Loose Fruit vs Lost Income pg8 - Sime Darby Plantation

Sime DarbyPlantation’scontributiontowardsSustainableFuturesIn SabahDato’ Seri Abdullah signing the commemorative plaque to mark the launch of Sabah Development CorridorStaying true to its mission of “Developing Sustainable Futures”, Sime DarbyBerhad, through its plantation arm Sime Darby Plantation Sdn Bhd, pledged itscommitment to help Sabah conserve her priceless jewel – the Ulu Segama ForestReserve – home for over 5,000 orang utans.The commitment, in the form of a RM25 million contribution over a period of 10years makes Sime Darby the single largest private contributor to the conservationproject. It was inked in a Memorandum of Understanding signed between SimeDarby Plantation’s Executive Vice President, Dato’ Azhar Abdul Hamid and SabahForestry Department Director Datuk Sam Mannan during the launch of SabahDevelopment Corridor (SDC) at the Sepangar Container Port, Kota Kinabalu onJanuary 29, 2008.Sime Darby Plantation’s booth features the company’soperations in Sabah apart from the global upstreamand downstream operations.Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was present to launch SDC –Malaysia’s fourth economic corridor. Also present were the First Lady Datin PadukaJeanne Abdullah, Sabah Chief Minister Dato’ Seri Musa Aman and wife Datin SeriHjh Faridah Tussin.The MoU with Sabah Forestry Department, which was one of 13 MoUs signed atthe launch by various parties involved in SDC’s 18-year implementation plan, willamong others involve the identification of areas within the Ulu Segama ForestReserve for rehabilitation and restoration of orang utan’s habitat in the area. Italso entails the joint development of forest rehabilitation and protection planand development of educational programme for promotion of environmental andconservation awareness. Both Sime Darby and the Forestry Department will alsoform a partnership agreement on the financing of the project.Dato’ Azhar receiving Dato’ Seri Abdullah atthe exhibition booth.Speaking at a Press conference the next day to announce the contribution, Presidentand Group Chief Executive Dato’ Seri Ahmad Zubir Murshid said: “This is a longtermpartnership and a 10-year commitment. Basically, we are contributing to50 per cent of the Sabah Forestry Deparment’s budget for the restoration of thedegraded forest.”seedlink4

Dato’ Seri Zubir also said in order to raise awareness of the need to conserve andprotect the environment among Sime Darby staff, the company would second themto work on the project.The Ulu Segama Forest Reserve covers 250,000 hectares, 160,000 hectares of whichneed immediate attention due to logging activities. The State government has stoppedlogging in the area at the end of 2007. According to Datuk Sam Mannan the RM25million would primarily be spent on greening the area.At the launch, Dato’ Azhar also signed a MoU on behalf of Sime Darby Plantation withSawit Kinabalu Sdn Bhd, a State-related company, to develop a palm oil’s downstreamhub in Sandakan. Sawit Kinabalu was represented by its Managing Director En SalimMohammad.The project, known as Sawit Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (Sawit POIC) is an oil palmindustrial area comprising facilities such as bulking storage, refineries, oleochemicaland biodiesel plants. The project will also include an investment in agriculture relatededucation programme.Pn Putri Rafidah (right) showing Dato’ Azhar, Tn SyedMahdhar and En Mustamir the painting to be presentedto the Prime Minister as a gift.Under the proposed plan, Sime DarbyPlantation will collaborate with SawitKinabalu to conduct a feasibility study toexplore and commercially develop viablepalm oil downstream activities on SawitPOIC land.Also present during at the launch wereSenior Vice President II, Strategy& Business Development, En HarisFadzilah Hassan, Senior Vice PresidentII, TQEM,Tn Syed Mahdhar SyedHussain, Vice President II, EVP Office, EnMustamir Mohamad and Vice PresidentII, Communications, Pn Putri RafidahMegat Khas.Sabah Development Corridor is thecountry’s fourth economic corridor afterthe Iskandar Development Region (IDR)in southern Johor, Northern CorridorEconomic Region (NCER) and East CoastEconomic Region (ECER). Sime DarbyGroup is the master planner of the NCERwhich involves four states namely Perlis,Kedah, Penang and the northern partof Perak.Dato’ Azhar exchanging the MoU document with En Salim, witnessed by Dato’ Seri Abdullah.The 18-year SDC implementationplan will involve agriculture, tourism,manufacturing and logistics sectors.The implementation of the programmeis expected to increase Sabah’s GrossDomestic Product by four folds from RM16billion in 2006 to RM63.26 in 2025.(from left) Datuk Sam Mannan, Dato’ Azhar and En Salim at the signing ceremony.seedlink5

Established Presence in SabahKudatPitasKota BelutKota MaruduTauranBahagian PantaiBaratRanauLabuk & SugutSandakanTun Tan Siew Sin/Sentosa Estate, SandakanSandakan Bay Oil Mill, SandakanMengaris Estate, SandakanSegaliud Estate, SandakanSegaliud Oil Mill, SandakanPaparTambunanTunku/Tigowis Estate, SandakanKualaPennyBahagian SandakanLabuanBeaufortKeningauKinabatanganBahagian PendalamanLahad DatuMelalap Estate, TenomMelalap Oil Mill, TenomSapong Estate, TenomTenomPensianganBahagian TawauTable Estate, TawauMostyn Estate, KunakMostyn Oil Mill, KunakGiram/Sipit Estate, KunakGiram Oil Mill, KunakSipitangTawauSempornaTingkayu Estate, KunakSungang Estate, KunakBinuang Estate, KunakBinuang Oil Mill, KunakMerotai Estate, TawauMerotai Oil Mill, TawauJeleta Bumi Estate, SemponaJeleta Bumi Oil Mill, SemponaTiger Estate, TawauImam Estate, TawauEstateOil MillAwards and Recognition in SabahseedlinkSime Darby Plantation’s estates in Sabah are not only known fortheir excellent yields but also for the Good Agricultural Practicesimplemented that earned them recognition and awards. Of notablemention are the following:• Occupational Safety & Health Excellence Award 2007– Merotai Estate, Kunak.• Ladang Bahagia 2007 – Mostyn Estate, Kunak.• Notable Achievement in Environmental Performance, PrimeMinister’s Hibiscus Award 2007 – Mostyn Estate, Kunak.• Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)Certification 2007 – Giram Oil Mill.6

51 Years Old and Still Going StrongDid you know that the first batch of oil palm in Borneo wasplanted in Sime Darby Plantation’s estate? Yes, it wasplanted in Mostyn Estate in Kunak, Sabah in 1957.Cultivated on a two-hectare stretch not far from the TasikImpian golf course, the oil palms are surprisingly still productivedespite being 51 years old this year! There are currently 98trees with the average height of 16 metres on each hectare.The site, known among the staff of Mosytn Estate as plotOP57, was actually a trial plot established by the then ownerof the estate – Commonwealth Development Corporationwhich was also known as BAL Plantation. The company,under the charge of its manager Mr Kinsley Pallant, originallyplanted three mother palms and established a nursery for plotOP57 at a place known as Kampong Lama. The seeds wereobtained from the Government Agricultural Station Of Silam inLahad Datu.From this original two-hectare plot, oil palm plantation in Sabahgrew to what it is today.Back in 1957, En. Unchie Randru, 73, one of the three workerswho planted the trees, never expected that he would be partof a historic moment in oil palm plantation chronicle in Sabah.He and his two friends – the late Galung and the late Mapiase- took three days to complete the planting and were paid RM4a day.In those days, way before the establishment of Mostyn Oil Mill,the harvested bunches were processed at the abaca processingcentre at Kampong Juita. The whole process, from boiling toextraction of oil, was done manually.Today, the trees at OP57 still bear fruits at an average of12 tonnes/hectare annually. They are harvested by twoharvesters. The average height of 16 meters, makes harvestingvery challenging. Yield from this two-hectare plot is none tooconvincing but our management will keep operations going,if not for anything else, for a good story to tell; sharing itshistorical significance.En Unchie Randru proudly standing by one of the trees on the two-hectare land that he planted in 1957.The crop harvested over the last 10 years:10 YEARS YIELD PERFORMANCEYear 98/99 99/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08(7mth)Yield/ha 17.58 20.19 22.25 19.17 18.40 17.59 13.35 12.75 15.54 9.94seedlink7

Loose Fruit VS Lost IncomeLoose fruit, its collection and noncollection,has always been one of thehottest topics talked about in the dailyoperation of the upstream plantation.Harvesters will get an earful from thesupervisor if there are a lot of uncollectedloose fruit on the ground because thesupervisor will in turn get the scoldingfrom the estate assistant who will in turnbe reprimanded by his senior if the loosefruit is left uncollected. Worse, the estatemanager will get the disapproving lookfrom the Plantation Advisor if he seesloose fruit scattered on the ground duringhis visit.However, loose fruit is not only theconcern of the estate management butthe company’s top management includingthe President and Group Chief ExecutiveDato’ Seri Ahmad Zubir Murshid whohad touched on this matter during thetownhall meetings. He had also beenquoted in Business Times in Novemberlast year that the company would makean extra RM30 million in net profit if estateworkers collect six loose fruit per tree.Such is the impact of the loose fruit.Loose fruit is the ripest in the bunch anddrop naturally to the ground. In SimeDarby estates, the visual indicationthat a bunch is ready for harvestingis when there are five loose fruit onthe ground.Historically, loose fruit was not givenmuch attention. They were deemedinsignificant compared to the Fresh FruitBunch which is larger in size. Hence thecollection of loose fruit was never takenseriously. Many of the fruit was leftto rot.However, four grams of oil is not all that a loose fruit contains because there is also oilto be extracted from the kernel. The kernel can produce about 5% of the oil-to-weightratio of Crude Palm Kernel Oil (CPKO). Hence, if a fruit weighs 10 grams, the CPKOyielded from the crushing of the kernel would be about 0.5 grams.Consider a scenario where one loose fruit per tree is not collected in a round ofharvesting. That will total to 136 loose fruit per hectare computing 136 palm treesin a hectare. Assuming that 90% of the total hectarage owned by the company or470,000 hectares have 136 fruit-bearing trees on each hectare, there will altogetherbe 63,920,000 uncollected loose fruit. Then again, that is only for one round ofharvesting. There are normally 14 harvesting intervals per year. Therefore the numberof loose fruit to be collected each year is 894,880,000 fruit.Taking the average weight of a loose fruit as 10g, the total weight of uncollectedloose fruit per year would come up to 8,948,800kg or 8,948.8MT. By factoring the oilextraction rate of 40% for CPO and 5% for CPKO, there is a potential of the companyyielding 3,579.52MT of CPO and 447.44MT of CPKO per year from the loose fruit.In monetary terms, that would amount to RM10,022,656, at CPO contribution marginof RM2,800/MT MT(assuming CPO price of RM3,000/MT and production cost of RM200/MT) and RM671,160 for CPKO at contribution margin of RM1500/MT hence makingthe pontential loss of earnings at a whopping RM10,693,816!It should come as no surprise therefore that the management and the PlantationAdvisors cast a mean eye on uncollected loose fruit given that for every uncollectedloose fruit per tree per year, the company will potentially lose almost RM11 million inincome. And that is only one loose fruit per tree. What if the number doubles or triplesand what if the price of CPO continues to rise? Come to think of it, there is so muchto gain if loose fruit collection is carried out diligently and so much to lose otherwise.The buck of responsibility does not stop with the harvesters or at the estate level. Themills are very much responsible for ensuring that no loose fruit is left unprocessed orefforts by the estates in ensuring each loose fruit is collected will go in vain and in thelong run, sustainability of the business would be affected.Looking at the numbers and the impact, for something so small, loose fruit is neverso trivial.According to R&D Centre’s TechnologyCentre & Advisory, Vice President II EnJamaluddin Nasir, loose fruit had thehighest oil to weight ratio due to thembeing the ripest.seedlink“Compared to a whole FFB whose oil toweight ratio is between 20% and 25%,loose fruit would have an oil-to-weightratio of about 40%. This basically meansthat if the weight of one loose fruit isabout 10 grams, four grams of it wouldbe the weight of the oil,” he said.8Diligence in loose fruit collection during harvesting will bring in additional millions of ringgit to the company’s coffers.

Following the launch of theCertification Scheme for SustainablePalm Oil at the 5th Roundtable onSustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in KualaLumpur last November 20, work towardscertifying the estates, mill and the palmoil products is in full swing.Senior Vice President II, TQEM, Tn SyedMahdhar Syed Hussain said Sime DarbyPlantation plans to get nine StrategicOperating Units (SOUs) RSPO certifiedbefore end of this financial year.“We are ready to be audited. Nine SOUs inPeninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Indonesiawill be audited this financial year,” hesaid adding that pre-assessment audit ofthe SOUs had been carried out as earlyas 2006.RSPOCertification:Sime Darby PlantationOn the Right TrackThe journey towards obtaining RSPOcertification for the SOUs will basicallyinvolve consultation with stakeholdersand site auditing by RSPO approvedcertification bodies. Sime DarbyPlantation has engaged SIRIM andBSI British Standards for this purpose.The site auditing will involve physicalobservation of estates and mills and theprocesses that take place throughout thevalue chain. Observations will be madeon the aspects of safety, environment,quality, social and biodiversity. Theauditing process will also involve viewingof documents such as manuals, records,procedures and policies before the SOUscan be recommended for certification.Site inspection is very crucial during audit.“We plan to have all 65 SOUs certified byend of 2010,” said Tn Syed Mahdhar.Prior to the launching of the RSPOCertification Scheme, Sime DarbyPlantation had already initiated thesustainability certification of its palmoil. The initiative which was carried outon a business to business level (B toB), commenced in June 2007 with theSustainable Palm Oil Traceability (SPOT)project. The project which involvedall estates and mills that contributeCrude Palm Oil (CPO) to Kunak BulkingInstallation (KBI) in Sabah, basicallyinvolved tracking of all the processes andpractices that took place in the productionof CPO and the final consumer products.CPO from KBI is mainly exported toUnimills B.V. in the Netherlands, whosebiggest customer of palm oil is Unilever.Verification of the sustainability of CPOfrom KBI was done by Schutter Group, aprivate quality inspection group base inthe Netherlands.The first shipment of Sustainable Palm Oil(SPO) to Unimills was made on February18 and it is expected to reach Rotterdamin late March. Upon arrival, the CPO willagain be verified by Schutter Group.“Certification process such as this willbe continued pending the actual RSPOcertification,” said Tn Syed Mahdhar.Documents viewing is part of the auditing process.Apart from fulfilling the demand of thecustomer, SPOT was also carried outfollowing the issuance of the CramerReport early last year. The report amongothers, recommended that productsimported through the Netherlands mustfirst be certified as sustainable and meetseveral criteria ranging from food securityto carbon dioxide emission levels.seedlink9

GENDERPOLICY:Voice for Women in PlantationThe workshop gives participants an avenue to presenttheir point of view.Participants are asked to pen their input on a pieceof paper.By: Intan Shafinaz SuhaimiS“ hakti! Shakti! Shakti!” resonatedalong corridors of the trainingcentre in Genting View Resort onFebruary 3, 2008. Despite it beinga Hindu term, anyone who heard itwould have been able to sense what itimplies just from the manner in whichit was expressed.‘Shakti’ implies supreme power, ability,capacity, and strength prowess. Noother term could better reflect whatthe women experienced that weekendof February 2-3, 2008. All 50 ofthem comprising plantation workersand office staff from Sime DarbyPlantation’s Central Region OperatingUnits sacrificed their weekend awayfrom family to attend the first allwomen’sconsultative workshop.The workshop was the first of manymore to come as Sime Darby Plantation,together with Tenaganita Sdn Bhd,collaborate to develop a gender-basedsocial policy that addresses specificissues such as health (includingwomen’s reproductive health), genderbasedviolence, domestic violenceand sexual harassment, via a soundgrievance procedures.Tenaganita is a social NGO that has beenactively involved in the developmentof the Principles and Criteria of theRoundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil(RSPO). Due to its involvement andthe variety of programmes concerningwomen plantation workers and migrantworkers that it developed, Tenaganita isdeemed the most suitable organisationto work with towards the formulation ofa policy.In general, there is a great concernrelating to gender equality within theplantations sector. Among them arethe increasing trend of gender-basedviolence and deteriorating health,especially the reproductive health ofwomen workers, the lack of womenparticipation in various committees(eg: OSH Committees) and decisionmaking.Through the collaboration, issuesconcerning women’s role and woes inplantation will be addressed in a holisticmanner and at the end of the year-longprogramme, a Gender Policy and agrievance procedure mechanism will beestablished.In coming up with this Policy, it was clearfrom the very onset that a consultativeprocess, with women plantation workersfrom all job categories, was needed.The consultative approach was chosenbecause it was the most effective in thelong-run. Through the involvement ofwomen workers from all levels withinthe plantations, real weaknesses in theseedlink10

system could be identified and changescould immediately be recommended.Switching between three languages,English, Bahasa Malaysia and Tamil,workshop facilitators from Tenaganitaand Wild Asia assisted the women tounderstand their daily struggles aswomen workers in oil palm plantation andlearn about RSPO and the opportunitiesit presents.Among the main issues discussed atlength during the presentations andbreak-out group discussions were:• Health, including women’sreproductive health.• Working conditions and safetyprotocols• Housing and other basic amenities• Wages• Discrimination• Women’s rights• Gender-based violence and the needfor an effective grievance procedureto deal with this.Upon completion of the consultativeworkshops, a draft Gender Policy andits supporting grievance proceduremechanism will be presented to themanagement of Sime Darby Plantationfor discussion. Once the Policy is finalisedand adopted, regional training workshopswill be conducted to introduce the Policyto plantation managers and explainits implementation on the ground.Gender Committees within each SOUand Core Teams within each Regionwill be established. The members willundergo more in-depth training onimplementation and monitoring of theGender Policy, and on the implementationof RSPO’s criteria which affect womenworkers. With more focused attention,continuous improvement is expected.Overall, the first workshop was asuccess. The participants were veryappreciative of the opportunity providedto them to be involved in the process.A few participants were already wellversedabout some of the issues, whileto others the entire workshop was aneye-opener. Some were illiterate but afew others were well-read. The groupwas diverse but together as a team theymade certain that their predicament inthe male-dominated commodity sectorwas understood and recognised. Not onlydid it bring about increased awarenessabout RSPO, the workshop also gave theparticipants a clearer perspective abouttheir role in plantations business.Workshop participants giving their undivided attention toTenaganita Director Dr Irene Fernandez.A participant expressing her views to her group duringthe break-out session.Participants discussing at one corner during the breakoutsession.FACTS THAT MATTER• A Gender Policy together with a grievance procedure mechanism is a major requirement under theRSPO’s Principles and Criteria that needs to be established and abide by the company in order to obtainthe RSPO certification for sustainable palm oil.• Similar workshops will be conducted in the Northern Region, Southern Region and Sabah/Sarawak untilend of April in order to obtain a general consensus on the main issues to be included in the policy.• The development of Gender Policy for Plantation Operations does not only bring Sime Darby Plantationcloser towards obtaining the RSPO certification but in a bigger scope it will bring about genuineCorporate Social Responsibility.seedlink11

Riverof lifeBy: Intan Shafinaz SuhaimiseedlinkT“ hey all survived!” exclaimed DrReza Azmi, Executive Directorof Wild Asia, during his visit to SungaiJanging in Tanah Merah Estate onJanuary 21, 2008 to check on the treesthat had been planted by Sime DarbyPlantation’s employees and the estate’sprimary school children on November 13last year.His excitement was understandable as itis not often that tree-planting initiativesturn out to be a success story. The secret,he said, was in the selection of the treespecies.The trees he chose were of riverinespecies, such as Mengkeb (Crotonargyratus), Perupok (Lepisanthesalata), Kelat Paya (Syzgium cerinum)and Merlimau (Suregada multiflora).They were procured from PerniagaanTunas Harapan, which specialises inthe propagation of indigenous foresttree species, some of which are rareand endangered.“We are aware of Sime DarbyPlantation’s engagement with PerniagaanTunas Harapan, therefore made thecompany our main source to procurethe trees for this project. Once theplanted trees mature, they will bethe main source for propagation”,he said.Perniagaan Tunas Harapan is collaboratingwith Sime Darby Plantation in theHeritage Park project where Sime DarbyPlantation contributed RM2 million for theplanting of some five million trees.The tree-planting on November 13was not just any regular tree-planting12exercise. The project, code-named “Riverof Life” (RoL), is a collaboration betweenSime Darby Plantation and Wild Asia. It ispart of Wild Asia’s bigger project knownas the Natural Corridor Initiative (NCI).RoL was officially launched on November13, 2007 by Senior Vice President I,Plantation Upstream, Tn Hj HelmyOthman Basha, with the aim of creatinga favourable environment for wildlife andhuman communities to prosper within agiven landscape.RoL involves the protection of highconservation value habitats such ashill forests and mangroves within theplantation as well as the creation,rehabilitation and extension of naturalcorridors such as rivers and streams, toconnect such habitats and in this caseSungai Janging, in the 4,500 hectares ofTanah Merah Estate, Negeri Sembilan.The project kicked-off with the plantingof over 50 trees within a 50m by 5mplot on the riverbank of Sungai Janging.The tree-planting involved Sime DarbyPlantation’s employees and CIMBsponsoredchildren from Tanah MerahEstate’s primary school. CIMB is thesponsor of the community outreachcomponent of NCI. Five more plots willbe established by June this year.Sungai Janging links the 280-hectareBukit Siamang in the middle of theestate with the mangroves in the coast,thereby forming a 14-kilometer pathwayamidst the sea of oil palms that will leadto larger forests and wetlands beyondthe plantations’ boundaries. By linkingimportant protected areas, the functionalspace for wildlife to exist will basically beincreased and improved.The children with the tree that they planted.

Prof.John Howes of Wild Asia mulch the ground of thenewly planted tree with empty fruit bunches.Kelat paya is one of the species planted.However, over the years, Sungai Janginghas had its river edges chemically-sprayedto keep its riverbanks weed-free while insome sections oil palms were grown closeto the river edge. As a result, there is noeffective buffer zone to prevent soil andnutrient run-off from directly enteringthe waterway thus causing sedimentationpollution.Realising the potential disastrous scenarioin the long run and to fully realiseSungai Janging’s biodiversity potential,conservation of these critical waterwayswas carried out through RoL. Under thisproject, chemical spraying of weed by theriver edges was discontinued and bufferzones were created through naturalregeneration of shrubs and trees. Certainspecies of trees that would attract birdsand other wildlife were also planted. Thehealth of the river will be regularly gaugedby looking at the indicators such aspollution, fish and aquatic invertebrates.The NCI in Tanah Merah Estate has growninto a successful model for landscapeconservation by private sector. It hasgarnered a lot of positive feedbacklocally and internationally. The ZoologicalSociety of London for instance, had askedfor NCI to be presented as a conservationmodel and this will in turn provide theopportunity to highlight RoL project atSungai Janging.RoL is a manifestation of Sime DarbyPlantation’s commitment towards“Developing Sustainable Development”and to make sustainability real foreveryone.The Tanah Merah Estate’s primary school childrenwith Sime Darby Plantation employees and Wild Asia’sofficials pose for a group photograph at the end of thetree planting project.Some of the 50 trees that have been planted by thevolunteers by noon.Tn Hj Helmy planting a tree to mark the launch of Riverof Life project.seedlink13

Have a FruitfulSime DarbyPlantation Day!Dato’ Azhar and Tn Hj Helmy receiving the trays of pomelos and orangesfrom the ‘lions’ at the end of their performance.The smell of durians permeated the air at Wisma Guthrie parking lot on theafternoon of February 18. The crowd of nearly 300 employees was busy.Some of them were filling in pink coloured forms while others were busy chatting.The lion dance team members invited to the event were lingering about. Durianand lion dance troupe? No Mandarin oranges? Of course there were, plus two bigpomelos. Everything looked set for a Chinese New Year celebration but the greetingon the backdrop of the stage which read “Have a Sime Darby Plantation Day”hinted differently.Dato’ Azhar at the rostrum delivering his speech.The greeting was actually coined to promote a sense of belonging to the new SimeDarby brand and to enhance the harmonious working environment among all theemployees at Wisma Guthrie. It was also meant to foster better relationship amongall the employees who came from the former Sime Darby, Kumpulan Guthrie andGolden Hope Plantations.Executive Vice President, Dato’ Azhar Abdul Hamid at the onset of his speech saidthat the word “fruitful” should be added before the word “Day” in the greeting notonly to acknowledge the presence of the durians but also because on that very daythe CPO price had breached RM3,500 a tonne.Tn Hj Helmy presenting the ang pow prize to EnKhairul Helmy Zainal, one of the winners of the“Who’s Who” competition.He said while the price of CPO was getting very good and that the President andGroup Chief Executive, Dato’ Seri Ahmad Zubir Murshid was pleased with the waythings were shaping up in the Plantation and Agri-business Division, there was stillroom for improvement in many areas.seedlink14

Surprisingly almost everyone whopitched their forms in the box had all thecorrect answers.However, to ensure integrity in thegame, Senior Vice President I, PlantationUpstream, Tn Hj Helmy Othman Bashawho was given the task to draw out10 winning forms, conditioned theparticipants to bring one of the peopleidentified to the stage.Dato’ Azhar said the production numberswere showing very good improvementbut the cost of production had not. “Goingforward, we all have to come up withideas not on how to cut cost but how tobe frugal and efficient in our operations,”he said.He said everyone in the company shouldregard themselves as a team member nomatter how senior they were.The situation turned hilarious whenmany of the participants did not actuallyrecognise the people they named.Laughter erupted especially when thewrongly identified persons played alongto pose as the rightful name owners.However, at the end of the day all theright people were brought to the stageand participants received their ang powswhile the people named received a smallgift each.“No one person can make everythingwork. No matter how senior you are inthe organisation, all of you belong andyou are always welcome.“Part of the core values of our organisationis to respect each other which entailshelping each other and most importantof all to succeed together,” he said.After having their stomach tickled bythe antics on stage, everyone hadtheir eyes and ears fixed on the liondance performance. At the end of theday everyone went back with heavystomachs, a little bit of durian smell andhappy hearts.Durians featured as one of the menu highlights.Dato’ Azhar said event such as SimeDarby Plantation Day could be formalisedto be a day for all the employees to cometogether regardless of their background,colour and positions in the organisation.“When the word ‘family’ that we havebeen using has sunk in, at the end of theday the differences will be forgotten,”he said.He praised the organising team forcoming up with a game called “Who’sWho” saying that it was a very creativeway in getting employees to knoweach other.Before the event started, each employeewas given a pink coloured formcontaining 15 questions which requiredthe employees to name the peoplewhose descriptions were given in riddles.Everyone including Tn Hj Helmy are attracted to the stall serving the durians.seedlink15

BrandLaunch forR&D CentresAs planned, the brand launch of thenew Sime Darby was cascaded downto the Strategic Operating Units after theofficial launch at the Plantation Divisionlevel. Research and Development Centrewas the first SOU to take on the task afterthe December 5, 2007 launch at HolidayVilla, Subang Jaya. The brand launch forR&D centres in Peninsular Malaysia washeld on January 16, 2008 at Sime DarbyConvention Centre.The ceremony which took place from2.30pm to 5.30pm was attended by 397staff and executives from the various R&Dcentres within and outside of the KlangValley namely Golden Hope ResearchCentre, Banting, Golden Hope ResearchCentre, Carey Island, Sime DarbyTechnology Centre, Petaling Jaya, GuthrieChemara, Seremban, Guthrie Chemara,Tanah Merah, Port Dickson and GuthrieBiotechnology Laboratory, Lukut.Also present were the staff andexecutives from the advisory andconsultancy services unit namely GoldenHope Agrotech Consultancy Sdn Bhdand Guthrie Plantation & AgriculturalServices Sdn Bhd at both the Bantingand Seremban offices. There werealso representatives from GoldenHope Research Centre’s Sabah andSarawak offices.Tn Hj Khairudin at the podium delivering his speech.Senior Vice President I, R&D Centre,Tn Hj Khairudin Hashim did the honourof launching the event. In his speech,he urged all staff and executives ofthe various R&D centres to work hardas a team regardless of their previouscompany backgrounds.He said the task at hand now was tomove forward as one in a concertedeffort to develop sustainable futures. Headded that the merger of Golden HopePlantations Berhad, Kumpulan GuthrieBerhad and Sime Darby Berhad did notonly bring together financial strengthsbut also strong values that have stoodthe test of time.Staff listening to Dr Ruslan’s speech at the Tawau do.seedlinkThe team from Guthrie Biotechnology Laboratory Sdn. Bhd. (Biotechnology Section) in Lukut, Negeri Sembilan singtheir hearts out.16

(L to R ) Head of Quantum Leap Dr. K.Harikrishna, Head of R&D Plantation Dr. RuslanAbdullah, Tn Hj Khairudin,Head, Communications,Plantation Pn Putri Rafidah Megat Khas, VicePresident II, Oils & Fats/Oleochemicals Dr MohdSuria Affandi Yusoff, cheering on for the peoplesinging on stage.“With the merger, we have captured theessence that made these organisationssuccessful, and we have distilledthese values to Sime Darby’s fourcorporate values, namely “Respect andResponsibility”, “Integrity”, “Enterprising”and “Excellence”,” he said.He said everyone should make the valuesas the foundation to build the future andcommit them to uphold the values intheir daily work.Right after the speech, there was pindropsilence in the hall when the videorecording of the speech by Plantation &Agri-business Division’s Executive VicePresident Dato’ Azhar Abdul Hamid wasplayed on the big screen. The speechwhich was Dato’ Azhar’s first to the staffof Sime Darby Plantation, was deliveredduring the divisional brand launch.The Downstream team from R&D Carey Island.After that, the fun began with the singingof the song “The Best”, that was madethe theme song during the December 5event. The top executives, led by Tn HjKhairudin, started the ball rolling by goingup the stage and sang the song in highspirit. The response was overwhelming.Everyone was very enthusiastic to comeup on stage to deliver their personalrendition of the song, some with a hintof R&B while others delivered with gusto.At the end of the day, the singers wereawarded and everyone left the hall witha great feeling.The team from R&D Chemara, Seremban singingwith gusto.The team from Sime Darby Technology Centre arehaving fun.On January 24, the event was replicatedat the R&D brand launch for Sabah andSarawak. The launch, held at HotelMarco Polo in Tawau was attended by 80executives and staff from R&D Tawau andR&D Bintulu. Senior Vice President II,R&D Plantation Dr Ruslan Abdullah waspresent as the guest of honour.Chief Scientist, R&D Sabah Mr. Teh Chong Lay was veryspirited when singing “The Best”.(from left) Senior Clerk (Seed Sales) Pn. K. Sivagnanam,Dr K. Harikrishna and Vice President II, Planting Material& Seed Sales En. Azman Hj. Mohd Yusoff pose for thealbum before going home.seedlink17

All 22 graduates pose in a group photo with Dato’ Azhar and the top management of Sime Darby Plantation including Senior Vice President II, South Peninsular, En Michael Chai(seated left) and Senior Vice President II , North Peninsular, En Mohd Ghozali Yahaya (seated 6th from left).TheToughGetsGoingTheir mental and physical strength wereput to strenuous tests for 10 months.So tough were the selection and trainingregime of Guthrie’s Executive Trainingprogramme that the number of aspirantsdiminished drastically from the veryfirst interview.Culture shock was what the selected 37trainees encountered during the first fewdays of their six-month practical trainingat the estates in April last year. Theywere presented with a totally differentenvironment and lifestyle. The earlymorning rise to attend the daily 6am rollcall was just one of the many facets of aplanter’s life that they had to endure andnot everyone survived.At the end of the six months, 12 did notmake the cut to undergo the final hurdleof evaluation and training at GuthrieLearning Centre (GLC) in Sua BetongEstate, Port Dickson. Of the 25 selected,one opted to resign before the final fourmonths training started, leaving 24trainees at the centre.While undergoing training at GLC, fourtrainees were called to report for dutiesat the estates. They were deployed to theestates as Assistant Managers leaving19 trainees to march on to finish off theremaining of the programme. However,during the final interview towards the endof the programme, one of the traineesopted to resign to further his studies.Finally on February 20, 2008, after goingthrough all the hurdles, the remaining18 trainees and the four AssistantManagers gathered at the KualaLumpur Golf & Country Club, BukitKiara for their graduation ceremony.Celebrating the joyous occasion withthem was Sime Darby Plantation’s topmanagement led by Executive VicePresident Dato’ Azhar Abdul Hamid andall the training facilitators.For the 18, it was not only an excitingmoment but also a night of anxiety as theyanxiously waited to receive their letters ofappointment which contained the nameof the estates that they would be postedto especially when the possibility of beingsent faraway was bigger now that Guthriehas merged with Sime Darby Berhad andGolden Hope Plantations Berhad.seedlink18

The long wait for the posting locations is finally ended bythe appointment letters.Dato’ Azhar and Senior Vice President II, Human Resources, En Zulkifli Zainal Abidin congratulating the graduates atthe end of the function.The graduates proudly showing off their certificates andthe books on management which they received at theceremony.For Dato’ Azhar, the merger has madeBatch 27 of Guthrie’s executive traineesunique.“All of you started off with Guthrie butyou graduated in Sime Darby Plantation.That makes you unique. I am glad thatall 22 of you have decided to take on thispath,” he said.While congratulating all the 22 graduatesand welcoming them to the new SimeDarby Plantation, Dato’ Azhar promisedthem that the career path they arepursuing would be satisfying while thetraining and the estate environmentwould shape them into hardy and highlyknowledgeable people.outlined by the Group for all employees.The values are; Respect & Responsibility,Enterprising, Excellence and Integrity.At the beginning of the event, guestswere taken on the graduates’ journeyduring the 10 months course and theirfeelings and hopes through the narrationof graduate Mohd Khirr Zakariya. Thegroup also creatively strung togetherphotos and video clips of their activitiesin a video presentation that was shownto all the guests at the end of the dinner.A total of 620 applications to join theGuthrie Executive Training programmewere received and 203 applicantsfrom various academic backgroundand discipline were called for the firstinterview. Of the 203 applicants, 71candidates were short-listed for thesecond stage which required them toundergo physical, medical and suitabilitytests apart from undergoing interviews.From the second stage, 37 candidateswere offered employment on contractualbasis to undergo the 10-month trainingprogramme beginning April last year.Dato’ Azhar however cautioned them thatthe graduation was not the end of theirtraining programme. “There will be manyestates that you will be posted to and youwill learn so much more later on. Fromnow on you have to think of yourselvesas leaders because you will have a lotof people under your responsibility,”he said.He reminded each of them of theimportant roles that they have to playto ensure the success of the companyin ‘Developing Sustainable Futures’ andinsisted that everyone, regardless oftheir positions, to uphold the four valuesAnother one for the album with the facilitators.seedlink19

Masa Depan BerkelangsunganUntuk SemuaPlantation. Salah satu konsep yangditumbuh-kembangkan adalah konsepCSR (Corporate Social Responsibility).Meningkatnya program CSR akanmeningkatkan kesejahteraan.Selain itu manajemen harus terusmemperhatikan fasilitas atau infrastrukturyang ada, agar menjadi lebih mudah danbaik. Selain itu, juga perlu membentukkomuniti-komuniti dengan tujuanmenjadikan hidup ini lebih bermakna.Kata beliau setiap karyawan berperansebagai stakeholders, sehingga harusbekerja, bekerjasama dan bertanggungjawab sehingga perusahaan dapatmeningkat kinerjanya. Karena, satuorang saja tidak menjalankan pekerjaandengan baik akan mengakibatkanmenurunkan kinerja perusahaan. Jadi hasilkerja yang dicapai bukan merupakanhasil perorangan melainkan hasil kolektif.Perusahaan dan karyawan harus berjalansesuai dengan sistem yang tersusun. Dansatu hal yang terpenting adalah hindarisikap kamu dan aku, dia dan kita melainkankembangkan sikap kita bersama.20seedlink(kiri-kanan) Bp Franki Anthony, Tun Musa, Dr Arifin Siregar, Dato Seri Ahmad Zubir Murshid, Datuk Alladin MohdHashim dan Dato’ Azhar Abdul Hamid bersalaman dengan karyawan Minamas.Dalam acara ramah tamah seluruhManajemen dan Manager MinamasPlantation bersama Tun Musa Hitam,Presiden Komisaris Minamas Plantationpada 10 Desember 2007, beliau berpesanbahwa kita semua harus saling bekerjasamasalam mencapai kejayaan di masa depanagar setiap orang merasakan peningkatankesejahteraan.Tun Musa adalah figur sudah sangatdikenal khususnya di keluarga Minamasdan hingga saat ini berkat bimbingan danarahannya sebagai pemimpin, Minamassemakin berjaya.Tun Musa menyampaikan ucapan beliau kepadaseluruh Manajemen dan Manager Minamas Plantationdi acara ramah tamah bersama beliau.Manajemen harus memperhatikankaryawan yang memiliki potensi yangbagus dan memberikan penghargaanatas prestasi kerjanya. Untuk karyawantingkat bawah, bagi anak-anak yangpandai berhak memperoleh beasiswakhusus.Kedepankan faktor kemanusiaansebagai tanggung jawab suatu bisnis.Bila dikembangkan, setiap orang dapatmempunyai indeks kesejahteraanyang baik (bahasa Malaysianya indekssukacita). Diharapkan indeks ini dapatdirealisasikan oleh pihak manajemenuntuk seluruh karyawan dan masyarakatsekitar lokasi kebun/pabrik MinamasMinamas harus menjadi perusahaan yangsustainable (berkelangsungan atau hiduppanjang) bagi setiap orang. Minamasmenjadi terhormat dan dihormatiserta bertanggung jawab. Selain itukembangkan sikap enterprizing sehinggamenghasilkan produk atau kinerja yanglebih baik. Minamas juga harus excelencedan integrity atau berintergritas. Denganmenjalankan sikap ini akan menjayakanMinamas Plantation.Terus kembangkan budaya kompetisiyang sehat, salah satunya adalah melaluiSOU Award setiap tahunnya. SOUAward ini menjadikan masing-masinglokasi saling bersaing secara sportif danberusaha meningkatkan kinerjanya.Selain itu, diharapkan berbagai awardseperti olahraga, seni dan sebagainyadapat direalisasikan guna menciptakanpersaingan yang baik demi kemajuanperusahaan dan kita bersama.Minamas di masa datang merupakanperusahaan yang berkembang baikdengan kesejahteraan karyawan jugasemakin baik, juga terjalin kerjasamadengan berbagai instansi terkait sehinggatercipta suasana kerja yang lebih baik.Selain itu secara eksternal keberadaanMinamas di satu daerah atau lokasi dapatmeningkatkan kesejahteraan masyarakatsekitarnya melalui program CorporateSocial Responsibility (CSR).

Sdr. M. Guntur:Hampir kehilangan nyawa demi tugasnya sebagai security PT GPIM.Guntur sempat bertanya kepada petugassecurity GPI di Pos Satpam tersebut,“Buah ini dari mana ? Kalau buah ini dariGPI sama saja kamu pecah periuk nasiaku,”kata M.Guntur. “Sudahlah Guntur,kamu itu jangan banyak omong,” jawabseorang security lain. Terjadi keributandan akhirnya M. Guntur lari untukmenghindari pengeroyokan oleh securitylainnya. M. Guntur kemudian bertemudengan kakaknya bernama Hendrik yangjuga bertugas sebagai security PT GPI.Dato’ Azhar bertanyakan Guntur tentang kejadianpengeroyokan yang berakibat beliau mengalami tigaluka bacokan di pinggang.Bp Franki Anthony hadir melawat Guntur di rumahnyabersama wakil Sime Darby.Sdr. M. Guntur yang luka di perut, bersama ibunya.Di kehiningan malam setelah detikdetikpergantian tahun 2007 ke2008, tepatnya hari Selasa tanggal 1Januari pukul 01.30 dinihari, terdengarderu tiga buah mobil truk di arealperkebunan kelapa sawit PT GuthriePecconina Indonesia (GPI) di Sekayu– 120 km arah barat daya Palembang,Sumatera Selatan.Merasa curiga dan tidak lazim denganbunyi truk di pagi buta, Sdr MuhammadGuntur - seorang anggota Satpam(security) PT GPI yang masih sangatmuda dan sedang berjaga saat itu - segeramemburu ke arah datangnya suara truktersebut yang ternyata membawa TBSyang dicuri dari perkebunan sawit PTGPI. Di pos Satpam/ pintu gerbang GPI-1, M. Guntur berusaha untuk menahanketiga truk tersebut namun sia-sia karenapetugas security yang memegang kuncipintu gerbang meloloskan kedua unit truktersebut sehingga kabur meninggalkanperkebunan PT GPI.Dalam perjalan pulang ke rumah diGPI, di tengah jalan sepeda motoryang dikendarai Hendrik dan M.Gunturdihadang oleh dua security GPI seorangluar. Terjadi pengeroyokan yang berakibatM.Guntur mengalami tiga luka bacokandi pinggang sehingga ususnya keluardan limpanya harus dibuang. SedangkanHendrik mengalami luka memar dan goreskarena pukulan balok kayu dan senjatatajam. Ketiga pelaku kejahatan tersebutsaat ini masih dalam pengejaran polisi.M.Guntur sendiri saat ini masih terbaringlemah dalam perawatan di rumahnyasetelah mengalami masa kritis dan harusberada dalam ruang ICU Rumah SakitM.Husien, Palembang selama seminggu.“Perusahaan sangat prihatin danmenyampaikan penghargaan dansimpati atas keberanian Guntur dalammenjalankan tugas dan berhahap Gunturcepat sembuh agar dapat bekerjakembali bersama PT GPI”. Demikianpesan Dato’ Azhar Abd Hamid dan BpFranki Anthony bersama Tim Sime Darbysewaktu menjenguk Guntur di rumahorang tuanya di Palembang.Kerana keberaniannya, Guntur layakdisebut pahlawan bagi PT GPI.seedlink21

Unimills to take ongreater EuropeseedlinkUnimills’ General Manager Dr. Alexander van der Klauw (right) speaking Tun Musa and Dato’ Seri Ahmad Zubir about the new pilot plant on enzymatic rearrangement. With them isMr Jan van Driel.Unimills B.V. – Sime DarbyPlantation’s subsidiary inZwijndrecht, the Netherlands – is set tobe the launch pad for Sime Darby Berhad(Sime Darby) to take on greater marketcoverage in Europe.Speaking to reporters at a Pressconference in Rotterdam on February 12,Chairman Tun Musa Hitam said expandingUnimills market to Eastern Europe wasone of the things that the companywas looking at to strengthen its footingas the provider of speciality oils andfats products.“We will also be increasing ourinvestment in Research & Developmentin Europe to enable us to meet thedemand for healthier oils and fatsproducts from food manufacturers and22expand our production capacity to meetthe needs of greater European market,”he added.Tun Musa was in Rotterdam for Unimills’Board meeting on February 11. He wasaccompanied by Sime Darby’s Presidentand Group Chief Executive, Dato’ SeriAhmad Zubir Murshid, Sime DarbyBerhad’s Board Member, Dato’ MohamedSulaiman, Sime Darby Plantation’sExecutive Vice President, Dato’ AzharAbdul Hamid, Senior Vice PresidentII, Oils & Fats/Biofuel, Dr Anhar Sukiand Sime Darby Plantation’s CompanySecretary/Legal, Pn Azrin NashihaAbdul Aziz.At Unimills, Tun Musa and entouragewere taken on a tour of the plantby Unimills’ General ManagerDr Alexander van der KlauwTun Musa fielding questions from the local reporters atthe Press conference. With him are Dato’ Seri AhmadZubir (left) and Dato’ Azhar Abdul Hamid.and Head of Region 3, Mr Jan vanDriel. They were shown among othersthe new pilot plant on enzymaticrearrangement. Unimills is well-knownin Europe as a leading supplier oftailor-made vegetable oils. Its refineryin Zwijndrecht produces more than 200products for the European market.

Unimills: Europe’sLeading Manufacturerof Fat FlakesThe new flaking line which doublesUnimills’ flaking capacity, positionsUnimills as the market leader in soft fatflake producer in Europe. This additionalflaking capacity which is capable ofprocessing vegetable fats at lowermelting points, offers Unimills’ customershealthier fat flake formulations that aretrans fatty acid-free for all types of foodapplications.Unimills’ General Manager Dr Alexandervan der Klauw said the investment inthe new flaking line was testimony toUnimills’ strong commitment towardsbecoming the preferred supplier ofhealthy vegetable fats.“It also portrays the success of Unimills’strategy, spearheaded by innovation andresponsible practices, to supply tailormadevegetable oil-based ingredients topromote healthier lifestyles,” he added.Incorporating advanced technologies,the new flaking line guarantees theproduction of consistent, high-quality softfat flake at low melting points of between48ºC and 55ºC.Unimills soft flaking line is one of thevery few soft fat flaking lines in Europe,designed for the homogenous additionof oil soluble flavours and additives suchas specific vitamins (A, D and E), andflavours such as garlic and butter.Fat flakes are used in a wide range ofapplications that requires solid fats, asopposed to oils, for easy and even mixingin order to achieve a light and eventexture. They are normally used in bakeryproducts, pizza topping, bread improvers,pizza dough, dried soups and productsthat require easy mixing and dispersal offat without lumps or stickiness.The new soft flaking line gives Unimills the market leadership position in fat flake market segment.The demand and the increasingpressure on food manufacturers inEurope to produce healthier foods withoutsacrificing the taste and texture has ledUnimills B.V. into installing a dedicatedfat flaking line for healthier soft fats.The new soft flake products will belaunched under the Prifex® 300 andPrifex® 400 series which are theextension to the existing Prifex® 100and 200 series of high quality hardflakes which have high melting point ofbetween 55ºC and 70ºC. Hard flakesare used in coating materials for spices,bread improvers and chewing gum.seedlink24

Top:The living room is airy and simple.Bottom:The Blossom Room is very spacious.BRAND NEW DAMAIVILLA READY FOROCCUPATIONAfter being vacant for almost twoyears, the South Johor’s guestbungalow which is also known as DamaiVilla, in Ulu Remis Estate, is ready foroccupation. It was previously occupiedby the Assistant Manager of Bukit BadakEstate who has since moved out whenBukit Badak Estate’s new assistantbungalow was completed in 2005.The news about the completion of therenovation was well received by SeniorVice President I, Plantation Upstream, TnHj Helmy Othman Basha who urged otherestates to ensure that their guest houseswere also kept in excellent condition.He encouraged the planting of suitablefruit trees in the compound of thosehouses apart from making sure thatall clubhouses in the estates were wellmaintained. In order to attract executivesand staff to patronise the clubhouses heurged estate management to organiseThe newly renovated Damai Villa awaits you.frequent activities for them and theirfamily members. He also suggested theinstallation of computers with broadbandinternet facilities to attract the children tospend their free time at the clubhouses.Damai Villa has three fully equippedrooms namely Alamanda, Blossom andIxora which are available for rental byall Sime Darby executives. It also has anine-hole golf course while the clubhousehas sports and recreational facilities suchas a swimming pool, a snooker table anda tennis court.For Sime Darby executives who planto go to Ulu Remis but do not knowwhere to spend the night, Villa Damaiis just a phone call away. However,walk-in guests may find themselvesdisappointed as there are verylimited rooms. Therefore it isadvisable to make a reservation fiveworking days in advance by callingthe estate at 07-7527107 or email touremgr@simedarby.com.seedlink25

The bench by the calm fishing lake is a perfect place to relax weary mind and body.FACT SHEETGetting ThereOne-and-a-half hour drive from the Kuala LumpurInternational Airport and about two hours drive fromKuala Lumpur and Singapore via the Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Highway – accessible via the Jasin Merlimauexit.Main AttractionsLushly landscaped garden with a variety of floraand fauna and beautifully built chalets which offer aunique ‘traditional home-stay’ experience within an oilpalm estate.FacilitiesSeven air-conditioned chalets (Suite, Deluxe andSuperior) equipped with basic amenities includingtelevision, mini bar, water heater and coffee/teamaking facilities. Other facilities include meetingroom, dining area, surau, Internet and barbequefacilities.Room RatesSuperior RM60, Deluxe RM80, Suite RM100, Camprental per unit RM20Food & BeverageMalaysian cuisineRecreational ActivitiesFishing, jogging, cycling, camping, canoeing, raftingand riding eco-buggy.The beautifully landscaped park is one of the attractionsat Sime Eco-Resort.The gazebo in the park is where you can have a picnicwith friends and family.A raft waiting to take you across the lake for fishing.A variety of Malay dishes are served everyday at thisdining hall.Contribution & FeedbackThe editorial board welcomes contribution of articles/ feedback from all staff. Kindly forward the articles/ feedback to:Seedlink,Communications, Sime Darby Plantation Sdn Bhd,14th Floor, Wisma Consplant 1, No.2, Jalan SS16/4, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor.E-mail: simeplcomm@simedarby.com* Please state your name, address, contact number and source (if applicable)seedlink27

Eco-Retreat:A Refreshing Hideaway withinour PlantationShady trees and fresh air are abundant at SimeEco-Retreat.seedlinkBuilt using used materials, these chalets offer modern in-room facilities and very affordable.Breathtaking! That was the first thingthat came to mind when our eyesfeasted on the calm fishing lake withinthe eight-hectare Sime Eco-Retreat (SER)in Kempas Estate, Melaka.The serenity of the greenery, the lakeand the park that greeted us was worththe two-hour journey from Kuala Lumpur.If only we could while away our time justby sitting on the bench by the lake orhave a picnic at the gazebo in the lushlygreen park, we would. Unfortunately, wewere not on vacation. But SER is wortha visit to relax the weary mind and bodybecause there is more to it than just thebeautiful surrounding and the refreshingclean air.Started its operations in 2002, SER isthe only resort-like destination withinSime Darby Plantation that is open toits employees as well as the public.It offers seven fully-equipped chaletswhich adopt the Rumah Melayu Melakastyle. The chalets are also unique in asense that the building materials suchas the wood, planks and bricks used inThe walkway across the park takes the visitorstraightto nature.the construction were used materialsobtained from the estate. However,the chalets are beautifully built thatno one would notice. It is, after all, anenvironmentally friendly resort.At only RM60 per night for the SuperiorRoom, RM80 for Deluxe and RM100 forthe Suite, guests will be able to enjoy thein-room facilities such as water heater,mini-bar, air-condition, television andtea/coffee making facility.At SER, business facilities like meetingroom and internet facilities are alsoavailable at competitive charges. Beinga getaway destination, SER’s selectionThe lush greenery along the road leading to the resort isa welcoming sight to holiday makers.of recreational facilities is abundant andthey cater for holiday makers of all ages.Guests can choose from fishing, jogging,cycling, canoeing, rafting to eco-buggyriding. There is also a poultry farm, amini bird park and a goat farm to whileaway the children in an educational way.A serene view from the balcony of one of the chalets.After a day of fun-filled outdoor activities,a quiet chat at the balcony over coffee ora leisurely barbeque dinner with friendsand family will fit just perfectly.Can’t wait to run from it all? Just pickup the phone and make a reservation at06-2635157 and head to Sime Eco-Retreat at Kempas Estate, K.B. 1710,77300 Jasin, Melaka.26

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