KL-JAKARTA NOD ON KEY ISSUES
Najib, Jokowi focus on matters affecting welfare of people
MALAYSIA and Indonesia yesterday reached breakthrough agreements on several major issues affecting the welfare and livelihood of people in both countries at the conclusion of the 12th Annual Consultation between both nations.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his Indonesian counterpart, President Joko Widodo, discussed matters in the fields of politics, economic development, socio-economy, border security and transboundary cooperation at the meeting, which was also held to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between both countries.
At a joint press conference after the conclusion of the meeting, Najib said Malaysia and Indonesia would formulate a joint strategy to counter the restriction imposed by the European Union on the import of palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia.
The European Parliament had called for a single Certified Sustainable Palm Oil scheme for Europe-bound palm and other vegetable oil exports to ensure they were produced in an environmentally sustainable way.
Najib said Malaysia and Indonesia agreed that such a restriction was unfair and should be removed, because it would affect the source of income of about 600,000 Malaysians and 17.5 million Indonesians.
It had been reported that palm oil producers Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Papua New Guinea would work together to oppose the discrimination of the EU palm oil import restriction.
The prime minister said all palm oil-producing countries should adopt the same stand to tackle the issue, especially in rejecting the negative perception that cultivating oil palm destroyed forests as alleged by the European Parliament.
He also said that Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong had met European Parliament leaders, the EU commissioner and EU MPs on the issue.
Najib said Malaysia and Indonesia would send representatives to meet EU ambassadors to state the countries’ objection to the restriction.
“We will pull together all resources to ensure that the EU will not go ahead with this discriminatory action against the palm oil industry.”
Najib said Malaysia and Indonesia had also agreed to release immediately all the fishermen arrested by either country for trespassing on each other’s waters.
He said both countries agreed that the move was necessary after taking into consideration the fishermen’s welfare.
“These fishermen were from low-income backgrounds and they should not continue to be placed in detention.
“Taking into consideration these factors, we agreed that all fishermen detained in Indonesia and Malaysia will be freed, along with their boats, so that they can return home and help their families. Both Malaysia and Indonesia are concerned about the welfare of the fishermen and we agreed that they deserve all the protection enabling them to improve the livelihood of their families,” both leaders said in a joint press conference after the meeting.