Mak & The "Belia" Connection ...

In a week or so, there would be a "sambutan Hari Belia" I believe... There would be a "Himpunan Jutaan Belia" at Putrajaya this 26 & 27 May 2012. This post is not about the celebration of Hari Belia but it has some connection with "Belia' or rather "Persatuan Belia 4B" - those days it there were "Persatuan Belia 4B" all over Malaysia ... I wonder whether it still exists. Back to the story which goes like this ... I was still in my lower primary, Standard 1 I think. It was in the early 70s and that was the year when thne 2nd Prime Minister, Tuan Razak introduced the "Buku Hijau" programme. Folks were then encouraged to "bercucuk tanam" even at the small plot of land at the back of their house. Those days Mak out of boredom and to earn extra income cultivated "jagung" along the river bank in my "kampung", Kampung Kota Bahru, Gopeng, Perak. I think the river is known as "Sungai Teja".... Mak's "kebun jagung" is quite large in size at least for a small kid like me. Apart from "jagung", Mak also cultivated "kacang bendi", "kacang panjang" and some chillies. I could sill remember when Mak, my brothers/sisters and myself harvested the "jagung" - we had a good time "makan jagung bakar" by the side of the river .... Then, it's "mandi" time in the river!!! In our kampung, there was a "Persatuan Belia 4B" and I remember one day when some of its "orang kuat" came to my house seeing Mak & Apak - Apak was a teacher then. I did not know what transpired or what was discussed... The only thing which I noticed a few days after that, Mak did not go to the "kebun" for a week or so. I did not asked Mak the reason... I also noted that during that week an entourage of people waering "Batik" and caps were doing some rounds along the river bank and were "visiting" Mak's kebun. I was at the verandah of my house and saw them all - about 20 or so and most of them wearing "Batik" with caps while some of them in T Shirts ... They spent a few hours at Mak's "kebun jagung" then left and Mak went attending her 'kebun" the next day. A few years later only I knew that Mak's "kebun jagung" had been "loaned" by the "Persatuan Belia 4B" of the "kampung" for the "Buku Hijau" programme!!!! Then only I realised what transpired that evening when some of the "orang kuat" "Perstauan Belia 4B" came to my house and why Mak did not go to her "kebun" that week....There was a visit by a VIP to the "kampung" and the "Persatuan Belia 4B" had to "show" some achievements of its "Buku Hijau" programme. Mak's reward? She was given a few (I think it's 2 or 3) bags of manure .... I just wonder how many bags or other "goodies" the "Persatuan Belia 4B" received from the VIP/Government!!! "Selamat Menyambut Hari Belia!!!!" ......