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.

Kisah Aiman dalam PALAPES

Ketidakselesaan itu sebenarnya satu nikmat tersembunyi. Ia bukan sekadar ujian fizikal, tetapi pengalaman berharga dalam universiti kehidupan.

Bila ditanya, bagaimana Aiman boleh bertahan dan terus maju dalam industri kejuruteraan dan kelapa sawit hingga kini? Jawapannya mudah:

👉 “Kerana aku pernah ditempa dalam PALAPES.”

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Tahun-Tahun Latihan

Tiga tahun dalam PALAPES membentuk Aiman menjadi insan yang tahan lasak. Mereka tidur di ladang sawit yang baru ditanam, sawit matang berusia 10 tahun, dan sawit tua yang menunggu untuk ditebang. Kadang-kadang di ladang getah, kadang-kadang jauh di dalam hutan.

Berpuluh kilometer mereka mara, mendaki bukit botak panas terik, membina kubu, dan menjadikan alam sebagai rumah. Jika ada lopak air, itulah air mandi mereka.

Bagi Aiman, itu bukan penderitaan – itu adalah pembelajaran sebenar tentang erti hidup.

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Hujung Minggu Bukan Untuk Tidur

Ketika rakan-rakan di universiti lena hingga tengah hari, Aiman sudah bangun seawal jam 5 pagi. Tepat jam 6, mereka sudah berbaris. Sehari suntuk latihan – fizikal, kawad, teori dan amali – menjadi rutin.

Cuti semester pula bukan rehat semata. Tamat latihan tahunan dua minggu, baki masa digunakan untuk aktiviti rekreasi sesama sendiri. Pernah sekali mereka berkayak dari Seberang Perai hingga ke Tanjung Tokong dan Tanjung Bungah, sebelum akhirnya terhenti di Batu Feringgi kerana ombak besar.

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Kehidupan Kampus yang Berbeza

Bila semester bermula, Aiman bukan sekadar pelajar biasa. Ada masanya dia menjadi tenaga keselamatan universiti, ada waktunya dia berbaris dalam kawad Hari Kebangsaan atau konvokesyen. Ada juga aktiviti kelab, makan malam, dan baktisiswa.

Aiman bukan jenis yang suka tonjolkan diri. Dia lebih selesa bekerja di belakang tabir. Namun, setiap tugasan yang diberi pasti selesai dengan sempurna.

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Malam yang Paling Dikenang

Satu momen yang takkan dilupakan adalah malam rejimental. Dengan duit elaun hasil bertahun berlatih, mereka bergaya dengan pakaian rasmi No. 1 dan menghadiri makan malam di hotel lima bintang.

Namun, selepas acara berakhir, realitinya mereka masih budak kampus yang lapar. Aiman bersama rakan-rakan mencari roti canai di gerai depan universiti. Dari hotel mewah ke warung sederhana – itulah kontras yang buat mereka ketawa hingga kini.

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Nilai Seumur Hidup

Bagi Aiman, semua kesusahan itu bukan sia-sia. Apa yang dahulu tampak perit kini menjadi kenangan indah sepanjang hayat.

Sekali seumur hidup, dia pernah merasa susah, tidak selesa, sakit, letih, lapar dan dahaga. Tetapi pengalaman itu membuktikan bahawa manusia mampu mengharungi apa saja.

PALAPES mengajarnya satu perkara penting:

💡 “Hidup ini lebih besar cabarannya. Jika kau mampu di sini, kau pasti mampu di luar sana.”

#palapestd #rotu #usm #ump #ums #utm #ukm #army #tenteradarat #malaysia #university

Obor Semangat Arwah Kapten Rizan Muhammad Aris

Ada insan yang hadir bukan sekadar meninggalkan nama, tetapi meninggalkan api semangat yang tidak pernah padam.

Bagi kami, insan itu adalah Kapten Rizan Muhammad Aris – seorang jurulatih, seorang pemimpin, seorang patriot yang hatinya tertambat pada nusa dan bangsa.

Di bumi Johor beliau dilahirkan, di bumi Malaysia beliau berbakti, dan di bumi asing Bosnia beliau belajar erti sebenar keamanan. Dari sana beliau kembali dengan satu tekad – mengajar kami bahawa keamanan ini mesti dijaga dan diisi sebaik mungkin.

Tahun 2000 hingga 2002, kami – seramai 130 orang pegawai kadet PALAPES Tentera Darat USM – dikenali sebagai Gunturian. Nama itu bukan sekadar gelaran, tetapi panji semangat yang dipimpin oleh beliau. Setiap langkah latihan, setiap titis peluh, semuanya dicorakkan oleh tangan seorang jurulatih yang percaya bahawa jiwa mesti ditempa lebih keras daripada besi.

Masih terbayang derap langkah kami membelah kesunyian kampus di pagi hari. Nafas terputus-putus, tubuh hampir rebah. Namun arwah tidak pernah mengalah – kerana beliau tahu, tentera tidak dilahirkan daripada keselesaan, tetapi daripada kesanggupan mengatasi kelemahan diri.

Dan apabila kami berkumpul setelah tubuh seakan mahu tumbang, beliau akan berdiri dengan wajah tenang tetapi suara penuh api:

> “Tubuhmu mungkin letih, kakimu mungkin rebah.

Namun jiwa yang cinta tanah air tidak akan pernah menyerah.

Ingatlah, Malaysia ini tanah tumpah darah kita.

Keamanan yang kita nikmati bukan hadiah percuma,

ia dibayar dengan darah, keringat, dan air mata pejuang sebelum kita.

Maka, jagalah ia. Isi dan suburkanlah ia dengan pengorbananmu.”

Kata-kata itu meresap jauh ke dalam jiwa. Segala penat lenyap, diganti dengan rasa bangga dan azam untuk terus berdiri sebagai benteng tanah air.

Itulah warisan arwah Kapten Rizan – bukan pangkat, bukan gelaran, tetapi semangat yang mengajar kami bahawa cinta tanah air mesti lebih besar daripada rasa takut dan penat.

Kini, dua puluh lima tahun telah berlalu. Namun api yang dinyalakan itu tidak pernah padam. Kami, Gunturian, masih membawa obor itu. Dan kami menyeru kepada generasi muda:

Hargailah keamanan ini. Ia mesti dijaga, dan ia mesti diisi sebaik mungkin. Jangan biarkan keamanan ini hanya jadi cerita, tetapi jadikan ia tanggungjawab.

Semoga Allah SWT mencucuri rahmat ke atas roh arwah Kapten Rizan Muhammad Aris, menempatkannya bersama orang-orang yang beriman.

Dan semoga obor yang beliau nyalakan terus menyala, menerangi jalan perjuangan generasi yang bakal mempertahankan bumi tercinta ini.

#palapes #usm #palapestd #guntur 

🌿 Hana and the Lesson of Inherent Safety

Hana had just joined a multinational chemical company as a young process engineer. On her first day, she was given a tour of the plant. Towers, pipes, storage tanks — everything looked massive and intimidating. But what truly caught her attention were the safety posters that said:

⚠️ “Safety is not an option. It must be designed.”

Curious, Hana asked her mentor, “Why do we talk so much about designing safety instead of just controlling hazards?”

Her mentor smiled, “That’s because we believe in Inherent Safety. Instead of adding alarms, sensors, and protective gear after building the plant, we design the process itself to be safer from the beginning.”

Over the weeks, Hana was trained in the four key principles of inherent safety:

1. Minimize – use smaller quantities of hazardous chemicals whenever possible.

2. Substitute – replace dangerous substances with safer alternatives.

3. Moderate – operate at lower pressure and temperature to reduce risks.

4. Simplify – make designs clear, easy to understand, and less prone to human error.

One day, Hana was assigned to a project involving the storage of a highly flammable solvent. The original design proposed large storage tanks under high pressure. Hana paused and thought back to her training.

Instead of blindly following the design, she proposed:

• Using smaller storage tanks spread across the site (Minimize).

• Checking if the solvent could be replaced with a less hazardous mixture (Substitute).

• Storing it under ambient pressure and moderate conditions (Moderate).

• Simplifying the pipeline layout to avoid complex valves that often failed (Simplify).

At first, the management hesitated, worried about the higher initial cost. But Hana presented a compelling case: in the long run, the company would avoid costly accidents, environmental harm, and reputational damage.

Months later, an incident occurred at a nearby competitor’s plant that did not adopt inherent safety. A catastrophic fire caused millions in losses. Meanwhile, Hana’s plant remained safe and stable.

Standing in front of the site, Hana reflected:
💡 “True safety is not about reacting to accidents. It’s about preventing them at the source. We cannot negotiate with hazards — we must design them out.”

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📌 Footnote (Reference)

Khan, F. I., & Amyotte, P. R. (2003). How to make inherent safety practice a reality. The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 81(1), 2–16. https://doi.org/10.1002/cjce.5450810102

#safety #hsse #processsafety #engineering #usm #engineer #palmoilmill #miller

🌿 Motivational Story: Hana and the 12 Life Lessons

🌿 Motivational Story: Hana and the 12 Life Lessons

That night, Hana sat quietly on the veranda, staring at the stars. Her mind was full of work challenges, family responsibilities, and hopes for the future. She remembered the words of her old ROTU instructor:

> “Life is not about removing problems. Life is about learning to enjoy the journey while solving them.”

1. Problems Will Always Exist

When her mill faced frequent breakdowns, Hana almost gave up. But she learned to smile even through exhaustion, because problems are simply part of the path to growth .

2. Futures Are Built by Habits

Hana never planned to become a General Manager overnight. She simply built daily habits: waking up early, reading reports, writing machine logs. Those small habits eventually shaped her future .

3. Effort and Attitude Are All You Control

She realized she could not control global palm oil prices, government policies, or even her workers’ behavior. But she could control her effort and her attitude, and that made all the difference .

4. Don’t Ask How to Start — Just Start

People asked her, “How do I begin leading?” She smiled, remembering her own start. She didn’t wait for perfect answers; she just started — speaking up in meetings, offering small ideas, and improving step by step .

5. Purpose, Not Pleasure

There were days she questioned the meaning of her work. The answer came when she saw the children of mill workers she supported receiving scholarships. True happiness was not in pleasure, but in purpose .

6 & 7. Expect Much of Yourself, Little of the World

At first, Hana was often disappointed, expecting the world to be fair. Later she learned: life is easier when you expect high standards from yourself and low expectations from others .

8. The Mind Magnifies Problems

When floods hit the estate, panic almost consumed her. But she remembered: half of the problem is in the mind, making small things appear larger. With calmness, solutions slowly appeared .

9. Repetition Is the Secret

Many sought “the secret of success.” Hana already knew it: repetition. She repeated ROTU drills, repeated mill checks, repeated her daily prayers. From repetition came mastery .

10. Don’t Let People, Money, or the Past Control You

Once, a colleague betrayed her trust. Another time, finances grew tight. But she refused to let people, money, or the past control her. She chose to move forward, free from chains .

11. Opportunity in Challenges

When COVID-19 halted operations, Hana refused despair. She turned crisis into innovation — implementing digital monitoring systems and strengthening local supply chains. Challenges became opportunities .

12. Gratitude Every Day

Each night, Hana wrote down three things she was thankful for. Sometimes it was just a hot cup of coffee, or her child greeting her at the door. She realized her “ordinary” day was another person’s dream .

🌟 Conclusion

Hana finally understood: life isn’t about waiting for problems to disappear, but about building the strength to keep moving forward.

These twelve lessons were not abstract theories, but footprints of her own journey — guiding her from a young ROTU cadet on the parade ground to a resilient leader in the industry.

> “Problems will come and go. But as long as I have effort, attitude, purpose, and gratitude — I will keep walking forward.”

📚 References / Footnotes

1. Lakshmanan, S. (2022). Palm Oil Industry in Malaysia: Efficiency & Transformation. Sandakan Refinery Journal.

2. Duhigg, C. (2012). The Power of Habit. Random House.

3. Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Free Press.

4. Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Scribner.

5. Frankl, V. (1946). Man’s Search for Meaning. Beacon Press.

6. Seneca, Letters from a Stoic. Penguin Classics.

7. Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress. Delta.

8. Ericsson, K. A. (2006). The Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance. Cambridge University Press.

9. Seligman, M. (2002). Authentic Happiness. Free Press.

10. Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC). Palm Oil Industry and Digital Transformation During COVID-19. (2021).

11. Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

#blog #blogger #kembarainsan #engineer #manager #usm #utm #ukm #um #tenteradarat #palapes #rotu

🌱 Hana and the Lessons Beyond the Classroom

During her university days, Hana was not just a mechanical engineering student.

Beyond textbooks and lecture halls, she found her second home in PALAPES (ROTU) and the Recreation Club.

Almost every evening after lectures, while others rushed back to their hostels, Hana tied her shoelaces, put on her club shirt, and ran to the field.
Friends would often ask:
“Why spend so much time in clubs? It’s not academic.”

Hana would simply smile and reply:
"Because this is who I am. I enjoy doing what I love. Academic knowledge teaches you in class, but clubs and organizations teach you how to live with people."

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🌟 Learning Beyond Grades

Through club activities, Hana learned to lead during parades, organize recreation programs, negotiate funding, and most importantly, listen to her teammates.

From these, she developed:

• Interpersonal skills – the courage to speak and engage with people of all levels.

• Social skills – the ability to adapt to diverse situations.

• Leadership qualities – not only to command, but also to guide and support [1].

Hana realized that university was not merely about chasing high grades (CGPA).
It was about shaping oneself to be a valuable contributor to the workplace and society.

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🌴 Wisdom Is More Than Academics

For Hana, academic excellence alone was not enough to define wisdom.

"What use is being a top student," she often reminded her juniors, "if later at work you cannot socialize, cannot understand others, and cannot lead?"

She noticed that many of the most successful people were not necessarily the best academically.
They were those who failed repeatedly, but kept rising again, learning resilience through effort until they proved themselves stronger [2].

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🌙 The Spiritual Dimension

Hana also drew wisdom from her faith.
"The wisest person is not the one with the highest GPA, but the one who remembers death and prepares for the Hereafter," she reflected [3].

For her, every activity at university — studying, leading, serving — was meaningful only when done with the intention for Allah’s pleasure (Redha Allah).

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🌺 Hana’s Reflection

Later in life, when colleagues asked where her confidence and people skills came from, Hana would smile and say:

“I didn’t only learn in the classroom. I learned on the parade ground, in the club meetings, in the recreational forests with my friends.
That was the real university — not just a degree, but experiences that shaped me into someone useful, in this world and in preparation for the Hereafter.”

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📚 References

[1] Astin, A. W. (1999). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Development, 40(5), 518–529.
[2] Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Scribner.
[3] Al-Nawawi, Yahya ibn Sharaf. Riyadh al-Salihin – Chapter on Remembrance of Death and Preparing for the Hereafter.

#blog #blogger #kembarainsan #usm #rotu #palapes 

🎖️ Hana dan Loreng Hijau: Sebuah Kisah ROTU

Tahun 1999, Hana melangkah ke Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang dengan harapan menjadi jurutera mekanikal. Namun takdir memberinya lebih daripada sekadar ilmu kejuruteraan — ia memberinya jiwa seorang perwira.

🌱 Hari-Hari Awal: Denda & Disiplin

Di padang kawad, derap but menghentak bumi.

"Bangun! Push up seratus kali!" suara jurulatih membelah pagi.

Hana, yang belum pernah diuji sebegitu, jatuh bangun dengan tubuh berpeluh, lutut melecet, telapak tangan perit. Ada hari dia menangis sendirian di asrama. Tetapi setiap kali tubuhnya mahu menyerah, hatinya berbisik:

👉 “Jika aku mahu jadi pemimpin, aku mesti tahan ujian ini.”

🪖 Latihan Tahunan: Hutan & Pertahanan

Musim cuti semester bukan untuk pulang bercuti. Ia dihabiskan di kem tahunan ROTU.

Hana belajar bertahan dalam hutan – tidur beralaskan daun, makan ransum keras yang dikongsi tiga orang. Malam, nyamuk hutan berdesing, dan mereka berjaga dalam senyap, memegang senjata, menjaga perimeter.

Dalam latihan pertahanan, mereka menggali parit perlindungan, tubuh berlumur lumpur, hujan mencurah tanpa belas. Tetapi setiap senyuman dari rakan seperjuangan menjadi api semangat yang menghangatkan jiwa.

🔥 CIW & Latihan Serangan

Hana masih ingat ketika latihan Close Interval Weapon (CIW) — menahan keletihan sambil mengawal senjata, berlari, merangkak, menjerit dalam koordinasi. Nafasnya sesak, tubuhnya hampir rebah, tetapi dia bangkit lagi.

Dalam latihan serangan, mereka mara ke hadapan, jeritan “GERAK!” menggetarkan hutan. Debaran jantung berpadu dengan hentakan but, seakan bumi pun bergetar menyaksikan tekad anak muda yang sedang ditempa jadi wira.

🌴 Kenangan Manis & Ikatan Persaudaraan

Di sebalik kepayahan, ada tawa yang tidak pernah padam.

Gelak ketawa ketika berkongsi air masak dari tin periuk.

Nyanyian senandung di khemah sambil menahan kesejukan.

Semangat “sehidup semati” yang terjalin antara mereka, tanpa mengira kaum dan latar belakang.

Itulah kenangan manis ROTU — persaudaraan dalam loreng hijau.

🌟 Hari Pentauliahan 2002

Tibalah tahun 2002. USM menjadi tuan rumah Majlis Pentauliahan Pegawai Kadet.

Padang kawad dipenuhi ribuan penonton, pancaragam tentera memainkan lagu penuh wibawa. Hana berdiri dalam uniform putih penuh, pedang di sisi, wajahnya bercahaya meski mata bergenang.

Saat namanya dipanggil, langkahnya tegap ke hadapan. Pedang diserahkan, pangkat disematkan. Dari seorang mahasiswi, kini dia bergelar Leftenan Muda Hana.

Air mata jatuh, bukan kerana penat, tetapi kerana syukur. Semua luka, denda, latihan hutan, dan malam tanpa tidur akhirnya menjadi permata pengalaman yang abadi.

💡 Refleksi Hana

Bertahun kemudian, bila berdepan cabaran di kilang sawit atau dunia korporat, Hana sering berkata kepada anak buahnya:

> “Aku pernah tidur di hutan, berlari dengan senjata, ditegur, didenda, menangis, dan bangkit semula. ROTU mengajar aku bahawa kepimpinan bukan lahir dari jawatan, tapi dari kesanggupan menahan ujian. Itulah darah loreng yang kekal di hati.”

#blog #palapes #usm #rotu #hana #usm #campus #wataniah 

From Campus to Career: The Engineer Who Grew with the Seasons

When Amir first stepped into Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, he was just another freshman with a heavy backpack and heavier dreams.

He wasn’t the top scorer in his class, nor the one with the fanciest laptop. But what he lacked in resources, he made up for with something rarer — patience.

> “You can’t shout at crops to make them grow,” his father once told him, after watching Amir stress over his first-semester grades. “You work the soil, you give it time, and one day… it grows.”

Amir took that to heart. He studied consistently, never rushing the process. Some of his friends landed internships faster, others seemed to ace every paper without effort. But Amir didn’t compare himself. He trusted his season would come.

🌾 Time Reveals Talent

In his third year, during a group project on industrial steam systems, Amir finally saw the fruits of his quiet persistence. While others scrambled to meet deadlines, his well-prepared notes and detailed designs became the backbone of the project.

His lecturers began to notice.

So did his peers.

The seed was sprouting.

🌻 Environment Shapes Success

After graduation, Amir joined a new palm oil refinery company as a junior engineer. The facility was modern, but the team was young and untested. Many doubted whether they could compete with more established refineries.

Amir’s manager saw something in him and placed him in the boiler maintenance team — an area that matched his strengths in mechanical systems.

The environment was challenging, but fertile for growth.

💧 Investment Drives Results

Amir treated the team like a garden.

He shared what he knew from university.

He learned what he didn’t know from seasoned technicians.

He celebrated even the smallest achievements — a successful pressure test, a smooth shutdown, a safe maintenance turnaround.

Within a year, the team’s efficiency improved. Breakdowns reduced. Safety audits scored higher.

🌤 Protection Enables Progress

When negativity crept in — gossip about management, doubts about the company’s future — Amir countered it with data, action, and optimism.

> “We can’t let weeds take over,” he reminded the team. “We focus on what we can grow.”

🍂 Seasons Are Teachers

Not every quarter was a win. Some months brought equipment failures and tight budgets. But just like in nature, Amir learned that both blooming seasons and stormy seasons have lessons to offer.

By his third year in the company, Amir wasn’t just a junior engineer anymore — he was a pillar of the team, someone whose steady approach had turned potential into performance.

And like any good gardener, he knew the truth:

Growth doesn’t happen overnight.

But with patience, the right environment, and consistent care… it always comes.

They Said She Wouldn’t Make It…

She was just another face in the crowd when she first stepped into the Universiti Sains Malaysia Engineering Campus.

No one saw her as extraordinary.

She didn’t come from a well-known school. Her family couldn’t afford private tuition or the latest gadgets.

While others had laptops with cutting-edge specs, she used a second-hand one that sometimes took five minutes just to start up.

While others drove or rode to class, she cycled from the hostel rain or shine, her bag heavy with notes and reference books.

In lectures, she rarely spoke unless called upon. But she listened — really listened.

Every night, while her friends relaxed or scrolled through social media, she was at the library.

Her friends teased her for borrowing thick engineering reference books “just for fun.”

They didn’t know she was teaching herself beyond the syllabus.

One semester, during a national engineering design competition, she was the only participant from her batch to volunteer.

When the results were announced and her team came second, someone whispered,

"She? From a small town school? How?"

She didn’t answer. She didn’t need to.

She simply kept going — project after project, late-night lab work, countless revisions of her thesis.

She asked questions others were too shy to ask.

She learned from seniors, lecturers, and even technicians in the workshop.

Four years later…

She graduated with first-class honours in Mechanical Engineering.

She secured a job offer from a leading engineering firm before even attending her convocation.

Now, she returns to USM annually to give talks to new students, especially those who feel they don’t “fit the mould.”

And those who once underestimated her?

Some now reach out for career advice.

Because sometimes, the strongest engines are built quietly — and once they start, they don’t stop.

Intern - Pelajar Latihan Praktikal

Semasa belajar di universiti mengikuti ijazah kejuruteraan mekanik, kami diwajibkan mengikuti latihan praktikal selama 3 bulan. Latihan praktikal itu pada tahun 2001.

1. Biasanya tempat latihan praktikal diatur oleh pihak pengurusan universiti atau pun permohonan pelajar sendiri.

2. Dipendekkan cerita, saya mendapat latihan praktikal di sebuah syarikat GLC di Subang Jaya. Pada hari kejadian, saya dengan segala persiapan dari kampung menuju ke Subang Jaya. Apabila sampai di pejabat, saya dimaklumkan syarikat terbabit tidak menerima sebarang pelajar latihan praktikal. Terkejut dengan makluman tersebut, saya pulang dengan hampa.

3. Dari Subang Jaya, saya kembali ke kampus di Seri Iskandar sementara menunggu penempatan tempat latihan. Setelah beberapa hari menunggu, akhirnya saya di tempatkan di sebuah kilang produk metal di Seberang Jaya, Pulau Pinang. Menguruskan tempat tinggal, perjalanan sebelum keesokkannya saya memulakan latihan praktikal.

Fokus semasa latihan praktikal

4. Walau pun tanpa sebarang elaun diberikan, disebabkan pengalaman ditolak, saya mula memasang niat untuk fokus kepada semua perkara yang saya boleh belajar di syarikat terbabit.

5. Saya di tempatkan di jabatan kualiti. Syarikat ini menghasilkan produk metal untuk digunakan kilang pemasangan kereta dan peralatan elektrik dan elektronik. Mereka mempunyai sistem kualiti QS22000 dan beberapa sijil lain. Banyak peralatan jitu digunakan untuk menguji kualiti setiap produk.

6. Saya masih ingat menulis segala perkara dan benda baru yang saya jumpa di syarikat terbabit. Perkara yang tidak ada di universiti dan belajar hanya melalui teori.

7. Bermula dengan sistem kualiti dan pengurusan, nama alat dan fungsi, jenis - jenis produk dan parameter kawalan. Mengikuti proses apabila terdapat aduan pembeli dan seterusnya melakukan tindakan penambahbaikan. 

8. Apabila ditanya, apakah hasil syarikat berkenaan, di mana pasaran mereka, macam mana cara mereka hasilkan produk, apakah parameter yang dikawal, apa nama peralatan yang mereka gunakan, apakah target syarikat mereka, dan apa fungsi setiap jabatan dalam syarikat, saya dapat memberikan perincian dengan baik. Ini adalah maklumat asas jika seseorang bertanya kepada kita, apa yang syarikat itu hasilkan?

Apa pentingnya latihan praktikal untuk masa depan seorang pelajar?

9. Baru - baru ini, saya sempat menemuduga beberapa calon untuk jurutera mekanikal. Walau pun keputusan ijazah mereka sangat cemerlang dan mendapat sijil dekan, namun apabila ditanya tentang perkara asas semasa latihan praktikal, mereka tidak mampu menjawabnya dengan baik. Ini amat mengecewakan kerana latihan praktikal adalah hampir enam bulan. 

10. Sebagai graduan yang baru keluar dari universiti, panel penemuduga biasanya akan fokus kepada latihan praktikal pelajar. Mereka akan uji sejauh mana minat dan keterlibatan pelajar berkenaan semasa latihan praktikal. Apa yang mereka lakukan? Apa yang telah mereka belajar selama tempoh praktikal? Jika banyak soalan tidak mampu dijawab, ini membuktikan pelajar berkenaan tidak fokus dan tidak minat untuk belajar sesuatu baru. Mereka sekadar mahu menghabiskan masa dan demi syarat graduan sehaja.

Saya berharap para pelajar belajar banyak perkara semasa latihan praktikal. Dan seterusnya mencipta sebuah pengalaman berharga. Sekurang - kurang boleh dijadikan pengalaman semasa mencari kerja suatu masa kelak.

Terima kasih kepada syarikat yang pernah menerima saya dahulu walau pun kekadang sekadar menjadi tukang photostat kertas di pejabat.

Universiti Kehidupan

Ketidak selesaan itu adalah pengalaman berharga dalam universiti kehidupan

Bila ditanya, bagaimana saya boleh survive dalam industri sawit dan kejuruteraan hingga kini? Jawapan saya sebab dulu saya PALAPES.

Semasa 3 tahun latihan, kami pernah tidur dalam ladang sawit baru tanam, sawit 10 tahun dan sawit nak tebang. Selain ladang sawit, ladang getah pun pernah. Dalam hutan itu biasa, mara berpuluh km dan berkubu atas bukit botak panas terik mentari. Bila kita buat latihan, maka disitulah kami tidur, makan, minum dan mandi. Jika disitu ada lopak air, maka itulah air yang kami buat mandi.

Jika bukan kem tahunan selama 2 minggu, kami ada latihan 2 hari setiap hujung minggu. Bangun awal pagi pukul 5 dan berbaris pukul 6. Kami buat latihan fizikal, kawad, teori dan amali sepanjang hari. Masa itu rakan kami yang lain lena dibuai mimpi tidur sampai tengahari.

Tamat latihan tahunan, cuti berbaki kami buat aktiviti rekreasi sesama sendiri. Kami buat ekspedisi kayak dari Seberang Prai hingga Tanjong Tokong, Tanjung Bungah, Pulau Pinang. Berhenti di Pantai Batu Feringgi akibat ombak tinggi.

Apabila semester berjalan, kami buat aktiviti kelab makan malam, baktisiswa, jaga sekuriti jaga universiti 🤭, kawad pembukaan konvokesyen universiti, kawad hari kebangsaan serta banyak aktiviti lain. Saya jadi tukang belakang tabir dan sejak dulu tidak suka persembahan diri. Beri saya kerja belakang tabir, sudah pasti segalanya selesai.

Akhirnya, kami bergaya dengan baju mahal No. 1 kutipan duit alaun latihan bertahun untuk makan malam rejimental di hotel mewah 5 bintang. Balik makam malam, kami cari roti canai depan universiti akibat kelaparan 🤣🤭.

Ya, kami bangga sebab pengorbanan itu menjadi sebuah kenangan indah sepanjang hayat. Sekali seumur hidup, jika kita susah, tidak selesa, sakit, sengsara, namun selepas itu ia menjadi indah sepanjang hayat. Ya, kita mampu dan kuat mengharungi segalanya. Kehidupan menanti lebih besar cabarannya.