Story 1107 – The Steam Engineer Certificate

Story 1107 – The Steam Engineer Certificate

Living and working in the remote interior of Sabah, deep along the upper reaches of the Kinabatangan River, was one of the toughest periods of my life. The physical demands were relentless, and the mental challenges were just as exhausting. More than once, I found myself wondering whether I should remain in the palm oil industry or leave altogether in search of a different career.

During those difficult days, I often shared a rented house with my late friend, Richard Ginsing. Most evenings, we would only arrive home around 9:00 p.m. After dinner, we would sit in front of the television watching Astro before calling it a night. Those quiet moments became our time to talk—about life, our experiences, our hopes, and the longing we both felt for our families who were far away.

Richard, together with several senior colleagues, encouraged me to pursue a Steam Engineer Certificate issued by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH). They believed it would open new opportunities and give me a stronger future in the industry.

I decided to take their advice seriously.

The journey began with fulfilling the minimum requirement of two years of boiler operating experience. Along the way, I learned boiler theory from my mill managers and gained practical knowledge from experienced boilermen, especially Makamaseh, who patiently shared his expertise in the field. Whenever I met someone who already held a Steam Engineer Certificate, I never missed the opportunity to ask questions, seek advice, and collect practical tips for the examination.

Eventually, I submitted my application and was offered an interview and competency examination at the PERKESO Building in Kota Kinabalu. With very little preparation and without attending any formal training course, I decided to take the challenge at my own expense. I travelled overnight by bus from Lahad Datu and stayed at Megah D'Aru Hotel, located just beside the PERKESO Building.

Luck was on my side.

There, I met a group of engineers from FGV who were also sitting for the same examination. Salahuddin, Rosliezan, and several of their colleagues welcomed me into their last-minute study group. We spent hours revising together in the hotel rooms and over countless discussions at a nearby mamak restaurant. I was incredibly fortunate because FGV had prepared comprehensive study notes for their engineers. Salahuddin, in particular, was deeply passionate about boilers and was affectionately known among many engineers as the "Dukun Boiler" for his exceptional knowledge and troubleshooting skills.

To cut a long story short, I successfully obtained my Grade Two Steam Engineer Certificate in September 2006, just three years after joining the palm oil industry.

That single certificate changed the course of my career.

Within a few months, I was appointed as the Mill In-Charge of a 90 MT/hour palm oil mill. The following year, our mill processed nearly 380,000 metric tonnes of fresh fruit bunches and achieved one of the Top 3 Oil Extraction Rate (OER) performances within the entire group.

Looking back, I realize that one decision, one certificate, and the encouragement of a few good friends were enough to change the direction of my life.

That is my story for today.