Raju never regretted moving to Felda Chini
PEKAN: His heart was set on moving to Gugusan Felda Chini almost 33 years ago, and since then, A. Selvaraju, a settler in Felda Chini Timur 5 near here, has never regretted his decision to be part of the land development scheme.
The sole Indian settler in Felda Chini, Selvaraju, 65, who is more popularly known as Raju, said he joined the Felda family in November 1987.
Despite being of a different race and religion, Selvaraju said he has never felt unwelcomed in the community of 20 families in his Felda block which has lived harmoniously together.
“Life here is simple…you go to the estate at 6.30 a.m. and return at 7 p.m. At times, there are community activities. There is no pressure, we enjoy good health and good sleep because of the quiet environment.
“Each month, Felda pays us dividends which supplement our income. There are also other aid from Felda and the best part of it is that we are surrounded by good people,” he said when met at his home here.
Looking back, Selvaraju said he applied to become a settler in 1984, and was offered to join Felda Selendang 1 in Rompin as the Felda officer was worried he could not fit into Felda Chini because he was of a different race.
However, Selvaraju who was born in Bukit Pelanduk, Negeri Sembilan was set on going to Felda Chini and told the officer that he was used to living among the Malays as he had worked in Felda Jengka 1 in 1971 and once lived on a settlement in Rompin.
The minute his application was approved, the first person he informed was his wife, M.Chinnamah, now 61, who immediately bundled their five daughters to Felda Chini. The couple’s only son was later born there.
“We were given a piece of land and a house with water supply, while electricity was installed eight months later. At that time, I already had a car, and there were times when there would be a knock on the door late at night when a neighbour would ask for my help to send his wife to a local hospital to deliver a baby or for other emergencies.
“Because I often left for the estate early in the morning, my neighbours would send my children to school on their motorbikes together with their children, and later, fetch them home if I was not able to. This is the neighbourly spirit that I want,” he said.
Selvaraju said during Deepavali, his home would be the centre of attention and he would ask his neighbours Amir Sabar, 63, and Fatimah Man, 65, to cook mutton and seafood which he would serve to the people in his block.
“During Hari Raya, it would be our turn to visit them. My favourite are the lemang, ketupat and chicken rendang. If I do not turn up, my neighbours will ask for me and will send food to my house,” he said.
Selvaraju’s son, S. Sivvaneshann, 26, said growing up in Felda Chini, gave him the chance to enjoy village life, full of fun activities like cycling, fishing and football in the evenings.
He first studied at Sekolah Kebangsaan Chini Timur 2 here, before moving on to further his studies at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) St Thomas in Kuantan.
Meanwhile, Fatimah said she liked being neighbours with Raju who was a generous person and concerned about his neighbours, earning the elderly Indian couple the title of ‘uncle dan aunty’ to the younger generation in the community.
“We helped cook when Raja’s children got married. The people here address Raju’s wife as ‘aci’. We have no problems asking them for help or they of us,” she said, as she spoke of the close relationship with Raju and his family.
— BERNAMA
