Taib Andak (extreme left) and Tun Razak meeting Felda settlers in the early days of Felda schemes. Photo: Kalsom Taib
My connection with Felda (Federal Land Development Authority) began more than 65 years ago. Felda was established on July 6, 1956.
I was 16 when my father, the late Tan Sri Taib Andak, was appointed Chairman on Oct 14, 1958, succeeding D.E. Fiennes.
Eight years later, Tan Sri Datuk Seri Utama (now Tun) Raja Muhammad Alias who had joined Felda on April 14, 1966, was appointed Deputy Chairman in 1967 and rose to become the first Director General from 1970 to 1979, and Group Chairman from 1979 to 2001.
For a total of 43 years, Felda was helmed by these two men. The bond that cemented the relationship was integrity and honesty.
Felda was initiated by Tun Abdul Razak when he was Deputy Prime Minister and the National and Rural Development Minister.
My father helmed Felda for 13 years. When he retired on Aug 31, 1971, after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 55, then Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak presented a pewter plaque to him with a map pinpointing the 100 land schemes in Malaysia.
The plaque carried the inscription: “To Tan Sri Taib, Chairman of Felda, a humanist and visionary, for delivering the first 100 Felda schemes”.
My father continued as a member of the Board of Directors from Sept 1, 1971, to July 31, 1985.
In recognition of his contributions to Felda, a scheme that was opened in 1960, about 48km from Johor Baru, was named after him – Felda Taib Andak – after his retirement in 1971. It was initially known as Rancangan Tanah Kampung Bahagia and was the first scheme in Malaysia to be planted with oil palm.
Opened in 1960, Felda Taib Andak is the earliest Felda settlement in Johor. — Filepic/The Star
I remember accompanying my father to visit some of the schemes during school holidays. In those early years, he would drive to the various schemes on his own, as he did not have the luxury of a driver. At times, he would pull over to the roadside to grab 40 winks before continuing his journey. Overnight stops were made at the nearest government rest-house.
His dream and commitment were to make Felda a huge success, as he believed strongly in Tun Abdul Razak’s vision and felt it incumbent upon himself to devote time and effort towards realising that vision.
One of the many efforts Felda undertook was to also secure funding for Felda’s Land Settlement Infrastructure projects from the World Bank.
As Chairman of Felda, my father often welcomed World Bank representatives to our humble home for meals as he was thrifty in that sense and would not use a catering service or entertain in a hotel. Felda’s main objective was to alleviate poverty, so to entertain at a posh venue seemed to go against his values.
It was exciting for me too to be part of a home crew preparing their dinner. My mother would take out our best china and we would serve hearty meals. Perhaps the negotiations had taken place over dinner; and I would imagine serious discussions on financing and such over a table of my mother’s briyani rice, ayam masak merah, dalcha and achar rampai, followed by Mak Li’s delicate cream caramel with sweet corn.
I also remember most of Felda’s pioneer staff as they were often at our family house. Meetings were held there, followed by makan (my mother’s home-cooked gulai assam pedas, asma rojak, sotong hitam and ikan masak terutup, my father’s favourite). There was an air of camaraderie among the staff.
His excellent interpersonal skills coupled with his ability to crack jokes may have been the factors for the close relationship between him and his staff. He made everyone feel at ease. In fact, the friendships continued even after he left Felda, with his former colleagues and ex-staff often visiting the house.
I loved being part of his Felda life, albeit being on the sidelines. Sometimes I joke with my children that I have a love affair with Felda, because the name itself evokes lovely memories of my father as during those travels, I had him all to myself, which was a rare opportunity as he was always so busy.
This Felda “love affair” was rekindled 37 years after his retirement (and 11 years after his passing), when, in 2008 Felda partly sponsored the book I wrote about my father, Taib Andak – In A Class Of His Own.
In 2022, Felda Global Ventures (FGV) and Delima Oil Products (DOP) partly sponsored the production of my cookbook, Recipes Are For Sharing, including the BM edition, Hidangan Kita, Sedulang Sekeluarga.
When the president of the Felda Retirees Association Datin Nursiah Sulaiman and Puspanita Felda chairman Datin Raja Suhana Raja Mohamad approached me to set up a booth together for Hari Peneroka (Settlers Day) on July 7, I accepted without hesitation.
After 67 years, this would be my first time attending the event. When I arrived at MAEPS, and saw the settlers arriving in droves (apparently there were some 20,000 of them), the men in colourful Malay baju, samping and songkok and the women, also in colourful baju kurung and tudung (head scarves), all dressed in their Friday best – eagerly walking towards the hall, my heart missed a beat and I was overcome by a wave of happiness. They must be the second- and third-generation of Felda settlers.
At the Puspanita booth, visitors were invited to sample two dishes from my book – sandwiches, for which we used Saji mayonnaise, and Lemon Bundt cake, for which one of the ingredients was Bright Cow sour cream. We also gave out the recipes to them.
Kuzi is a Middle Eastern dish that's popular with Johoreans. It is cooked with lamb or chicken but has been adapted by Johoreans with the introduction of spices – shallots, garlic, ginger, whole spices, briyani spice mix, tomato puree, evaporated milk and adela margarine. It can be served with any of the rice variations – nasi minyak, nasi tomato, nasi briyani, white rice, bread and roti canai. Some cooks prefer their kuzi gravy thick but I prefer it with a lot more gravy so I can cichah (dip) with bread.
It was wonderful to mingle with the settlers and share with them Felda's early years. I also gave some of them, particularly those who showed interest, copies of the book on my father. The session brought back so many memories, and it dawned on me that my love affair with Felda has not abated.
