of the National Key Economic Areas to be given emphasis under the 10th
Malaysia Plan, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri
Bernard Dompok says.
The aim was to make the palm oil industry remain competitive and not to
lose its momentum since it had become one of the country’s export
earners, he told reporters after witnessing the signing of a lease
agreement between Cargill Palm Products Sdn Bhd and Port Klang Authority
here on Thursday.
“We want to ensure the palm oil industry does not face obstacles. The
ministry would assist the industry to remove the obstacles and in
penetrating new markets while making the palm oil industry competitive,”
he said.
One of the obstacles, he said, was the negative campaign by certain
non-governmental organisations (NGOs) overseas which claimed that the
expansion of palm oil plantations had affected the livelihood of orang
utans.
“The NGOs continue to mislead the consumers, and not many people in
Europe has seen a palm oil tree or even orang utan,” he said.
The Malaysian government, through its representatives in Washington,
would also continue meeting American legislatures to explain to them the
reality of the palm oil industry in order to combat the negative
publicity given to the Malaysian golden crop.
He also said that hopefully, palm oil would be included in the ongoing
trade negotiations between United States and Malaysia.
The 10th Malaysia Plan is expected to be unveiled on June 10.
Source : BERNAMA
