InfoSAWIT, KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia has been palm oil industrial player in the globe. Sustainability is the main focus to reinforce the vital industries in the country by making sure that there would be no deforestation, forced labor as same as international scale – regulation.
As the second biggest palm oil producer country in the world, Malaysia is facing new challenges from European Union (EU) about accusations that threaten palm oil industries.
Minister of Plantation and Commodity Industry through Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) reinforced every effort to respond the accusation and confirm the continuity of palm oil industries in production and trade from the country.
In an interview broadcasted by TV3, Minister of Plantation and Commodity Industry, Malaysia, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani emphasized that there is no evidence in the accusation. In this case, he emphasized, palm oil is the most efficient commodity in land use of all vegetable oils in the world. “Palm oil is the most efficient vegetable oil in land use and contributes the least in deforestation globally,” he said, as InfoSAWIT quoted from New Straits Times, Sunday (5/5/2024).
Johari continued palm oil industries proved its success to face uncertain economy in the globe. This would be integral part of economy in Malaysia, contributing hardly three percent of gross domestic product nationally. More than that, about 450 thuosand smallholders and three million skillful and non – skillful workers have got the advantages from palm oil industries.
The Government of Malaysia is committed to deny what EU accused by always improving every palm oil product through Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certificate. Minister Johari also explained that there are three major criteria in MSPO certificate, they are, every certificate owner should have rights on their land; the second, the planting in forest regions without having certificate would not be acknowledged; and the third, there should be no deforestation happening.
Until now, 97% of palm oil plantations in Malaysia got MSPO certificates. This showed that Malaysia is fully committed to sustainable principles in its palm oil industries. (T2)
