BINTULU: Malaysia is committed to ensuring the country’s palm oil production is carried out sustainably and complies to standards on welfare, workers’ rights and labour practices.
Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said his ministry took seriously issues that had attracted the attention of the international community to ensure the country was no longer accused of issues that had no validity.
In addition, he said, his side would ensure Malaysia was committed to looking after and maintaining a sustainable environment while also trying to help increase the nation’s oil palm production.
“We also give a commitment that there won’t be any more deforestation to grow palm oil; we will focus more on the 5.7 million hectares we have to increase the yield,” he said at a press conference after inaugurating the Standard Introduction Workshop MSPO (MS2530:2022) and Social Aspects In Business organised by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) and Sarawak Dayak Palm Oil Planters Association (DOPPA) here.
Earlier, in his speech, Johari informed that in 2023, the oil palm industry would have contributed around three per cent of the national income and RM102 billion in export revenue.
He said the sector was a source of sustenance for 447,581 smallholders.
He hoped the oil palm industry in Malaysia could be used as an example and reference for the international community in terms of sustainability, both in dealing with the climate change crisis and social aspects.
He said over the past 20 to 30 years, the oil palm industry had been linked to sustainability issues such as deforestation, loss of wildlife habitat, carbon emissions and climate change.
Johari and his entourage then visited the SOP Green Energy Sdn Bhd.
During the visit, he was briefed on the role and function of the company at the downstream level in the palm oil sector.
Also present was Deputy Secretary General, Ministry of Plantation and Commodities Dato’ Razali Mohamad.
