A Step to the next level of my Artistic/Cultural/Spiritual Journey.

 

There i was being driven to the Hin Bus Depot by my daughter and accompanied by her friend Nina or is it Lina who sat in the hind seat asking questions about meditation, kundalini, and all what is yoga and so forth along the way. The Hin Bus Depot is where things happen every weekend in Georgetown and my buddy Ben Ronjen has his 'Shipwreck Store'. I try to make it to hang out at the shop along with our mutual friend Eric the New Zealander photographer, I enjoy these visit to the HBD every Sunday, drinking, chatting about what to do with ourselves to keep being busy before its game over due to age. We decided that Eric and I will make a trip to the East Coast. We are tor rent a car and take a slow drive to Kuala Terengaanu and possibly to Kerteh where the Pertonas Refinery is located. The aim is to make photo journal documentation of the refinery. I think this is worth making it happen project for us Eric has the means and I have the labor, Eric will take pictures and I will supply drawings and sketches from my journal done while I was employed as a Health and Safety officer at the refinery site when it was  just beginning of the construction of the refinery. I worked for Ibai Bina Sdn.Bhad. for one year as its Safety Officer in charge of the construction of its first warehouse. I have some stories to tell while on the job most of which was recorded in my sketchbook journal. 

                        My Heart will always yearn for the East Coast - The South China Sea

The second year i was employed by a Dutch Heavy Lifting Company, Van Seumerren RomStar., one the world's largest heavy lifting crane company. The locals who worked for the company were almost one hundred percent Ibans from Sarawak except for two Malay Locals and myself. It was one of the most satisfying job I ever had and what  an experience it was to be working alongside an almost international group of experts and diligent laborers who were engaged in constructing the Refinery that you see today spewing out flames from burning gas as you drive along the highway to or from Kuala Terengganu to Kuantan. At night it is an awesome sight! It has become a roadside attraction to many who loves to take pictures or simply just to sit and watch raw flames lighting up the whole area. I worked for almost a year as the Safety officer for Van Seumerren, RomStar. One of the most well organized and good disciplined group of people I had the opportunity to work with. My immediate boss was an Englishman, John Derrick, couldn't ask for a better.

                                                          One of the Sketchbook Journal

                                                                The Iban Boys taking a break

The outstanding color of the coveralls worn by the Van Seumeren group stood proud on site and here I was schooled in what it takes to be able to carry out such heavy work that demands delicate precision in assembling the whole facility. How or what it took to be able to communicate with other major companies and their employees from different part of the world like, Bangladesh, England, Vietnam, India, Indonesians Holland and many others. Being a Health Safety officer was not a popular Job among all these companies. I had the feeling that it was taken as a necessary waste of money and time and on these the Chinese companies and employees were the worse and I say this without prejudice.

 

                                                  Safety is a State of Mind, Yours and mine,

                                                  Let's make it happen! Be Mindful!

                                              I was awarded for my Slogan for Safety on Site allowing with my fellow                                                    Safety officers from other companies.

My sketchbook was my companion while I walk my rounds on site and I would sit and do some sketching from different vantage points of the construction site where guys were working high up in the racks dismantling a scaffold or setting it up or some guys doing some painting work, my Prescence as a Safety Officer on the site was good for them as I was there just as a reminder to be cautious, not get hurt, don't be stupid or a hero...life is too short! Wear you Hard hat and your glasses Peckerhead!

 Now let's see if we can sell the idea to Petronas a collaboration work between a local Malay Artist and New Zealand Born world known photographer on the  Petronas Refinery Facility located in Kerteh, Terengganu and Gebeng, Kuantan. An eyewitness narrative with sketches and pictures of the construction of the facility, from the eyes and soul of a Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian mind of a health and Safety Officer; ask me how many dead bodies did I witnessed due to arrogance and negligence of the powers that be, from the Project managers to the Engineers and Department Heads. The beauty and synchronistic perspective of this event was that this was my first job upon return from having lived overseas and raised my children there f9or close to 24 years and have no clue as to how or where to begin having to deal with my own kind on their ground at their levels without loosing my head or my temper. I had some great teachers when I was working in the West and in Japan and It would have been an insult to these teachers and gurus and friends if I could not 'stand tall and deliver and for three years i became a Safety, Health and Environment Officer at the Petronas Refinery Site, in Kerteh and Gebeng as of 1998 - 2001? 

                                            We Stood Tall and Delivered = Van Seumeren. -  CUF - Gebeng, Pahang.