I accepted the challenge although it would mean that the completion of the road had to be reduced from six to three years. So I decided to use shifts to work round the clock. We divided our workforce into two teams: one to do the survey work followed by the other to do the tree cutting, bulldozing and road building.

Our starting point was at Batu 20 of the old Bentong Road. From there, we started building the 12km access road, which wound its way through the thick tropical rainforests up to the halfway point towards Gunung Ulu Kali. From this midway site, we built an 8km road to the hilltop by skirting a granite area. We intended to set up a midhill station and also to make full use of the granite as building materials. In order to speed up road works, we set up quarters in the jungle. Whenever necessary, I would put up there overnight with the workers. We even used some of the caves as our living quarters.

I was totally committed to the project. I mobilised all the resources and equipment of my own company, including bulldozers, tractors and lorries, to accelerate the work. But since it was in the mid-1960s, we did not have advanced machinery. As conditions were difficult and dangerous, progress was slow.

Just as we were halfway through the construction work, I had to start work on the Kemubu Irrigation Scheme in Kelantan, a project which I had tendered earlier. This meant that I had to supervise and co-ordinate the two projects simultaneously. Shuttling between Kuala Lumpur and Kelantan, I had no rest, not even on Sundays and public holidays.

At the worksite, I was the labourer, project manager and engineer all in one. I was also the troubleshooter, doing all kinds of work and tackling all kinds of problems. However, since I made all the decisions myself without having to consult anyone else, work proceeded smoothly.

After working day and night for three years, we met the deadline in completing the first access road to Genting Highlands. We received the RM900,000 from the Government as promised. In those days, this was a very substantial sum of money and was certainly a big boost to us.