My second company was a GLC that had been in the industry for more than 100 years and had, more recently, celebrated its 200th anniversary.
It was also my first time setting foot in Miri, Sarawak — the beginning of another chapter in my life, this time in one of the two Borneo states.
At that time, my boss was a middle-aged man who was exceptionally calm, experienced and wise. He was Javanese, and perhaps that was also reflected in the gentle way he spoke. Whenever I listened to him, it felt almost like listening to a father speaking to his son.
Every word carried wisdom.
I spent almost a year working deep in Kuala Baram, nearly three hours from Miri. After having worked in the interior of Sabah, I found myself once again moving deep into the interior of Sarawak.
To reach the mill, we had to travel about 120 km from Beluru towards Long Lama. From the Beluru junction onwards, much of the road was gravel rather than paved. At Sungai Bok, there was a stretch of about 30 metres on the main road that frequently flooded during the rainy season and high tide.
After more than 20 years in the palm oil industry, I now realise how grateful I am for those first 10 years of my career.
I deliberately took on assignments in places where, as we used to joke, "ghosts and spirits were the only neighbours."
Those experiences taught me something that has stayed with me until today: to appreciate whatever blessings come our way.
If we have a reliable vehicle, a good road, and can safely reach our destination, that itself is a tremendous blessing.
Somewhere else, there are people struggling just to reach a destination to find food, go to school, or get to a hospital.
The Visiting Engineer
Every three months, my Javanese boss would make a routine visit as the Visiting Engineer.
I can confidently say that the visiting system, followed by a comprehensive report and systematic follow-up, was one of the best management systems I learned during my career.
He would spend almost a week at the mill, conducting detailed inspections — from individual stations and plant operations to the monthly financial reports.
Only later did I realise that this company was also among the early companies whose palm oil mills were all certified to ISO 9001.
For a palm oil mill located deep in the interior to have had an ISO 9001 certification system since the 1990s was, in my view, something remarkable.
That was where I first gained exposure to ISO 9001.
Every year, internal auditors from other mills would visit to conduct audits. The findings and reports were shared across all operating units.
This created another valuable opportunity: I got to meet colleagues from other mills and learn how different mills operated.
During his mill inspections, my boss would walk through the plant and point out areas that needed attention. Follow-up actions would then be initiated, and the responsible teams were expected to close them properly.
The system created discipline.
And without realising it at the time, I was beginning to develop a deep interest in management systems and ISO certification.
The Training That Changed My Direction
One of the elements I particularly liked about ISO 9001 was the emphasis on training and competency.
And I genuinely enjoyed training people.
Through training others, I gradually improved my own communication and leadership skills.
More importantly, training had to be properly recorded and documented. Those records later became valuable references during audits by regulatory and certification bodies such as JKKP, DOE, RSPO and ISCC.
To become an internal auditor, formal training was required.
But once again, my boss gave me advice that was far more valuable than I realised at the time.
He suggested that I attend ISO 9001 Lead Auditor training, rather than limiting myself to internal auditor training.
The difference was significant — three days versus five days.
I followed his advice.
At that time, the company only approved training for internal auditors. So I made a personal decision to invest in myself.
I paid for the ISO 9001 Lead Auditor course with my own money, flew from Miri to Shah Alam, and took annual leave to attend the five-day program.
It turned out to be one of the best long-term investments I have ever made.
The course was conducted by an international trainer, and it gave me a much broader understanding of ISO 9001 and management systems.
From ISO 9001 to Integrated Management Systems
In 2015, I joined another company — a newly commissioned solvent extraction plant and refinery.
I was involved in commissioning the various plant units and subsequently in obtaining several important certifications required by the business model, including:
ISO 9001, GMP, Halal, Kosher and ISCC.
Over the following years, I also helped another company establish and obtain certifications for ISO 14001 and ISO 18001, covering environmental and occupational safety management.
Eventually, these systems were integrated into an Integrated Management System (IMS) covering quality, safety and environmental management.
Did I have previous experience with all of these systems?
No.
I didn't.
But I had something more fundamental — a strong foundation in ISO 9001.
That foundation became the platform upon which I built my understanding of other management systems.
Twenty Years Later
Looking back, I realise that some of the most important lessons in my career did not come from a classroom.
They came from a quiet, experienced boss who patiently showed me how a good management system should work.
At the time, I did not know that his advice would influence my career for the next 20 years.
I did not know that paying for that five-day Lead Auditor course myself would open doors to a completely different area of professional development.
And I certainly did not know that the simple discipline of inspection, documentation, training, auditing and follow-up would eventually become such an important part of my career.
Sometimes, we meet people who only become significant when we look back.
My former boss was one of those people.
His wisdom did not always come in long speeches.
Sometimes, it came in a simple recommendation.
Sometimes, it came through the way he conducted an inspection.
And sometimes, it came through the quiet example he set every day.
A good boss gives you instructions.
A great mentor gives you a foundation that continues to serve you long after you have left his organisation.
Twenty years later, I am still benefiting from the wisdom of that man.
And for that, I remain deeply grateful.
That is my story today.
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