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.