Azian – The Young Engineer with Integrity

In the quiet town of Sandakan, Sabah, nestled between lush oil palm estates and the shimmering blue of the Sulu Sea, stood a palm oil mill known for its efficiency and spotless safety record. The person at the heart of it was not a seasoned veteran with decades of experience, but a young engineer named Azian.

Fresh out of university, Azian joined the mill with a hunger to learn and a determination to prove herself. Many doubted her at first—young, soft-spoken, and new to the industry. But it didn’t take long for her to earn the trust of both the workers on the factory floor and the management in the office.

Azian’s leadership was rooted in integrity. She believed that leading a mill wasn’t just about machines and production numbers—it was about people. She treated the operators, fitters, boilermen, and lab technicians with the same respect she would offer to a senior manager.

Whenever there was a breakdown, Azian was not the type to hide in the office. She would be on-site, helmet on, safety boots laced, working alongside her team to troubleshoot the problem. She listened to the ideas of the older technicians, acknowledged their expertise, and gave credit where it was due.

One rainy evening, a critical conveyor belt jammed, threatening to halt production. While others might have barked orders in panic, Azian stayed calm. She organised a small team, assigned roles clearly, and even stood under the heavy rain to monitor the repairs. By midnight, the mill was back online—without compromising safety.

Her integrity shone brightest not during major crises, but in the small choices she made daily:

Giving second chances to workers who made mistakes but were willing to learn.

Standing up for a technician when a supplier tried to shift blame unfairly.

Staying back after hours to help a young trainee understand the boiler operation.

Listening patiently to estate managers during meetings, even when opinions clashed.

Under her leadership, the mill not only met its production targets but also became a workplace where people felt valued. Workers began to take greater pride in their roles, knowing they had a leader who would defend them, guide them, and hold everyone—including herself—accountable.

Azian’s story became well-known across the plantation division. Not because she was loud or sought recognition, but because her consistency, fairness, and quiet strength inspired those around her.

In the end, her success was not measured by how many tonnes of crude palm oil the mill produced, but by how many people she uplifted along the way.

And that is what made Azian not just a good engineer, but a great leader.