Senior Assistant,” How come you told me that there was no more lallang?” We can expect the answer from the Senior Assistant,” Sorry, Boss. My Assistant told me no more lallang.” When the Assistant was questioned, his answer was the same, “My Conductor told me no more lallang.” When the Conductor was bombarded by his Assistant, he could only answer,” My mandore told me so.” Finally, the mandore became the victim of the Conductor. He was yelled and shouted at by his BOSS!

Haze In Jambi, Indonesia (August - October 2006)

Photo 1: Aur Duri Bridge across Batanghari river. Motorists traveling with headlight on. (Date picture taken: 29 September 2006)

Photo 2: Man on mask carrying "Time for breaking fast" Board at Makalam bridge (Date picture taken: 4 October 2007)

Photo 3: Policemen on mask directing traffic at a road junction in Kota Jambi (Date picture taken: 12 October 2006)

Photo 4: Haze condition at Kantor Guburner Jambi (Date picture taken: 6 October 2006)

Photo 5 – Poor visibility due to thick haze condition along Batanghari River (Date picture taken: 18 October 2006)

A Trip To Padang On A Hazy Day

Photo 1 - Bridge over Batanghari River

Photo 2 - Hazy weather & wet road after rain

Photo 3 - Entering Minangkabau territory


Photo 4 - Even heavy rain couldn't disperse haze

Soils 2007 Conference Tour - Ringwood Plantation, Mukah, Sarawak

Meeting old friends and making new friends

Photo 1: Yeong Wai Seng (Boustead), Tan Huang Shen (StarAg), Mohd Nasir Ali (Boustead), Micheal Chang (Boustead), KP Loh (SMG), new friend, Leong Kam Hong (Java I.B.)

Photo 2: Rohani, Abu Bakar & Noordiana Hamzah (Borneo Samudra), Lai Woon Wui (Wargo), Lim Gim Seong (PT EMAL) & KP Loh

Photo 3: How Beng Keng (PT EMAL), Lah Jau Uya (Organising Chairman) & KP Loh

Photo 4: KP Loh, GS Lim & Dr. Lulie Melling (Senior Researcher, Dept of Agriculture, Sarawak)

A trip to Padang

Goh Boon Huk & me were having the delicious giant crab from Kepulauan Mentawai (a group of island facing Sumatra Barat) in one seafood restaurant in Padang on 21.10.2006. The crab weighed slightly more than 2 kg. We were in Padang to catch AirAsia flight to Kuala Lumpur (TLCC) on the following morning. I had to travel more than 10 hours from Jambi because all flights were cancelled as the Sultan Thaha airport in Jambi was closed down due to very thick haze. Pak Goh travelled all the way from Bengkulu and his journey took more than 8 hours.

The flight from Padang to Kuala Lumpur took us just 1 hour & 10 minutes.

Boon Huk & me were in IOI’s Regent Estate, Gemencheh, Negeri Sembilan, in 1994/95. He was my Senior Assistant then. Both of us resigned for better prospect in other plantation companies in May/June 1995. He went to work in Sabah and later in Kalimantan Barat. Then he came back and rejoined IOI and was posted back in Regent Estate as Manager. I last caught up with him was during the Chinese New Year in 2005 when he was the Manager in Segamat Estate. We did not meet up again after he returned to Indonesia working in Bengkulu since May 2005.

It was a joyful evening when we met again in Padang as both of us were catching the same flight back to Malaysia during the long holidays of Lebaran (Hari Raya Puasa). We laughed and talked about the good old days in Regent Estate. We used to have the best coffee in Gemencheh town at Alek's shop after working hours and once in awhile we went for dinner in a Chinese restaurant, Tebung. The owner was Mr. "No Problem" who was a good karaoke singer. After dinner,we used to sing along just to release our stress and having so-called "lung exercise". We were happy working as a team together with the other Assistant, Micheal Tan, our Chief Clerk, Mr. Narayanan, and our field conductors. With such a close relatioship, we were seriously committed during working hours.

Always Allow Your Boss To Speak First

A junior manager, a senior manager and their boss were on their way to a meeting. On their way through a park, they came across a wonder lamp. They rubbed the lamp and a genie appeared.

The genie said, "Normally, one is granted 3 wishes but as you are three, I will allow one wish each"

So the eager senior manager shouted, “I want the 1st wish. I want to be in the Bahamas, on a fast boat and have no worries for a month." Pfufffff and he was gone.

Now the junior manager could not keep quiet and he shouted aloud, "I want to be in Florida with beautiful girls, plenty of food and cocktails for a month." Pfufffff and he was also gone.

Then it's the boss's turn, and he said calmly, "I want these two idiots back in the office after lunch"

When Pukin Estate was taken over by IOI in May 1985, I was reminded by my new boss that he was a planter meaning I could not hide any problems from him. It was usually not easy for old staff to survive in new management but thank God, I somehow managed to last for 10 long years in the company with 5 transfers until I resigned in June 1995 by accepting a better position offered to me by another plantation company.

I just want to share a few valuable incidences with Tan Sri, my XiFu, during the good old days:-

Incidence 1:

When Tan Sri came for a visit, he stopped at the 1st palm and pulled out some weeds from the trunk. As we walked along I quickly started pulling out the weeds from the next palms before he did it again. He had shown us a very good example of “Lead by example”.

Incidence 2:

Tan Sri used to ask us 3 FAQ (frequently asked questions) when he visited our estates,” Have you ever come here?” “Did you see this?” “Why no action had been taken?” After answering “Yes” to the 1st two questions, we ended up being bombarded by his 3rd question.

Incidence 3:

In the earlier days, when Tan Sri was angry at the unsatisfactory field condition, he used to challenge us, “I will come back in 3 months time.”

In one occasion, I challenged him back after my transfer to Morisem Estate, Sabah, in December 1988. He came for his 1st visit in April 1989 and was not happy with the backlog of crop in the fields and the over ripening bunches on the palms. Such problems were, unfortunately, the consequence of non-stop raining weather dragged on for months since December 1988.

Nevertheless, we were working hard to repair the main access road outside the estate leading to Jeroco Palm Oil Mill. At that time our only outlet was Kretam Palm Oil Mill but we had to send our FFB lorries across the Kinabatangan River by scow towed by a tug boat. We could manage 1 trip a day, if lucky, due to poor condition of main access road to Sandakan and the tidal problem of the river.

I said sorry to Tan Sri and admitted my mistakes for not able to clear the crop backlog and some bunches were rotting on palms. I told him that should he come again in 3 months time and find no improvement or still not satisfied with my work, then I would bag and go. Of course, I stayed back since I did not fail my work commitment.

"Thank you, XiFu. I have been using your doctrine nowadays whenever walking the fields with my General Managers, Senior Estate Managers and Estate Managers. That should be the ways plantations are best managed."

My Boss & Me

When I take a long time
I am slow.
When my boss takes long time
He is thorough.
When I don't do it
I am lazy.
When my boss doesn't do it
He is too busy.
When I do something without being told
I am trying to be smart.
When my boss does the same
That is initiative.
When I please my boss
I am apple - polishing
When my boss pleases his boss
He's co-operating.

I am always thankful to my old boss, Mr. Chan Fong Ann, who took me in as an Executive Field Manager for Pukin Estate in Keratong, Pahang, in July 1978 and made me a “Planter”.

Here I wish to recall a few incidences whereby I had learned some valuable lessons from him.

Lesson No. 1 * Who is smarter? *

When Mr. Chan appeared in the witness stand of the Muar High Court for the case of claiming crop damages by fire spread from a neigbouring estate, he chose to speak through a Mandarin interpreter.

The defending lawyer somehow sensed that my boss could understand English and he was irritated,” Mr. Chan, I put it to you that you are a liar. You can speak English!”

My boss just turned his head to the interpreter,” Ta shuo shen mok? (What is he saying?)”

Lesson No. 2 * A Born Linguist *

My old friend, Mr. Song BS of May & Bayer, asked me when he came to Pukin Estate, “Is your boss, Mr. Chan, a UK graduate?”

“What makes you think so?” I answered him with a question.

“When I called him, he spoke with an Oxford accent!” Song told me.

In actual fact, Mr. Chan was such a born linguist that he spoke fluent English, Malay, Mandarin, Hokkien, Teow Chew and Hakka, his own dialect. I was told that he did not receive much education during his younger days.

So expat planters in Indonesia, we need to master Bahasa Indonesia.

Lesson No. 3 * Quit smoking *

When I decided to quit smoking in 1981, Mr. Chan helped me to push away cigarettes offered to me by other smokers. He used to remind them,” Don’t be a devil. The doctor told Loh to give up smoking. Can’t you see that he has been coughing badly these days?”

The success of quitting smoking is not only the strong will to stop buying cigarettes, but also the power to reject the evil temptation when cigarettes were offered by others. Thank you, boss.

One Indonesian Manager told me that he had stopped buying cigarettes but he ended up as a Sumitro (Suka minta rokok), always asking cigarettes from others.

SS Quek, my Senior Assistant in Swee Lam Estate in 1990-91, quit smoking successfully but he ended up being addicted to “Hacks” sweets. I just told Pak Jalailuddin of Kebun Plasma Wilayah Pall 8 of PT BSS not to replace cigarettes with “gula – gula”. I noticed that he popped in a sweet every now and then and he carried a pocket full of sweets with him.

A trip to Bengkulu

This photo was taken on 13 May 2007 at Bengkulu beach. On the right is Pak Lim Gim Seong, standing beside him is Pak Goh Boon Huk, and I am standing by the side of Pak Fauzul (Pak Lim's driver). Pak LGS and me decided to meet up Pak GBH in Bengkulu after I dropped in his kebun in Pauh to see his new planting on peat on 12.5.2007. His kebun is about 3 hours drive from Jambi.

Proposal of Marriage in Peatland

Leaning of oil palm planted on peat soil is inevitable and normally occurs progressively 5-6 years after planting but the haphazardly leaning is always a headache to plantation management. Instead of maintaining palm circles in a weed-free condition, it is advisable to spray the so called “drop zone” for collecting harvested bunches and loose fruit. Induce directional leaning at time of planting or 1 year after planting had been proposed and should be practical for planting oil palm on peat.

The above photo was taken during the Soils 2007 Conference Tour in Mukah, Sarawak, in April 2007.

May be we can look at the leaning problem with a good sense of
humour. Hahaha…..

Thank you John for the Father's Day photo

Happy Father Day

Thank you, God, for today is a very SPECIAL day to all fathers on tjis earth! It's Father's Day, falling on 17 June 2007 (i.e 3rd Sunday of the month of June). This is the day when all children will have the opportunity to honor their fathers. However, it is also true that all men who act as a father figure such as stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, and adult male friends are all honored on Father's Day too.

Do you know how did Father's Day come about? I have downloaded the story of Father's Day from the internet :-

"Mrs. John B. Dodd, of Washington, first proposed the idea of a "father's day" in 1909. Mrs. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart.

William Smart, a Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife (Mrs. Dodd's mother) died in childbirth with their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington state.

It was after Mrs. Dodd became an adult that she realized the strength and selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent.

The first Father's Day was observed on June 19, 1910 in Spokane Washington. At about the same time in various towns and cities across American other people were beginning to celebrate a "father's day."

In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father's Day.

Finally in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day.

President Richard Nixon signed the law which finally made it permanent in 1972."

Here are some meaningful quotes about father :-

"It is a wise father that knows his own child." -- William Shakespeare

"One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters." -- English Proverb

"It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was." -- Anne Sexton

"Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!" -- Lydia M. Child

"I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection." -- Sigmund Freud

"It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons." --
Johann Schiller

Sorry to say, I had never celebrated Father's Day with my late father, who had left this world 20 years ago. Nevertheless, whenever I think of him, I am so grateful to my old man who struggled hard to send me for further study overseas. He was a tailor by profession and he operated a tailor shop by rental in Kuala Lipis, Pahang, Malaysia. My father was not a Rich Dad. He was, indeed, a Poor Dad. He left his parents, younger brother and sister in Da Bu, Guangdong, China, at the age of 16, to join his uncle in Malaysia. He did not work long in his uncle's shop in Yong Peng, Johor, Malaysia. Somehow he ended up in tailoring business in a small town known as Kuala Lipis. One thing I am still proud of my father because he might be a poorest dad he had left his children the richest inheritance, i.e. giving them higher education abroad. I am sure my 2 younger brothers, Kong Fatt and Kong Teck, will fully agree with me.

My father seldom talked to me during my boyhood days. He was always busy doing his tailoring business. But in later years, whenever I had the chance to travel long distance with him, inside the car we tried to catch up with long conversation of what we had missed in my younger days. I told him that I not only wanted him to be a father, but also a friend so as to bridge up the so-called "Geberation Gap". I am sure all fathers would like our children to be able to talk and communicate with us just like all christian fathers are able to talk to God in prayers.

My children are calling or sending me SMS wishing me "A Happy Father's Day" as I stay back in Jambi, Indonesia because of work commitment. For my friends who are also working in various parts in Indonesia, I am sure your children will do call or sms you too. Perhaps we can celebrate Father's Day throughout the year when we are back home with our children whenever we are on leave.

HAPPY FATHER DAY! PRAISE THE LORAD.

Never Offend (or Test The Wisdom Of ) An Old Man

Do U look like a “Peacock”?

Read on…. I bet u will laugh. Hehehe…

An old man was sitting on a bench at the mall.

A teenager sat down next to him. He had spiked hair that was red, orange, yellow, green, blue & violet. The old man stared. Whenever the teen looked, the old man was staring.

Finally, the teenager said sarcastically: “What’s the matter, old boy, never done anything wild in your life?”

Without missing a beat the old man replied, “Got drunk once and had sex with a peacock. I’m just wondering if you were my son.”

Morale of the story:

Never offend an WOM (wild old man). He may be a COM (cunning old man) or a DOM
(dirty old man).

If any of the following stories sounds familiar to you, it could be just a coincidence.

Story 1:
One Estate Manager was stagnant at his position for years because he had once offended his superior, trying to test the wisdom of someone who was older and wiser.
“Prove me wrong and I will promote you,” that’s the remark from his CEO.
He was finally promoted only after the CEO’s retirement from the company.

Story 2:
Another Estate Manager tried to please his Plantation Advisor telling him that he had spent nights of patrolling to chase away the elephants from intruding.
“Our company can’t afford to pay a watchman with such a high salary,” the Plantation Advisor told him bluntly.

Story 3:
When a Head Office guy called the estate and the Manager not around, the usual answer from the CC, “Manager’s in the fields, Sir.” In one particular estate, the CC answered differently, “Manager’s in the workshop, Sir.” The Head Office guy just wondered, “Is he a Plantation Manager or a Workshop Manager?”

Story 4:
During the Chairman’s visit, the Plantation Manager kept a tin of biscuits in his vehicle trying to impress the big boss that he was very hard working so he used to skip meals.
“Have you prepared lunch for us?” the Plantation Director asked him.

Problem Solving?

One fine day, a bus driver went to the bus garage, started his bus, and drove off along the route. No problems for the first few stops - a few people got on, a few got off, and things went on generally well.

At the next stop, however, a big hulk of a guy got on. Six feet eight, built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the ground. He glared at the driver and said, "Big John doesn't pay!" and sat down at the back.

Did I mention that the driver was five feet three, thin, and basically meek? Well, he was. Naturally, he didn't argue with Big John, but he wasn't happy about it.

The next day the same thing happened. Big John got on again, made a show of refusing to pay, and sat down. So this went on and on, one day after next, and so forth.

This grated on the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way. Big John was taking advantage of him.

Finally he could stand it no longer. He signed up for body building courses, karate, judo, and all that good stuff. By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong; what's more, he felt really good about himself.

So on the next Monday, when Big John once again got on the bus and said, "Big John doesn't pay!" the driver stood up, glared back at him, and screamed, "And WHY NOT?"

With a surprised look on his face, Big John replied, "Big John has a bus pass."

Moral of the story:

"Be sure there is a problem in the first place before working hard to solve one."

The way I look at it:

Practical planter always tries to solve any problem on site where he can see for himself, make analysis, trace to find out the root cause of the problem and take appropriate action to solve it. Afraid to commit oneself on the first place, based on false assumption or wrong information, is already the beginning of failure. Never fear of tackling a problem but make sure it is a real problem and not an excuse for not doing the job. Ever heard of, “Failure is the mother of Success?”

Being professionals, we must able to do the impossible (especially in Crisis Management) and not finding excuses not to do the possible (routine work and operations).

(The IMPOSSIBLE MISSION always turns out to be POSSIBLE!)

Engineer & Manager!

Guess the moral of this short story?

A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a man below. He descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."

The man below replied, "You're in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You're between 40 and 41 degree north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude."

"You must be an engineer," said the balloonist.

"I am", replied the man, "How did you know?"

"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I've no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help at all. If anything, you've delayed my trip."

The man below responded, "You must be in Management."

"I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?"

"Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are or where you're going. You have risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise which you've no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same situation you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault”

The way I look at it: -

A professional must be responsible to the job assigned to and be committed to achieve company’s goals and targets. When consulting others on problem solving, do not try to point fingers and expect problems be solved by others.

Knowing Where To Tap

Ever heard the story of the giant ship engine that failed?

The ship's owners tried one expert after another, but none of them could figure but how to fix the engine.

Then they brought in an old man who had been fixing ships since he was a youngster. He carried a large bag of tools with him, and when he arrived, he immediately went to work. He inspected the engine very carefully, top to bottom.

Two of the ship's owners were there, watching this man, hoping he would know what to do. After looking things over, the old man reached into his bag and pulled out a small hammer. He gently tapped something. Instantly, the engine lurched into life. He carefully put his hammer away. The engine was fixed!

A week later, the owners received a bill from the old man for ten thousand dollars.

"What?!" the owners exclaimed. "He hardly did anything!"

So they wrote the old man a note saying, "Please send us an itemized bill."

The man sent a bill that read:

Tapping with a hammer…………….$ 2.00
Knowing where to tap……………….$ 9,998.00

Likewise, old or rather senior planters like us are paid well because we know where to tap to lower cost of production reasonably by increasing crop production and OER (Oil Extraction Rate)%. Afterall, experiences gathered over the years and knowing where to make an effort in plantation management makes the real difference!