| Summary: | Tan Sri Dato' Taib Hj Andak gained recognition when he became Chairman of the Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) in October 1958, the first Malaysian to be appointed to this position. Subsequently, he was appointed Chairman of Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank) in August 1969. He served at a point in Malaysian history when the country had recently achieved independence and the core national objective was nation building. The Second Malaysia Plan was just about to take off and the New Economic Policy embodied under the said Plan was aimed at correcting economic imbalances and eradicating poverty. With such objectives, helming FELDA and Maybank was certainly no mean feat. The pressure to succeed was immense, but with the full support from key government leaders, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, to name a few, and the commitment of dedicated management teams from both FELDA and Maybank, Taib was able to produce remarkable results. Together, they laid the foundation for the two organisations. Today, FELDA is the most successful land development agency in Malaysia. It is also regarded throughout the developing world, particularly in Africa and Asia, as an exemplary model for poverty reduction through rural economic development. As for Maybank, it is now the largest bank in Malaysia. Taib passed away peacefully on 19 August 1997. Although he had been living quietly out of the public eye for several years, his death reawakened memories of his role in FELDA and Maybank and of his tireless, selfless commitment to his work. Taib belonged to that era of Malaysians whose lives spanned three significant and important periods in the nation's history - the colonial period under British jurisdiction, the Japanese Occupation, and the post-independence years, a time of self-rule and nation building.
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