The 2026 UMNO General Assembly.

Thursday 10.9.2026

The 2026 UMNO General Assembly is supposed to run from 9.9.2026 to 12.9.2026.

Already the 6,400 delegates from 191 Divisions have both made and heard bombshell pronouncements expected of this crowd this time.

There are reasons for these outbursts of bravado. But the truth is, it's all talk.  For now.

Sure, the Johor and NS State Elections were pleasing to UMNO, and they are predicting (or hoping) similar results for Melaka, next.

Perhaps a look at the hard numbers would bring the jubilant crowd at PWTC down to earth.

Johor was ok, because UMNO had the numbers. But it won back only 3 additional seats.

NS gave joy to UMNO because their 16 seats made them the biggest party, thus regaining the MBship. But it was only 2 additional seats, and by itself still short of the overall majority by 3.

The trend over 2 whole months on the calender was actually only nominally upward. But it's not ground shattering. 

In Parliament right now UMNO has only 26 out of 222 seats. The Tsunami of 2018 had rubbed UMNO's nose to the ground for 8 of the last 67 years, and don't pronounce this number in Cantonese ("lok chat").

Making grand noises out of possible pardon for the country's chief crook wouldn't sell among the 20-million ordinary voters, outside the 6,400 at PWTC now. 

Making friends with PAS now may not be the wisest move for UMNO. You don't embrace a proven enemy of 7 decades just because he slides to you with a smirk (and a Grand Plan) cooked up in the last 2 months. Watch out for that "kerambit" inside his "jubah" sleeves. PAS called UMNO "infidels" while proclaiming guidance from the Holy Quran. They made friends with DAP before. Bersatu more than helped them in the 15th NS State Elections, and today they chucked Bersatu aside like dog-shit.

The next GE must take place  only 24 months away. It would  be different from the State Elections. Johor and NS have not proven anything monumental.

Mark my word.

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Facts, not perception.

 Wed.26.8.2026

UMNO organized a "National Meeting (Musyuarah Nasional)" last weekend to debate on the TH RCI, and to not "politicize" it. I was invited to attend, but declined. I know where this is going.

The former Auditor General spoke at the event.

She said the 2017 accounts were examined differently by 2 auditors - the AG, who found the RM 3.4 billions profits; and Price Waterhouse, who found RM 1.4 billions losses.

So who's right ?

In a law court, 2 sets of lawyers stand opposite each other on the same case. One says "guilty"; the other "not guilty".

Who's right ?

Go to the facts, I say.

Lay out one by one the evidence for judgement. Let everyone see.

In the court case, if it's murder, the body is there. The crime is committed. The criminal is named.

In the accounts audit, the audited books are there. The cash flow is traceable. The signatures are all there.

Facts, not perception.

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RCI: TH now, FGV next.

 Mon 17.8.2026

The TH RCI is before Parliament right now, and it's huge. Even if only 40 of the 222 Parliamentarians have registered to debate it. 

PAS and Wawasan walked out. So much for substance for Hadi and that turncoat, Hamzah.

The sitting Agung is quoted to have directed that Felda should be next. And I singled both out in my last blog.

TH is the story of the rakyat wanting to "mengerjakan haji" (to do the holy pilgrimmage).  Sadly it has become the story of TH managers "mengerjakan Tabung Haji"(to slaughter TH).

At the outset all of us should follow the full disclosure and pray that Almighty God Bless the search for truth and bring out the crooks to face the appropriate sentence in this present world itself - the eternal punishment is for Him, and that is certain.

What whetted the appetites of the crooks was the billions before their very eyes. It was too much.

The RCI lists the 14 companies that need to be fully investigated for suspicious transactions amounting to billions.

Of course there is that thing about the awarding of  huge bonuses that the crooks gave each other, but the millions, though digustingly big, are nothing compared to the slaughter of the Tabung.

How can these so-called Muslims commit this robbery !

Is there no fear of Allah, in TH of all places ?

Felda has earned its place on the bisecting table, too. Open it all up, and catch the crooks. One has been caught. Get the rest. A chartered accountant worth his salt can do the forensic accounting easily.

Spare no guilty souls.

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NS 16th State Election & some issues drawn.

Sat. 1.8.2026

Today the 867,151 voters in the state should cast their votes in the 16th State Election since Independence. NS is the only one doing this, just like Johor did last month. Not out of necessity. Out of wasteful "pride".

The term that the out-going (meaning going out, not energetic) MB ended was only 33 months into the 60-month term. Strictly, that should mean no pensions for the first-time servers (but they'll find a way out). 

The point is, this is totally wasteful. These elections are not cheap. The rakyat is paying for the whims and fancies of these politicians.

The MB took exception to the critics, in his own "Pakatan Harapan",  about the way he handled the "Adat" case between the state ruler and his 4 Chieftains.  There are better ways at going about that "crisis" than to scrap the entire government and bring everything to screeching halt.

All the issues, of course, became fodder for the election campaigns by the candidates and their backing Parties. Right up to last night PMX (soon to be XPM ?) dug up old dungs. One explosive issue is the 4-year old RCI on Tabung Haji.

For 21 of my early working years, I served Felda. It was 1968, when "LKTP" was just 8 years old. The pain I feel now about the FGV debacle cannot be amply described in one paragraph.

The same goes to Tabung Haji.

Both Felda and Tabung Haji can be traced to the late Tun Razak directly. The noble intentions that he had should make him a saint, and I sincerely pray that Allah Grant him the blessing he deserves. Too bad his oldest son does not contribute here.

Like great leaders in human history, Razak Husein recognized good ideas, and the good men behind them, and in position to act upon that, he did, and in the righteous way.

LKTP was Tun Ismail's baby. Tabung Haji was conceived by Ungku Aziz. Both men deserve honourable mentions in the annals of Malaysian history.

The original source of funds for Tabung Haji was the mini-savings of the pious Malays who scraped and skimmed their modest income to do the compulsory pilgrimmage they were taught in their Islamic teaching. Ungku Aziz saw this when doing his studies in the rural areas, especially in Terengganu. Setting up a fund was the logical solution to this "bottling of pennies" in the kampong house.

Uncoordinated land development by some states, with poor management, was taken up by the DPM in the early years of Merdeka. The Parliamentary Act of 1960 established Felda. What can go wrong planting rubber and oil palm on a large scale ? The British did it and sucked untold billions into Great Britain.

By the time Felda and Tabung Haji were seized by the politicians, Felda had RM 3 billions cash, TH 10 billions. Putting the greedy politicians in charge was like having rats falling into the rice bin ("macam tikus jatuh ke beras"). 

The FGV debacle and the TH RCI tell the rest of the story.

Most importantly, the perpetrators are still around. Specifically, PMX should proceed with the needful immediately. Isa for FGV and Najib for TH are just the tips of the icebergs.

The NS "Adat" crisis ia another lingering pain "in-the-you-know what".

What NS is going through here happened 250 years ago. There was a solution. Why can't they do it again ?

Of course it helps when everybody behaves in a civilised manner. But when people, who ought to know better, don't do better, the worst happen. What we need is calm & collectedness, not madness. Stoking the fire ("batu api") is not sane, much less helpful. 

This is a country ruled by law. Get the law to solve things. Even if the Adat champions protest, it's imperative that Law intervenes. The right rakyat will see what's right.

The "Undang crisis" wouldn't have happened if the holders of the title are more thoughtful. Some had modest backgrounds, and landing the Undangship, which is for life, should have been appreciated. Some  let foolishness overide sanity. 

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A Tumultuous May

 June 1, 2026.

A tumultuous May.

That was what it has been.

The Mubarak NS Committee Meeting had been rescheduled so many times that, once the date was affirmed on the 'phone, I had Letchmy sent the written notice out immediately. Otherwise a new round of rescheduling would have followed.

Even then there was an ongoing exchange about how, when and which route to take for the long trip to "the Saddle Resort". I just told Foo to get the 30-seater bus, and Letchmy to ask everyone coming, to meet at the Royal Chulan before 10 am, after which we'd leave with whoever came.  Eventually, we were only 10 minutes late.

This Kuantan was just an ordinary committee meeting, to tie up loose ends in preparation for our AGM in exactly 1 month's time. That AGM date, too, was quickly locked in, with the notices and invitation going out at almost the same time as with the Kuantan meeting. But meeting in Kuantan was rather extraordinary, because  this is an NS association. But the President was not well, and travelling would be strenuous. So we went to him, instead.

It was in fact, sadly, a farewell visit for our Tan Sri Dato' Mohd. Yazid bin Baba.

I did comment to a few other committee members, when we met next in Seremban for our Subcommittee Meeting on 15.5.2026, that the Tan Sri looked much worse than the last time we were at our meeting here in Seremban. Then on 28.5.2026 we were informed of his admission to the University of Malaya Medical Centre in KL. Dr. Krishnan and Foo paid a hurried visit, but he was already on drips and oxygen.  At 4.45 a.m on 31.5.2026  he succumbed to his tragic condition. He was 93.

On 27.5.2026, I had earlier received the sad news about Aziz Hassan's passing in hospital. He was a friend from RMC days since 1962, more than 62 years ago. We were in the same Company, "B". and through the years would bump into each other for Hari Raya visits and OPA gatherings, right up to this year. He died from a lung infection that spread to other vital organs. He was 80. 

After MCE in RMC Sungai Besi, Aziz went to Sandhurst, England, for his Military training. He rose to the rank of a  3-star Lieutenant-General.

Since last year, I had been checked for worsening eyesight because of cataracts. Finally I was put on the waiting list of the HTJ ophtomologist's cataract operation patients. That was a good 6 months ago.

Finally my date for the operation was fixed for 11.5.2026. But on 8.5.2026 one of the doctors personally called and said this operation had been rescheduled to 25.5.2026 because of "an emergency".

That meant I had to get my eye operation done one day before Aidil Adha. That meant no Aidil Adha prayers for me. And no Raya visits.  Because until today, 1 week after the operation on my left eye, my sight has not fully recovered. I have to put in the anti-biotic drips  every 2 hours, cannot rub the eye, cannot kneel and "sujud" when I pray, and must sleep with the eye protector on.

30.5.2026 I was supposed to join Hank to Spider's 80th birthday bash in his house in Section 16, PJ. My delayed cataract operation meant that this party also had to be missed.

I hope June would be more sedate.

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Nismilan, oh Nismilan !

Wed 29.4.2026

It's been almost a fortnight now that NS has witnessed the sudden, surprising  political catastrophe that seems worsening by the hour. As more make their feelings public in the wide open media, qualified, veritable, mischievous or otherwise, the muddy becomes even muddier. And as the Nismilan folks themselves would put it, some people are "scooping for fish in muddy water". Some are "diving while drinking the water". Which technically is suicidal.  But these are obviously "opportunists". Which in the case seems also suicidal.

Since the issue involves the highest Lawmaker in the State, who referees the quarrel now ?

As the scenario worsen, people may lose sight of what is at issue here, in the first place.

This was about the MB quickly making an official statement that his Government, and that should include the 14 UMNO Assemblymen now catching the spotlight, stands by the Yamtuan's decision in the Dewan Keadilan dan Adat, that the hitherto occupier of the Undang of Sungai Ujung's post's removal by his clan last year, had now been accepted, and that that person is therefore no longer the Undang.

With no evidence of consultations, either with the MB, or more importantly, with the UMNO Supreme Council, all 14 UMNO ADUNs called the press release of "withdrawing support for the MB", for his support of the Yamtuan. 

This seems like the "honour" of UMNO Assemblymen being tarnished by the MB for supporting the supreme constitutional leader of the state who supported the relevant clan in its own Luak Sungai Ujung issue,  which began last year. What investigation has the UMNO group done to drastically differ with the Dewan Keadilan's findings, if ever it has the authority and means of doing so ?

Talking about "honour", what about the coalition Pakatan Harapan's implicit working agreement among it's members ? This State Assembly was the PH Assembly. That's why UMNO Assemblymen were in the Government, including the State appointed "Senior Exco" as that man himself declared just now. That's why the DPM and a number of Ministers are from UMNO in the Federal Givernment.

If the UMNO Supreme Council accepts the stand of the 14 NS Assemblymen, then "honourably" the DPM and the other Ministers from UMNO should, like the Senior Exco in NS, resign from their posts, return their official cars, and vacate their offices. If they don't, let the rakyat see what "honour among thieves" is the rule of UMNO politicians. Anwar can survive in the 222-seat Parliament. UMNO has only 26.

As for the Undangs boycotting State functions, let them. State Laws don't require their signatures to come into effect, do they ? Maybe if the MB looks at the allowances guidelines, the Undangs will get in line ?

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Azmi anak Bangyong.

 Sun 26.4.2026

It was half-past-nine yesterday morning, when I decided to do some chores that needed urgent doing. I could have started from anywhere in the list of places that needed to be visited. Somehow I chose SIGC - to settle the club's monthly due.

That's when I met her in the cafeteria of the club.

She's now a PR in San Fransisco, USA, and has been there for more than 20 years. She's back for a short visit, and would be gone any day now, and we'd never meet again, most probably. And we wouldn't have met yesterday if I chose to come to the club later than I did.

Bangyong, her late father, was one of the many brothers I knew very well when we were in Bukit Temensu, our kampong. Our homes (my grandparents, in whose home we stayed) and Pak Ngah Omar and wife Mak Wo Sipah were next to each other on the Jalan Tampin main road.

Bangyong was Baharudin, a soldier who was married to Cik Gu Maimunah. One time, many years later, when I was already working, I was driving behind an army truck, and there was Bangyong at the back of the truck. I honked and waved, and he immediately spotted and recognized me and waved back.

Ita was the younger brother I went to TMS with. Jiman was an older brother who went to private school in Seremban and later married and settled in Seremban. Then there were the sisters I knew very well - Zizah, Maimun, Inah, and Jun.  Alas, all have left us.

My childhood in Bukit Temensu was until I was in Form 3, when I joined the RMC. But we were in a close society in Kampong Bukit Temensu.

Azmi is one of 2 sisters, but I don't know what happened to the other one. I'm told she\s in Seremban, somewhere. I'd met Azmi once before, when she came back from San Fransisco, also for a home visit, but that was many years ago. That was how I know then that she's in the USA.

Yesterday, it was instant recognition all round. Azmi also recognized Idah, and called her Kak Long straight away. She said she's Poad age, which I whatsapped to him later, and he concurred. I told her Poad went to study in Wisconsin, where he met Karim, another Bukit Temensu boy, who was doing his PhD at the same university there. Poad and I visited Karim's house when I went to attend Poad's graduation from the university in the late 80's.

Azmi said she remarried after the passing of her first husband, Hanif, who was Deputy Director of Education in Seremban,  which was 20 years ago. The new husband is an 80-year-old Irishman who had came with her to Malaysia a few times before. Syed Rahman later told me that Azmi had remarried more than once, which surprised me. Syed thought she could be teaching music now, something she had learned young. So that, and Hanif's good pension should take care of expenses, I guess.

Syed said there are a few houses Azmi can put up in Seremban, including her own house here, maintained by one of the relatives. She, like the rest,  can't go back to Bukit Temensu, because before Ita passed away he had decided, for all his surviving siblings, to dismantle the ancient grand Malay house that Pak Ngah Omar and Mak Wo Sipah called home, and sold the expensive "kayu ponak" materials to Salleh Md. Nor (Tan Sri, Dr.) who had sometime ago told me himself that he plans to rebuild the house in his late mother's kampong in Johol. Salleh grew up with his parents in the Istana Hinggap staff quarters, just next to this Mak Wo Sipah's house. That's how this buying the old vacant house came about.

I got Azmi to write down her address and phone number yesterday. "In case I go to the States again". Maybe I would.

It was all too short, and Azmi left first. But not before she also paid for our roti canai, which she signaled as she left the payment counter.

She's half-a-world away now, for the memory that's half-a-century old. But we  should treasure our common beginnings.

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Sacking counter-sacking

 Sat 25.4.2026

This NS circus has gone on for a week now, this sacking and counter-sacking. First it was the Yamtuan who sacked the Undang of Sungai Ujung (the name I'd picked to be my blog tag, because I stay just around the corner, nothing else). Then, obviously tit for tat, the sacked Undang said he was sacking the Yamtuan. When the MB stood by Yamtuan's earlier decision, all the other Undangs (Johol and Jelebu, and the unconfirmed Rembau one (actually there are now 3 claimants) plus the Tengku Besar Tampin, came out to scold the MB and promptly claimed to sack him, too.

Wo ! hang on ! This is a real circus now !

What happened to Procedure and Protocol ?

Is there Law in the Land, Minangkabau or whatever ?

Rais Yatim came out fast and furious, blurting history, complete with Minangkabau pronunciations he always claim to master. The history is fine, but the final solution he offered isn't final. Being quick on the draw is not the measure of sound judgement, and he should know, having burned his bridges before and then coming crawling back to the main theatre of turmoil. 

If I were the MB, and I'm not, I'll cut the Undang Sg. Ujung allowance, and his electicity and water supply. I'll get the LA to get the AG to interpret the law so that the right person can make the right decision, because the Adat is implemented by the Adat people, not the court.

On the "sacking" of the MB, the Undangs, and much less the Tengku Besar Tampin, have no authority. The MB won an election. Only the Dewan Undangan Negeri can remove him.

My grandfather was from the Suku Biduanda.

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Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik (18.9.1943 - 4.4.2026)

Thursday 9.4.2026.

He was one of us.

A group of us OP's ("Old Putras", former students of the Federation Military College, renamed Royal Military College in 1966) were having a meeting on Wednesday, 8.4.2026, at the  OPA Penthouse, Saujana Golf Resort, Subang. Of course we'd all heard about the deeply sad passing of one of our own, Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik last Saturday. In fact that day (Wednesday) was his date of final interment. OP Aziz Rahman had suggested someone write an article on him. I  volunteered. 

History decides the greatness of public figures. Let it do that to Liong Sik. The accolades have poured in, and deservingly. We the OP's  want to look at it from our viewpoint. 

What has transpired in his time in this country is worth pondering, and deeply so.

Let me pick some facts of the case, as it were.

I didn't know him personally, but I've met him a few times, and our lives sort of "connected" in a number of ways. I was in "B" Company, like him. I went to see him and his Chief Secretary when I was the GM of a large transport company in the 90's. That Chief Secretary to the Transport Ministry, the late Dato' Dr. Mohd. Nor Abd. Ghani, was my first cousin. My brother, Dato' Mohd. Fadzil Mohd. Yunus had a house on the same road as Liong Sik's at Damansara Height. I mention this because, of course, I visited my brother often at his Jalan Setiabakti 3, Damansara Height address.  Very much later another brother, Dr. Mohd. Fakharuddin Mohd. Yunus, also first reported for duty at the Penang GH., as Dr. Ling Liong Sik did earlier.  And as an active member of UMNO at that time, I followed the upheavals of the politics of BN in which Liong Sik was a deeply-involved stalwart.   

68 long years ago, 15-year old Ling Liong Sik, the young Foochow boy, who was born in Kuala Kangsar but  attended the King Edward VII School in Taiping, joined the Federation Military College in Port Dickson, NS. Then he went to Singapore for his MBBS, was posted as a doctor at Penang General Hospital and served for 2 years. In 1968 went into private practice in Butterworth, on the mainland.

Those locations were well-spread, geographically. 

In the same year (1968) he joined the MCA.

The record says he was in FMC Port Dickson for 3 years, in Forms V to Upper 6, was given the Regimental Number 200727, and put in B Company. While there he once attended the "Outward Bound" course at OBS, and Hank says he was one of the only two who got "Honours". Passing out of College, he was admitted to the Singapore University Medical Faculty as an 18-year-old undergraduate. 

10 years into MCA, and he entered the 5th General Elections of 1978 as a Parliamentry candidate for Mata Kuching, Penang. He won, and thus began his remarkable career in active Malaysian politics, although  his Parliamentary seat later moved all the way to Labis, Johor.  That career lasted  26 remarkable years, through  6 GE's, (1978, 1982, 1986, 1990 , 1995 & 1999). In Malaysian politics, that's incredibly reselient.

I say a remarkable political career, because in the process, among many other things that he did, without everyone even today realising it, "Budak Boy" Ling Liong Sik became, up to now, the only Chinese Prime Minister of Malaysia, in 1988 ! Check that fact.

The 1987 chaos in UMNO with it's eventual dissolution and the break-away Semangat 46 formation, all brought to the unavoidable, historic appointment of Budak Boy Ling Liong Sik as the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Sure, he stayed  for 12 whole days only (4.2.1988 - 16.2.1988) before handing the post back to Tun Dr. Mahathir, but he could have kept it, and Malaysian history would have been different today. Maybe it was because both got their MBBS from the same University . 

Anyone else would have kept that PM chair !

The special camaraderie that FMC infused then (I say "then" because it's gone now)  must have been in the heart of Liong Sik, and must have saved the country from further chaos at that time, because after 12 days he handed back the Premiership to the New UMNO. The constitutional turmoil must be read up in another story. But suffice it to say that Ling Liong Sik remained true to FMC upbringing. The alma mater didn't forget. In 1996, as OPA President, he was  chosen as  OP of the Year.

Some birth dates are equally remarkable to look at..

He was a doctor at 23.

He was the Parliamentary Secretary of the Local Government and Federal Territories at 33.

He was the Deputy Information Minister at 35.

He was the Deputy Finance Minister II at 39.

He was the  Deputy Education Minister at 42.

He was the MCA President at 43 and kept it for 17 years until age 60.

He was the Transport Minister at 43 and kept it for 17 years.

He was the Prime Minister at 45. (Tun Dr. Mahathir was PM at 55).

Finally, the country's highest award, the Tunship, was conferred at age 61.

At the helm of MCA, Liong Sik quietly did to it what the others since have undone - making the party more "centralised" by adding English-educated members to its central working groups. FMC especially took great pains to uphold the racial integration in the English-medium education  framework. It made it easier for the UMNO ground supporters to accept MCA into the upper echelons of the BN leadership. Liong Sik himself spoke in moderate and civilised tone, compared to the firebrands of today. When I met him with our operational issues, which obviously he would not know in detail, he never interrupted the presentation, very unlike some other exasperating UMNO Ministers that I had met in the course of my work.

Out of the active limelight, 2 significant court cases might be considered to have marred his distinguished public service. The first one was in 2010 when he was charged with his role in the Port Klang Free Trade Zone land case. The second one was in 2015 when Najib sued him for libelous remarks about his (Najib's) failure in the Finance Ministry. However, let it be put on record that the tough Old Putra  emerged unscathed in both cases. He was acquitted in the first one, and  got costs from Najib who withdrew his suit.

My little piece does no justice for Liong Sik.  His breed was rare. 

But he was one of us.

Rest In Peace, brother OP. 

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Remembering Felda Angkut days.

 Sat 24.1.2026.

Jamaluddin called last week. He's not listed in my mobile phone, so I ignored his first call. Wisely, he resorted to messaging in the Whatsapp, requesting to call again, which I answered straight away. It was an invitation to Felda Angkut's Golden Anniversary last night at the Tenera Hotel, Bangi. Of course it's now "FGV Transport", but to me it's the Felda Angkut of old.

I was GM from 1.6.1985 - 31.12.1990 - a five and a-half year stay. I was 40. I'd been GM in 2 other Felda Corporations prior to that. At 35 in 1980 I was the GM for Felda Niaga, from 1.3.1980 to 30.6.1982. From 1.7.1982 to 31.5.1985 I was the GM in Felda Mills Corporation. 

But in the end, my service in Felda Angkut was the longest stint in my entire varied working career that ended at the end of 1999, which was also my official retirement age of 55.

The  fact that it was a 50-year celebration, and that it was 35 years ago that I left Felda Angkut, made it easy to decide to come. Jamaluddin was the Felda Pasoh settler's son I took into Felda Angkut at the request of his mother, who was a member of our Board. I not only gave him a job, but also a wife, because I recruited a girl from Bukit Temensu into Felda Angkut at around the same time, and they met and eventually got hitched together.

Jayos, Hamdan and Zainal Ujud also came, and we were from the same old establishment. The other CEO's at Table 6 last night were from outside  old Felda, as has the entire FGV establishment been formed.

We were honoured with small plaques, which was ok, I guess, but the crowd did not share any close reminiscences in the staged presentation. That would have made the night memorable to me. But it's an FGV function, so what can I say. But a few people did approach me with recognition. There was Salleh, from HQ, Syed Alwi, who was in Temerloh, and Mat Darmin's daughter whom I also recruited. And Jamaluddin, of course.

Jayos had told me he was coming yesterday, and we met at the Magrib prayers before the start of the function, as  did Zainal Ujud. But Hamdan I missed completely, when in fact we were at the same Table 6. Only later did Jayos tell me, as we were both leaving the hall, that it was in fact Hamdan who was sitting beside him. He did not at all look like the Hamdan that I knew well, and he did not communicate with me the entire time. Maybe I also did not look like the guy he knew the 21 years I was in the Felda Group.

How time has passed, and the world around us has changed. Many of us are gone, and the Felda I knew is also no more. The inheritors of Felda Angut spoke of the company's progress through the past 5 decades, and I say "good for you". But you can't deny the place of history, and cannot compare the hardship endured by the pioneers with your proudly declared achievements through the years. And remember also the hard-earned successes of old Felda compared with the tortious management of boardroom FGV. Maybe they are two different animals, requiring two different evaluation.

I'm the past, like Jayos and the others. But what you have now came from the past.  Appreciate that.

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The 1MDB High Court Judgement.

Sat 27.12.2025.

I have to be specific about this being a "High Court Judgement". 

The 1MDB case has taken 7 years, involved 76 witnesses, concerned RM50 billion, and one Jho Low is still lying very low somewhere. And some 3 million UMNO members are still said to be behind the now guilty Najib. And there are still the Appellate and Federal Courts. And all kinds of legal processes and conflicting minds, hovering around. And the Agong. So it's only a High Court verdict, by one Collin Lawrence Sequerah, yesteday, Friday, 26.12.2025. 

The High Court Judge took 5 hours to deliver the judgement, and found Najib, the former Prime Minister, who is a son of a  former Prime Minister, guilty of  all 21 counts of money-laundering charges, and all 4 counts of abuse of power in making illegal transfers of money. The jail sentences for the 21 cases are 5 years each, and the fine of RM 2 billion.  For the other 4 cases, it's a jail of 15 years each, and the fine of RM 11.38 billion.  The jail sentences are to run concurrently. That's 15 years. After the 6 reduced years being served in the SRC case now.  And failure to pay the fines means 5 more years each. 

This judgement came 4 days after High Court Judge Alice Loke rejected the "addendum" case Najib had pursued in attempting to turn his already reduced jail sentence  in a 2020 SRC verdict to "house arrest". It wouldn't have mattered. 

In my 2024 book "The Sungai Ujung Diary - Talking Politics", I have written about this 1MDB case several times.

On page 200,  "1MDB" was wrtten 11 years ago, on 16.12.2014.

"1MDB - the sequence", on page 209, was written  on 13.3.2015.

"Is the PM A Crook ?", on page 217, was written on 8.8.2015.

"UMNO 2015 AGM, the Najib Show", on page 226, was written on 12.12.2015.

"Najib girds up for GE 14", on page 264, was written on 6.7.2017.

"Sumpah Laknat", on page 379, was written on 10.12.2021.

"Najib Goes To Jail", on page 393, was written  on 23.8.2022.

In any other country, this very tragic story would have ended.

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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.

................................................................... 

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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Pulau Tengah, and 5 OP's Johor trip.

 Sun 3.8.2025

I drove back from Pulai Spring Resort, Senai, Johor, on Friday, together with Hank, after spending 3 days on Pulau Tengah, and the last day in JB. It was essentially a Chua Jui Leng treat for us, and it was  great. Certainly it wasn't cheap. But I don't think Chua even gave cost a thought. And there's a likelihood that Hank could make a second trip. Chua wants him to help with the mango bud-grafting thing. Hank had already suggested to me that if we make the next trip, we could take the new KTM KL-JB speed train being launched  this month.

There were five of us - Chua, our generous host, Herman, Francis and the two of us from Seremban. We go back to PD 1961. Herman and Francis flew by Batik Air from Subang, and returned the same way. Our drive from Seremban on Monday took us about two-and-a half hours, not including the pit stops senior guys like us always need. That made Herman to call several times, thinking we couldn't find our way. I'd been to Pulai Spring Golf Resort, for golf, maybe two decades ago, but "Waze" helped this time around. I don't recognize the road anymore. Actually, my second son is with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia just next door.

The first night we stayed at Pulai Spring Resort. Chua used to own it, but sold it about 25 years ago, and the new owners are obviously turning away from golf to more lucrative plans. But Chua maintains some connection and keeps some facilities here. I parked my car in his two special parking bays for the entire Johor stay. Pulau Tengah is a product of Chua's diversification after his Pulai Spring venture.

Chua gave us a taste of his "Black Thorn" durians that afternoon. I learned that he has 100 acres of durian. Wow !  On the way to Pulau Tengah the next day, he picked up some more durians. That evening 2 other OP's joined us for dinner at Pulai Spring - Dr. Shaharum Ujang and Zach, both our juniors from RMC Sg. Besi. 

Tuesday morning we drove to Mersing in Chua's Mercedes 350. It took also about two-and-a half hours, but since Chua was driving much faster, I think the distance is more than Seremban-Senai.

At the Mersing jetty, we took a boat with a huge outboard motor, capable of carrying about 20 people. The 9-nautical-mile crossing  took about 30 minutes. There was some swell,  and the boat took hard thumps repeatedly. I was worried I might get sea-sick, but it was soon over, and we reached the Pulau Tengah jetty.

Chua owns the sole resort on the island. He said some friends had asked if he owns the island, which he doesn't, of course. He has 22 chalets, or villas, evenly divided into 11 "n's" and "s's" - meaning north and south. Hank and I were assigned "10 S", which meant that we were the second last one on that line. But Chua said ours had the best ocean view, and took the other two OP's to our place to show them what he meant. 

This resort isn't cheap, and it wasn't meant to be, I suppose. On our stay it was a lot of "Mat Salleh" and one large well-dressed Malay family (meaning well-heeled, I'm sure) that we saw. For the two of us in our chalet, for 3 days and 2 nights, I estimated to Hank, the cost was for each RM 3,000 for room and RM 360 for food & drinks. The chalet itself was very comfortable and spacious, and should offer no cause for complain to the guests that come here. "10 S" could accommodate, easily, 5 adults, and looking at the bath tub size, all 5 can get in at the same time !

Chua calls his resort "Pulau Batu-Batu", but that's normal for hoteliers. But Pulau Tengah has a checkered history.  The island is 3 km wide, and the highest point is 200 feet from sea-level. It was uninhabited, but had a  wild boar population, so much so it was called, earlier, "Pulau Babi Tengah". But for 9 years, between 1970 and 1980, some 120,000 South Vietnamese refugees called the island home. It was the UN Refugee Council Transit Camp for those escaping the Communist regime that had earlier chased the Americans from South Vietnam in the Vietnam war. The story was, the refugee boats were loaded with gold bars that the obviously affluent Vietnamese took with them heading for mostly USA, and a much lesser number to Europe and Australia. The one thing that has left positive results for Chua and his resort operations must be the complete disappearance of the wild boars. The hungry refugees ate them all up. Plus whatever monkeys and iguanas that must have been there.

Chua said he nets a profit of about RM 3 million per year here. That sounds very ok, because the number of rooms is limited, while operating hotels and resorts isn't cheap.

The most interesting part of Pulau Tengah is the turtle hatchery.

From 2015, a volunteer project turtle hatchery was started. Since 2019, turtle watching  had been expanded to turtle conservation.  Specifically, 2 species are monitored here - the Green turtle, and the Hawkbill turtle. Between 2015 and 2018, 25,200 eggs were laid, and 13,800 turtles released to the sea. The student volunteer said the adult would return in 30 years time. The sad part is that out of 1,000 released, only 1 survives to adulthood. That's the scientific fact. Chua said the Sultan had suggested that the hatchery keeps them for 1 year and "get stronger" before release, but the scientist contradicts that supposition. 

We witnessed the release of about 90 turtles from the hatchery on our first night on the island. The next day we were briefed by the university student volunteer on their noble work. I think this is simply wonderful, and the State and Federal governments should pour money and expand efforts in this noble enterprise, especially when there are innumerable little islands in Malaysia that can provide physical bases.

Our last night was in JB. Chua put us up at a small but quite old hotel just about 400 m from his 25,000-sq. foot bungalow, next to a vacant lot belonging to the Sultan.  He has been here the last 25 years. That explains the close palace contact. In fact the similarly huge bungalow next to his once belonged to one of his children, but it was never occupied and had been sold at a huge profit to the current neighbour - a Singaporean, if I'm not mistaken.

We had  another durian feast in the garden beside the house. After dinner, all adjourned to the durians. Hank had the most, I think. Again it was  "Black Thorn" and "Musang King". Here Dr. Shaharum and Zach joined us again. Chua, Herman and Francis had their "Blue Label" whiskey, while the rest had "Ribena". I took all of 3 "seeds" of durian, when my doctor tells me to eat no more than 2. The Type 2 diabetes I'd been diagnosed with since 2000 compels that.

There were interesting facts I got during this enjoyable trip. Francis Teng is the owner of "Hero Supermarket" that I frequent, because it's the nearest to my house. "Giant Supermarket" was the previous one, 5 years ago, but that also belonged to Francis. He said the sale is about RM 1 m monthly, but he's losing money there. I suggested to him he could easily double the sale if his customers get better parking facilities. "Take over the 100-car parking next door, give customers who purchase more than RM 60 parking vouchers" I said. "And go to the CPO NS, plead to relax the aggressive Police enforcement at the moment", I added. But Francis knows better.

Then there was Dr. Shaharum Ujang, the retired IJN heart surgeon, now running his private practice here. He's from Terachi, KP, exactly the same kampong my father was born. Dr. Shararum also referred to Hashim Meon (Tan Sri). I told him Hashim was my neighbour in Damanasara Utama, PJ, before he moved to Shah Alam. We were in the same mosque committee in Damansara Utama. Hashim also has some family relationship with my father's side, I think, because when my first cousin in Terachi died, he came, and when her oldest brother, Dr. Md. Nor Ghani died, Hashim also came. Dr. Md. Nor (Datuk) was Dr. Ling Liong Sik's Chief Secretary.

This was a memorable outing for me. I think the others also enjoyed it. Hank is responsible for my attendance. I remember Chua very well when in "B" Coy in FMC Sg. Besi. I remember meeting him at the 4th. College, University of Malaya, the week new undergraduates reported for enrolment in 1965. I spoke to him. He was talking to another guy. When asked if he was enrolling, he said he was going overseas. When we used to meet at the OP's gatherings, both in PD and Sg. Besi , however, he said he can't remember me. It doesn't matter. Pulau Tengah, and 5 OP's Johor trip, is memorable.

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Mahathir.

Fri 11.7.2025

100 years old yesterday.

That itself is remarkable.

Looking at him, live on the media, moving about, mixing around, driving, and speaking, slower now, but still clear and clever, and remembering President Jimmy Carter who died recently at exactly 100, wheelchair-bound, not saying anything worthy, looking weak and helpless - no one can not appreciate all of this.

I came in direct contact with Mahathir on 29.11.1993, when he came to officiate MISC's brand new haulage company's yard at the North Port, Port Kelang. I was the GM. As part of the morning's ceremony, he boarded one of our also brand-new truck bearing the number plate "2021". I chose this truck. We didn't have a "2020". I pointed out the plate number to him, not saying anything. He got the message instantly. "The year after" he said, smiling to me. Of course I was referring to his then much publicized "Vision 2020". Wow, I said to myself.

All we Malaysians have to do is look at his tenure as the country's political leader and just mark out the institutions given birth to in that period, you know, Universiti Kebangsaan, Bank Islam etc. Look at the country's economy. Look at the international episodes that heaped praise for the country. Dig out the private stories, eg a foreigner who said there was this great Asian leader who's doing something brave and wonderful in the Middle East, and he was referring to Mahathir.

Not posting this blog, miniscule as it is, would be a sin for me. There's much more under all those records avaiable, both here in this country and internationally. Let somebody bring all out, good and bad, and see the man Mahathir.

The "All quiet on the Western Front" right now in the Malaysia news is a sad reflection, not on Mahathir, but on us all. 

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