WALK THE TALK FOR SUSTAINABILITY
by Tan Sri Datuk Dr Yusof Basiron, CEO Malaysian Palm Oil Council

Laws – including the Protection of Wildlife Act 1972 – were already in place when the industry saw a surge in planted area from the 1980s. Unfortunately, opponents of the industry and NGOs who claim to fly the flag of sustainability have failed to take note of legally mandated checks and balances toward sustainable development.

The hysteria generated is mainly a distortion and manipulation of facts or good practices long adopted. However, the allegations were firmly refuted during a symposium on Sustainable Resource Development, hosted by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) in London on May 18. NGO representatives at the event eventually acknowledged that their efforts were not targeted at Malaysia whose palm oil polices are more ecofriendly than those of other producers.


How could the NGOs have alleged that Malaysian palm oil is not sustainable? Why did they portray palm oil negatively and encourage consumers to avoid such products? Judging by the unsustainable performance of the UK and EU agriculture, it would have been more logical for them to tell consumers to boycott their own farm produce, the sustainability of which is far below that of Malaysian palm oil.