Malaysia, Indonesia team up to guard palm oil sector

JAKARTA: Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed to work together to promote oil palm products and counter attacks against the palm oil industry by Europe, says Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.

He said cooperation between both countries was vital to safeguard the future of the palm oil industry and smallholders, reported Bernama.

Saifuddin pointed out that Malaysia and Indonesia were the world’s two largest crude palm oil producers and exporters.

“We want our oil palm products to sell well and for that, we have to work together to further promote the products and counter attacks by Europe,” he added.

He said the two countries would, among others, enhance the role of the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) to promote oil palm products.

In October last year, the European parlia- ment’s Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), among others, passed a resolution to ban palm oil biofuels in Europe.

Saifuddin, who is on a working visit to Indonesia, said his visit was a continuation of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s official visit to Jakarta last month to further enhance cooperation between the two countries.

The trip was Saifuddin’s first working visit after being appointed a Cabinet minister.

Yesterday, Saifuddin held a meeting with the Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Bambang Soesatyo and with the leader of two non-governmental organisations, Said Aqil Siradj of Nahdlatul Ulama and Haedar Nashir of Muhammadiyah.

He is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Joko Widodo and his counterpart, Retno L.P. Marsudi, today.