In 2004, when I first arrived in Sabah and joined the palm oil industry, I was only 25 years old. As a young man still trying to find my footing in my career, everything I experienced felt like an exciting new journey.
Even today, I remain fascinated by the palm oil industry. I was fascinated because almost everything I encountered back then was entirely new to me. My enthusiasm for learning was incredibly high. One of the reasons was that my academic results for my first degree were not particularly outstanding. Because of that, I was determined to prove that my performance in the working world could be much better than my examination results.
I was stationed in the remote interior of Sungai Kinabatangan, Sabah, at an isolated oil palm plantation approximately 90 km from Lahad Datu. Being so far away from town made me even more focused on my career. What else could I possibly do in such a remote plantation, other than concentrate on my work and personal development?
My housemate at the time was the late Richard. A few months later, he was transferred to a new mill in Pamol, Sandakan. His advice to me to remain focused on personal development and career growth has stayed with me ever since.
At that 120 mt/hr capacity mill, which was also my first palm oil mill, I had the opportunity to meet many remarkable people. Even though some of them were simply general cleaners working at the mill or in the staff quarters, there was always something I could learn from them.
The majority of the mill and plantation workforce consisted of foreign workers from Indonesia and the Philippines. They came from different ethnic and religious backgrounds. I learned to know them not merely as colleagues but also as friends outside working hours.
One of them was a mill supervisor named Osman.
When I joined the mill as a cadet engineer, Osman was already serving as a mill supervisor. He was tall, slim, moustached and extremely focused on whatever responsibilities were assigned to him. He was only a few years older than me. Whenever we talked, we felt more like friends of the same age.
The following year, the tertiary treatment system of the effluent treatment plant became increasingly critical to the mill's operations. The system covered hundreds of hectares of oil palm plantation, with a network of drains and waterways stretching from the hilltops down to the lower areas. It was a crucial component in ensuring that the mill could operate properly.
The final BOD discharge requirements were also very stringent and required close monitoring.
Osman was assigned to supervise the entire operation of this system. At the same time, I was also given the responsibility of overseeing its operations.
We spent a considerable amount of time working together. Quite often, we would head up the hills to inspect the distribution ponds, check the drainage system and carry out repairs whenever problems arose.
Two workers were assigned to monitor the system as they moved from one location to another. Another two were responsible for supervising the effluent ponds, which covered almost four acres and stretched as far as the eye could see.
In the mornings, we would usually head up the hills for inspections. In the afternoons, we would return to monitor the pond operations, checking for any signs of oil contamination in the Cooling Pond or problems involving the HDPE pipelines.
At that time, I was still very young, inexperienced and somewhat naive. I simply followed Osman's guidance and instructions in carrying out the work. Whenever he needed assistance or support from management, I would do my best to help.
Osman was soft-spoken, yet firm and highly focused on every task he undertook. He was never a man of many words, but he always made sure that every responsibility was properly carried out.
In 2006, I moved to my second mill. Then, in 2008, I joined a new company in Miri, Sarawak. From that point onwards, I lost contact with Osman. We went our separate ways and neither of us heard any news about the other.
Earlier this week, after almost 20 years without meeting or communicating, we finally reconnected through WhatsApp.
To my surprise, Osman had made tremendous progress in both his personal life and career.
In 2011, he returned to Kalimantan, Indonesia, and joined a company as an Assistant Mill Manager. He subsequently moved to another company and continued developing his career in the palm oil industry.
From Assistant Mill Manager, he was promoted to Mill Manager. Today, he holds the position of General Manager, overseeing four palm oil mills in North Kalimantan.
I was genuinely excited when we first reconnected. What made me even prouder was learning how far he had progressed over the past 20 years.
Just imagine. A young man originally from Sulawesi, Indonesia, migrated to Sabah, Malaysia, learned the trade and started his career from the bottom at a palm oil mill. Today, he is a General Manager overseeing four palm oil mills, with plantation operations covering hundreds of hectares.
Isn't that something remarkable?
Without wasting any time, I immediately asked him what had enabled him to achieve such an impressive career.
Initially, he was rather humble and reluctant to share much about himself. However, after some persuasion, he began telling me about his career journey spanning more than 20 years in the palm oil industry, both in Malaysia and Indonesia.
He told me that his journey had not always been smooth. There had been plenty of challenges and sacrifices along the way.
Between the ages of 20 and 30, he focused heavily on learning, particularly the practical aspects of mill operations. He wanted to understand everything and was always willing to put in the effort to gain as much knowledge and experience as possible.
Once he reached the age of 35 and beyond, he began looking for better opportunities, not only in terms of knowledge and experience but also income.
Through determination, commitment, hard work and sacrifice, he eventually found opportunities to advance his career to a much higher level within the palm oil industry.
There was one particular thing he said that caught my attention. According to him, when our efforts and contributions are no longer appreciated, perhaps it is time to look for somewhere better for ourselves.
These are the remarkable individuals I have had the privilege of meeting throughout my journey in the palm oil industry. They came into my life at different stages and under different circumstances. And for that, I am truly grateful to have been part of their journey.
Keep moving forward, my friend!
That is my story today.
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