Call for fund to educate European consumers on palm oil

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is urged to create a fund for the promotion of awareness programmes to educate consumers, especially in Europe, on the benefits of Malaysian palm oil.

Datuk Ahmad Hamzah (BNJasin) said such a measure was necessary following efforts to halt the use of palm oil in Europe, thereby hampering the government's effort to develop the agricultural sector, especially oil palm.

"The European Parliament recently, made a resolution on palm oil and deforestation of tropical forests. In the 1980's, the United States adopted the anti-palm oil campaign and now Europe," he said when debating on the Supply Bill 2018 in the Dewan Rakyat, yesterday.

Ahmad, who is also chairman of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, said the government had to defend the country's palm oil industry as it contributed six percent to Gross Domestic Product, namely RM67.7 billion last year, while about 650,000 smallholders and four million people depended on oil palm for a living.

Dr Azman Ismail (PKR-Kuala Kedah) said raising the health and deforestation issues by certain quarters in Europe was simply to protect their local products.

"All these issues are raised because palm oil is penetrating other traditional oil areas in Europe such as corn oil and sunflower seed oil," he said.

Meanwhile, Datuk Dr Makin @ Marcus Mojigoh (BN-Putatan) suggested that the government set up a meeting with the media in Europe and bring them to Malaysia to raise awareness about the country's palm oil industry.

A total of almost RM140 million is allocated for oil palm development and replanting programmes, including promotions through the 2018 Budget tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Friday.

It is among the provision of RM6.5 billion in the 2018 Budget for strengthening and advancing the country's agricultural sector. - Bernama