Chapter 2 My Younger Days

My initial encounter with a planter was when I was a teenager residing in an estate,namely Ratanui Estate,Telok Anson,Perak.As a young man I and my friends knew the estate like the veins of my hand.Hunting for birds with our catapults and catching fishes,fighting fish and "Haruan".

Being a low lying plantation there were systematic drainage every where with plenty of fish to catch.The water of such drains were never deep and the water very clear so much so we can see the fish hiding among the weeds.Catching them with bare hands were almost impossible although water were crystal clear, so we relied on chopping them with a long "parang".That way it yielded us some excellent results,only the poor fish will be in two pieces.

Sometimes we were more lucky as we could ransacked those traps set by some fishermen.Yes, we stole from them (those childish pranks),very often such fish were hell of a big size.At times we were not so lucky because as we put our hands into those traps we might held on to something very queer and shaking vigorously.As we drew up our hands we were caught in surprised a wriggling snake.In fright and in amazement all of us will yelled out aloud,"Wah!!! - "Ular" huh???",discarding it with a fast flung with all our might.Throwing the poor critter away on to the bush of the field.Well,most water snake were poisonous snake fortunately we were never bitten.

Snakes, I was aware do not attack or bite anyone unless we pressed them real hard hurting them then only they attacked.Well those were the my initial days in a plantation.We knew the Manager of the plantation was a European and we never met him in the field as we always played in side the fields where he can never see us.In any case we always avoided him and never dare ventured near to his bungalow although it was never fenced.

Those days the Manager's bungalow were never fenced.It was also a common believe that all the Managers of plantations were fully armed with a shot gun and even a pistol,let alone he had armed watchman rounding his bungalow at all times.Some where in 1959 I had an unfortunate encounter with one,where I was forced to see him,just because a worker reported to him that I assaulted his son.

Having been summoned to the office that afternoon to face him.In reality I was scared stiff - to see a "kwai loo"(white devil) woh!! surely I was frightened.On reaching his wooden office I saw the one I beat up and he was smiling as though I was surely going to be punished.So what I thought I have punched him I must not show that I am scared of him reporting to the Manager.

So I put up a brave front as I knocked on the door of the Manager's office and walked in when called.Politely I wished the Manager,"Good afternoon,Sir".He seem pleased with my gesture.What a stupid looking boy with tattered clothes, with almost unbuttoned shirt,dark,dirty and rugged looking.He was somehow very nice and said to me,"Hey! young man it seem you hit him?am I right?".

"Yes,sir,I punched him well and good",I replied."But why ?you are both friends?"he further asked."No sir,he is not my friend.You do not call such a bad fellow - friend,I have no such friends",I further replied."Now,now young man I don't like that,now you tell me the reason you hit him",he again asked sternly.

"Sir,I and him went to the field at the back of this office to cut firewood.In that field many young rubber trees and many dried old rubber trees.We saw a big branch on a huge dry tree and I decided to cut it down.Seeing my bicycle was having a tiny carriage and his got a bigger carriage,I made an agreement with him,that is I cut down the big branch and he was to provide transport for all the big branches back for me while I carry the smaller branches,and it was agreed that we share the wood as soon as we reached home".

"So I climbed up that huge tree and cut that branch down.As agreed he carried those bigger pieces of the branch back and I carried those smaller branches.On reaching home his sister saw her brother's load showed praises as if her brother was very clever bringing big branches back while I was a disgraced.He felt very proud refusing to share those wood with me ,so getting angry,I threw a couple of punches on him.Yes Sir, I punch him many punches and his swelling face was what I did to him".

"Did he cut down that branch?",he asked the other boy."Yes,but I carried those wood with my bicycle",the other boy replied."Then why did you not share those wood with him?",he again asked."But I carried those wood with my bicycle",the other boy again replied."I again asked you why you did not share the wood with him?",the Manager again asked.Still the same replied came.The Manager got extremely angry turning towards me told me," Hey boy,you did right.Now you can go home - next you punch him add a few on my behalf",he said.That replied put me on cloud No,9.

I thanked the Manager and walked away but as I walked away I heard the Manager scolding the man who made the complaint advising him to take of his son.At home I put on an air as I told my other friends about it."Ya,the Manager now my friend,see complaint against me,Manager liked me "chui mia"".The boy's parents could only banged ............Don't know bang what,your say.

Those days the European Managers were reputed to be ex-soldiers,that was the reason why they do not like dishonest people.Being ex- service men these Managers were often very rough and when angry can yelled at the top of their voice.Another thing they like to be "sir" all the time.

That was the year I think I saw the first Chinese Plantation Manager,being chauffeured driven in into a European owned plantation.Those were the first Chinese planter promoted from the rank and file.Later there were other Indian planters also promoted from the rank of chief clerk,mostly "Malaiyalee".These people monopolized that position throughout all if not most of the agencies.This was so because they always recommended their own kind at these levels to the Managers concerned.

Dunno,but apparently most of these "Kwai Loo" have a closer relationship with them.Many of those Manager depended on them to take care of their accounts,especially most of these planters were never well versed with accounts.It was well known these lot of people really know how to handle the accounts the Manager wanted them to be handled.They being the nearest to the Managers were often the first choice to be successful as plantation manager that should they possessed the ability to please the Manager,and most do.

I should know because I learn many things the hard way through these people should I want to get a long well in the planting world.Besides most of my good friends those days were them,with them I learn the tricks and trade of a planter,especially those left behind in their clerical fields.These

With that later young planters were recruited as cadet planters whereby promising young men were trained to be planters.The most notable Agency was Good trees Sdn.Bhd.Being in a Chinese owned concerned I there looked forward in joining such a prestigious outfit in the near future.At that time the minimum qualification was only a pass in Overseas Cambridge School Certificate Examinations.Anyway that was my initial aspirations.