Lasting legacy: Fontainne and his wife Nima Sarr standing with the award in front of a photo of Fauconnier.

19/05/2017 (The Star) - The family of the man who planted the first oil palm seedlings in Malaysia was honoured here during the celebration of 100 years of commercial oil palm planting.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak presented Jeremie Fontainne, the great-grandson of oil palm plantation pioneer Henri Fauconnier, with an award yesterday in recognition of his family’s contribution to the industry.

“I’m very grateful to be invited here to represent my family and great-grandfather. It is really an honour to receive this award,” said Fontainne, who hopes to start a Fauconnier foundation here.

“It would be great to build a museum and a residency for artists from around the world,” he said.

In addition to being a planter, Fauconnier was an adventurer, an artist, a poet and writer.

“I think it would enhance the relationship of France, Europe and Malaysia.”

Fontainne and his wife arrived in Malaysia three days ago from Paris, and said they had the opportunity to learn about Fauconnier and the palm oil industry in the country.

“He would be very proud to see that he gave something to the country he loved,” said Fontainne.

“I think nobody expected it was going to be like this one century ago,” he added, commenting on the many oil palm plantations he passed on the way here.

“Maybe the only one who did expect something was my great-grandfather because he knew when he discovered this tree in Sumatra, that it was a great idea to plant it in this soil and in this climate,” he said.

Fontainne said his great-grandfather planted the first seedlings in 1911 at his Rantau Panjang estate. Fauconnier then established the first commercial oil palm estate – Tennamaram Estate – in 1917.

“It’s amazing to see how much it has grown and how important it is for Malaysia,” said Fontainne, adding that he hopes to visit his great-grandfather’s estate in Rantau Panjang.

Fontainne said he had inherited his great-grandfather’s artistic and adventurous spirit.

“I travel a lot, make documentaries, and organise a festival that has a mix of cultures from around the world,” he said.