Burn Or Earn Money

On the 22 August 09, I went back to my hometown. While driving on Tuaran-Kota Belud highway I saw a reasonably priced car wash. I stop by because my car was covered with mud since it was heavy rain in estate. I interviewed the boy running the shop. He said he is from Negeri 9 and he rented the space. His intention is to collect money and further his study in landscaping. Such an enterpreneur in the making. Good luck for him to earn money.

When I reach my village I was taken aback by an explosion at the junction. I slowed down, look around, and feel releived when I realise it was children playing bamboo canon. I stopped take a picture. I notice one of the canon have a crack and tell the boys about it but they ignore it by saying "no problem." Lucky they just use the fuel(kerosene) only without a real explosive additive such as . . . nitro from any high N fertiliser. But that could burn more money or more than that!

Blessed Ramadhan Has Come

I'd like to wish all Muslims a blessed Ramadhan. May Allah accept our deeds. Ameen.

INSTANT HOUSE

We are familiar with instant noodle, instant do-it-yourself cupboard and furniture and instant. Everything getting simpler. Now, even a house can be made instantly. I have seen one building like this in Marakau village in Ranau Town. This one is just by the Sandakan-Telupid highway, which is completed within one week according to the worker.

Here is the standardized wall.

Thin roof and ceiling made of half inch asbestos.
Windows come with grill and a nice corridor.
I think, someday many people in our land will have house like this. Yes?

BE CAREFUL WITH THIS ORNAMENTAL

Today afternoon I went to my wife's garden. She was so enthusiastic to show me all she have there and asks for suggestion on how to improve it. I told her that the Aglaonema spp. is quite nasty in plantation because it is difficult to eradicate. Normal dosage of weedicide is not effective against it. It grow vigorously and no apparent pest. If we send people to slash it, it multiply by the number of cutting.

Aglaonema spp

Aglaonema spp belongs to Araceae family same as the Alocasia macrorhiza or "bagiang" in Irranun language. I suggested it must be contained in pots. My wife slash the corm of the Aglaonema but she was unfortunate when the plant juice splash to her left eye. She can not bear the pain and instinctively run to nearby tap to wash her eye with plenty of water.

Before the incident

Still in pain, she went inside the house and apply breast milk but still not cured. She also used the Eyemo but still in pain. Tears run constantly until after 2 hours. Now after 4 hours her eye still red.

After affected by Aglaonema juice

I have search the internet and found these two properties of algaonema spp toxicity to human and pets.

1. Oxalates: The juice or sap of these plants contains oxalate crystals. These needle-shaped crystals can irritate the skin, mouth, tongue, and throat, resulting in throat swelling, breathing difficulties, burning pain, and stomach upset. Call the Poison Control Center or your doctor if any of these symptoms appear following ingestion of plants.
2. Dermatitis: The juice, sap of these plants may cause a skin rash or irritation. Wash the affected area of skin with soap and water as soon as possible after contact. The rashes may be very serious and painful. Call the Poison Control Center or your doctor if symptoms appear following contact with the plants.

(Source: http://www.plantsciences.ucdavis.edu/ce/king/PoisPlant/Tox-SCI.htm)

Please be careful when handling the plant and keep the algaonema from curious children!

WHERE PERSUASION DOES NOT WORK!

This tortoise came from a brook near our mess(dwelling). It almost run over by our logging trucks. One of our clerk noticed it and took it. I quickly take my camera to record how tortoise walk across the road and how fast. I also want to take the picture of its footprints.

We lay the tortoise on the ground and waited. I want to see the cute fingers of tortoise to come out. I waited some more. I persuade it to come out of its shell by putting vegetables in-front. No avail. A staff knocked on its back and its head pop out a little. I snapped a picture.

Almost an hour waiting. I fail to see how fast tortoise run.

INVITING DISASTER

Our people are moving to new area closer to highway and villages. They have been moving since yesterday until this afternoon. Those near to the location just crawl to new location. Some have to hop on our timber lorry and sent there fast.

The nearest way to the new area is by passing in front of our office. So there are bulldozers racing to it. (Note the wire line above our office).

The bulldozers have arrive first without fuss. Every excavator on the lorry will have the problem of how to go through the hanging live wire. The quick solution for it is by climbing the excavator steel arm then grab the live wire and push it up. There... they made it.


But that was a dangerous maneuvre and it is inviting disaster. The hook-man could fall or worse electrocuted and die. There are some options to solve the problem. Just ask for it.

BETTER ROAD LEAD TO BETTER PLANTATION's PERFORMANCE

Road in Melabau Cepatwawasan at about 10 degree slope.

Farm tractor usually stuck when it reach this point.

Most plantations in Sabah Land Below the Wind are undulating to hilly. Only a few with flat to undulating area. For me, road construction is most important in ensuring better plantation's performance in future. It can saves life too.

My experience in some of Kwantas Plantations Estate and in Cepatwawasan, I faced a great challenge arising from bad roads. Sometime I ask what in the mind of the manager allowing the construction of road like that.

Here are some consideration when planning and designing road for oil palm plantation:

Not too steep: the inclination must be less than10 degree.
Not too far apart: the best is 14 to 16 palms apart to facilitate better maintenance such as manuring and harvesting.
Be constructed first before terracing.
Chambered with proper side drain.

All these consideration will help:

Reducing vehicle maintenance costs and breakdown
Reduce road maintenance costs
Increase vehicle efficiency
Increase workers productivity thus motivating them.
Save time
Save life

To make better roads a reality a manager should get a consensus from bottom, the machine operators, and up the top management. Here, the operators, staffs and supervisors, and managers were called to attend the lecture on Better Road Constructions and Designs by Senior Manager Mr. Jumiran Muin.

Note the road at the back has an inclination of 6 degree.

Senior Manager giving lecture.

Audience

Water That We Take For Granted

Water After Cleaning

Today I have to go out of our fortress because I ran out of drinking water and I have to fetch four pail of water by wife brought with her in Beluran. Everybody had warn me not to go our using Kg Rungus road since there are hooligans making a blockade on the road. According to some contractors the slashing machete was also laid on the road.

Upon reaching the blockade I saw no machete but two 2'' by 4" planks was laid across the road. There was three cars with around 13 people guarding. Some of them start to shout bad words and instigating others to join in.

I switched the car off and alighted. I asked them why is that log on the road. I heard a woman voice saying that it was a reminder not to speed-up when passing their area. I told them that I never did so they let me go through. But I can sense their hatred towards us the developer. Therefore I decided to return to estate tomorrow morning when everybody is asleep.

That was the consequences of ramming the villager house when our surveyor loose control of his vehicle after someone throw stones at him while driving by.

Back to the water problem, all these while we drank rainwater in our tank. The water discoloration worsen as day pass by. Until one day when the shitty smell cannot be tolerated anymore we send our clerk to have a look. She took these picture and netted out the insects from the tanks. We SEE several, yuck, shit bugs (a Coleoptera which loves to play with wild animal dung, and even human and dog feaces).

Our Clerk Climbs the Roof

Several Bugs Afloat

Since that we have to take water from clean sources. Mostly we have to buy outside. But how to go outside if there are people waiting to beat us. Today I gamble my er... life.

WHITE CHICK VOODOO!

Yesterday we were threatened using white chicken. The "encroacher" said if we continue developing the land they let go the chicken and our people DIE. How true is that statement has become a major discussion in the estate.

Some staff said jokingly the cure for the magic spelled by that villager is the chicken itself. Find it then eat it. Some suggested to find a black chicken and release in in the jungle as a counter attack. Ridiculous.

Today early morning some our bulldozers was stopped again by 15 goons. They stopped one of our contractor's manager Mr. Lo Chau Min then they cursed him and hit his car. This incident is witnessed by three staffs who followed him.

They even threaten our staffs by saying words like "Kamu limpaslah kalau mahu muntah darah" (go ahead if you want to vomit blood). The villagers have cast their magic spell accross the road. They were so aggressive according to the manager but he manages to get through.

Does anyone knows how to get rid of white chick spell and vomit blood spell? How true is it? Now we will wait if people die... Tommorow all land clearing will be halted.

Fascinating Flora In Disputed Land

Today our land development team is scheduled to make a "firebreak" as a strategy of winning the disputed land. We have prepared 13 bulldozer for that purpose. I followed Senior Manager (SM) and the Manager (M) to the field, in case a brawl break I can lend a hand or two.




By virtue of SM and DFO persuasion and negotiation skills all unfavorable incidence was avoided. Therefore we cleared the land within minutes.

Meanwhile, I wander around and notice some of the flora has aesthetic value. These flora are rarely seen but here we have to scrape it. I took one hoping it can be planted near my dwelling. Here are five pictures among several types of pitcher plants or carnivorous plants(at least five). And a Platycerium coronarium (staghorn ferns)

Pitcher Plant Inflorescence

Another Kind of Pitcher Plant Inflorescence

Long Pitcher Plant

Round Pitcher Plant

Staghorn fern

ITS GETTING HOT HERE

IT IS GETTING HOT HERE. Almost one week without rain.

After long weekend I am back in the estate. I like the atmosphere of chasing and being chased. Back to work! I can hear heavy machinery roaring from afar and I see people carrying makeshift camp and flag to hide from harsh sunshine. They work very hard to earn a living. Don't we all?

Before I start my own work I walk around and talk to them. These people are paid piece rate of RM 0.06 per bag for filling it with top soil. They claim that they can fill up to 2000 bags per day of 0600 hrs to 1800 hrs. For me it is quite good.

Frequent visit by Department of Forestry is expected, but today there was DOA's officer of Beluran visited us to inform the SM the compensation for one OP aged 5 years is between RM80 to RM110 per palm. But for our case the officer set it to RM82 per palm.

Tomorrow, there could be war between the villagers and us, the developer, since we will claim the land encroached by them. I hope nothing bad would happen.

Last week on Friday night our surveyor reportedly was assaulted and caused him to loose control of his vehicle thus rammed on on of the villager house. The house owner also claim for compensation. Our surveyor is afraid to go out of estate because he receive threat from the villager. Police report had been filed.

Situations are heated up and become more complicated.

Mt. Kinabalu Never Fail To Amaze Us

Either far or near the majestic mountain Kinabalu always amazes us. A lot of tales and mysteries about this mountain. A Sabahan is not complete without at least seeing this mountain. A visit to Sabah is not complete without visiting mount Kinabalu. A visit to Malaysia is not complete without visiting Sabah. Sabah Land Below The Wind, the land where helpful and friendly and happy ("aramaitii") people live.

Demise of a Breadwinner

On 30th July 2009, auntie Limbuan Hj. Ibrahim passed away. May God bless her. Al-Fatiha...

The struggles she endured was tough. Being a mother and a father at the same time and years of toil had hardened her. She successfully brought up her children and thought them love and survival.

She is one of a great inspiration.