Ganu, why Felda ? Why now ?

 Sun 7 Dec 2025.

I asked Rahim "what's this about Terengganu and Felda ?"

His one-word reply was "stupid".

After an earlier pre-Merdeka start as a Government land- development project, opening up less than 10 acres per lot in a few states like Pahang (eg Bilut), NS (eg Sg. Lui, Labu), Melaka (eg Macap Umbu, Solok Menggong), the Federal Government passed an Act of Parliament in 1960, firmly establishing the Federal Land Development Authority, to develop large swathes of state land into viable rubber, oil palm, cocoa and even sugar cane plantations throughout all the states except, of course the island of Penang, and because of the customary land areas, Sarawak.

I joined Felda in its 9th year of operation, and stayed for 21 long years. In that time I had visited all the Felda schemes that existed then, including the not-yet-settled schemes in Sabah, Johor, Kelantan and Pahang.

The impact of the development for the whole nation cannot be questioned. The landless poor had been provided with a certain future, with some states gracious enough to allow the migration of settlers from other states because of the natural imbalance between the rural population and the schemes built. The oil palm and rubber crops, especially, brought large foreign exchange income, the very real income, for the country then, as it still happens today.

Every effort was made to secure the financial capital from internal and external sources needed to carry out the expensive development involved. In my stay, Felda was run stringently, diligently, and most economically by technocrats, with zero interference from the politicians. The staff was not paid their worth, by my reckoning, because the management was too stingy to put it at par with the private plantations doing less than what Felda was involved with. As the result, when the last non-political Chairman was replaced by a political appointee, he left Felda with no debts and 3 billions in cash. 

What's happening now, under the political appointees, is another story.

The Felda accounts are there to be scrutinized and laid bare. The management was forward-looking enough to had gone computerized as early as the 70's. All the records are intact. 

Why now the PAS Government in Terengganu wants to undo all the good work ?

The former MB and past President of PAS, Datuk Asri, once was Felda's Minister-in-charge. We even accepted his expansion of PAS activities in the schemes. He certainly knew what Felda was doing in Terengganu.

Is PAS trying to squeeze money from Felda, or FGV ?

Measure if you can, all the good that Felda has brought to Terengganu, against all the accusations of illegalities and land-tampering, raised after 65 long years.

I suggest PAS reads the holy Quran again, and look at the verses on doing good on the land given by Allah, and avoiding greed, jealousy, and  initiating animosity, hatred and quarrels.

May Allah Show His Mercy.

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Felmil was 40 years ago.

 Wed 12.11.2025.

Ridzuan whatsapped sometime last month about yesterday's lunch with about 100 former Felda Mills Corporation staff. I confirmed on line immediately.  I made sure I won't be late for the stated 10.30 am rendezvous at the Seri Kunyit Restaurant in the compound of our old Felda HQ.  So I left the house at 7.30 and walked into the restaurant at 9.30, inspite of following "waze" on a totally foreign route for me, and running smack into the morning traffic snarl somewhere in Jalan Tun Razak.

In fact I was the first one to arrive, and promptly called, in quick succession, Ridzuan and Aziz Zakaria. "The lunch is on ?" I teased Ridzuan. " Of course. Have a breakfast, I'll be there shortly" was his response. Aziz was quick to take my call. I didn't identify myself although we have not spoken for a very long time. Probably I'm on his phone list. "You're early" he said. "As usual lah" was my reply. His house is close by, near Datuk Keramat, just outside the Mindef grounds, which is next to this ex Felda complex.

Actually I had two stints at Felmil.  The first one was when posted as the AGM for 11 months (14.4.1979 - 28.2.1980), then as GM for 3 years (1.7.1982 - 31.5.1985). That's more than four decades ago. How time has flown !

I told Ridzuan this was quite a feat, pulling this number of former staff. I'm a member of 2 alumni associations that are still active, but they can't pull 100 so easily. Sadly for me, though there were only a handful of the ex Felmil staff that I knew and worked with who came. Many are still around, but they couldn't come because of health issues. These are old people, really. Aziz is 84, and I'm 81. So I suppose it's to be expected. I would have loved to meet Salleh Ali and Ramli Adnan, in particular, among the absentees.

I shared a table with Halim Hamid, Aziz Zakaria and Cheang Chit Yew (we called him Cheang cheat you, which he took sportingly). There was simply too much to recollect, reminisce and share in one lunch session like this, so everybody was talking at the same time and full comprehension was jeopardized, but it didn't stop us from going on and on. I enjoyed it, anyway.

Halim and I shared our update on the national politics, and gave our separate resound verdicts. Incidently, I sold some of the book that I had printed last year, about Malaysian politics. "At cost price" I declared.

The sad journey that has been Felda's currently, had not missed our criticisms, among all topics shared. In simple conclusion, I told Halim, all the good work put, and the good money made, while Felda was led by  technocrats, have now been destroyed by the politicians who, gleefully, took over. I believe that the Chairman during our time should have been more generous to us in terms of pay and benefits. After all we were like the other large private and public plantations doing exactly what we were doing. But the managers were paid way above our pay, and the perks were princely, but justified. That was not the case with Felda. Every effort to economize was made. In the end the politicians that replaced our CEO's  squandered all the money saved, and then some. The Chairman could have distributed the profits legally and fairly by adjusting the salaries and improving the perks and bonuses. The staff put in all the work. The politicians later took care of the lot.

Anyway, to me the lunch yesterday was enjoyable. As I left, I congratulated Ridzuan, and suggested he continues this as an annual affair. And not wait another 40 years.

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How fortunate, again.

 Sunday 28.9.2025.

We reached home last night at about half-past ten, Idah and I, from our 3-day Kuantan stay. We left the "De Rhu Beach Resort" at Balok, Kuantan at 12 noon.  So, that was almost a 12-hour lapse. Far from a tragic story, Idah said God looked kindly at us. I guess we were fortunate, alhamdullilah !

This was all about my 15-year old car. My experience is, with old cars you just hope the parts that wear-off don't wear off at an awkward, inconvenient time. My experience also says, that's when things usually happen. This Kuantan trip was no exception.

We left home very early Thursday morning - it was half-past seven. Why ?  The night before, as is my routine before long drives, I wanted to check the engine. But I found the bonnet release lever (bonnet here refers correctly to the hood of the engine compartment - because all Malaysians, English-educated or not, say "bonnet" when they mean the "boot"), or what I thought was the release lever, hanging loose. So I couldn't check my engine, and that made me uneasy, because the journey was going to be long. So I made arrangements with Sam to meet in SJ and let him check and settlle my nerve. It was too late to do anything about it in Seremban. I had to register for the Mubarak session at 2 p.m. in Kuantan, and that should take 3.5 - 4 hours, Malaysian traffic permitting.

As it turned out, I had mistaken a loose fuse cover for the bonnet-release lever. What a relief ! I couldn't even stay for a quick cup of coffee with Sam. It was already 10 a.m. Idah hung on to her seat belt as I beat all vehicles, stopping for a bite at the Temerloh R&R, and via "Waze" reached our destination before 2 p.m. In fact I was the first one to arrive. That's was great, I thought. The old jalopy was intact, and being early, I got a good, roofed parking bay still available. So the car should be safe & sound for the next 3 days, I thought.

When we left for home yesterday, I keyed "Waze" to Kuantan town, to refill, top-up my T & G card, and maybe get an early lunch.

But Kuantan is no more the Kuantan I knew well 25 years ago. The traffic jam is as bad as KL Husni says it's worse than KL. So I found myself going round and round, trying to spot a likely eating place, and failing. So the next petrol station I stopped to refill fuel and top up my T&G card, which had consumed RM 60 coming here. Then we resumed the hunt for an eating place.

When somehow we found ourselves on the old road to Gambang, at just past the Kuantan airfield, the a/c went kaput. No amount of fiddling with the dials did anything good, which I did after stopping the car on the side of the road. I wanted to pee, now, so we resumed the drive a little distance forward, and I saw this Shell petrol station. Suddenly there was a lound clanking sound from engine compartment. I had to stop by the station anyway, but as I did the clanking sound became more distinct, and only ceased after the engine was switched off. What a shock ! Opening the bonnet (thanks to Sam on Thursday) I found the blower-fan housing loose. That was the source of the noise. One of the petrol pump staff was standing near, and he pointed out to where I could find an open workshop, when I told him my predicament. This was Saturday, and some workshops close today, he said. But this was a repair I must do if I wanted travel any further.

We went to the first workshop. The young Chinese mechanic came to look under the bonnet, and promptly said they don't do this type of work, but helpfully suggested and directed me to two possible workshops close by that can do this kind of work, if they're open today, he added.

I don't know what made me choose the second workshop suggested, but I did, and in the end it was a good choice.

"Along" a Malay mechanic runs this workshop, and has several assistants. Two other cars were being worked on, but the 2-door workshop (twice the one-lot sizes of the neighbours) seemed capable of having my problem looked into. Along took one look and said my blower fan had jammed and the housing had simply been tossed out, hanging on to the compartment and making all the noise. Along said he didn't carry any spare parts, but would call around, hoping, this being Saturday, some are still open.

Luckily, one of his regular suppliers was still open ('until 5' he said), and texting the chassis number, the supplier said he had the part, but it's original and cost RM 2,000. Of course I didn't have so much cash with me, but the supplier said he accepts credit cards. Phew !

The only thing is, this supplier is in Beserah, half-an hour away. So Idah and I bundled into his assistant's Myvi and took about 1 hour to fetch the part.

The worrying thing was, when Along unwrapped the spare part, and looked into the engine compartment, he saw some alignment problems. He had a lengthy discussion with his assistant. I became worried. I told Idah, we may have to spend another night in Kuantan. It was already 3 p.m. We haven't had our lunch. I haven't done my Zohor prayers. I called Dekna and Adik. No replies. Later Adik returned the call. I asked him to call Seri Malaysia Kuantan. There were no rooms available. I wasn't going to spend RM 300 for other good lodging, so we just hoped the repairs could be done, and done in good time.

Fortunately, it was false alarms about the spare part compatibility. There are some design changes, the computer check had shown this original fits. We felt relief.  The assistant in fact was meticulous, taking the pins and screws out carefully and never rushed in his task. He even insisted, upon completing installation, that we test the blower, and this took time, because the fan will not turn before the engine reach a certain temperature. I had the urge to say "ok, we accept to work and leave". It was getting late. I was imagining  the long, dark ride home. Idah said let him finish his job properly. So we waited. "Dah gerak !" he exclaimed. The fan was working. He put back the last piece of hosing, and closed the bonnet.

The assistant returned the change for the bill that I paid in cash, but Idah said let him keep the change. "Give it to your daughter. Ask her to ask you to get a new brother" I said. He had told me that he only has a 6-year old girl, and that his wife had a miscarriage recently.

It was 6 p.m. I told Idah we could be home by midnight. It fact we was nearly 2 hours earlier than that.

What if the breakdown happened when we were on the highway, far from any workshop ? What if it happened on any other road without any workshop nearby ? What if we were caught in the middle of the jam ?

Again, how fortunate indeed.

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Felda 2025.

 Tues 26.8.2025.

I'm from Felda 1969.

In two days time, FGV, just 13 years  after being born out of the IPO in 2012, will be delisted from the stock exchange. From the initial listed price of RM 4.55, Felda will pay just RM 1.30 for each share. That's an investor's loss of  RM 3.25. That's probably  RM 3.2 billion.

RM 4.5 billion was raised after the IPO. Felda received RM 5.5 billion. Whoever bought FGV at that time are burnt beyond recognition. I understand some notable corporate bodies were involved, such as EPF and TH. If so, the work is cut out for them to cook up the explanation to their respective shareholders.

I speak with a service of 21 years and 9 months in Felda and its Corporations. My last post was the GM for Felda Transport Corporation. I resigned  from Felda on 31.12.1990 to join another large corporation.

From 15.3.1969 to 13.4 1979, from age 24 years and 9 monts, for 10 years and 1 month,  I was with Felda "Proper". My last post, as the Area Controller for NS , was from 12.2.1977 to 13.4.1979 (for 2 years and 2 months ). From  14.4.1979 to 31.12. 1990 ( for 11 years and 8 months) I was "seconded" to Felda Corporations, serving in 3 different Corporations. I was first the  AGM for Felda Mills Corporation from age 34 years and 4 months, for 10 months. Next, I was the GM for Felda Trading Corporation from age 35 years and 9 months, for 2 years and 2 months.  Then I was back to Felda Mills Corporation, this time as the GM, from age 37 years and 5 months, for 2 years and 8 months. From age 40 years and 6 months I was the GM for Felda Transport Corporation for 5 years and 6 months.

I write, therefore, with substance, and say that it's with a heavy heart that I see the loss of direction endured by Felda, not from a weak basis for its original foundation, but by criminal misguidance, by the political  agenda inserted into its fold over the last 25 years. The amount of money that could have gone to the proper coffers with disciplined management is staggering, to say the least, but more devastating is the absolute wastage of sound material and golden opportunity laid out before it, as the result of the hard work and cost-conscious toils of the early Felda staff, operating from its spartan hq to the tough and bare  scheme offices, in the days of the non-political land-development grand design.  I'm talking about the days when every dollar spent had to be accounted for, and every hour in the field had to be recorded. 

The first political appointee was the late Dr. Yusof Nor from Terengganu. He wasn't too bad, because he often said "No". Those politicians that came after him were all going for the "yes".

I remember the first time the idea mooted for an IPO was first heard. I was one of the opponents - outside the decision-making group, of course. But we didn't stop, among ourselves, even if our voice didn't count, much less heard, objecting to the very idea of going public. Our simple argument was, Felda wasn't cash-strapped. In fact Felda had plenty of excess cash. All government loans were fully paid.  Why not. Oil palm was our main produce, and the world demand was always there. Our staff salaries and perks were not like the private plantations. In fact, among us GM's, some were even embarrassed to be seen alighting from our modest staff Peugeots when attending outside meetings with other corporate managers, coming in their Mercedes' or even Volvos.  When plantations like Dunlop were regularly paying 12-month bonuses to their estate managers , Felda Corporations were at pains to squeeze 3 months, at the most. And don't even try to compare the basic salaries lest you die laughing. The point is, costs were paramount. Thrift ruled.

The one warning our group of dissenters gave out was, why should Felda, with its immense potential, open itself to unfriendly takeover by going public. There was even the joke then that through "Temasek" Lee Kuan Yew could become the next Chairman of Felda.The thing is, in the US, very successful public companies make themselves private so as to avoid unfriendly takeovers.

I guess there's money to be made when large corporations go public - the banks, investors, arrangers etc. A lot of money. That's the convincing argument for producing FGV. Now this is the turnaround.

It's Felda 2025.

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A daughter's care, and about Malaysian health care.

 Tues 19.8.2025.

The door  reads:

Dr. Hamid Hj. Ghazali

MD (USM), MS (UKM),

Board of Urology

Pakar Perunding Urologi.

But this was Kuantan, Pahang.

Here at home in Seremban, Idah had complained of severe pain in her abdominal area about a week ago. As usual it was off to Dr. Miszua. No government clinic for her in spite of my repeated pleas "even Bang Dek goes to the Government clinic, and he was the State Secretary !" The complain, of course, is always about the big crowd. But you can't avoid that.

Anyway, Dr. Miszua suspected she was having bladder / kidney stones, and gave the appropriate pills as immediate temporary relief. The pain went away for maybe a day, and it came back, and it was off to the doctor again. This time I went along to ask for a letter for referring her case to the medical specialist at HTJ (if any). I got the letter. And none too soon. The very next day she had the attack again, and Dekna dutifully took her mother, with that letter,  straight to HTJ. It was about 7 p.m. They were there until the next day.

Dekna said HTJ asked to have alternative examination for the bladder and kidney infection. To get to the local urologist, she has a whole year to wait ! One bloody year !

Dekna didn't waste any time going to the next step - a private clinic examination.  An ultrasound scan at Mawar gave the confirmed images of 2 stones lodged in the bladder and kidney. Next Dekna took her mother to an Urologist at KPJ. The full brief on the medical situation was presented. Then she got on to Dr. Hamid in Kuantan. An appointment was made for Monday 18.8.2025. Dr. Hamid must have pushed aside other patients, that's for sure. The point is, Dekna pulled it off.

They had to leave for Kuantan Sunday. It's not just the distance that confronted them; the traffic wasn't going to be a picnic.

Dekna quietly cried when she bade me goodbye. "She's the only mother you have" I tried to console. I couldn't meet her request that I come along. I had an appointment with the bank and my Treasurer from MUBARAK NS on Monday afternoon, regarding our Koperasi accounts.

Dekna kept us, me and her brothers, updated, almost by the hour. So we knew Idah didn't sleep - she kept going to the toilet, until finally there was blood in the urine.

Before 8 a.m. Monday they were already at Dr. Hamid's clinic. But it was only at noon that Idah got inside. She had to undress fully for the procedure of "laser shooting".

What a big surprise for everybody !

"Auntie ! What do I shoot ? There's nothing to shoot !" the doctor exclaimed.

Apparently the stones have been excreted. That was the blood in the urine last night.

So instead of a second night in Kuantan, by 7 p.m. Monday both mother and daughter were back in the house in Seremban.

And I got my "kacang goring Sempalit".

That, briefly, is a daughter's care. For the government, that was your care for the people.

Nothing wrong with my daughter. Everything wrong with public health care in the country.

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My beloved Habib's repeat of 9.12.2024.

 Sun 17.8.2025.

For the last week or so, the internet connection in the house had been going crazy - on and off, on and off.  I tried to call Telecoms through "100", but like everything in Malaysia now, all public services have gone "on line" with scant regard for Old Timers like me, born pre-"AI", with no familiarity with all these gadgetry-smart 'phone connections. The recorded Telecom answer asked to do this and that until "your time is up" and the line went dead. Yesterday, Saturday, Dekna was home, so I asked her to call Telecoms to complain about the internet disruption. Of course she got through, and eventually got the assurance that the technicians would come this Sunday morning, 10.30 a.m.

I waited from 10.20 a.m. until 2.15 p.m. before 2 very young technicians wearing Telecoms t-shirt finally came. They said they were not told about the 10.30 a,m. part, only to come and solve the problem. So they took little time in just replacing the old black router with the separate modem connection with a brand new "combo" unit that requires no separate modem. The internet line is clear, but the old router has internal connection problem. That was the brief explanation from the young man. Great. My table is neater - only one piece of equipment, with one cable, and the other pieces and cables that cluttered the table are now gone. 

That's not my main story here.

It's a repeat of what my dear, lovely, Habib did on 9.12.2024.

At about 12 noon, I was reading the whatsapps on my phone when a red car drove up to the gate. The Malay driver came out as I got up from my seat to see if it was the Telecom team I was expecting. Instead the man asked "is this child yours ?" pointing to a child I could spot just the top of the head under the front left-seat window of the car. Why, it was Habib !

I grabbed him, and he stiffened his body, making it more difficult for me to pick him up. "My grandson !" I exclaimed, repeating the words to the woman who had come out of the back seat. "This is the second time" I repeated a few times to both man and women, without explaining what I was talking about. "We saw him there, and knew he had snuck out without the parents knowledge. We opened the car door and he just climbed in" they both said, motioning to the same road that Habib took the first time. Climbing in is understandable, because Habib does that all the time when the parents want to take him out in their cars, and he loves riding in their 2 cars.

I thanked the couple profusely, without so much as asking for their names and where they were heading, because they're not local. But I think they know how I felt, hearing that this was a repeat performance, and I certainly know how they must have felt, seeing Habib on the road alone, obviously straying from parental care. Thank God all ended well, and thank God these kind couple found Habib and did what they did - to look for Habib's parents.

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Zara Qairina Mahathir.

 Tues 12.8.2025

One month ago, on 16.7.2025, Zara Qairina was found unconscious and injured at the bottom of multi-storied dorm of her SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar, Sabah. The next day she died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where she was taken to and put on life-support. Apparently the school claimed then that she had fallen from the 3rd floor of the dorm. No post-mortem was performed.

Noraidah, the mother, had seen several injuries on her daughter's body during the ritual bathing of the remains. The family sounded the need for a post-mortem. But it was only 2 weeks (30.7.2025) after her daughter's mysterious death that Noraidah made the Police report, demanding for an inquest and post-mortem. 4 days later (3.8.2025) she made another Police report, detailing the injuries she remembered seeing on her daughter's body.

On 8.8.2025 the AGC issued the order for exhumation and post-mortem. The exhumation was the next day, followed by an 8-hour post-mortem by a team of 4 forensic experts. 25 days had passed since the tragic death.

Apparently, the family has access to recordings of reports of bullying and threats of bodily harm on the girl's phone.

The big question is, why was a tragic  death from obvious physical injuries, under questionable circumstances, not fully investigated by the Police straight away in the first place ?

The next question is, why did it take that long for the surely grieving mother to go to the Police ?

I have 4 children of my own, who are grown up now, with children of their own. I know how it must have been devastating for poor Noraidah. Words won't describe it.

I pray that the authorities will now finally do what should have been done straight away on 17.7.2025. All facts must be established, compromised as they are by our own absolutely avoidable failures. I also pray that we all can learn, repent and improve from this sad and tragic episode. I know it's easy to say after the event. I know it'll not bring back Zara Qairina. I know only God Knows Noraidah's feelings and thoughts. At least I say my prayers, and show my sympathy. I must.

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