STORY 1134 — LT. COL. RIZAN MUHAMAD ARIS

Every time Independence Day arrives, I am reminded of a name that remains deeply etched in my memory — Captain Rizan Muhamad Aris, our PALAPES (ROTU) instructor during the three years we underwent military training at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) from 2000 to 2002.

Those three years eventually culminated in the commissioning of 130 of us as Second Lieutenants.

The memory became even more special in 2002 when USM had the honour of hosting the commissioning ceremony. The PALAPES program at public universities across Malaysia rotated the responsibility of hosting the ceremony among the universities. It was a significant occasion for every cadet and every university involved.

Each batch of cadets was guided by a military instructor, normally an officer holding the rank of Captain. Captain Rizan began serving as our instructor when he was still relatively young in his career, having just returned from overseas service under the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and later serving in Africa.

That experience immediately captured our imagination.

Whenever Captain Rizan began telling us stories about his experiences overseas, 130 cadet officers would fall completely silent. Every word mattered. We listened attentively, fascinated by the experiences of a Malaysian Army officer who had witnessed the realities of countries affected by war while serving under the United Nations flag.

A Malay officer from Johor, Captain Rizan was physically strong and somewhat short in stature, but his presence was unmistakable. His voice was relatively low, yet filled with confidence and authority. To the 130 of us, he became much more than an instructor.

He became our role model.

One of the activities we looked forward to most whenever we had training at the USM main campus in Penang was physical training every morning.

For us, cadet officers from the USM engineering campus in Seri Iskandar, every joint training session meant travelling by a three-tonne military truck to the main campus. We would stay in the rooms of fellow cadet officers at Desasiswa Kembara and Desasiswa Indah, located next to the USM parade ground.

Every visit gave us another opportunity to meet our instructor.

Our day would begin with the muster assembly at around 6:30 in the morning. Soon after, we would set off for the morning run, breaking the silence of dawn with songs that lifted our spirits.

While students from other faculties and universities were still asleep, we were already running, sweating and pushing ourselves beyond our limits.

After the run came a series of obstacle courses.

Almost two hours of intense physical training could push even the strongest cadets to their limits. It was not unusual for two or three of us to collapse from exhaustion or come close to fainting.

That was usually when Captain Rizan would finally call an end to the physical session.

He would order us to gather around him and then begin speaking.

What happened next was almost magical.

Despite our exhausted bodies, drenched uniforms and heavy breathing, his words seemed to restore something inside us. Somehow, the fatigue disappeared. The spirit returned.

We were ready again for the next phase of training — weapons training, military strategy in the lecture halls, or drill sessions on the parade ground.

Every aspect of the program had been carefully structured according to the PALAPES training syllabus. There were many other instructors who taught us different military disciplines, and we respected every one of them.

But whenever a training session ended, Captain Rizan would often have the final word.

And whenever he began to speak, we became like children listening to a father telling us something important.

He would remind us:

"I have experienced many things overseas. I have seen countries devastated by war. The destruction is beyond our imagination."

Then he would remind us how fortunate we were to live in Malaysia — a country blessed with peace and stability.

"Take care of this peace."

His message was simple but profound.

As soldiers, we had to remain prepared for the possibility of war. But having experienced the realities of war himself, he also understood something that many of us had never experienced.

Those who truly understand war do not wish for war.

He taught us to become citizens who valued peace.

Do not become complacent.

Do not take independence for granted.

Do not be careless with the peace that generations before us had fought to protect.

"Fill this independence with something meaningful. Make the most of the peace that this country has given you."

Those words stayed with us.

Captain Rizan's admiration for the nation's military leaders also influenced us deeply. Among the figures he admired was Mejar General Dato' Amir bin Baharudin, better known to us through the story of his leadership and military legacy.

Captain Rizan's admiration for him eventually inspired the identity of our own batch.

The 130 of us were given the name Gunturean.

At the time, we probably did not realise how meaningful that name would become.

Years passed quickly.

By 2015, almost 13 years after our commissioning, Captain Rizan had served in various appointments within the Malaysian Armed Forces, including EXCOMM in Sabah. By then, he had risen to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

But sadly, his journey came to an end.

He passed away while serving the nation.

The years may have separated us from our days as cadets, but the legacy he left behind remains deeply embedded in every one of us.

The PALAPES USM motto — "Sentiasa Memimpin" (Always Leading) — continues to live in the hearts of those he trained.

Today, many of our former batchmates have gone on to hold important positions in various fields across the country. Some continued their careers in the military. Some followed in Captain Rizan's footsteps and eventually became instructors themselves, training new generations of cadet officers at universities.

That, perhaps, is the greatest measure of a teacher's legacy.

Not the rank he achieved.

Not the position he held.

But the people he inspired and the values they carried forward.

Looking back, I realise that Captain Rizan did not merely train us to become military officers.

He taught us to appreciate peace.

He taught us responsibility.

He taught us leadership.

Most importantly, he taught us that independence is not simply something to celebrate once a year. It is something we must protect, appreciate and fill with meaning every day.

Thirteen years after our commissioning, his physical presence was gone.

But his voice remained.

His lessons remained.

His spirit remained.

And his legacy continued through the 130 Guntureans he once trained.

Today, as Malaysia celebrates its 69th Independence Day, I remember the man who taught us that the greatest victory is not winning a war — but preserving peace.

Thank you, Sir, for every lesson, every word of encouragement, every challenge and every value you passed on to us.

Your legacy will continue to live through the generations you inspired.

May we always remain citizens who appreciate the independence and peace entrusted to us.

Happy 69th Independence Day, Malaysia.

May we never take our peace for granted.

This is my story today.

STORY 1133 — MANAGER

THE JOURNEY OF A MANAGER

Whenever I tell my colleagues that I am actually an introvert, they usually look at me, smile, and laugh.

Perhaps I should change the term now and call myself an ambivert.

My journey as a manager began when I entered the palm oil industry.

Every morning, we had a safety assembly. It was a discipline that had been strongly instilled in us by our managers and had eventually become part of our working culture. In the plantation, a similar morning gathering was known as the Muster Call, usually held before dawn before plantation activities began.

Because of the morning assembly, I was often “bullied” by the other executives to stand in front of everyone and speak.

The problem was, I did not know what to say.

So, I picked up a book on Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB) Grading published by MPOB and started reading. The next morning, I explained the different types of oil palm fruit and how fruit quality could affect oil extraction efficiency.

The following day, I found another topic.

And I continued doing it every morning.

Without realizing it, those simple morning sessions gradually built my confidence to speak in front of people.

I also had an interesting experience during my first few months.

One day, we were repairing a leaking pipe at the workers’ housing area. In a plantation environment, we did almost everything ourselves—from the mill to the workers’ quarters. Even managing rubbish at the workers’ housing area could become part of our responsibility.

We were truly multitasking from the very beginning.

On that particular day, I noticed a worker who was not helping us while we were carrying out the repair. I spoke to him about it and brought up the matter during the next morning briefing.

That day marked the beginning of my staff realizing that I was there—and that I was serious about discipline and responsibility.

It may have seemed like a small incident, but it was one of the moments when I began to understand that being responsible for an operation also meant having the courage to speak up.

The morning assemblies gradually gave me the confidence to express what was on my mind.

When visitors came to the mill, I became one of the first people to welcome them.

When a General Manager—someone many people were afraid of—visited the mill, I did not run away. I was often one of the first to greet him.

When senior management came, I was also among those who accompanied them around the mill.

Because of this, more and more people began to know me.

Ironically, I had started my career as an introvert.

But the demands of the profession changed me.

I changed myself according to my responsibilities and the needs of my career.

Eventually, I obtained my Steam Engineer Certificate and was given management responsibilities at a relatively young age.

If you ask me today, I would say that part of my youth was sacrificed for the responsibility of managing an operation.

At a young age, I was already responsible for managing more than 130 people in a mill.

I often joke that this was one of the reasons my hair turned grey so early—because I had been dealing with people and their problems since I was young!

But behind the joke lies an important lesson.

I made many mistakes throughout the years.

Every mistake taught me something.

Every failure forced me to reflect.

Every difficult situation pushed me to improve myself.

That is one of the main reasons why I have always believed in finding mentors, learning both formally and informally, and continuously improving throughout my career.

I started my MBA in 2011 and became actively involved in Toastmasters in 2013.

Most importantly, I did not want to keep theories confined to books or classrooms.

I wanted to apply those theories in real organizations, observe the results, and determine whether they actually worked.

Throughout my career, I have managed people from different backgrounds in Sabah and Sarawak, including local employees and foreign workers from countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines.

Then, in 2015, I challenged myself to manage an organization outside my home country, with a foreign boss as well.

That experience introduced me to teams with different personalities, cultures, working styles, and expectations at a global level.

Every multicultural and multinational environment tested my management capabilities.

And every new environment reminded me of one thing:

There is always another way to learn, improve, and become more effective and efficient.

MANAGEMENT COMES WITH RESPONSIBILITY

Being given management responsibility comes with many privileges.

But, as Peter Parker famously said:

“With great power comes great responsibility.”

Management authority must therefore be handled carefully and wisely.

If it is not, the privilege of having authority can become a tremendous burden.

Our decisions can eventually take us to a courtroom—or even a prison cell—if we abuse the responsibility entrusted to us.

And if we escape accountability in this world, we should still remember that we are ultimately accountable to Allah.

May Allah protect us from such consequences.

DELEGATION — A MANAGER CANNOT DO EVERYTHING

One of the first lessons a manager must understand is delegation.

A manager cannot do everything alone.

We need competent people.

We need to delegate.

But effective delegation does not simply mean giving someone a task and walking away.

We need to select the right person.

If the person is not yet ready, we need to train, coach, and develop that person until he or she becomes capable.

A manager without people is like a driver without a vehicle.

Management is not about doing everything ourselves.

It is about making sure the right people can do the right work at the right time.

At the same time, we do not operate in isolation.

We are part of a larger system.

Our success depends not only on our own department but also on other departments and external stakeholders—Marketing, Plantation, Procurement, suppliers, customers, contractors, and many others.

All these stakeholders need to be managed and coordinated properly.

I remember one particular emergency during my early career.

My manager brought me to meet the Plantation Controller at his bungalow because the mill was facing a serious operational problem.

The mill had accumulated a large quantity of fresh fruit bunches at the ramp.

My manager immediately discussed the situation with the Plantation Controller and requested that the plantations temporarily reduce their fruit deliveries for several days.

This required coordination with almost ten oil palm estates.

That simple but timely action helped prevent a much bigger problem—the risk of fruit deterioration while waiting to be processed at the mill.

At the same time, suppliers of critical spare parts from outside the plantation were contacted and asked to deliver the required components urgently so that repairs could proceed.

None of this could be achieved through technical knowledge alone.

It required communication, negotiation, coordination, decision-making, and leadership.

EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT DECISION-MAKING

In management, we may sometimes find a solution worth millions of ringgit.

But the question is:

Is it the most efficient solution within the available budget and resources?

That is where management becomes different from simply solving a technical problem.

We need to analyse.

We need to investigate.

We need to compare alternatives.

We need to understand the risks.

And finally, we need to choose the most appropriate solution.

Sometimes, we must make difficult decisions.

But courage in decision-making must always be accompanied by justification.

Why are we doing this?

Because one day, our decisions may be questioned by auditors, senior management, regulators, or even people who are specifically looking for weaknesses and mistakes in our work.

Therefore, every decision must be supported by sound reasoning, proper documentation, and accountability.

The authority, energy, manpower, money, equipment, and other resources entrusted to us are not for our personal benefit.

They are given to us to achieve the objectives of the organization.

WHAT DOES “BOSS” REALLY MEAN?

When people call us “Tuan,” “Sir,” or “Boss,” it should not simply make us feel important.

It is a form of respect from the people we lead.

But at the same time, that respect comes with an expectation:

They expect us to make their work easier.

That is, in my opinion, one of the true meanings of being a manager.

If our purchasing team is struggling to find a spare part, for example, we can help by sharing contacts from our professional network.

We can also ask for assistance through professional networks such as the Borneo Palm Oil Mill Engineer WhatsApp group.

By doing so, we are not doing the purchasing officer’s job.

We are helping him or her solve a problem.

And when we help our people solve their problems, we are actually helping the organization achieve its objectives.

That is the real meaning of management.

IT IS NOT ABOUT THE TITLE

Being a manager is not about having the title of “Boss.”

It is about thinking beyond ourselves.

It is about asking:

“How can I help my people perform their work more effectively and efficiently?”

A great manager does not measure success only by personal achievement.

A great manager measures success by how many people he or she has helped to succeed.

Because ultimately:

A manager works with people, works through people, coordinates their efforts, and brings everyone together to achieve organizational goals.

It is not about what I can accomplish.

It is about what WE can accomplish together.

And perhaps that is the biggest lesson I have learned after more than twenty years in management.

The higher we go in management, the less it should be about ourselves—and the more it should be about helping others succeed.

That is my story today.

STORY 1132 LAILA

 

STORY 1132 — LAILA

In every palm oil mill, the weighbridge office plays a crucial role in managing the movement of materials in and out of the mill. This includes fresh fruit bunches (FFB) arriving from plantations, as well as finished products such as crude palm oil (CPO) and palm kernels.

The weighbridge can be an extremely busy place, with vehicles constantly coming and going as long as there are trucks waiting at the mill’s main gate. Because of its importance, the weighbridge is usually located close to the main office. At any time, the mill manager can obtain information on the quantity of FFB received, allowing the management team to plan and coordinate the mill’s processing activities.

Behind all these movements is the weighbridge clerk, who is responsible for recording and monitoring every vehicle entering and leaving the mill. The job requires more than just accuracy and attention to detail. The clerk must also deal with a large number of drivers, each with their own personalities, attitudes and demands.

That was where I first came to know Laila.

Laila was a Melanau woman from Mukah, Sarawak, working as a weighbridge clerk. She was outspoken, cheerful and full of energy in carrying out her daily responsibilities. Her firm and confident personality made things much easier, especially when dealing with the many different characters among the plantation drivers.

During my second year in Miri, Laila married a colleague who worked as a Lab Assistant. He was one of the senior staff at the mill and a dedicated Iban employee. Her husband eventually became one of my close friends during my time in Miri. He shared a great deal of knowledge with me about the local culture and traditions, which helped me tremendously as I adapted to life in the interior of Sarawak.

Several years after their marriage, Laila and her husband welcomed their first child.

Sadly, after giving birth, Laila's health began to deteriorate.

The cheerful woman who had once brought laughter and energy to the office slowly began to change. From time to time, I noticed her coughing at work. On several occasions, she had to return home because she was unwell. At first, I thought it was simply a common health problem related to her recent childbirth.

The remote location of the mill made matters more difficult. It took almost three hours to reach Miri, and the journey involved difficult roads and challenging conditions. Access to proper medical treatment was therefore not always easy.

Eventually, Laila was taken to Miri Hospital, where she was admitted for several weeks.

She was later diagnosed with a heart condition and was referred to Kuching Hospital for further treatment. While waiting for her appointment and treatment, she was allowed to return to the plantation and resume her duties at the office.

The news came as a shock to me.

I had thought her declining health was simply related to the period after childbirth. Now, she had been diagnosed with a serious heart condition. I found it difficult to understand how, after almost three weeks in the hospital, she could be discharged and sent back to such a remote location while waiting for further treatment.

I still remember the day she returned to the office.

After spending weeks in the hospital, she walked in with the same cheerful expression on her face. She was even joking about her experience in the hospital.

She said that the nurses and doctors were probably already tired of seeing her in the ward because she had made the whole ward noisy and lively.

I laughed at her story.

That was Laila—always cheerful, always energetic, always capable of bringing life into the room.

At least, I thought, the quiet office would once again have its familiar source of laughter.

I assumed everything would gradually return to normal.

But it did not.

Not even half a day after returning to work, her husband informed us that Laila was having difficulty breathing and urgently needed to return to the hospital. He immediately took her back to Miri Hospital.

I still remember the sequence of events.

She returned to work on a Monday.

On that same day, she was taken back to the hospital.

On Tuesday, she was admitted to the ward.

And on Wednesday afternoon, I received the devastating news.

Laila had passed away.

The news was completely unexpected.

I immediately left for Miri, and that night I visited her family. The atmosphere was filled with grief. I tried my best to comfort her husband, who was struggling to come to terms with the sudden loss of his wife.

The tragedy left a deep impression on me.

Over the following weeks, I continued to support her husband as he dealt with the many matters following her passing, including arrangements to bring Laila home to her village in Mukah.

A few months later, I also helped supervise the applications for PERKESO and EPF (KWSP) benefits. These schemes provide important financial assistance to families facing difficult circumstances following the loss of a worker.

Among the benefits approved was a monthly payment for Laila's young child, who was only a few months old at the time. The payment would continue until the child reached the age of 18.

It was difficult to accept.

A woman who had once filled the office with laughter and cheerful conversations had suddenly disappeared from our lives, leaving behind a husband and a very young child.

Life does not always give every story a happy ending.

Sometimes, sadness becomes the ending of one chapter—while quietly opening the way for another story to begin.

Laila's story remains one of those memories from my years working in the palm oil industry that I will never forget.

That is my story for today.

How to setup Google Form for book pre-order promotion

Recommended flow

BOOK PROMOTION → GOOGLE FORM → PAYMENT → GOOGLE SHEET → CONFIRMATION → DELIVERY

For example:

PRE-ORDER — MY FIRST BOOK
Limited First Edition
Author: Borneo Rider

Pre-order your copy and be among the first readers to receive the book.

---

1. Create your Google Form

Go to Google Forms and select Blank form.

Give it a clear title, for example:

PRE-ORDER MY FIRST BOOK

Description:

Thank you for supporting my first book.

This form is for readers who would like to pre-order a copy of the book.

Please complete the information below. After submitting your order, please make payment according to the payment instructions provided.

---

2. Create Section 1 — Customer Information

Add these questions:

Full Name

Type: Short answer
Required: Yes

WhatsApp / Mobile Number

Type: Short answer
Required: Yes

This is important because you can contact the buyer regarding payment, delivery and collection.

Email Address

Type: Short answer
Required: No, unless you intend to send email confirmation.

Country

Type: Dropdown

Options:

• Malaysia

• Indonesia

• Singapore

• Brunei

• Other

---

3. Section 2 — Book Order

Click Add section (+).

Title:

BOOK ORDER

Add:

How many copies would you like to pre-order?

Type: Dropdown

Example:

• 1 copy

• 2 copies

• 3 copies

• 4 copies

• 5 copies

• More than 5 copies

If you're offering different editions, add another question:

Edition

Type: Multiple choice

Example:

• Standard Edition

• Signed Edition

• Limited Edition

You can change these according to your actual book promotion.

---

4. Add the price clearly

For example:

PRE-ORDER PRICE

Normal Price: RM50
Pre-order Price: RM40

Postage: RM10 within Malaysia

Total for 1 copy: RM50 including postage.

Don't rely on the buyer to calculate everything if possible.

For a professional launch, I would actually recommend creating separate order options:

Option	Price
1 book	RM50
2 books	RM90
3 books	RM130
5 books	RM200

This can encourage multiple-copy purchases.

---

5. Section 3 — Delivery

Ask:

Delivery Method

Type: Multiple choice

• Courier delivery

• Self-collection

Then ask:

Delivery Address

Type: Paragraph

Required: Yes

You can write:

Please provide your complete delivery address, including postcode, city and state.

If you have several collection locations, add:

Self-Collection Location

• Seremban

• Kuala Lumpur

• Kota Kinabalu

• Lahad Datu

• Other

---

6. Section 4 — Payment

This is very important.

Create a section called:

PAYMENT INFORMATION

For example:

Payment Method

Bank Transfer / DuitNow

Bank: XXXXX
Account Name: XXXXX
Account No.: XXXXX

Please make payment after completing your order.

Then ask:

Payment Method

• Bank Transfer

• DuitNow

• Other

Amount Paid

Type: Short answer

Payment Reference

Type: Short answer

For example:

Enter the transaction/reference number shown on your banking application.

---

7. Payment receipt / proof

You can add:

Upload Payment Receipt

Type: File upload

This allows the customer to upload a screenshot/PDF of the payment.

Important: Google Forms may require respondents to sign in to a Google account for file uploads. If you want the ordering process to be as frictionless as possible, you can instead ask for the payment reference number and verify the payment yourself.

For a first-book promotion, I would probably start with payment reference + manual verification.

---

8. Add a declaration

At the end:

Order Confirmation

Type: Checkboxes

☐ I confirm that the information provided is correct and that I have read the pre-order/payment instructions.

Make it Required.

---

9. Create the confirmation message

Go to:

Settings → Presentation → Confirmation message

Use something like:

Thank you for your pre-order!

Your order has been successfully received.

We will verify your payment and contact you through WhatsApp/email to confirm your order.

Thank you for supporting my first book. Your support means a lot to me.

— Zulkefli Muhammad

---

10. Connect Google Form to Google Sheets

This is one of the biggest advantages.

Inside your Form:

Responses → Link to Sheets

Create a new spreadsheet.

Google will automatically create a table containing things such as:

Timestamp	Name	WhatsApp	Email	Copies	Edition	Address	Payment	Amount	Reference
28/8/26	Ahmad	012...	...	2	Signed	...	DuitNow	RM90	TX123
28/8/26	Ali	013...	...	1	Standard	...	Bank	RM50	TX124

This becomes your master pre-order database.

---

11. I recommend adding an Order ID

For example:

BOOK-0001
BOOK-0002
BOOK-0003

This makes your operation much easier.

You can then tell the customer:

Your Order ID is BOOK-0007.

When they WhatsApp you, they can simply give you their Order ID.

---

12. Don't make the Form too long

For a book promotion, I recommend 4–5 sections maximum:

SECTION 1
👤 Customer Information

SECTION 2
📖 Book & Quantity

SECTION 3
📦 Delivery / Collection

SECTION 4
💳 Payment

SECTION 5
✅ Confirmation

The customer should ideally complete it in 2–3 minutes.

---

13. Create a QR code

Once your Google Form is ready, copy the form URL.

Then create a QR code for it.

You can put the QR code on:

• Book promotion poster

• Facebook post

• WhatsApp status

• Instagram

• TikTok

• Your blog

• Business card

• Book launch presentation

• Physical promotional banner

Your poster could say:

PRE-ORDER NOW

📖 MY FIRST BOOK
[BOOK TITLE]

Limited First Edition

SCAN TO PRE-ORDER

📱 WhatsApp
🔳 QR CODE

---

14. One important improvement: separate "Order" from "Promotion"

Don't put too much promotional material inside the Google Form.

The poster/social media should make people want the book.

The Google Form should make buying the book easy.

So the customer journey becomes:

See poster → Scan QR → Order → Pay → Receive confirmation

That's much more effective.

---

My recommended setup for your first book

Because this is your first book promotion, I would build the form around these fields:

Customer

• Full name

• WhatsApp

• Email

Order

• Book edition

• Number of copies

• Signed copy? Yes/No

Delivery

• Courier / Self-collection

• Full address

• Postcode

• State

Payment

• Payment method

• Amount

• Transaction reference

• Optional receipt

Confirmation

• Agreement checkbox

STORY 1131 — ATAN JOHAN

I have had many mentors throughout my more than twenty years in the industry. Each of them, in one way or another, taught me how to work more efficiently and effectively. Their guidance shaped not only the way I worked, but also the way I thought, responded to challenges, and made decisions.

One of the mentors who left a lasting impression on me was Atan Johan.

On my first day at my third palm oil mill in the interior of Miri, Sarawak, I was welcomed by Atan Johan. He was a tall, lean man with a moustache, a Malay by heritage, originally from Kulim, Kedah and married to Sabahan. He was about 55 years old at the time and had extensive experience in the palm oil industry. He started his career as a boilerman and eventually worked his way up to an executive position.

When I joined the company, he was serving as a Senior Assistant Manager. He had been managing the mill for several months during a transition period while the company waited for a new mill manager to take over. The trust placed in him by the company demonstrated just how experienced, capable, and dependable he was.

For me, meeting Atan Johan was a blessing.

As a young engineer who was still new to the company, his presence helped me adapt much faster to the company's culture, working environment, and way of doing things. He was a simple, relaxed person with an excellent sense of humor. He was always smiling and laughing, and whenever he was around, the workplace seemed to become lighter and more cheerful.

With an age difference of almost fifteen years, I regarded him more like an elder brother than merely a colleague.

One thing that fascinated me about him was his way of working. He rarely carried a notebook around. When he was given a task, he would simply remember it, act on it, and make sure it was completed as quickly as possible.

Because of that, very little was ever left pending.

One day, I came to him with an issue that had been troubling me deeply. I was struggling to deal with different expectations and approaches from senior management, and in my mind, the situation had become extremely complicated.

I explained the whole story to him in great detail.

He listened patiently without interrupting.

When I finished, he smiled and gave me his perspective.

It took only a few sentences.

Suddenly, the problem that had seemed so complicated in my mind became surprisingly simple. There was a clear and practical way forward.

I was amazed by his ability to simplify problems.

Perhaps that is one of the great differences between someone with decades of experience and a young person who is still discovering how the world works. Sometimes, experience does not necessarily give us more answers. Instead, it teaches us how to see a problem more clearly.

How often do we reach a dead end in our lives?

We become confused. We overthink. We see too many possibilities and cannot determine which direction to take. Without someone who can give us sound advice, the burden can become even heavier.

I did not feel that burden when Atan Johan was around.

Whenever I faced a difficult situation, I knew there was someone I could approach. He would listen, smile, perhaps make a joke, and then reduce the complicated issue into something simple and manageable.

Years later, I moved from one mill to another, taking on new responsibilities and facing increasingly complex challenges.

Atan Johan, however, was no longer there.

I eventually had to learn to stand on my own.

But whenever I reach a dead end, I often remind myself to think and act the way Atan Johan did.

Stay calm.

Smile.

Do not make the problem bigger than it really is.

Think simply.

Then solve it in the most effective and efficient way possible.

I still remember his smile, his laughter, and his wonderful sense of humor. Even when the mill was facing serious operational problems, he rarely allowed pressure to take control of him.

He showed me that professionalism does not always have to look serious.

Sometimes, the most effective leader in the room is the person who remains calm when everyone else is worried.

Atan Johan taught me something that no textbook could fully explain: experience gives us the ability to simplify what others see as complicated.

Today, whenever I face a difficult problem, I sometimes imagine what Atan Johan would say.

Then I smile.

And I begin looking for the simplest way forward.

Thank you, Atan Johan.

You may no longer be here, but the way you worked, the way you thought, and the way you brought joy into a demanding workplace remain with me.

That is the legacy of a true mentor.

And that is my story today.

Summary of Energy Efficiency / Energy Conservation Work

Summary of Energy Efficiency / Energy Conservation Work

1. Palm Oil Mill Energy Management

• Optimized steam and thermal energy utilization in palm oil milling operations.

• Improved boiler and steam-system performance to reduce unnecessary steam consumption and thermal losses.

• Monitored and managed power consumption, steam generation and process energy efficiency.

• Optimized mill operations involving sterilization, clarification, pressing and other energy-intensive processes.

• Worked with high-capacity palm oil mills, including mills processing approximately 90–150 MT FFB/hour, where energy optimization had significant operational impact.

2. Boiler and Steam System Optimization

• Applied extensive experience as a Steam Engineer/Boiler Competent Person to improve boiler efficiency and steam-system reliability.

• Improved combustion and biomass-fuel utilization.

• Reduced energy losses through better control of steam distribution, condensate and boiler operation.

• Improved utilization of biomass residues as renewable energy sources for palm oil mill operations.

• Worked on biomass boiler system improvements, including commissioning and optimization.

3. Steam Turbine / Cogeneration

• Supported energy-conservation initiatives through the utilization of steam turbine technology for electricity generation.

• A major example is the planned installation of a steam turbine associated with the reduction of Plant 1's electricity budget:

  • 2025 actual consumption: 7,964,438 kWh

  • 2026 consumption: 7,605,264 kWh

  • 2027 budget: 6,800,000 kWh

• The initiative represents an estimated reduction of approximately 805,000 kWh/year compared with 2026, through improved energy generation and utilization.

4. Solvent Extraction Plant – Electrical Energy Reduction

• Led/improved energy-efficiency initiatives in a 250 MT/day solvent extraction plant.

• Implemented process and equipment improvements to reduce electrical energy consumption.

• Replaced the Horizontal Belt Filter with a Rotary Drum Vacuum Filter (RDVF).

• The RDVF improvement achieved approximately 19% annual power reduction compared with the previous system.

• The project achieved an estimated ROI/payback period of 2.81 years.

• Improved process efficiency while recovering residual oil from Spent Bleaching Earth (SBE), which could contain significant residual oil.

5. Refinery Energy Optimization

• Managed energy-intensive operations in a 150 MT/day physical palm oil refinery.

• Optimized utilities including steam, thermal systems, cooling water, compressed air and electrical consumption.

• Integrated energy considerations into refinery process improvements and plant reliability initiatives.

• Worked on commissioning and optimization of refinery and utility systems.

6. Water and Utility Energy Conservation

• Implemented a Reverse Osmosis (RO) water system that reduced external water consumption by approximately 90–95%.

• Reduced the energy and utility burden associated with raw-water intake, treatment and water handling.

• Achieved an estimated ROI within four years.

• Integrated water conservation with broader utility and resource-efficiency objectives.

7. Utility System Optimization
Your experience covers optimization of major energy-consuming utilities, including:

• Boilers and steam systems

• Steam turbines

• Cooling towers

• Compressed-air systems

• Water-treatment systems

• RO systems

• Wastewater-treatment systems

• Electrical distribution and plant equipment

• Biomass fuel systems

8. Energy Efficiency Through Process Improvement
A significant part of your energy-conservation work has been achieved not simply by reducing equipment operating hours, but by improving process efficiency. Examples include:

• Equipment replacement with more energy-efficient technology.

• Process optimization.

• Reduction of unnecessary power consumption.

• Improved thermal-energy utilization.

• Better utilization of biomass and process residues.

• Improved equipment reliability and operating conditions.

• Monitoring energy performance against production requirements.

Overall Professional Summary

“Over two decades of practical energy-efficiency and energy-conservation experience across palm oil mills, solvent extraction plants, physical refineries and utility systems, covering steam and thermal energy optimization, biomass boiler efficiency, cogeneration, electrical energy reduction, water conservation, process-equipment optimization and utility management. Successfully implemented projects including RDVF technology resulting in approximately 19% power reduction, RO implementation reducing external water consumption by 90–95%, and steam-turbine/cogeneration initiatives aimed at substantially reducing grid electricity consumption.”

ENERGY AUDIT → ENERGY MONITORING → ENERGY OPTIMIZATION → ENERGY-CONSERVATION PROJECTS → ENERGY PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT

STORY 1130 — BECOMING A “RAIN SHAMAN” AT SUNGAI BOK

The journey to Loagan Bunut from Miri took almost three hours. The route passed through Bukit Lambir National Park, Simpang Bekenu, and eventually reached Beluru town. That was where the paved road ended.

From Beluru onward, the journey became a different kind of adventure. The road turned into a rough gravel track, full of potholes, dust, mud and unexpected challenges. By the time I reached Beluru, I would usually stop for a while—to use the restroom, buy some snacks, or simply take a short break before continuing the journey.

Sometimes, instead of stopping in Beluru, I would stop at the Petronas station at Simpang Bekenu to perform my Zuhur prayer. Since the journey was more than two marhalah, it had become my usual practice to perform Jamak and Qasar for Zuhur and Asar while travelling.

From Beluru, another 46 kilometres remained—nearly an hour of driving. And somewhere along that route was Sungai Bok.

Sungai Bok was not an ordinary river crossing.

The crossing was only about 30 metres wide, but during heavy rain, flooding or high tide, the entire stretch of road could disappear beneath two or three feet of water. For me, this became one of the most memorable lessons in learning how to drive a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

The first time I had to cross the flooded river, I listened carefully to the advice of my more experienced colleagues.

“Open the door slightly when crossing deep water.”

“Use low gear.”

“Never release the pressure on the accelerator.”

“Keep the engine running steadily, otherwise water may enter through the exhaust.”

And after crossing, always stop and check the air filter. If it had become wet, it needed to be dried immediately.

Some of my colleagues had even modified their vehicles by raising the air-intake pipe to a higher position. This simple modification made it safer to cross water that could reach two or three feet deep.

At the time, these seemed like practical tips for surviving a difficult journey.

Years later, I realised they were much more than that.

They were lessons in life.

In a remote palm oil mill, we learned not only about engineering and machinery. We learned to observe nature, understand the environment and respect the conditions surrounding the operation.

One of the routine practices in a palm oil mill was recording daily rainfall.

Every morning, the laboratory assistant would take the reading from the rain gauge and record the rainfall in millimetres in the daily operating report.

Initially, I regarded it simply as another routine piece of data.

But gradually, I began to realise how valuable that information was.

Rainfall could affect harvesting, transportation, fruit quality and ultimately the oil extraction rate. When heavy rain occurred, plantation operations could be disrupted. Fresh fruit bunches might not reach the mill according to schedule. Roads could become inaccessible, and transporters could face delays.

For a mill located beyond Sungai Bok, the consequences could be even greater.

Whenever flooding occurred, tankers carrying crude palm oil and palm kernels could become stranded. If the products could not be transported out of the mill, storage tanks would gradually fill up.

Eventually, rainfall was no longer just a number written in a daily report.

It became something I began to watch.

Something I began to study.

And, perhaps without realising it, something I became fascinated by.

Because of the frequent flooding at Sungai Bok, I started collecting monthly rainfall records. Year after year, the data accumulated.

Nearly ten years of rainfall records became my personal reference.

As I studied the data, I began noticing patterns.

Rainfall during the first and fourth weeks of the month generally appeared to be lower than during the second and third weeks. The pattern seemed to repeat itself from month to month and, to some extent, from year to year.

Then I noticed another interesting relationship.

Flooding at Sungai Bok seemed to occur more frequently around the middle of the lunar month and during the full moon.

Of course, rainfall alone was not the only factor.

Heavy afternoon and evening convectional storms could coincide with high tides from the river. When heavy rainfall and high tide came together, the relatively small river crossing could quickly become impassable.

Suddenly, the rainfall data became more than historical records.

It became a tool for planning.

By combining rainfall patterns, the lunar calendar, high tides and my observations of the river, I could make a reasonable prediction of when Sungai Bok was more likely to flood and when the road was more likely to remain passable.

I began sharing these observations with the transporters.

I advised them to concentrate more vehicles on the weeks when the risk of flooding was lower. If possible, they should avoid sending too many tankers around the middle of the Hijri month, particularly when the full moon coincided with heavy rainfall and high tide.

It was not a scientific weather forecast.

It was simply field experience supported by years of observation and data.

But surprisingly, it worked quite well.

The lesson followed me beyond the palm oil mill.

Whenever I organised outdoor activities, sports days or recreational programmes, I would also consider the same pattern. Whenever possible, I preferred the first or fourth week of the month and tried to avoid the second and third weeks, particularly around periods associated with heavy rain and high tides.

My colleagues eventually began to joke about it.

Because of Sungai Bok and my obsession with rainfall records, I had somehow become the “rain shaman.”

A dukun hujan.

I could almost imagine them thinking:

“Ask him. He will know whether it is going to rain.”

But behind the joke was something much more meaningful.

Working in a remote palm oil mill taught me that knowledge does not always come from textbooks, classrooms or formal training.

Sometimes, knowledge comes from standing beside a rain gauge every morning.

Sometimes, it comes from crossing a flooded river.

Sometimes, it comes from listening to an experienced colleague telling you not to release the accelerator.

And sometimes, it comes from patiently collecting small pieces of information for years until a pattern begins to reveal itself.

The Sungai Bok experience taught me the value of observation, data, experience and anticipation.

In engineering, we often solve problems after they happen.

But the better engineer learns to recognise the signs before the problem arrives.

For me, Sungai Bok was more than a dangerous river crossing.

It was my classroom.

The rain was my teacher.

The rain gauge was my instrument.

The river was my laboratory.

And the ten years of rainfall records became my textbook.

That was how, somewhere along the gravel road to Loagan Bunut, I unknowingly became the “Dukun Hujan of Sungai Bok.”

And that is my story today.

Lagu HAI SUAMIKU

Hai Suamiku

Lagu / Lirik oleh BORNEO RIDER

Hai sayangku…

Hi pujaan hatiku…

Suamiku tercinta,

Engkaulah cinta dalam hidupku…

Hai suamiku sayang,

Manjaku hanya untukmu

Senyum dan kasih yang kuberikan

Semua tulus dari hatiku

Engkau hadir dalam hidupku

Membawa bahagia setiap waktu

Dalam suka dan dalam duka

Ku ingin selalu di sampingmu

Kan kujaga cinta kita

Dengan setia sepanjang masa

Takkan kubiarkan kasih terluka

Kerana engkau separuh jiwa

Hai sayangku, hi cintaku

Hatiku hanya untukmu

Hidup ini kan kuberikan

Untuk cinta yang kita bina

Hai suamiku, pujaan hati

Kasih sayangku takkan berganti

Senyum manisku hanya untukmu

Cintaku satu, selamanya untukmu

Jika hari mendung dan gelap

Kan kuhadir membawa cahaya

Jika langkahmu terasa penat

Kan kupeluk dengan penuh cinta

Sebagai isteri ku berjanji

Menjaga kasih sepenuh hati

Dalam doa kusebut namamu

Agar bahagia selalu bersamamu

Jangan biarkan hati berubah

Jangan biarkan cinta terpisah

Pegang tanganku erat-erat

Kita melangkah hingga akhir hayat

Hai sayangku, hi cintaku

Hatiku hanya untukmu

Hidup ini kan kuberikan

Untuk cinta yang kita bina

Hai suamiku, pujaan hati

Kasih sayangku takkan berganti

Senyum manisku hanya untukmu

Cintaku satu, selamanya untukmu

Biar rambut memutih bersama

Biar usia terus bertambah

Selagi nafas masih bernyawa

Cintaku padamu takkan berubah

Tiada yang lain di dalam hati

Tiada pengganti, tiada yang menyamai

Kau suamiku, kau cintaku

Tempat hatiku selalu bertamu

Hai sayangku, hai suamiku

Kaulah cinta dalam hidupku

Suka dan duka kita bersama

Hingga ke penghujung usia

Hai pujaan hati, dengarlah sayang

Cinta ini takkan pernah hilang

Aku setia, aku menyayangimu

Hari ini, esok dan selamanya untukmu

Hai suamiku sayang…

Hai cintaku…

Pegang tanganku, jangan lepaskan…

Kerana hatiku…

Hanya untukmu…

Selamanya… insya-Allah.

STORY 1129: RETIRE

My third palm oil mill in my second company was located about 120 km from Miri City, Sarawak. It sat beside Loagan Bunut National Park, not far from Long Lama, on the banks of the mighty Baram River that flows from the deep interior of Sarawak to Kuala Baram before meeting the South China Sea.

Getting there was an adventure in itself.

The road was mostly gravel, serving as the main route for logging trucks transporting timber to paper mills. Every now and then, a giant logging truck would thunder past. During the rainy season, the road turned into mud and potholes. During the dry season, clouds of dust covered every vehicle until it looked as though it had just driven through a swamp. Along that route were three palm oil mills, and mine was the second furthest from town.

Because of the long and exhausting journey, anyone visiting the mill almost always stayed overnight at the estate. As was common in plantation life, the mill manager's bungalow became a place to welcome guests. I actually enjoyed that, because I lived there alone most of the time. I always made sure visitors stayed as honoured guests rather than attempting the tiring drive back to Miri.

Every three months, I would receive a visit from a Professional Electrical Engineer who carried out the statutory electrical inspection required by the Energy Commission of Malaysia (Suruhanjaya Tenaga). After each inspection, he would submit his report to the Commission. My mill was usually his final destination after visiting the first mill along the same road.

Sometimes he brought chocolates for my children. It was a small gesture, but one that my family always appreciated.

That evening, as usual, we had dinner together. The estate canteen prepared fresh river fish caught from a nearby river, steamed in the simplest yet most delicious way. He was the owner of an electrical engineering consultancy company and was already in his early sixties.

At that time, I was only in my thirties.

Curious, I asked him, "Why don't you retire? You've reached retirement age. You've achieved so much in life."

He smiled before answering.

"Actually, I did try to retire."

After turning sixty, he handed over the company to his engineers to manage. His daughter was living in Australia, where she was pursuing her career as a professional tennis player. He flew there and spent a few weeks with her, expecting retirement to be relaxing and enjoyable.

Then he laughed.

"By the second week, I was already bored."

He said he missed his daily routine—the meetings, responsibilities, site visits, and the feeling of being needed. A life without challenges felt strangely empty.

I listened quietly.

The night was peaceful, accompanied only by the sound of crickets outside the bungalow, filling the silence of the plantation.

Then he gave me advice that I have never forgotten.

"You're still young. You have many commitments—housing loans, car loans, raising children, building your career, supporting your family, and dealing with life's endless challenges."

He paused before continuing.

"But when retirement comes, many of those challenges disappear. The loans are paid off. The children grow up. The responsibilities become lighter. And that's when life can start to feel... empty."

Then came the lesson.

"So plan your retirement wisely. And appreciate every challenge you're facing today. One day, those struggles will become beautiful memories. Challenges and trials give meaning to our lives."

His words stayed with me.

Whenever I was late paying my car loan, struggling with the house mortgage, or watching my savings disappear because of my children's needs and family responsibilities, I remembered his advice.

Instead of complaining, I chose to accept those challenges.

I believe every hardship carries wisdom. I believe every trial is part of Allah's plan for me to face, grow through, and become stronger because of it.

Today, years later, I understand what he meant.

Retirement is not simply about stopping work.

It is about having a life that still has purpose.

That’s my story today.

Lagu Sumando di Rantau Hati

Lagu / Lirik : BorneoRider

Genre: Balada Minang / Nasihat Kehidupan 

 

Oi dunsanak… 

Hiduik bukan untuak bagaya… 

Tapi untuak manjago marwah jo keluarga… 

 

Datang sumando ka rumah urang 

Bukan manumpang makan sajo 

Adat dijunjuang jo hati nan lapang 

Budi jo sopan jadikan pusako 

 

Jalan ka sawah di pagi hari 

Kabut turun di kaki gunuang 

Kalau lalaki indak berbudi 

Hilang hormat di mato urang

 

Jangan jadi langau hijau 

Datang hanya waktu kenduri 

Bini menangih anak marayu 

Ayah pulang ndak mancari rezeki 

 

Jangan jadi kacang miang 

Pandai manih di awal sajo 

Janji tabang dibao angin 

Rumah tanggo jadi kecewa 

 

Jadilah sumando nan elok 

Ringan tangan hati pun elok 

Bukan bagak di muko urang 

Tapi kuat waktu susah datang 

 

Anak dipangku jo kasih sayang 

Kamanakan dibimbiang jalan 

Adat Minang jadi pegangan 

Syarak teguh sepanjang zaman 

 

Lapiak buruk usah jadi 

Hiduik malas membebani hati 

Urang kampuang mulai mancaci 

Karano diri indak berbudi 

 

Padi masak di sawah datar 

Angin petang babau tanah 

Lalaki elok bukan nan pintar 

Tapi nan jujur jo amanah 

 

Kalau rantau jauh dijalani 

Jangan lupa asal usali 

Bundo kanduang mananti pulang 

Mambao nama nan tarpuji 

 

Harta habih bisa dicari 

Tapi malu susah diganti 

Jagolah hati jo tingkah laku 

Supayo mulia sampai mati 

 

Jadilah sumando nan sabana 

Tagak luruih di jalan agama 

Bukan langau di ateh meja 

Tapi pelindung anak jo keluarga 

 

Adat basandi syarak mulia 

Syarak basandi Kitabullah 

Kalau hidup ingin bahagia 

Hormati rumah tempat singgah 

Oi dunsanak… 

Lelaki bukan diukur dari kato… 

Tapi dari tanggungjawabnyo…