Oil palm players want experienced minister picked for industry

The Malaysian Palm Oil Solidarity Group said it looks forward to a fresh approach under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership to move the nation forward, with policies that will enable economic and social progress resulting in benefits to be shared equitably amongst all Malaysians.

Members of the Malaysian Palm Oil Solidarity Group represent the interests of the palm oil supply chain, including associations from Sabah and Sarawak.

“Our sincere and heartfelt congratulations to YB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim on his appointment as our Prime Minister,” the group said in a joint statement yesterday.

“We represent growers including smallholders, millers, refiners, oleochemical and biodiesel in a sector that is one of the key pillars of our nation’s economy. Our associations are also geographically representative of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.

“We would like to request that as our nation’s new leader, the Prime Minister selects a minister for our industry, who has the experience and attributes to understand the wide spectrum of serious issues that beset the Malaysian palm oil sector, someone who is prepared to include and engage closely with the industry in formulating progressive policies that address the barriers to growth faced by the sector, and to lead us forward on the basis of science, research findings and good governance,” the group said.

They pointed out that the plantation industry can be credited historically with the economic development and growth of large swathes of the country, and with creating and providing jobs especially for smallholders in rural areas that currently account for the stability in rural Malaysia.

Today, it is estimated that the sector sustains four million people comprising employees and their dependents, while the export value of palm products in 2021 totalled RM109 billion, thereby generating a significant amount in foreign exchange earnings for the country’s economy.

“Ours has grown into a very complex industry that encompasses not only agriculture, but also processing, trade – both domestic and international, and marketing.

We deal not only with the more traditional agronomic and technical issues associated with our industry, but increasingly global issues of environment and sustainability, health, labour and trade barriers.

“We find ourselves having to face hostile governments and hostile non-governmental organisations criticising our industry’s products on one new found issue after another, and putting up barriers to our products on issues we have to scramble to understand and counter intelligently and effectively.

“We look forward to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership of this nation and the promise of a more inclusive and capable form of government,” they said.

The 14 associations are the Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA), the Malaysian Estate Owners’ Association (MEOA), Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners’ Association (Soppoa), the East Malaysia Planters’ Association (EMPA), the National Association of Smallholders (NASH), Palm Oil Millers’ Association of Malaysia (Poma), Palm Oil Refiners’ Association of Malaysia (Poram), the Malayan Edible Oil Manufacturers’ Association (Meoma), the Malaysian Oleochemical Manufacturers Group (MOMG), the Malaysian Biodiesel Association (MBA), Malaysian Agricultural Producers’ Association (Mapa), Sabah Employers’ Consultative Association (Seca), the Incorporated Society Of Planters (ISP) and Tawau Agricultural Association (TAA).