The Nangka trees ( background) 菠萝树（背景）The planter I am talking is the Nangka planter, not the big time khaki-pant
orang putih (white man) planters of rubber estates during the colonial time.
But both planters needed land to plant. The orang putih cleared jungle to plant rubber trees, the Nangka planter planted Nangka trees to keep the land clear.
More than 10 years ago, half of the six-acre Holy Family cemetery land was still covered with old rubber trees. Due to complaints from the nearby residents (falling leaves, mosquitoes, snakes) and soil erosion, the rubber trees were chopped down.
But undergrowth and erosion remained a problem. So the church decided to allow a parishioner free use of the land to plant banana trees in order to keep the land clear of undergrowth.
The banana project was not successful. The land was left wild for a while and maintenance was a major concern. That's was when Robert Tan volunteered to clear up the land and planted Nangka trees.
The initial costs of buying seedlings, fertiliser, engaging labourers must be quite a substantiate amount. The trees fruit only after two to three years. However, the Nangka trees kept the land clean and tidy.
Robert and his wife Jenny 罗伯和太太珍妮Robert is a generous man. I do not see much profit he obtained from selling Nangka fruits, lest recouping his initial investment. It is not commercially viable because of the small acreage. The proceeds is just enough for maintaining the land - paying labourers, fertilizer....
He is happy seeing the place clean. He enjoys what he is doing partly it gives him some exercise. He obliges friends that asking for fruit (and mostly free of charge) ... me being one of them. Besides that he too has to put up with "fruit thieves" that come in to steal.
After the trees matured and fruiting, he has suggested to hand over the Nangka trees to the church (he asked for no payment). However, looking after an orchard small it is, is no easy task. So.... no taker.... but I am sure many talkers!
The Holy Family Catholic Cemetery looks serene and peaceful with the Nangka trees as the backdrop... it is far cry from the day when undergrowth... falling trees... mosquitoes.... formed the unsightly picture of the cemetery.
I personally would like to thank Robert for his hard work...... I was the head of the Cemetery Committee then (I stepped downed 3 years ago), and was having headache over the old rubber trees, and later the unused land until Robert came to the rescue.
Robert is a good wise man. He plants not only good Nangka trees, also has planted many trees of good value and virtue in many hearts, young and old, through his good deed and example.
He is my mentor. I can consult him on any matter, any time. He has a heart of gold and a stomach that can sail a ship.(Chinese saying: a prime minister's stomach can sail a ship, which means "big heart", "forgiving" "bears no grudge")
He is a retired teacher. He spends most of his time for the service of the church and people. He is an Archdiocesan formator in BEC building and Christian leadership.
Wah.... quite a long story! And this is just a small part of the planter story .... If I write more on his jokes ...... it will be "a different story"... （more picture at bottom)
The fruit
一个婚礼，两粒菠萝，三位女士及一位栽植者的帖子，该是说到栽植者的故事了。
大约十年前，加影圣家教堂六依吉（acres)义山（坟场），有一半因尚未用到，还是老胶树。但因为临近的居民常常投诉叶子飞到他们的家里，又多蚊子及蛇，还有土崩，所以就把它们全砍光了。
但砍光了，另一问题又出现，那就是野草丛生，泥土流失等。教堂就把这块土地让一位教友栽种香蕉树，希望能够解决野草丛生及土蚀的问题。
这个种香蕉机会不成功，那片土地又这样的荒废一个时期，而维修变了大问题。这个时候，罗伯（Robert) 毛遂自荐的拿过这块地来种菠萝蜜（香港，台湾及大陆当地也称它为大树菠萝）。
初期的购买树种，雇请工人，肥料等的投入，应该是一个相当的数目，但需要等待两三年才会结果。不过，因为种了菠萝蜜，义山也变得整齐和干净了。
罗伯是个慷慨的人。以我所看，他更本就不能够赚钱，更不用说拿回本钱。因为是很小的一个果园，不能商业化的经验，所以，他售卖的果，只能用来买肥料及雇请工人来除草，施肥和修剪等。
他非常高兴看到这个地方整齐干净。他也很乐意的照顾这个“果园”，因为他可以有运动。他也非常的乐意把果实送给向他讨得朋友们（大都免费），我就是其中的一位。除此之外，他还要面对进来偷果的“果偷”。
在果实成长结果后，他曾建议把这果园交回给教会管理（不要求补贴）。但照顾一个果园，就算是个小果园，也不是件容易的事，所以没人敢问津。但我相信有很多人在闲言冷语。。。
现在的圣家墓园，在果树的背襯下，一片宁静，清幽。和十多年前相比，野草丛生，断枝倒树，实在是天渊之别。
我的真心感谢罗伯，把这土地改变了。。。因为我当时是义山管理组的负责人。老橡胶树，后来砍了，变得野草丛生，一直都是我的噩梦，一直到罗伯的到了，才消失了。
罗伯是为大好人。他不只栽植菠萝树，他也透过言行，榜样，把美德及良好价值观的树苗，栽植到许多人，老和少，的心田里。
他是我的导师。我可以在任何时候向他请教任何事情。他有颗善良的心，一个好撑船的肚子（宰相肚里好撑船）。他和蔼，谦虚，慷慨，不计人之过，更不记仇。
他是一位退休的老师。他把大部分的时间，都在为教会及人们服务。他是吉隆坡总教区基基曾及教友领袖培训主要负责人。
看来菠萝的故事变得好长耶！但假如我加进罗伯的许多故事及他讲的笑话，那又得是另一个故事了！
From picture, you know Robert and I are friends for decades (center - Miss Kong (deceased)从照片就知道我和罗伯是几十年老朋友 （中是已亡龚小姐）
