PALM OIL PLAYERS SLAMMED

SEVERAL international organisations have hit out at Malaysian palm oil players that have branded them as ‘toxic entities’ running a ‘black campaign’ to ruin the country’s palm oil industry, Free Malaysia Today reported.

The organisations said they had the right to expose the realities faced by the indigenous communities due to the impact of palm oil cultivation.

“We wanted to explore potential reforms in our countries and the industry, for palm oil production to bring genuine development – not exploitation, deforestation, land grabbing and impoverishment.

“Yet, we’ve witnessed representatives of the palm oil industry labelling us in the media as ‘toxic entities’ and condemning our efforts to expose the realities as a ‘black campaign’.

The group, comprising

Green Development Advocates (Cameroon), Instituto de estudios para el desarrollo y la paz – Indepaz (Colombia), Alianza Ceibo (Ecuador), Young Volunteers for the Environment (Ghana), Action Aid (Guatemala), Auriga (Indonesia), Ecoton (Indonesia), and Elsam (Indonesia), gathered in Sabah to share their experiences with the palm oil sector and its impact . The group said it would stand firm in their right to expose the realities in the global palm oil industry. reported. Previously, the only place Malaysians could encounter these creatures were in captivity. Yet, nothing beats viewing the animal in its element.

The first sighting of the wild otters in Taman Tasik Metropolitan Kepong has encouraged more people to contact the media with information about their discoveries.

Apart from Taman Tasik Metropolitan Kepong, Malaysian Nature Society research assistant Woo Chee Yoong said there have been three other locations where they have been seen. These include KLIA in Sepang, the Perdana Botanical Gardens and, recently, in the lake at Subang Ria Park in Subang Jaya.