The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Posner (2017)

Overview & Publication Details

• Title: The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations (6th Edition)

• Authors: James M. Kouzes & Barry Z. Posner

• Publisher: Jossey-Bass (a Wiley imprint)

• Publication Year: 2017

• Format: Hardcover and ebook; 378 pages (Princeton University Library Catalog, Amazon)

---

Core Concepts

1. The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership

Based on over 30 years of research involving around 75,000 written responses to the question “What do you do as a leader when you're at your personal best?”, the authors identified five key behaviors that define outstanding leaders: (Wikipedia)

1. Model the Way – Lead by example, aligning actions with shared values.

2. Inspire a Shared Vision – Paint a compelling future that motivates collective effort.

3. Challenge the Process – Encourage innovation and willingness to change.

4. Enable Others to Act – Empower, build trust, and foster collaboration.

5. Encourage the Heart – Recognize contributions and celebrate progress meaningfully.

Details as below

These Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership from Kouzes & Posner’s The Leadership Challenge are the backbone of their model. Let me explain each in detail with examples so it’s practical and clear:

---

1. Model the Way

👉 “Leaders must set the example by aligning actions with shared values.”

• What it means: Leadership starts with credibility. People follow what you do, not just what you say. A leader identifies core values (personal + organizational), communicates them clearly, and consistently demonstrates them through actions.

• How to practice:

  • Define and clarify your values.

  • Set small wins to build consistency.

  • Be the first to “walk the talk.”

• Example: A manager who values safety doesn’t just enforce rules; they wear protective gear themselves, check safety reports, and prioritize safety over speed in production.

---

2. Inspire a Shared Vision

👉 “Leaders envision the future and enlist others in that vision.”

• What it means: A leader doesn’t just have personal goals—they articulate an exciting future that others want to be part of. It’s about creating meaning, not just hitting targets.

• How to practice:

  • Develop a compelling narrative of the future.

  • Speak to people’s hopes, not just numbers.

  • Use stories, metaphors, and vivid language to connect emotionally.

• Example: An NGO leader doesn’t just say “we’ll reduce poverty,” but instead paints a vision: “Imagine a community where every child has a full meal, clean water, and a school to attend.”

---

3. Challenge the Process

👉 “Leaders search for opportunities to change, grow, innovate, and improve.”

• What it means: Great leaders are not passive—they question status quo, experiment with new ideas, and learn from failures. They turn problems into opportunities.

• How to practice:

  • Encourage pilot projects and experimentation.

  • Ask “What can we do differently?” often.

  • Treat mistakes as learning, not punishment.

• Example: In a palm oil mill, instead of blaming poor FFB quality, a leader might test new processing adjustments, track FFA more frequently, and share results to encourage continuous improvement.

---

4. Enable Others to Act

👉 “Leaders foster collaboration, build trust, and strengthen others.”

• What it means: Leadership is not about controlling everything yourself. It’s about empowering people, giving them tools, authority, and confidence to succeed. Trust and collaboration are essential.

• How to practice:

  • Delegate responsibility with trust, not micromanagement.

  • Build relationships across silos.

  • Invest in training and mentorship.

• Example: A project leader brings engineers, finance staff, and operators together in a cross-functional team, encouraging open communication and giving credit to everyone’s contribution.

---

5. Encourage the Heart

👉 “Leaders recognize contributions and celebrate victories.”

• What it means: Achievements must be acknowledged—both big and small. Encouragement fuels motivation and sustains commitment, especially during tough times.

• How to practice:

  • Give specific, genuine recognition (not generic “good job”).

  • Celebrate milestones with the team.

  • Show appreciation both privately and publicly.

• Example: After completing a difficult project, a manager organizes a simple team gathering, gives personalized notes of thanks, and highlights each person’s effort in a company meeting.

---

Quick Recap Table

Practice	Key Focus	Leader’s Role
Model the Way	Credibility & values	Walk the talk
Inspire a Shared Vision	Future & purpose	Be a visionary
Challenge the Process	Innovation & growth	Be a change-agent
Enable Others to Act	Trust & collaboration	Be a facilitator
Encourage the Heart	Recognition & morale	Be a cheerleader

---

✨ In short, the Five Practices are not lofty theories—they’re practical behaviors anyone can adopt to become a more effective leader.

2. Credibility as the Foundation of Leadership

Credibility—built through consistency, integrity, and follow-through—is the bedrock of leadership. Without it, even the best intentions fall flat (Princeton University Library Catalog, Michael Vicente).

3. Leadership as a Learnable Skill

Contrary to the idea of “born leaders,” Kouzes and Posner present leadership as a skill set anyone can develop. They emphasize personal growth, self-awareness, and perseverance in honing these skills (Wikipedia, Michael Vicente).

4. The Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI)

A practical, research-validated 360-degree assessment tool that allows individuals—and their colleagues—to measure leadership behaviors aligned with the Five Practices. Widely used across organizations to improve leadership effectiveness (Wikipedia, Leadership Challenge, Amazon).

---

Additional Insights & Value

• Evidence-based & Practical: The book is grounded in empirical data, with abundant real-world examples, reflection exercises, and tips that can be applied immediately (Michael Vicente, Amazon, Princeton University Library Catalog).

• Continuous Relevance: While the original edition appeared in 1987, the authors regularly revise it—most recently in 2017 (6th ed.) and later in the 7th edition—to reflect changing business realities, globalization, and team dynamics (Amazon, Princeton University Library Catalog, Leadership Challenge).

• Reputation & Reach: Over two million copies sold; translated into 20+ languages. It’s widely cited by leadership professionals and praised as one of the most important leadership books in the field (Wikipedia, Leadership Challenge, Amazon).

---

Summary Table

Aspect	Details
Edition	6th (2017); 7th released later
Key Model	Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership
Unique Value	Evidence-based, actionable framework
Tool Included	Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI)
Reputation	Highly influential; sold millions of copies globally

#blog #blogger #kembarainsan #buku #book #leadership #leader #challange

🌿 Hana and the Power of Emotional Intelligence

The Crisis at the Palm Oil Mill

It was a sweltering afternoon when the palm oil mill’s boiler suddenly tripped. Alarms echoed, operators rushed, and panic filled the control room. For a moment, all eyes turned to Hana, the mill manager.

This was the test of her leadership — not just her engineering skills, but her emotional intelligence [1].

---

1. Self-Awareness

Hana felt her heart racing, fear bubbling inside. She took a deep breath.

“Yes, I’m anxious,” she admitted to herself silently, “but if I let fear show, the team will lose confidence.”

By recognizing her emotions, she prevented herself from reacting impulsively [2].

---

2. Self-Regulation

Instead of shouting or blaming, Hana calmly instructed:

“Check the drum water level. Monitor the safety valve. No one panic.”

Her steady tone helped the operators settle. The situation was tense, but she maintained discipline — like a boiler blowdown that releases just enough pressure without causing damage [3].

---

3. Motivation

Even when the problem dragged late into the night, Hana didn’t give up.

“We will restart safely, no shortcuts,” she told her tired team.

Her drive wasn’t just about protecting production targets — it was about protecting lives and building trust [4]. The team saw her resilience and followed her lead.

---

4. Empathy

During a short break, Hana noticed one young technician trembling. He was new, clearly overwhelmed.

She sat beside him:

“I know this is frightening. I was in your shoes once. Don’t worry, you’re not alone — we’ll fix this together.”

The technician’s shoulders relaxed. Her empathy gave him courage to continue [5].

---

5. Social Skills

Once the boiler was stabilized and operations resumed, Hana gathered her team.

She didn’t just give technical instructions. She spoke about teamwork, lessons learned, and gratitude:

“Tonight, we didn’t just save the mill. We proved that we are stronger together.”

Her ability to inspire turned a crisis into a bonding moment [6].

---

🌟 The Lesson

Later, standing outside the mill with the night breeze carrying the smell of palm fruit, Hana reflected:

“Engineering knowledge kept me in this role, but emotional intelligence kept us safe tonight.”

She realized that true leadership wasn’t just about managing machines — it was about managing emotions, relationships, and trust [7].

And in that moment, Hana understood why emotional intelligence matters more than IQ [8].

---

📚 References / Footnotes

1. Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Bantam Books.
2. Salovey, P., & Mayer, J.D. (1990). Emotional Intelligence. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 9(3), 185–211.
3. Cherniss, C. (2010). Emotional Intelligence: Toward Clarification of a Concept. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 3(2), 110–126.
4. Ryan, R.M., & Deci, E.L. (2000). Self-Determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motivation, Social Development, and Well-Being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78.
5. Boyatzis, R.E., & McKee, A. (2005). Resonant Leadership: Renewing Yourself and Connecting with Others Through Mindfulness, Hope, and Compassion. Harvard Business School Press.
6. Kouzes, J.M., & Posner, B.Z. (2017). The Leadership Challenge. Wiley.
7. George, J.M. (2000). Emotions and Leadership: The Role of Emotional Intelligence. Human Relations, 53(8), 1027–1055.
8. Goleman, D. (1998). Working with Emotional Intelligence. Bantam Books.

#blog #blogger #kembarainsan #eq #emotionalqualify

🌿 Hana and the Weight of Words

In the control room of her palm oil mill, Hana was monitoring the boiler pressure when the radio crackled with breaking news from Jakarta. Images of protests, burning parliament buildings, and angry crowds filled the screen.

One line caught her attention: “A politician called protesters ‘the stupidest people in the world.’”

Hana froze. She wasn’t in Jakarta, but the words echoed in her heart. She knew from experience that words can ignite fire more dangerous than steam pressure in a boiler [1].

---

Workers Listening Closely

That afternoon, during her routine walkabout, Hana overheard two workers.

“We work hard, but sometimes I feel the bosses don’t understand us,” one muttered.
“Yes, it’s like they see us as just numbers, not people,” replied another.

Hana’s chest tightened. She thought of the harsh minister’s words. If leaders in her own mill spoke carelessly, trust would collapse, and discontent would spread just as it had on the streets of Jakarta [2].

---

Boiler and Human Pressure

She turned to the boiler, releasing a controlled blowdown. Steam hissed out, pressure eased.

“This is just like people,” she whispered. “If pressure builds and leaders ignore or mock it, an explosion is inevitable.”

She realized the riot in Indonesia was not just about money — it was about dignity [3]. The minister’s harsh remark stripped people of respect.

---

Hana’s Response

That evening, Hana gathered her supervisors.

• She reminded them that tone and words matter as much as instructions.
• She urged them to listen before judging, and to never dismiss workers’ grievances as trivial [4].
• She promised to set aside weekly sessions for open dialogue — not just about production, but about people’s lives.

“We cannot control politics in Jakarta,” Hana said, “but in this mill, our words can either build trust or burn bridges.”

---

A Quiet Revolution

Over time, workers noticed the change. Instead of orders barked across the shop floor, supervisors listened first. Hana herself often walked into the canteen, asking, “How’s your family?”

The atmosphere shifted. Output didn’t just rise from machines, but from morale [5].

---

🌟 The Lesson

The riot outside became a mirror inside: leadership is not only about systems and wages, but also about respect and words [6].

Hana realized:

• A careless comment can trigger distrust.
• Respect builds resilience in times of crisis.
• Leaders must “release pressure” by opening channels for listening.

Standing under the mill’s night sky, Hana whispered:

“Great power does not only bring responsibility. It brings the duty to speak with compassion.”

---

📚 References / Footnotes

1. Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Bantam Books.
2. Edmondson, A. (2019). The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth. Wiley.
3. Tyler, T.R. (2006). Why People Obey the Law. Princeton University Press.
4. Covey, S.R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Free Press.
5. Cameron, K.S., & Spreitzer, G.M. (2012). The Oxford Handbook of Positive Organizational Scholarship. Oxford University Press.
6. Kouzes, J.M., & Posner, B.Z. (2017). The Leadership Challenge. Wiley.

#blog #blogger #malaysia #powerofword #words #riots #indonesia #leadership #dpr #minister #parliment

🌴 Palm Oil Industry: History, Biology, Uses and Development in Malaysia

1.1 Historical Background

The oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is indigenous to West Africa, where the main palm belt stretches from Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Cameroon to the equatorial regions of Congo and Zaire .

The crop’s development as a plantation industry began in Southeast Asia. In 1848, four seedlings were introduced from Mauritius and Amsterdam into the Bogor Botanic Gardens, Indonesia. The first commercial estate was later established in Sumatra by Belgian agronomist Adrien Hallet, who had experience in the Belgian Congo .

Malaysia’s development began with Henri Fauconnier, who planted oil palm at Rantau Panjang, Selangor in 1911 and Tennamaram Estate in 1917, marking the start of commercial planting in Malaysia .

Scholars divide Malaysia’s oil palm industry into phases :

• Experimental (late 1800s–1916): Early trials.

• Plantation Development (1917–1960): Tennamaram & expansion.

• Expansion (1960s): Government promoted oil palm to diversify from rubber, following the 1955 World Bank Mission recommendation .

Key institutional driver: FELDA (1956), tasked with rural poverty eradication via plantation schemes.

Later phases:

• 1970s–1990s: Expansion to Sabah & Sarawak.

• 1995 onwards: Offshore expansion, particularly to Indonesia.

---

1.2 The Oil Palm Biology

Two major species:

• Elaeis guineensis (African oil palm): Main commercial crop.

• Elaeis oleifera (American oil palm): Lower oil, higher unsaturated fatty acids, used in hybrid breeding .

Pollination

Initially believed to be wind-pollinated, discovery of weevil Elaeidobius kamerunicus in 1982 transformed pollination efficiency .

Yield

• Harvest: 24–30 months after planting.

• 8–15 FFB per palm/year, each 15–25 kg.

• Elite planting: 30–39 t FFB/ha, ~5–8.6 t oil/ha .

• National average (2001): 19.14 t FFB/ha, 3.66 t oil/ha.

Cultivars

• Dura: Thick shell, moderate mesocarp.

• Pisifera: Shell-less, female sterile, used for breeding.

• Tenera (DxP hybrid): Thin shell, high mesocarp; discovered by Beirnaert in 1939 .

Breeding Focus

• Yield, oil quality, slow-height increment.

• Dwarf palms, high unsaturated oil, lauric oil, carotenoid-rich hybrids .

Clonal palm research (1980s): yields ↑ 30–54% .
MPOB also pursues genetic engineering for high oleic acid palms .

---

1.3 Characteristics of Palm Oil

Palm oil produces:

• CPO (mesocarp).

• CPKO (kernel).

Fractionation yields olein (liquid) & stearin (solid).

Fatty acid profile:

• Palm oil = balanced saturated/unsaturated.

• Palm kernel oil = high saturated, like coconut oil.

• Soy oil = high unsaturated, less stable at heat .

---

1.4 Uses of Palm Oil

Food Uses (~80%)

• Cooking oil, margarine, shortenings, frying fats.

• Ice cream, non-dairy creamers, cocoa butter equivalents .

• New product: Red Palm Olein (high in carotenoids, Vit A precursor) .

Non-Food Uses (~20%)

• Direct: Biofuel, drilling mud, soap, epoxidised palm oil.

• Oleochemicals: Fatty acids, esters, alcohols, nitrogen compounds, glycerol.

  • Candles, detergents, cosmetics, lubricants, biodiesel.

• In 2000, Malaysia produced 1.2 mt oleochemicals (19.7% world total) .

---

1.5 Global Production

• 2001: World palm oil = 23.18 mt, 19.8% of oils/fats.

• Doubled 1990–2001.

• Malaysia: 11.8 mt (50.9%); Indonesia: 7.5 mt (32.3%).

• Palm oil = most traded oil, 45.6% of world oils/fats exports .

Projection: By 2020, >40 mt production, with Indonesia overtaking Malaysia .

---

1.6 Palm Oil in Malaysia

1.6.1 Planted Area

• 1960: 54,638 ha.

• 2001: 3.49 m ha (60% Peninsular, 29% Sabah, 11% Sarawak).

• Growth focused in East Malaysia due to land .

1.6.2 Production

• 1980: 2.57 mt.

• 2001: 11.8 mt (↑ 4.6x).

• Sabah became largest CPO producer by 1999, 31.5% share .

---

🌟 Summary

Palm oil’s journey — from four seedlings in Bogor (1848) to global industry dominance — reflects Malaysia’s role as a pioneer. FELDA’s schemes, breeding breakthroughs, and R&D (MPOB) positioned Malaysia as a leader.

Key strengths:

• World’s highest oil yield per hectare.

• Versatile food & non-food applications.

• Stable oil profile.

Challenges:

• Land scarcity, sustainability pressures, and competition from Indonesia.

---

📚 References / Footnotes

1. Hartley, C.W.S. (1988). The Oil Palm. Longman Scientific & Technical.

2. Tate, D.J.M. (1996). The RGA History of the Plantation Industry in the Malay Peninsula. Oxford University Press.

3. Gray, R. (1969). The History of Agriculture in Malaya. Kuala Lumpur.

4. Singh, H. (1976). Plantation Agriculture in Malaysia. Universiti Malaya Press.

5. World Bank (1955). Malaya: Economic Survey Mission Report. Washington DC.

6. Latiff, A. (2000). Elaeis oleifera Breeding Potential. MPOB Journal.

7. Syed, R.A. et al. (1982). Introduction of Elaeidobius kamerunicus for Oil Palm Pollination in Malaysia. Planter Journal.

8. Henson, I.E. (1990). Oil Palm Productivity: Potential and Limits. PORIM Bulletin.

9. Rajanaidu, N. et al. (2000). Oil Palm Breeding Strategies. MPOB Monograph.

10. Siburat, S. et al. (2002). Performance of Oil Palm Clonal Plantings. Planter.

11. Cheah, S.C. (2000). Transgenic Oil Palm Development. MPOB Research Report.

12. Yusof, B. (2001). Genetic Engineering in Oil Palm: Progress and Prospects. MPOB.

13. Salmiah, A. (2000). Palm Oil: Chemistry and Uses. MPOB Publication.

14. De Man, J. & De Man, L. (1994). Cocoa Butter Substitutes from Palm Oil. JAOCS.

15. Berger, K. (1996). Nutritional Aspects of Palm Oil. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

16. MPOB (2001). Palm Oil Statistics 2001. Malaysian Palm Oil Board.

17. Oil World (2000). Oil World 2020: Global Projections for Oils and Fats. Hamburg.

18. Abang Helmi, I. (1998). Future Expansion of Oil Palm in Sarawak. Sarawak Development Journal.

#blog #blogger #kembarainsan #sawit #mill

🌿 Hana and the Secret of Boiler Water

A Shocking Incident

One morning at a palm oil mill, Hana — a newly promoted engineer — received an emergency call. The main boiler, rated at 25–27 mt/hr, had suddenly tripped. The operator reported a tube leak.

Rushing to the site, Hana smelled hot steam in the air and saw anxious faces. Upon inspection, she found tubes that had melted and sagged, as if the metal had burned from within.

“How could this happen? The boiler had just gone through overhaul months ago…” she thought, stunned.

---

Hana’s Investigation

As an engineer, Hana refused to jump to conclusions. She examined the water treatment logs, blowdown records, and chemical test reports. What she found was alarming:

• Water hardness far above acceptable limits.

• Dissolved oxygen dangerously high.

• Phosphate levels inconsistent.

She realized: the root cause wasn’t the boiler itself, but the water fed into it.

---

A Harsh Lesson on Water

Hana recalled her engineering lectures:

• Poorly treated water allows minerals (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, silica) to form hard scale deposits. These reduce heat transfer, cause localized overheating, and eventually tubes melt [1].

• Low pH and excess oxygen accelerate corrosion — pitting, acid attack, and caustic embrittlement [2].

• Organic contamination or oil causes foaming and carryover, leading to turbine damage [3].

Now, these theories were no longer textbook knowledge — they stood before her in reality.

---

A Difficult Decision

As the manager, Hana knew what had to be done would be unpopular. She ordered:

1. Immediate boiler shutdown for safety.

2. A retraining session for all operators and lab staff.

3. A strict water testing regime: daily checks on pH, hardness, and TDS; weekly checks on phosphate and sulfite; and scheduled blowdowns.

Some grumbled at the rising chemical costs. But Hana stood firm:

“The cost of water treatment is nothing compared to the cost of retubing — or worse, the cost of human lives in a boiler explosion.”

---

Hana’s Reflection

That night, Hana sat quietly on her mill house balcony. She realized that behind the so-called glamour of an engineer’s title lay a burden only insiders understood: the responsibility for safety, lives, and high-pressure systems.

“Being an engineer isn’t just about managing machines. It’s an amanah — a trust. And every trust will be accounted for before God.”

---

🌟 Conclusion

The tube failure became a turning point in Hana’s career. From that day, she became a strong advocate of consistent boiler water treatment, often reminding younger engineers:

• Never neglect the water. The water determines the life of the boiler.

• True success isn’t just in big projects or promotions, but in the discipline of small, unseen details that prevent disaster.

---

📚 References / Footnotes

1. Sulaiman, R., et al. (2015). The Effect of Poor Water Treatment on Boiler Tubes in Palm Oil Mills. Journal of Engineering Science.

2. ASME (2019). Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section I – Power Boilers. American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

3. Klinger, R. (2018). Carryover Phenomena in Industrial Steam Boilers. Power Engineering Journal.

4. Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB). (2020). Boiler Operation and Maintenance in Palm Oil Mills. MPOB Technical Guide.

5. Department of Occupational Safety and Health Malaysia (DOSH). (2021). Boiler Safety and Inspection Guidelines.

6. Babcock & Wilcox. (2020). Steam: Its Generation and Use.

#blog #blogger #boiler #steamengineer #kembarainsan #malaysia #mpob #palmoilmill

🌿 Hana dan Misteri Tube Boiler Cair

Kejutan di Kilang Sawit

Di sebuah kilang sawit di pedalaman, berita mengejutkan melanda. Sebuah boiler berkapasiti 27 mt/hr, yang baru setahun lebih beroperasi selepas melalui proses overhauling, tiba-tiba mengalami masalah serius — tube cair .

Perkara itu segera menjadi bualan hangat di kalangan jurutera dan pengurus industri. Ramai berteka-teki, ada yang menuding jari, ada yang membuat spekulasi.

Hana, seorang jurutera stim Gred 1 yang baru dilantik sebagai pengurus kilang, turut terpanggil untuk meninjau sendiri kejadian tersebut.

---

Rasa Rendah Diri

Saat Hana berdiri di hadapan boiler itu, jantungnya berdegup kencang. Bau logam panas yang terbakar masih menusuk. Pandangan matanya jatuh pada tube yang cair, berlekuk seperti lilin mencair.

“Aku seorang jurutera, tapi aku tidak berani membuat kesimpulan terburu-buru.”

Di hati kecilnya, Hana penuh rasa rendah diri. Dia tahu, setiap kesimpulan mesti berasaskan fakta, bukan sangkaan .

---

Beban Fikiran Seorang Jurutera

Malam itu, Hana tidak dapat tidur lena. Fikirannya berputar, memikirkan punca dan kemungkinan:

• Adakah disebabkan water treatment yang tidak sempurna ?

• Atau mungkin carry-over akibat level drum yang tidak stabil ?

• Atau kecuaian operator yang gagal memantau tekanan ?

Seperti kebiasaan, walaupun hari cuti hujung minggu, bahkan ketika baru bangun tidur, Hana tetap membawa “beban kilang” di mindanya.

---

Di Sebalik Glamour

Bagi orang luar, jawatan pengurus kilang sawit kelihatan glamor. Gaji besar, kereta syarikat, rumah besar, dan dihormati saudara-mara.

Tetapi hanya Hana yang tahu:
Di balik semua itu, ada tanggungjawab besar yang sentiasa menghantui.
Nyawa pekerja, keselamatan loji, dan risiko letupan tekanan tinggi .

“With great power, comes great responsibility.”
Kata-kata Spiderman itu benar-benar terasa dalam hidupnya.

---

Prinsip Hana

Hana berjanji pada dirinya:

• Tidak akan menutup mata pada isu keselamatan.

• Tidak akan memilih jalan pintas demi kepentingan diri.

• Akan bekerja dengan budaya jujur dan bertanggungjawab .

Kerana bagi Hana, seorang jurutera bukan sahaja bertanggungjawab pada syarikat, tetapi juga bersaksi kepada Allah Yang Maha Mengetahui .

“Tugas ini bukan sekadar mencari rezeki. Ia amanah. Dan setiap amanah akan dipersoalkan.”

---

🌟 Penutup

Kisah boiler cair itu menjadi pengajaran paling berharga untuk Hana. Ia mengingatkannya bahawa kejayaan seorang jurutera bukan diukur pada gaji besar atau gelaran hebat, tetapi pada integriti, tanggungjawab, dan doa agar setiap tindakan dilindungi oleh Yang Maha Esa.

Dan sejak hari itu, Hana melangkah ke kilang setiap pagi bukan sekadar sebagai jurutera, tetapi sebagai penjaga amanah hidup dan keselamatan orang lain.

---

📚 Rujukan / Footnotes

1. Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB). (2020). Boiler Failures and Maintenance in Palm Oil Mills. MPOB Technical Paper.

2. ASME. (2019). Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section I – Power Boilers. American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

3. Sulaiman, R., et al. (2015). The Effect of Poor Water Treatment on Boiler Tubes in Palm Oil Mills. Journal of Engineering Science.

4. Klinger, R. (2018). Carryover Phenomena in Industrial Steam Boilers. Power Engineering Journal.

5. Jabatan Keselamatan dan Kesihatan Pekerjaan Malaysia (JKKP). (2021). Incident Report on Boiler Accidents. Ministry of Human Resources.

6. Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH/OSHA Malaysia). (2022). Process Safety Management Guidelines.

7. American Petroleum Institute (API). (2020). Recommended Practice 573: Inspection of Fired Boilers and Heaters. API Publishing.

8. Al-Quran. Surah Al-Baqarah 2:283. “Do not conceal testimony, for whoever conceals it – his heart is indeed sinful, and Allah is All-Knowing of what you do.”

#boiler #steamengineer #blog #blogger #kembarainsan #malaysia #engineering #engineer 

🌴 Hana and DIPOM: From Participant to Educator

Hana sat quietly in front of the lecture hall, holding the teaching schedule for the Diploma in Palm Oil Milling Technology & Management (DIPOM). Once again, she had been invited by MPOB to teach two topics this year.

“Why me?” she asked herself. The answer, however, was not just about teaching—it was about giving back to a platform that once shaped her career.

📖 Memories of 2007 – A Turning Point

Hana recalled the year 2007, when she was still a participant in DIPOM.

Before that, her world was small, confined to the daily routines of palm oil mill operations. For over three years, she had been battling the challenges of mill management—pressure, fatigue, and steep learning curves. Her career path felt narrow, almost like a frog trapped in a well.

But through DIPOM, everything changed. She met fellow millers from other companies, attended lectures by seasoned industry practitioners, and visited mills run by her classmates on weekends.

That was the moment she realized the world of palm oil milling was far larger than she imagined. Networking, industrial exposure, and mentorship became the turning points in her professional journey .

🌟 From Participant to Educator

Fast forward nearly two decades later, Hana returned to the same platform—but now in a different role.

From a participant hungry for knowledge, she now stood at the front as an educator. For Hana, teaching at DIPOM was not just an assignment; it was a mission—to share her experience, inspire others, and pave the way for the next generation of millers and managers .

🤝 Supporting MPOB & the Industry

Hana firmly believed that the strength of the palm oil industry does not only lie in machines, technology, or policies, but in people—the millers and managers nurtured through programs like DIPOM.

That is why, whenever invited, she made every effort to be present. She also encouraged her peers in the industry to support MPOB in producing future leaders.

For Hana, knowledge shared today is an investment for tomorrow’s industry .

✨ Hana smiled. Once, she sat on the benches as a participant. Today, she stood at the podium as a lecturer. The journey felt complete—not because she had reached the end, but because she was finally giving back what she had once received.

📚 Footnotes

[1] MPOB (2007). History and Objectives of the Diploma in Palm Oil Milling Technology & Management (DIPOM). Malaysian Palm Oil Board.

[2] Razak, A. & Ismail, S. (2018). The Role of Training in Developing Palm Oil Mill Managers. Journal of Oil Palm Research.

[3] MPOB (2023). Capacity Building for the Palm Oil Milling Sector: Challenges and Opportunities. MPOB Technical Bulletin.

#blog #blogger #mpob #dipom

🌴 Hana dan DIPOM: Dari Peserta ke Tenaga Pengajar

Hana duduk termenung seketika di hadapan dewan kuliah. Di tangannya, ada jadual pengajaran Diploma in Palm Oil Milling Technology & Management (DIPOM). Tahun ini, sekali lagi dia dijemput oleh MPOB untuk mengajar dua topik.

“Kenapa aku?” bisik Hana dalam hati. Soalan itu membuatkan dia tersenyum kecil kerana dia tahu jawapannya bukan sekadar tentang mengajar, tetapi tentang membayar semula budi kepada sebuah platform yang pernah membentuk dirinya.

📖 Kenangan 2007 – Titik Perubahan

Hana teringat kembali tahun 2007, ketika dia sendiri masih seorang peserta DIPOM.

Sebelum itu, hidupnya ibarat katak di bawah tempurung. Tiga tahun bergelumang dengan rutin harian di kilang sawit — mengurus operasi, menanggung tekanan, belajar dari kegagalan — semuanya dirasakan seperti dunia yang sempit.

Namun, melalui DIPOM, Hana mula mengenali wajah-wajah baharu. Rakan-rakan miller dari pelbagai syarikat, tenaga pengajar berpengalaman, malah peluang melawat kilang sawit lain sewaktu hujung minggu bersama rakan sekelas.

Itulah saat Hana sedar bahawa dunia ini jauh lebih luas daripada apa yang dia bayangkan di sebuah kilang kecil. Networking, pengalaman lapangan, mentor industri — semuanya menjadi bekalan berharga dalam perjalanan kariernya.

🌟 Dari Peserta ke Penceramah

Kini, selepas hampir dua dekad, Hana kembali ke platform yang sama — tetapi dengan peranan berbeza.

Daripada seorang peserta yang dahagakan ilmu, kini dia berdiri sebagai tenaga pengajar. Baginya, mengajar di DIPOM bukan sekadar tugasan, tetapi sebuah misi untuk berkongsi semula pengalaman, memberi inspirasi, dan membuka ruang bagi generasi baharu miller untuk melangkah lebih jauh.

🤝 Menyokong MPOB & Industri

Hana percaya, kejayaan industri sawit tidak hanya bergantung kepada mesin, teknologi atau polisi, tetapi juga kepada manusia — miller dan pengurus kilang yang lahir daripada program seperti DIPOM.

Sebab itu, setiap kali dipanggil, Hana seboleh mungkin hadir. Malah, dia turut mengajak rakan-rakan industri untuk sama-sama menyumbang.

Kerana bagi Hana, ilmu yang dikongsi hari ini adalah pelaburan untuk industri esok.

✨ Hana tersenyum. Dahulu dia duduk di bangku peserta, kini dia berdiri di podium tenaga pengajar. Perjalanan ini seakan lengkap — bukan kerana dia sudah sampai, tetapi kerana dia telah memulangkan semula apa yang pernah dapat.

#blog #blogger #dipom #mpob #miller

🌿 Hana and the Journey to Authentic Happiness

The Early Years – Chasing Comfort

When Hana first began her career as a young engineer, she thought happiness meant earning a good salary, buying nice clothes, and going on vacations once in a while. She worked hard at the palm oil mill, but every evening she felt a strange emptiness.

> “Why do I feel tired even when I have everything I thought I wanted?” she often asked herself.

She was living only in the Pleasant Life — chasing comfort, laughter, and leisure.

The Turning Point – Finding Flow

One evening, while reviewing machine breakdown logs, Hana realized something unusual. She was so absorbed in analyzing the data that hours passed without her noticing. The noise of the mill, the fatigue, even hunger disappeared.

That was her first taste of Engagement — being in flow, completely immersed in something meaningful. She discovered she loved problem-solving and improving systems.

From then on, she pushed herself to apply her skills more deeply. Preventive maintenance systems, safety SOPs, and energy-efficiency programs became her passion projects.

The Deeper Purpose – Beyond Herself

Years later, Hana noticed how her efforts in the mill created ripple effects. Accidents reduced. Workers’ lives became safer. Energy savings were redirected to support workers’ families, even helping children get school aid.

Watching a worker’s child proudly show her a scholarship letter, Hana felt tears in her eyes.

> “This is why I work. Not just for myself, but for something bigger.”

This was The Meaningful Life — using her strengths for a cause beyond her own comfort.

Optimism in Hardship

Not everything went smoothly. Projects failed. Floods damaged equipment. Colleagues doubted her leadership as a woman.

But Hana practiced optimism: she treated failures as temporary and challenges as lessons. Instead of saying, “I’m not good enough,” she told herself, “This is a chance to grow.”

The Gratitude Habit

Every night before bed, Hana wrote down three things she was grateful for:

1. A successful test run of the biogas plant.

2. A smile from her junior engineer who solved a problem.

3. Her mother’s voice on the phone reminding her to rest.

Over time, this small ritual filled her life with lightness and joy, even on stressful days.

Conclusion – The Authentic Happiness

Hana finally realized that true happiness isn’t just about pleasure. It is about:

Enjoying life’s simple joys (Pleasure),

Losing herself in meaningful work (Engagement), and

Serving a greater cause (Meaning).

Standing on the mill’s balcony one evening, watching Mount Kinabalu in the distance, Hana whispered to herself:

> “Happiness is not found. It is built — with gratitude, strength, and purpose.”

And in that moment, she knew she had discovered her own authentic happiness.

#blog #blogger #kembarainsan #happy #happiness #engineer #reflection

🌿 Hana and the Power of Grit

Since childhood, Hana had dreamed of becoming an oil & gas engineer. But after graduation, that opportunity never came. What awaited her instead was a position as a palm oil mill engineer in Sabah.

“This isn’t what I wanted,” she thought. But for the sake of her family, she accepted.

On her first day, the thick smell of crude palm oil clung to the air, the machines roared, and male colleagues cast doubtful eyes.

“A woman won’t last long here,” one supervisor muttered .

Many might have quit. But Hana chose another path: to endure.

Grit Is Not Just Passion, But Habit

Every day, Hana arrived earlier than most. She read through old engine manuals, took notes, and learned directly from operators. At night, she revisited technical journals, filling notebooks with her observations.

Her peers laughed. “Why bother? Tomorrow the machines will break down again.”

But Hana knew: success doesn’t belong only to the talented, but to those who persist repeatedly .

From this, she built habits:

Consistently writing reports.

Consistently checking machines in the rain.

Consistently coming to meetings with ideas .

From Failure to Recovery

Once, a project under her lead failed, and fingers quickly pointed at her. Hana nearly lost her resolve.

But she remembered her ROTU (Reserve Officer Training Unit) days: “Fail forward — failure is data, not defeat.”

She reorganized the plan, learned from the mistakes, and eventually created a Preventive Maintenance System that saved the company massive costs .

A Deeper Purpose

Hana realized life was never just about a paycheck. Every time she saw mill workers’ children smiling as they received school aid, her heart filled with meaning.

“Happiness isn’t pleasure, it’s purpose,” she whispered .

That purpose ignited her passion — turning palm oil into not just a career, but a calling.

The Peak of Leadership

After eight years, Hana was appointed as the First Female Palm Oil Mill Manager. From a once-dismissed engineer, she now stood before hundreds of workers.

At the podium, her voice trembled but was firm:

> “I am not the smartest person. I am just the one who never stopped trying.”

The Essence of Grit in Hana’s Life

1. Problems never disappear – learn to enjoy life while solving them .

2. Small daily habits build the future .

3. Effort + attitude are the only two things under your control .

4. Just start, answers will follow .

5. Purpose matters more than short-term pleasure .

6. Hope fuels perseverance, even after failure .

🌟 Conclusion

Hana’s journey proves that grit — the blend of passion and perseverance — matters more than raw talent.

She began in a career she never asked for, faced failure, and endured doubt because of her gender. Yet through grit, Hana not only succeeded but became a symbol: that true achievement doesn’t belong to the gifted, but to those who never stop moving forward .

📚 References / Footnotes

1. Lakshmanan, S. (2022). Palm Oil Industry in Malaysia: Efficiency & Transformation. Sandakan Refinery Journal.

2. Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Scribner.

3. Ericsson, K. A. (2006). The Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance. Cambridge University Press.

4. Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Free Press.

5. Frankl, V. (1946). Man’s Search for Meaning. Beacon Press.

6. Seneca. Letters from a Stoic. Penguin Classics.

7. Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living. Delta.

8. Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting Blessings Versus Burdens. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

9. Seligman, M. (2002). Authentic Happiness. Free Press.

#blog #blogger #kembarainsan #manager #manager #engineer #management #grit

🌿 Motivational Story: Hana and the 12 Life Lessons

🌿 Motivational Story: Hana and the 12 Life Lessons

That night, Hana sat quietly on the veranda, staring at the stars. Her mind was full of work challenges, family responsibilities, and hopes for the future. She remembered the words of her old ROTU instructor:

> “Life is not about removing problems. Life is about learning to enjoy the journey while solving them.”

1. Problems Will Always Exist

When her mill faced frequent breakdowns, Hana almost gave up. But she learned to smile even through exhaustion, because problems are simply part of the path to growth .

2. Futures Are Built by Habits

Hana never planned to become a General Manager overnight. She simply built daily habits: waking up early, reading reports, writing machine logs. Those small habits eventually shaped her future .

3. Effort and Attitude Are All You Control

She realized she could not control global palm oil prices, government policies, or even her workers’ behavior. But she could control her effort and her attitude, and that made all the difference .

4. Don’t Ask How to Start — Just Start

People asked her, “How do I begin leading?” She smiled, remembering her own start. She didn’t wait for perfect answers; she just started — speaking up in meetings, offering small ideas, and improving step by step .

5. Purpose, Not Pleasure

There were days she questioned the meaning of her work. The answer came when she saw the children of mill workers she supported receiving scholarships. True happiness was not in pleasure, but in purpose .

6 & 7. Expect Much of Yourself, Little of the World

At first, Hana was often disappointed, expecting the world to be fair. Later she learned: life is easier when you expect high standards from yourself and low expectations from others .

8. The Mind Magnifies Problems

When floods hit the estate, panic almost consumed her. But she remembered: half of the problem is in the mind, making small things appear larger. With calmness, solutions slowly appeared .

9. Repetition Is the Secret

Many sought “the secret of success.” Hana already knew it: repetition. She repeated ROTU drills, repeated mill checks, repeated her daily prayers. From repetition came mastery .

10. Don’t Let People, Money, or the Past Control You

Once, a colleague betrayed her trust. Another time, finances grew tight. But she refused to let people, money, or the past control her. She chose to move forward, free from chains .

11. Opportunity in Challenges

When COVID-19 halted operations, Hana refused despair. She turned crisis into innovation — implementing digital monitoring systems and strengthening local supply chains. Challenges became opportunities .

12. Gratitude Every Day

Each night, Hana wrote down three things she was thankful for. Sometimes it was just a hot cup of coffee, or her child greeting her at the door. She realized her “ordinary” day was another person’s dream .

🌟 Conclusion

Hana finally understood: life isn’t about waiting for problems to disappear, but about building the strength to keep moving forward.

These twelve lessons were not abstract theories, but footprints of her own journey — guiding her from a young ROTU cadet on the parade ground to a resilient leader in the industry.

> “Problems will come and go. But as long as I have effort, attitude, purpose, and gratitude — I will keep walking forward.”

📚 References / Footnotes

1. Lakshmanan, S. (2022). Palm Oil Industry in Malaysia: Efficiency & Transformation. Sandakan Refinery Journal.

2. Duhigg, C. (2012). The Power of Habit. Random House.

3. Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Free Press.

4. Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Scribner.

5. Frankl, V. (1946). Man’s Search for Meaning. Beacon Press.

6. Seneca, Letters from a Stoic. Penguin Classics.

7. Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress. Delta.

8. Ericsson, K. A. (2006). The Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance. Cambridge University Press.

9. Seligman, M. (2002). Authentic Happiness. Free Press.

10. Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC). Palm Oil Industry and Digital Transformation During COVID-19. (2021).

11. Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

#blog #blogger #kembarainsan #engineer #manager #usm #utm #ukm #um #tenteradarat #palapes #rotu

🪖 Hana in the Intermediate PALAPES Training

The morning sun rose over USM’s training field, casting long shadows across rows of cadets in green fatigues. Among the 38 officer cadets who stood in formation, Hana held her rifle firmly, her heart beating with both nervousness and determination.

This was no ordinary exercise. It was the Intermediate Level Continuous Training of PALAPES (Reserve Officers Training Unit), focusing on Conventional Warfare (CW)—a rigorous program designed to simulate real battlefield conditions [1].

🔥 Discipline and Endurance

For Hana, the hardest challenge wasn’t just running in the rain with an M16 on her shoulder, but mastering her mind and emotions. A single lapse in focus could compromise the entire team.

Her instructor’s voice still rang in her ears:

“You are no longer an individual. You are part of a unit. Survive together, fight together!” [2]

At that moment, Hana realized the essence of loyalty, courage, and sacrifice.

⚒️ Tactical Conventional Warfare

During the tactical drills, Hana and her squad were pushed into scenarios that mimicked real combat—establishing defensive positions, carrying out ambushes, and maneuvering under simulated enemy fire. Her breath grew heavy, her legs burned with exhaustion, but her spirit refused to give in.

She learned that in Conventional Warfare, survival and victory didn’t depend on physical strength alone, but on teamwork, discipline, and strategy [3].

🎯 The Soul of a Leader

One night, after hours of grueling drills, most cadets collapsed in their tents. But Hana stayed awake, scribbling in her notebook under the dim light of a torch:

“Strength is not only in the muscles but in the mind and heart. Leadership begins when you are willing to sacrifice more than others.”

Those words became her mantra throughout training.

🌟 Conclusion

By the end of the intermediate training, Hana had gained more than physical resilience—she had forged the soul of a leader and a soldier. She now understood that the true battle is not only on the field but also within: disciplining oneself, enduring hardships, and staying loyal to the team and the nation.

Though weary, Hana smiled as she stood at attention during the closing parade. In her heart echoed a timeless vow:

👉 “I will remain steadfast, for I am a warrior of grit and honor.”

📚 References (Footnotes)

1. Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia). (2022). PALAPES Training Modules. Ministry of Defence Malaysia. — Overview of PALAPES stages: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced.

2. Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Scribner. — Discipline and perseverance as central pillars of success.

3. Ministry of Defence Malaysia (2021). Conventional Warfare Tactical Guide. — Core tactical elements for officer cadet training.

👉 Hashtags

#palapes #rotuarmy #gagahsetia #palapestenteradarat #tenteradaratmalaysia #angkatantenteramalaysia #palapesusm #usm #pulaupinang #malaysia

🌟 Hana and the Power of Grit

In a remote palm oil mill, Hana faced one of the toughest challenges of her career. Appointed as a mill manager for barely a year, she had to deal with aging machinery, undisciplined workers, and constant pressure from headquarters to raise productivity fast.

Many doubted she would last long. “She’s young, maybe smart on paper, but this mill is no place for dreamers,” an old supervisor whispered.

But Hana didn’t quit.

🔥 Passion – A Consistent Love

Since her university days, Hana was deeply fascinated by energy engineering. For her, a mill was not just steel and smoke—it was the heartbeat that kept rural communities alive. Her passion made her wake up each morning with fresh determination. Passion was the fire that kept her moving forward.

⚒️ Perseverance – The Road of Hardship

Every day was filled with problems: leaking boilers, failed pumps, workers’ disputes. Many of her solutions failed the first time. But she learned to see failure as training, not defeat.

As Angela Duckworth put it, “Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint” [1]. Hana embraced the long journey, not the shortcut.

🎯 Purpose – A Bigger Mission

What truly strengthened Hana was her belief that her work mattered beyond herself. Palm oil wasn’t just a commodity—it sustained hundreds of workers, supported smallholders, and contributed to national growth. This purpose turned her mill into a mission, not just a job [2].

🌱 Hope – A Light That Never Dies

One night, the mill suffered a complete blackout. The entire system went dead. Hana and her emergency team worked through the night, drenched in sweat and dust. When the mill finally restarted at dawn, a young operator said:

“If it wasn’t for Madam Hana pushing us, we would have given up.”

In that moment, Hana realized hope wasn’t just a prayer—it was the belief that tomorrow could be better if today you refuse to stop [3].

🌟 Conclusion

Year after year, Hana proved that success doesn’t belong to the most talented, but to the most persistent. The mill, once chaotic, became a model of stable operations.

And many finally admitted: “Hana is not just an engineer, she is the embodiment of grit.”

📚 References (Footnotes)

1. Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Scribner. — Quote: “Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

2. Ibid. — Purpose as a vital element of grit, giving meaning beyond oneself.

3. Ibid. — Hope as the force that separates those who give up from those who endure.

#blog #blogger #kembarainsan #usm #engineer #malaysia #merdeka2025

🌱 Hana and the Lessons Beyond the Classroom

During her university days, Hana was not just a mechanical engineering student.

Beyond textbooks and lecture halls, she found her second home in PALAPES (ROTU) and the Recreation Club.

Almost every evening after lectures, while others rushed back to their hostels, Hana tied her shoelaces, put on her club shirt, and ran to the field.
Friends would often ask:
“Why spend so much time in clubs? It’s not academic.”

Hana would simply smile and reply:
"Because this is who I am. I enjoy doing what I love. Academic knowledge teaches you in class, but clubs and organizations teach you how to live with people."

---

🌟 Learning Beyond Grades

Through club activities, Hana learned to lead during parades, organize recreation programs, negotiate funding, and most importantly, listen to her teammates.

From these, she developed:

• Interpersonal skills – the courage to speak and engage with people of all levels.

• Social skills – the ability to adapt to diverse situations.

• Leadership qualities – not only to command, but also to guide and support [1].

Hana realized that university was not merely about chasing high grades (CGPA).
It was about shaping oneself to be a valuable contributor to the workplace and society.

---

🌴 Wisdom Is More Than Academics

For Hana, academic excellence alone was not enough to define wisdom.

"What use is being a top student," she often reminded her juniors, "if later at work you cannot socialize, cannot understand others, and cannot lead?"

She noticed that many of the most successful people were not necessarily the best academically.
They were those who failed repeatedly, but kept rising again, learning resilience through effort until they proved themselves stronger [2].

---

🌙 The Spiritual Dimension

Hana also drew wisdom from her faith.
"The wisest person is not the one with the highest GPA, but the one who remembers death and prepares for the Hereafter," she reflected [3].

For her, every activity at university — studying, leading, serving — was meaningful only when done with the intention for Allah’s pleasure (Redha Allah).

---

🌺 Hana’s Reflection

Later in life, when colleagues asked where her confidence and people skills came from, Hana would smile and say:

“I didn’t only learn in the classroom. I learned on the parade ground, in the club meetings, in the recreational forests with my friends.
That was the real university — not just a degree, but experiences that shaped me into someone useful, in this world and in preparation for the Hereafter.”

---

📚 References

[1] Astin, A. W. (1999). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Development, 40(5), 518–529.
[2] Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Scribner.
[3] Al-Nawawi, Yahya ibn Sharaf. Riyadh al-Salihin – Chapter on Remembrance of Death and Preparing for the Hereafter.

#blog #blogger #kembarainsan #usm #rotu #palapes 

🌱 Hana and the Lesson from the Effluent

The air at the mill was heavy with steam and the earthy scent of the effluent ponds.

Visitors often turned away when they saw the dark water of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME), dismissing it as dirty waste.

But Hana, standing by the edge of the pond with her engineers, saw something more.
"Leadership," she said softly, "is about how we handle what others call waste."

---

🌊 The Challenge of POME

Every tonne of Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) produced not just oil, but also nearly 0.65 m³ of POME — a by-product rich in organic matter and oil residues [1].
If left untreated, it polluted rivers and released methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times stronger than CO₂.

Malaysia’s DOE set a strict standard: 20 ppm Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) for final discharge [2].
"That means our effluent must be as clean as fresh water before it touches the river," Hana explained to her team.

---

🔬 The MPOB Solution

Hana gathered her young managers in the control room to share what she had learned from MPOB’s latest research.

1️⃣ Biological Treatment Ponds

• Long rows of anaerobic and aerobic ponds.

• Microbes consumed organic matter, reducing BOD step by step.

2️⃣ Activated Carbon Innovation

• MPOB scientists developed activated carbon from palm kernel shells (PKS).

• Instead of using chemicals, this “green filter” polished the water in a tertiary system — extended aeration + bio-filtration + adsorption [3].

• Final water could be reused safely.

• Even the spent carbon became organic fertilizer, returning nutrients (N, P, K) to plantations [4].

---

🌟 Hana’s Reflection

Hana looked at the bubbling ponds and turned to her team:

"Do you see? This is more than waste treatment. This is transformation."

• Effluent that once polluted rivers → now recycled water.

• Shells once discarded → now activated carbon for purification.

• Spent carbon once thrown away → now fertilizer for new palms.

She paused, then added:
"As leaders, we too must do this. We must take what looks like failure, pain, or rejection — and transform it into wisdom, energy, and growth. That’s how we stay sustainable, just like this industry."

---

📚 References

[1] MPOB (2019). Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) Management. Malaysian Palm Oil Board.
[2] DOE Malaysia (2019). Environmental Quality Regulations: Standards for POME Discharge.
[3] Sulaiman, F., Abdullah, N., Gerhauser, H., & Shariff, A. (2011). An outlook of Malaysian palm oil industry and its waste utilization. Biomass and Bioenergy, 35(9), 3775–3786.
[4] MPOC (2020). MPOB invents green technology to treat palm oil mill effluent.

---

✨ Hana taught her engineers that the ponds of POME were not just waste, but a mirror of leadership:

“Anyone can celebrate success. But true leaders are measured by how they handle waste — the failures, the setbacks, the dirty work. If we can turn waste into wisdom, then we will never run out of value.”

#pome #effluent #palmoilmill #sawit #blog #blogger #kembarainsan #manager 

🌱 Hana and the Hidden Oil in the Effluent

The evening sun painted the ponds of the palm oil mill in shades of gold.

From the balcony, Hana watched bubbles rise from the Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME). To many, it was just wastewater, dark and unpleasant.

But Hana saw more.
"Even in waste, there is hidden value," she reminded her engineers.

---

🌊 The Challenge of POME

Every tonne of Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB) processed created nearly 0.65 m³ of POME. Within it, traces of oil — low-grade, dark, and mixed with sludge — escaped the presses [1].

"Most people see this as loss. But leaders must learn to recover value, even from what others ignore."

---

🔬 Experiment 1: Polypropylene Micro/Nano Fibers

Hana introduced her team to new research. Scientists had developed polypropylene micro/nano fibers (PP-MNF) that could capture oil molecules from POME.

• Recovery rate: ~10.93 g oil per g fiber.

• Yield: 89.6% oil extraction.

• Oil quality: Comparable to crude palm oil, free from fiber contamination [2].

Hana explained: “This shows that even from the dirtiest pond, we can find purity. Leadership is also about extracting good decisions from messy situations.”

---

🔊 Experiment 2: Ultrasonication Pretreatment

Another innovation caught Hana’s eye: ultrasonication.

• Using sound waves at 30% amplitude for 30 seconds, oil droplets trapped in solids were released.

• Recovery increased by 39.2% compared to untreated POME [3].

"Sometimes, to release hidden potential, you must shake things up — just like ultrasonication does with POME."

---

♻️ From Waste to Resource

Hana gathered her engineers around the effluent ponds.

"POME is not just waste," she told them. "It is a resource waiting for transformation. Just like in life — our failures, our rejected ideas, our overlooked moments — can be recovered into something valuable if we treat them wisely."

She saw POME as a metaphor for leadership:

• Sludge oil → imperfect people who still carry value.

• Biogas from POME → energy from hardship.

• Recovered oil → success hidden in rejection.

---

🌟 Leadership Reflection

That night, as the mill lights reflected on the ponds, Hana wrote in her journal:

“A leader must see beyond the surface. Where others see waste, we must see opportunity. Where others see rejection, we must see hidden oil. True leadership is about recovery — of people, of ideas, of value.”

Her team began to look differently at every drop of POME, no longer as a liability, but as a lesson in resilience and renewal.

---

📚 References

[1] MPOB (2019). Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) Management.
[2] PubMed (2020). Recovery of residual oil from POME using polypropylene micro/nano fibers (PP-MNF).
[3] ResearchGate (2021). Enhanced oil recovery from POME using ultrasonication technique.

#pome #effluent #mpob #blog #blogger #kembarainsan #sludgeoil #palmacidoil 

🌴 Outlook of the Malaysian Palm Oil Industry and Biomass Utilization

Malaysia is the second-largest producer of palm oil after Indonesia.

Annual production averages 18–20 million tonnes of crude palm oil (CPO), depending on yield and market conditions.

Contributes around 25–30% of global vegetable oil trade.

A key driver of Malaysia’s economy: export revenue, rural employment, and industrial development [1].

📈 Trends and Challenges

1. Global demand growth – especially in India, China, EU, and the Middle East.

2. Sustainability pressure – RSPO standards, NGO campaigns, and EU deforestation-free regulations (EUDR).

3. Aging plantations – many estates need replanting to sustain yields.

4. Downstream diversification – not only cooking oil but also biodiesel, oleochemicals, animal feed, and cosmetics [2].

🌿 Palm Oil Biomass and Waste Utilization

For every tonne of Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) processed, only about 22–23% becomes oil. The rest turns into biomass and by-products.

♻️ Major By-Products

1️⃣ Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB)

~22% of FFB weight.

Uses:

Organic mulching in plantations.

Biomass fuel.

Raw material for pellets, pulp & paper, MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) [3].

2️⃣ Mesocarp Fiber

~12–14% of FFB.

Burned in mill boilers → generates steam and electricity for internal use.

3️⃣ Palm Kernel Shell (PKS)

~5–7% of FFB.

Uses:

Boiler fuel.

Exported to Japan/Korea for biomass power plants.

Converted to biochar or activated carbon [4].

4️⃣ Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME)

~0.65 m³ per tonne of FFB processed.

Rich in organic matter.

Anaerobic treatment generates biogas (methane) → renewable electricity [5].

5️⃣ Sludge Oil

Low-grade oil recovered from POME.

Can be refined into soap, biodiesel, or animal feed [6].

⚡ Potential of Biomass Utilization

✅ Renewable Energy Contribution

Biomass (fiber, PKS, EFB) + biogas from POME = major contributors to Malaysia’s renewable energy portfolio.

Supports Malaysia’s Renewable Energy Policy and Action Plan [7].

✅ Carbon Reduction

Replacing coal/diesel with biomass reduces GHG emissions.

Capturing methane from POME prevents direct release of potent greenhouse gases.

✅ Value-Added Products

EFB → pulp & paper, biodegradable packaging.

PKS → activated carbon, energy pellets.

Fiber → composites, lightweight construction material [8].

📊 Conclusion

Malaysia’s palm oil industry remains resilient and globally significant, but its future lies in sustainability and innovation.

Since nearly 70% of FFB weight is biomass, efficient utilization can:

Generate renewable energy,

Produce high-value downstream products,

Mitigate environmental impacts.

> 🌱 Leadership Reflection (Hana’s Voice):

“Just like the palm oil industry, true leadership is not only measured by the main product you deliver, but how you transform the by-products — the waste, the failures — into new sources of growth and strength.”

📚 References

[1] MPOB (2019). Overview of the Malaysian Palm Oil Industry. Malaysian Palm Oil Board.

[2] Basiron, Y. (2007). Palm oil production through sustainable plantations. European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology, 109(4), 289–295.

[3] Yusoff, S. (2006). Renewable energy from palm oil – innovation on effective utilization of waste. Journal of Cleaner Production, 14(1), 87–93.

[4] Sulaiman, F., Abdullah, N., Gerhauser, H., & Shariff, A. (2011). An outlook of Malaysian palm oil industry and its waste utilization. Biomass and Bioenergy, 35(9), 3775–3786.

[5] Wu, T. Y., Mohammad, A. W., Jahim, J. M., & Anuar, N. (2009). A holistic approach to managing palm oil mill effluent (POME): Biotechnological advances and opportunities. Biotechnology Advances, 27(1), 40–52.

[6] Hassan, M. A., et al. (2005). Recovery of low grade palm oil from palm oil mill effluent (POME). Journal of Environmental Biology, 26(1), 123–126.

[7] Chiew, Y. L., & Shimada, S. (2013). Current state and environmental impact assessment for utilizing oil palm empty fruit bunches for fuel, fiber, and fertilizer. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 22, 756–769.

[8] Lam, M. K., & Lee, K. T. (2011). Renewable and sustainable bioenergies production from palm oil mill effluent (POME): Win–win strategies toward environmental sustainability. Bioresource Technology, 100, 1–9.

#blog #blogger #kembarainsan #malaysia