Symposium on Sustainable Resource Development -
May 18, 2006
Institute of Directors, London
Sustainable Palm Oil Production in Malaysia
by Tan Sri Datuk Dr Yusof Basiron,
CEO, Malaysian Palm Oil Council
A top level team of experts was
assembled by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) to descend on London last
week (May 18th, 2006) for a symposium on Sustainable Resource Development. This
was in response to adverse but unsubstantiated statements published in various
London-based print-media. The misinformation was generated by NGOs who have in
the past claimed that the destruction of rainforests in Malaysia is due to the
expansion of oil palm and such activities allegedly lead to endangering the
existence of some species of flora and fauna. The symposium attracted
participation from a wide spectrum of delegates representing regulators and
government agencies, NGOs and environmentalists, food processors, manufacturers
and supermarket chains in the UK. Given Malaysia’s position as the word’s
leading palm-oil producer, it proved to be an eye opener to the audience when
facts were substantiated regarding oil palm’s sustainability. Even NGOs who had
been vocal in the past acknowledged that their efforts were not specifically
targeted at Malaysia whose overall palm oil polices were more
environment-friendly than other palm oil producers.
The best planned sustainable
practices are no more than wishful thinking if they cannot be translated into
good agriculture practices. Having spearheaded extensive research and
development in oil palm cultivation, Malaysia, currently the world’s largest
producer and exporter, has long been an advocate of sustainable farming
practices, maintaining a balance between commercial and economic needs and
preservation of the environment. Indeed, Malaysian legislations dating back to
the 1960s were already in place to regulate the development of the industry
including the Protection of Wildlife Act 1972. These legislations coincided with
the development of the palm oil industry in Malaysia, which did not witness the
initial surge in expansion until the 1980s. Thus, this guaranteed that
sustainable development of the Malaysian palm oil industry was actually
legislated by the numerous laws of the country. Unfortunately, the current
opponents of the industry and the NGOs who claim to portray the flag of
sustainability have failed to take note of these check & balance that was
already mandated by the country’s laws and regulations.
Click here to download the presentation.
Source - The Malaysian Palm Oil Council
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