19/6/09 THE LAND OF BIRD OF PARADISE....

PNG is located north to Cairn, Australia, and forms part of the Papua Island. The north part of the Papua Island is now called Papua which was earlier named Irian Jaya, and is the most eastward of the Indonesian State. PNG formed the mass southern portion of the Papua Island. Climatically, PNG is a sub-tropical, with lots of rain in the first half of the year starting in November until March or May. When Australia is hit by winter, the air in Port Moresby (POM), the capital city, feel very pleasant with lots of sunshine.

(2) English is the official language here, since there are about 590 (?) ethnic groups who spoke different dialects which hardly could be understood among themselves. All ages, rural and urban area, they understand simple English. Nonetheless, Pigin or the PNG version English had been well developed and broadly spoken as the unofficial communication language. If one, know how to speak the Malay language, thus it is not difficult to master the Pigin, eg such word as Nombor Satu, just translate that to English (Number One) then spell it the Malay way, which is Nabawan!, same goes to words such as Super Clean becomes Supaklin, Saving Power to Savim Pawa! And don’t get shock, as you depart from each other, they will say: Lookim yu behind! Which means, see you later and Tenyu true (Honestly Thanks)!

(3) Kina (K) is the PNG official currency. US and Australian dollar is broadly accepted with K: RM is estimated at 1:1.20-1.40.

(4) PNG earned it independence on 16 Sept., 1972. German, British, Japanese, then the Australian were among the key players whom have colored the Modern History of the PNG. Earler on, the oral record said that the Javanese and some Borneon had roam the land in search of the spice and the bird of the paradise. Currently PNG has a population estimated amounting to 6.00 million people.

(5) Direct access to PNG could be made through KLIA and or Singapore. The outgoing flight from KLIA/Spore is on Monday, and incoming on every Thursday. It is a direct six hours flight.

(6) My first visit to Papua New Guniea (PNG) was in April 2007, accompanied by a friend (Busrah), a lady scientist (Dr. Noraini), and another lady officer (Rosmah). The first impression upon boarding the Air Niugini from Singapore Changi Airport, was a clear sign of racial segregation among the passengers. The white occupied most of the first quarter of the plane, while the Asian filled the next quarter. The last half of the Plane, seem reserved for the PNGs. I wonder why? Later, only I discovered that the PNGs love to take off their shoes, and one can just imagine the nice smell stinging shocks after probably days of usage. The PNGs love sandals and slippers. Thus, I believe, putting on shoes is their last choice. Accordingly, though there is no formal apartheid system, the ground social structure of the PNG is well signified by the sitting ‘norms’ in the plane.

(7) Despite being a Low Developed Country (LDC), PNG airline is stock with good planes. My enquiry, revealed that the Air Niugini crafts are well maintained in Australia. Nonetheless, a very interesting thing that I noticed wrt to Nuigini Airline, is that, placed right on the front wall of the craft cabin, prominently placed, a clock, copper made, engraved with the Australian emblem, with the wording, donation of the Australian Government. I wonder is it the clock or the plane that was donated by the Ausie? As nationalism deep rooted in my soul, I wonder, how on earth the National Carrier, the First Image of an Independent Country carries the image of the former colonizing symbol. It is just like, after a released, a convict continued roaming the street in his cell (jail) uniform. I wonder how the Independent PNGs feel about this?

(8) On the arrival in Port Moresby (POM), the State capital, after the six hours flight (at 2200 hrs from Singapore to 0600 hours of PNG time), the image of the real Third World is glaring. On arrival, I was promised to be met by the PNG government official, but he never turned up. The whole official arrangement and appointment that we have made went astray. We really have to bulldoze through in order to make a fruitful access to any of the related Government officials.

(9) Driving along the streets of Port Moresby, one could smell the breezing air mixed with the buai, the areca nut odour. The native PNG love to chew the buai. All over the place, even immediately outside the POM airport, one could easily spot the abstract red painting of the buai sputum (actually, I noticed this interesting liking of the Papua, when I landed at Timika Airport of the Papua on my transit to Jaya Pura in 2006). Eating buai, keep them awake, as they claimed.

(10) Earlier, upon checking into one of the hotel in POM, I browsed through some pamphlet at the counter. Since in the Flight I was reading the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank (WB) and the CIA reports on PNG. The reports said not much good stuff, all potraying high unemployment, high poverty, high aids incidence, high crime rate, all sort of things, that makes PNG probably should be the last place on earth that one should lay one feet. The pamphlets also carried the same message, especially wrt to walking down the streets, market places, and taking the taxi outside the hotel. I wonder why?

(11) After some days in POM and Wewak, I bumped across few other Asian, especially the Malaysian, almost all of them have the same unpleasant stories about the PNG. It seem the National Geographic Channel is correct in their portrayal of the primitive PNG. I wonder why? But again, deep in my soul, I’m curious, why are these people being here, and some have been here for donkey of years! Again I wonder why?

(12) I love books. I search for books on PNG, and written by their own people. I went over to the University of PNG Bookstore, and bought, among others, an Oral History of the PNG, since the 12th century. The book provides sociological in-look of the socio-cultural structure of the PNG, their tribes, their cultural governance of land and water, and their customary leadership structure, inter and intra-tribes relationship. In one of the Chapter of the book, which described the early outer world and trading contact of the PNG, I learnt, since those days, PNG, had been describe as the land of People eating People, the Wild Wild East probably. Yet the traders who said so continue to trade and continue to be alive despite frequenting PNG for longing of years. My assumption to all these stories is best describes as follows: PNG is a beautiful lady. Two men in fact fall in love with her. But, either one of the men would tell each other how ugly is the lady, just a deception strategy, the winner take all strategy!

(13) Sago is found in the Gulf and Sepik Province. In both provinces, sago is found on the flat alluvial plain. Both provinces, is the home to estimated equal size of sago, about 500,000 hectares each.

(14) We flew to Wewak (one and half hour flight), the fourth largest town on the coast of the Mid PNG, the Sepik provincial capital. From Wewak, we droved to Kaup and Trumbusera, two coastal villages, where a Sarawak-based company have some logging operation. These two villages seem to represent perfectly the overall socio-economic structure of the rural villages in Sepik, even in the New Britain and Bougainville Islands. Wewak is a real undeveloped town. I don’t see a true and clear township system being established here. Since nothing much could be done in this mission, on one of the fine evening, we went on a barge and do some fishing in the open sea. The sky was clear, the breeze was cool, twinkling stars filled the horizon. It doesn’t takes us long, it takes less then a hours, when we got plenty of fish, live, fresh, and lovely as our meal for the night. I never enjoy fishing, but do enjoy the fish and the night most. A real lovely open sea experience.

(15) Despite not able to get the proper Government contact in this visit, we made various reconnaissance visits on our own. We charted a helicopter to fly over the Sepik Basin. It cost us about U$2,000/hour flight. The helicopter flight took us far into the mosquitoes and crocodile infested area, the swampy Sepik Basin, right in the Central North of PNG. This Sepik region, as claimed among some botanist, is the homeland of sago. About 36 varieties of sago are found here with about 13 of them are consumable. The Sepik relied on sago and taro (variety of yam) as their staple food.

(16) Since the visit was made in April ie still at the wet season, at this period of the year, the Sepik River swelled up to 100 percent of its original size. At this time of the year, the Sepik looks more like a stretch of long sea, rather then a river. The flood can reach up to two meters high and flooded all the villages along the Sepik Basin. Houses along the Sepik River are built on stilt. Our helicopter flight over the Basin revealed hundred of thousand of hectares of contiguous natural sago area lining the Basin about one to two kilometres distance away into the inland. During this wet season, the sago seem easily accessible by water transportation, while during the dry period, channel and or creek would be the possible alternatives.

(17) In order to boost the sense of security among my team members, I made an effort to have close social contact with the local. I started with making friends with some boys whom used to linger around the hotel where we stayed. The boys took me to all sort of nearby places and one of it was the Japanese WWII tunnel, some even introducing me to their families and friends. Through these boys, I began to collect their though and feeling about many things, including the presence of the Western, the Asian, and even the current political affairs. I was amazed indeed, to learn that how these kids could see and able to said out their feeling and thought about the progress, peace and harmony being instilled by the Somare over the past four years. Year 2007, in fact is the General Election year for the PNG. The kids really have high respect of the Somare, except one, who said he don’t like Somare, because he brought too many Australian and the Kong Kong ( a term used to describe the Chinese, since during the old Bruce Lee days, they like him, his Kung Fu, he came from Hong Kong, so anybody look similar like him being called Hong Kong later, changed to Kong Kong). Based on all these lik lik monkey (there is no monkey in PNG, so they called small boy as lik lik monkey) heart-to-head thought, I have a great confident that the Somare Alliance Party would make a big victory in the next election (as I mentioned to Sir Micheal Somare, when we were having dinner appointment with him in POM, later), which is proven to be true!

(18) I came to know one good countryman, and through him, we managed to make a dinner appointment with the Prime Minister, Sir Micheal Somare. My first encounter with him is a real amazing moment. It happened in the most interesting way, I would say! As a standard Malaysian Official, dinning with the PM is of great honor and a very important event. I dressed smart in batik, everyone of us was well dressed up. The dinner was fixed at one of the Chinese Restaurant. A real simple and disorganised (home standard) restaurant. We waited in a special room, the room entrance was right behind he, while chit chatting with the invited guests, suddenly I saw the PNG officials stood up and I followed suit, turned my head around, there right in front of the door, stand a white beard old man, dark skin, look tough, a bit low height, in skirt, with sandle. I wonder who, then, the senior official who was with me, introduced him as Sir Micheal Somare, the Prime Minister, the present and was the first Chief and Prime Minister of the PNG. He in fact is the Father of PNG Independence. We shook hands, and I could feel a fatherly type of shaking hand, a warm but soft grip. Sir Micheal Somare, is a great simple man indeed. I was honoured and amaze of his simple and humble characters. He had survived various and long political turmoil.

(19) I was indeed touched by his deep and serious interest on the sago industry, the potentials of the sago industry, especially to up lift his sago community quality of life, lifting them from the miserable disadvantages despite they are in the centre of wealth!

(20) On my second visit to the PNG, which was accompanied by a friend (Busrah), two scientists (Dr. Noraini and Peter) and an Engineer (Rodiyah), made on Nov, 2007, we went deeper into the Sepik Basin, to small towns of Anggoram, Marienberg, and Maprik. We did also taken boat rides along some of the Sepik tributaries to do detail probing into some of the main sago area. The sepik sago, indeed grows on fertile and good drained alluvial soil, the wet alluvial soil. The usage of sago is strictly for own consumption, and the method of extraction is really traditional, with no sign of mechanization being applied. The wet sago flour, reddish or yellowish in color are sold at K2-3/kg (equivalent to RM2.50-3.50/Kg) in the market place.

(21) The Sepik River, as it flows through the massive alluvial basin, a soft ground, used to change it course after every big flood. These changing course phenomena had created lots of fresh lagoons. Passing and even going through the winding and some large lagoons is a real amazing experience. Lots of ducks, fishes, and birds are hovering over and under the water.

(22) Along the river and by the banks of the lagoon, we could see lots of isolated settlements. The population homes are built on stilt, roofed with the sago leaves and wall with the bamboo. Despite, logging industry is a real large industry here, but their sawmilling industry is not well developed or lacking. With such a gap, good timbers are not readily accessible to the local for the housing purposes. It is in fact, interesting to see, how poor are the local house-built, despite, probably they are the world key exporter of good quality tropical hardwood. Sort of the best for the world (the have), the worst for the local (the disadvantage), probably the great good philosophy of today globalization (and or justice?). Again, the stronger, the winner take the best!

(23) In this second visit, especially the experience in Anggoram worth to note. Anggoram is about 100-150 kilometers interior of Wewak. It takes about 3-4 hours drive on half paved half gravelled road to reach there. Since, our journey to Anggoram started a bit late from Wewak, we reached Anggoram at a very late afternoon, almost dark. The road was a bit muddy. There was no proper hotel down here. Arrangement had been made for us to stay at sort of a “hotel”. The whole town was black-out. The generator has been out of fuel for few weeks. There is no water to bath. The nite, we have to live on instant noodles and stay tight in the bedroom, scared of malaria mosquitoes. We stayed in Anggoram for three nights. For the last two nights we have the diesel organized, and the whole town benefit from our presence. It cost us K1,500.00 for such good will gesture.

(24) On the last night at Anggoram, I spent about K100.00 to buy prawn. I was shocked to see, with K100.00, we got lots of large prawn. I have been taking prawn since I was kid, more then 40 years ago, but I never saw such a huge prawn as in Sepik. I would say, the prawn here is 2-3 times bigger than the home udang galah. No wonder, as being told, but we never see even one, Sepik River is flooded with crocodiles. Just like in Sarawak, where there is lots of prawn, then there will be lots of crocodiles. We invited some locals especially the community leaders and local officials that have close affinity with the sago to have breakfast and dinner with us.

(25) Our first contact with the local, was organized by the local officials. From the “hotel”, we were guided to the “meeting hall” in “town”, the Anggoram. I was really shocked, later, to find, the so called meeting hall, was in fact, meeting the people under the gigantic rain tree nearby the community market place, an opened field market place. Now I recalled, the Perak Legislative, probably had learnt from our good experience on how to get close to the people by meeting under the rain tree, probably now I would like (in future) to name this tree as the Anggoram Democratic Tree!

(26) In this trip, we were well received especially in the Imbuando Village down the Marienberg. The people here, waited for us since 0900 hours in the morning, and since we were covering large surveillance areas, we only reached the Village by 1500 hours. Here we were requested to walk through the bodies of well decorated men and women who are lying on the ground. In fact we were encouraged to step on their bodies to get across to the stage where we will be seated. This tradition, symbolizing their total acceptance of our presence and signifying the high hope of our investment to lift their present condition of the quality of life. In fact, it is a very thoughtfull moment to me, seeing this people, living in great despair of the 1960s back home. They really hang their hope onto our assistance.

(27) At this Village, I was awarded as the Chief Mataor, and that grant me the privilege to be back here at anytime I wish and be part of this community. The award is in fact a necklace specially made of the shells of sea snail and wild bore fangs. The necklace was in fact owned by one of the chief and had been inherited from his grand parent. Ya chief Mataor of Imbuando!

(28) At this visit, I did also made a helicopter flight into the much deeper north and west of the Anggoram. The flight enables us to scan almost the whole of the East Sepik Basin and really got the total picture of the Sepik sago region. Sepik is not only a river, but it water system also includes numerous of various forms and size of lakes and lagoons. The Chamri lake, the largest freshwater lake, which sited right in the Middle of sepik, is a real big lake. The water is choppy during the windy days. The breath form one bank to the other I would guess 3-5 kilometers apart.

(29) From the heli flight, sometimes I could see lots of white couples of kakatoa (parrot family), locally they are called Cockie, flying tailing each others. Sepik, in fact is the home of numerous of beautiful colored birds and wild ducks.

(30) After making this second assessment, I concluded, that resource wise, PNG has the greatest sago resources on earth. Nonetheless, investing in land-based, and on long term basis in PNG is not a straight forward case. The most critical business risk that we need to handle is to ensure the Project is socially acceptable, since in PNG, about 97 percent of the land is customarily owned by the people. Getting these people who are generally very illiterate, be organised would be the prime task, a real challenging tasks. Worst still, there is no proper institutional framework, back up with proper legal framework, had been established to handle the matter. Accordingly, the overall development Plan of any region is totally missing, and thus, any investment seem to be an isolated initiative. All these factors, placed, rural and land-based investments in the PNG is clouded with lots of uncertainties.

(31) Since, my mission is to seriously work out the sago investment in the PNG, all those factors had to be seriously weighted. Various other macro and micro planning and development policies and issues need to be addressed. Nonetheless, I was lucky, since both the Minister of National Planning and Public Enterprise, both who are considered very senior Ministers of the Sir Somare’s Cabinet are so keen to frame especially the Sepik Province Development Planning and Development along the approaches that had been taken by our home State. I’m now working with the officials of these Ministries and the East Sepik Provincial Government to establish the desired macro and micro frameworks for a greater investment opportunities especially in the Sepik Province, and PNG in general, hopefully for Malaysian MNCs to pick up later.

(32) At this visit, I also noted how the PNGs had been robed in the midday light, not only robed, raped in fact. Continuously being rape, day and night, the whole long day, and probably will continue as such, long into the future. PNG seem just being like a young unfortunate beautiful lady, being rape, in turn by any pass-by person(s)! The Australian continues to mine their gold, and all sort of mineral since the early 19th century, the Malaysian, now followed by the Chinese and Indian are cutting their forest. Even as close to the coast, their tunas are being fish by all sorts of nationalities. Their gas and oil would be the next.

(33) Modern food such as sugar, flour, eggs, meat, anything are ridiculously expensive. Their isolation to the far south had made PNG a source of manipulation. Rice at POM could easily cost K5.00-6.00/kg, Sugar K3.00-4.00, egg at K1.20 each, dressed chicken at K10.00-K12.00/kg. Checking on freight charges, I believe those goods, could be traded at least 50 percent off the present price. All big departmental stores are operated by foreigners or foreign associated entities.

(34) On Sept, 2008, I made a third visit to the PNG. At this juncture, I was accompanied by my good friend (Busrah), the legal advisor (Kamri), and two staff based in POM (Iskandar and Peter). At this visit we commissioned three Technical Feasibility Studies for the sago investment.

(35) Since the flight back home is not immediately available, I got the invitation of the Bougainville Provincial Governor, the Honourable Fidelis, to pay him a visit and if possible to advice him on how to go about in attracting massive land-based investment in his autonomous Island. Since there is no direct flight from Port Moresby to Buka, the capital State of Bougainville, we decided to take the long winding route to reach Bougainville.

(36) From POM we have to fly to Kavieng, the north tip of the New Ireland. We have to stay overnight there, and the next day we take a long drive southward through the whole stretch east coast of this thin Island. Beautiful beaches, lines of coconut trees, rocky coastline, small poor rural villages, curious-friendly (some look puzzle) faces, breezing deep blue-greenish sea are the natural landscape of the journey. Here, in one of the stopover, we met with Slyvia, a lady in her late 60s, a former Air Niugini stewardess, known for her natural liking to eel conservation. In fact, the eel, size about 3-4 inches in diameter, with about one meter length, breed naturally in the sandy stream that runs through her village. The eels will swim up river, as they nested in the holes and behind the rocks down the stream, when the visitors pour the canned sardine into the clear water. They seem to like the fishy and oily smell and taste of the sardine. A charge of K10.00 is imposed on a visit (individual and or group). The drive through of New Ireland is to assess the feasibility for the takeover of one of the oil palm development which seem have long been abandoned.

(37) We reached Namatanai at late afternoon. After a short strolled by the nearby beach, we organised our food, self cooked: rice, sardine, fried eggs, and coffee at the “Namatanai Cottage”. Whole through the night, I hardly can close my eyes. The bed is too soft, a spring bed, that bend due to my weight, since there is no light, the stuffy room behind the closed doors and windows, with no fans make thing worst. Down stair, at the cottage compound there are lots of rural folks who were given the permission by the land lord to camp there. Whole night they drink, sing, and gamble. The barking dogs seem to entertain us the whole night, plus those drunken songs.

(38) The next day, we took a 5-6 meters opened boat, a single (single) 60 hp boat across the St George Channel. We depart at about 0900 hours, while the sea is still very calm. As the sun kept climbing, so was the strength of the sea breeze. The sea, by 1000 hour onward, began to shake, and the sail became more bumpy. At this moment, I began to count the boat passengers, four of us from Malaysia, two couples, with one of the them have a small child who still breast feed, and two small kids. I observed there is not even a life jacket available. The boat pound hard as it move further into the sea. The splashing water began to wet the crew members.

(39) I could see, quietly my fellow Malaysian had ‘other thought’ in their mind. Once a while I tried to intercept their mind by some silly jokes and or making them to lookout for flying fish which appear once a while into the air. This flying fish really could fly far, about half a meter above the water, and flew up to the distance of 100-200 meters. One amazing experience happened, I believe, as we approach halfway of the journey. Out of a suddenly and beyond our expectation, a school of dolphin raced against another boat which ride next to us, it last for couple of minutes. Since my camera is mounted with the 500 mm lens, I really missed the chance to record this great moment.

(40) By about 1300 hours, we entered the Blance Bay, with the Rabaul Volcanic Mountain breathing out the white smoke a distance away guide us through. We landed at Kokopo. Rabaul was in fact the Capital State of East New Britain Province, but due to the fierce irruption of the Rabaul Volcano years back, Rabaul was badly buried under the mounting ash and larva. That afternoon, our two member team were supposed to fly back to POM for the finalization of few documents to be signed prior our leaving home the next week. While myself and Busrah were supposed to proceed to Buka. The plane that supposed to take us to Buka was in fact to pick out the other two members team on the way back to POM. Unfortunately, the plane never arrived, though we have been waiting at the airport since 1500 hours to 2200 hours (solid seven hours waiting). We check into a nearby hotel, and surely, we were exhausted like mad. After having good meal, at a nearby resort, we settled down and at 0530 hour next morning, our two member team leave for POM.

(41) Since the special chartered helicopter for us to do the Bougainville Island surveillance began the trip from Kokopo, we decided to hope on the heli to take us there. We depart Kokopo at 0900 hour to Buka, the Capital City of Bougainville (once a Republic of Bougainville!). We flew for about three hours across the Solomon Sea. This time a larger and much opened sea as compare to the previous journey. Fortunately, it was a real fine day, except, halfway through, we ran into a raining space. We pray not to come across the windy journey. Since I was seated at the cockpit, I could enjoy the whole 270 degree of the heli views. Down under, I assumed we were flying at the height of about 10,000 feet, I could see numerous of small islands sprawling all the way long. These coral Islands formed various horseshoe lagoons, that seem to be the perfect place for fish breeding. Some of these Islands do being inhabitate, and coconut seem to be their main crops.

(42) On arrival at the Buka airport, we were received by the Provincial Governor, the Honourable Mr.Fidalis, who is also the Member of Parliament of Bougainville and the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister on the Affair of Bougainville. In the PNG political and administrative system, Bougainville was given an Autonomous Status as a reward for their voting to a referendum to stay-in within the PNG Federation after the fierce and bloody revolt due to their dissatisfaction on the copper mining deal.

(43) We put up at the Buka Resort, by the coral sea edge. Buka is a real small and undeveloped town. Shipment of goods, mostly from Lae, came in twice a week, depending on the weather. While having the meal at the Resort Restaurant, I could see the beautiful coral under the blue-greenish clear water. Numerous schools of colored fish, come in phases, and size as if like watching a swarm of honey bees flying and dancing across the paddy fields. Star fish, sea urchin, and sea cucumber are abundant at the sea bed.

(44) Next morning at about 0900 hour, the Governor, took us on the helicopter reconnaissance trip across the Torokina Plain. This is an area that he had identified suitable for Oil Palm Development. It is a vast, about 100,000-150,000 hectares of flat land. The soil seem made of volcanic materials source. Sparsely populated. From the vegetation, it is clear that the area is perfect for the Oil Palm development. On the flight back, I requested we flew close to the Mountain Range. At the far south, we passed a volcanic mountain, slowly and constantly releasing the white smoke into the air, forming a beautiful sort of long line of white cloud. The rugged Mountain Range, seem to hold lots of water, and from the air, I could see numerous of Waterfalls, signifying the possibility of hydro-energy generation.

(45) In Buka, for the two days stay, I was denied any sugar for my tea or coffee. Not even sweetened milk for the cocoa, there is not even milo. I have to survive on Solo (PNG made lemonade) and or plain water. Equally worst, the Governor was denied of his lovely SP beer. The shipment from Lae, had been delayed for more than a week. Nonetheless, Buka really had made me fall in love with tuna, I never want to miss smoke tuna and sweet potatoes chips when ever I have a chance for a meal. Their sweet potatoes really taste great, better than the potatoes chip. Their tuna is superb. Upon my return to POM, when I relay the missing of sugar and beer, to the Prime Minister, he laughed and told me, that it is because the Governor doesn’t listen to his advice to plant sugar for their own supplies! He added, that also make them to stick to us, for their sugar supplies! In his August, 2008 visit to Sarawak, both me and the Governor made a pledge to each others, that we will make sure that when I visited him again in future, we will make sure we will never missed our sugar and beer again!

(46) Bougainville, indeed is really different from the rest of the PNG. The people here are a bit taller. Their skin is the darkest, real dark, but amazingly smooth. Their hairs are curly. They have much pointed nose. The facial form is either rounded or a bit oblong, with medium size lips. They have nice body built. To me they are, except for their skin, are just like the Malays, they really look like the perfect Malays, as describe in the Old Malay History: muka bujur sirih, hidung seperti seludang nyiur, rambut ikal mayang, betis bunting padi, (kulit pecah telur). Probably that the reason why they preferred to be classified as the Malanesian, not as the Polynesian.

(47) To add to the significant different of Bougainville to the rest of PNG, here, there is one species of Sago that breed only by seed, not vegetatively like any others. The species not only breed differently, the height and size of the trunk is really gigantic.

(48) Bougainville close proximity to the Solomon Island, makes her the perfect marine-based tourism destination. Well organised flight from POM would place them in great South Pacific Toursim Rim.

(49) My fourth visit to PNG began on 17 June, 2009, this time through KLIA, leaving at 2030 hour and landed at POM at 0500 hour. This time I’m joined by Dr Noraini and her lady scientist, Rina. It seem a real swift journey. We don’t have much hussle at the airport. I have my visa processed upon arrival, and cost me only K500.00. Much cheaper and faster as compared if I did it in KL or Singapore.

(50) Since I have been travelling since the 6 June, 2009, I took half day sleep on the 18 June, 2009. Only by 1500 hour did I attended to my first appointment with Sana Somare to discuss on how to go around with our investment proposal especially wrt mobilize the sago resource owners. At about 1600 hour he took me for a tour to the various part of POM which indicates that property development is taking its swift course in POM, signifying the effect of the Oil and Gas project that recently had been locked in. In the evening I had dinner with some of the local officials.

(51) At 0900 hour on the 19 June, I met with an official at the KPMG Consultancy, to have a short discussion on the preparation for a briefing to be organized with the Minister of Planning and Public Enterprise on the potential for an establishment of LCDA alike entity in PNG to facilitate for massive landowners mobilization in land related development.

(52) By 1230 hour, we took a plane to Lae, the Industrial City of PNG, located in the center coast of the PNG. Upon arrival, at 1400 hour I met with the officials of NARI to restart on the Sago Inventory Study, and later at 1600 hour met with the UNITECH officials on the finalization of the Geo-technical Study that we had engaged them to do. It seem Lae, have not change since my visit here, in March, 2008. The potholes remain as they are. Ya, Lae, a City of Potholes. Lae in fact is well know for its tuna industry. The FIMA group, a Malaysian Company operate one of the largest Tuna Cannery in Lae. Apart from POM, Maybank also had a branch here in Lae. But then it seem funny, whenever I asked for smoke tuna, they never have tuna, all the tuna goes to the cannery!

(53) By 0900 hour on 20 June, 2009 I went to have a look at the UNITECH Avery Station. It is just a small Avery, intended to be the breeding Center of the Bird of Paradise. There are a few species of such bird here. On record, there is about 41 species of the Bird of Paradise. The most popular is about six, which belong to the Paradisae Family. Among, these, the Paradisae raggania is the most beautiful one. It is the Emperor of the Bird of Paradise, and found in the Sepik, it has the golden yellow-reddish soft feathered-tail. The full blast blooming colours only appear at the mating period, and it only appears among the male. Bird of paradise is a very shy bird and won’t breed under captivity. It feed on soft fleshy fruits such as banana and papaya.

(54) We the drove to Madang, in the center up north, to enable us to catch a flight to Wewak. There is no flight from Lae to Wewak. Returning back to POM, may caused us higher cost and possibility of not getting a flight from POM-Madang-Wewak. The Boeing 737 from POM to Wewak is temporarily suspended due to the repair works on the runway. All flight to Wewak are now organize through Madang on smaller plane. It took us about 3-4 hours drive through the Ramu Valley, then cutting into the mountain area, before descending again into the Valley as we approach Madang at the coastline. Ramu Valley is a real magnificent landscape. Flank by the green-rugged range of mountains on both sides, the flat sandy valley is farm with cattle range, oil palm plantation, sugar plantation and some pine and teak woods. Nonetheless there are still vast area infested badly by lalang. Driving through the Ramu Valley, remind me of my 18 hours, from dawn to evening, bull drive along the I-25 Highway between Las Vegas (Nevada) and Salt Lake City (Utah) that I made in July 1998, with my family. Both my kids, Abol and Dewi were just aged five and three years old by then.

(55) Along the way, we stopped at various point to have roasted maize, water melon, and coconut drink bought from the local traders along the road. Interesting to note, hovering in the air, seem lots of eagles. Some just descend down the roadway, picking up, I believe small animals trying to make cross over the road. At some points, the eagles prey on death animals hit by the passing vehicles.

(56) Upon arriving Madang, at about 1630 hour, I saw flock of black flying creatures filled the City sky. They are flying fox. Lots of them, landed, then hanging themselves on big rain and casuarina trees lining the City roads. Emm, Madang must be the City of Vampire. Interestingly, at about 1800 hour, most of them flew off to the mountains and Islands to feed on wild fruits. I was informed and observed, by about 0600 hour next day, they will be back in town hanging and sleeping peacefully. I was also told, no where else, did they land, apart from the Madang City, a clear indication, of harmonious assimilation of the foxes and the human creatures. I woke up at about 0530 hour on the 21 June, 2009 and strolled around my twin chalet compound, and I spotted the first folk of these flying foxes back to town by exactly 0600 hours.

(57) Madang is a resort city, but with limited tourism facilities. One could take a boat cruse to the beautiful coral Island off the coast. Since my unit is just by the sea edge, I could watch the school of fish rushing all over the place in the clear, blue, and greenish water. It is a real marvellous sight, seeing them running ahead of each other with the warming of the sun light.

(58) At 1400 hour, on 21 June, 2009, we took a 5-6 meters 90 hp boat ride to those Islands just off Madang, in fact not at all that far from the City, probably about 5-10 kilometers away off the coast. It took us about an hour and half to reach the farthest Island. If not mistaken, we circled and passed about 5-7 Islands before I spent a bit of time roaming into one of the Island to look for some botanical significant discovery, while giving chance for my other team members to try snorkelling in the blue-greenish coral water. In fact all those Islands that we passed by are sandy-coral-based, with sight of snorkelling all over the place.

(59) The blue open Bismark Sea is a bit windy. There is sign of dark cloud hovering in a distance, possibilities of rain and hard wind. The boat is only roofed with no side protection. We did took some times to go behind some of the Islands, hovering on top of the coral areas, to have a good look at those beautiful corals and colourful fishes swimming down under.

(60) The experience riding into the Bismark Sea, off the coast of Madang, indeed is a very interesting experience. Purposely I love to take my team member, to feel the jumpy and rough riding experience, to give them greater confidence, especially later, that they have to travel deep into the Sepik River, in search of the best Sago varieties, not only they will have to face the burning effect of the water under the hot sun, but as well the swarm of mosquitoes and probably hiding crocodiles down under.

(61) We flew to Wewak at about 1730 hour on the 22 June, 2009 and landed by 1830 hours. We check in to In Wewak Boutique Hotel, and settle for the night. By 0900 hour on the 23 June, 2009 we have a meeting with the East Sepik Provincial Government officials. God, there are lots of Institutional tidy up need to be done, before we could confidently tie ourselves on long term investment here. At about 2100 hours, I have tea with the Governor, the Minister of Forestry, and one of the Member of Parliament of the East Sepik (East Sepik has six members of Parliament, including the Prime Minister, the Minister of Public Enterprise, and the Governor). In this one hour informal discussion with them, I tried hard to get them to agreed on the proper setting of the Institutional Framework for the larger land-based investment in PNG. The formation of the LCDA alike institution is very critical to play the role as One Stop Vehicle to assist in all the related investment procedures and arrangement with the Government and resource owner.

(62) At 0730 hour on the 24 June, 2009, against I have to sit down, with the Governor, the Minister of Forestry, the Assistant Minister of Agriculture, and the MP, together with Sana Somare to finalise our agreement on matters to be brought up to the National Minister of Planning schedule next Monday.

(63) By 1000 hour, we drove off to Anggoram. The road had been getting worst. Apart from winding, some parts are slippery, and potholes are deepening. We reached Anggoram at about 1330 hour, and was directed to meet the people at the Community Hall. On arrival at the Hall, we can’t get access to the Building despite with us were the Gavernor and Vice Minister for Agriculture, inclusive of the Provincial Administrator promised that every thing are well organised and the people are really expecting us. At the end, we meet the people at the open space, with far a distance, the rain is pushing toward us.

(64) When the time, I began to talk, after the Provincial Administrator, the Governor, and the Minister, the drizzling rain had reached our gathering place. Luckily, the hut where we stand, could take in all the people, and I have a better packed audience, closer to me so that I don’t have to speak to height of my voice. There is no PA System provided. All these make me wonder, the Civil Servant, here, do they really bother about their leaders? I believed, they take everybody, just indifferent!

(65) One very touchy thing that, probably hold my spirit to continue to find ways and means, to lay our investment here is when one of the Community Leader, humbly regret his act writing ‘nice letter’ to me wrt our intention to develop their sago resources into good income source. This happen, after I spoke on the issue of poverty, the poor quality of life, high cost of living, and the non rewarding land asset that they have, to strengthen what their leaders had just been talking. In fact, few of them personally came to me later, to thank for our determination to come again and again to face them, despite all those ‘robbing and bad rumours’ that had been spread around by some quarters about us. I believe, they are those among them, whom are ignorant, but pretend to be smart, or there are some, whom really want the people to stay where they are, so that they continue could be manipulated. All these are nothing new to me, it has been part and parcel of my life work for over the past 23 years.

(66) At 0900 hour on the 25 June, 2009 we check in for Madang-POM flight. Despite our confirmed ticket, and early turned up, we were denied the boarding pass. We have to turn to the Governor who was also to be in the same flight with us back to POM, but unfortunately, one of our team member had to differ his flight and need to take the next day, if any. Our luggage was check-in, but upon landing at POM by 1330 hours, the luggage were not there, and only arriving in the next flight, which we not sure when!

(67) And most touchy, while at the airport the same guy, pat me on my back, got hold of my hand, and really thank me again and again for the trip to Anggoram, and he really want the Project to go on! I will, I said, in my heart, I hope god helpme to help them out of their poverty misery!

(68) At 1700 hours, I have a schedule to have discussion with the Secretary of Planning, again to see how this proper Institutional Framework need to be established prior to our Investment initiatives. It seem, I have to give them a real Consultancy Service to Frame their overall Macro-regional Development Planning and Management. Yah. PNG a land of unexpected. The discussion never took place.

(69) At 0900 hour on the 26 June, I have a schedule to discuss with the lawyer and the Governor of East Sepik on the same matter, especially to go into the further detail for the preparation of a Legislative Paper to be table in the Parliment. Thereon, by 1100 hour, I was suppose to see the Minister for National Economic Planning. I didn't make it with the Minister.

(70) The whole Saturday I was just spending my time reading and do some thinking. And at about 1205 hour 28 June, I made a courtesy call to the Prime Minister, together with the lawyer and his son. I was delighted to see him agreeing to our proposal for an enactment of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to facilitate for our intended investment. The same Vehicle would be used for all other related investments with all the possible interested parties.

(71) Today 29 June, 2009 by 1500 hour I'll be leaving POM for Singapore. By 0800 hour, I went over to UPNG Bookstore to get some books, specially books on the PNG. By 1000 hour I rush to the PNG Chief Secretary Office together with the Governor of East Sepik, the Lawyer, and the son of the PM to talk over the need to enact the SPV. The Secretary for Public Service Management awas also there, and we discussed at length the next course of action. The Governor of Esat Sepik will table the proposal to the Sept., 2009 Parlimentary sitting and there on all the next copurse of action on the investment will follow suit.

(72) At least, this time I left POM with greater feel of success ie trying to develop the Isntitutional System that will help to cahrt the future long term relationship of Sarawak (and Malaysia0 with the people of the PNG,


POM-Madang-Wewak, Papua New Guinea,
18-29 June, 2009