Drive to protest EU’s palm oil ban
PETALING JAYA: Oil palm farmers and Felda settlers have collected thousands of signatures as a protest to the European Parliament’s resolution to ban palm oil from countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia from entering its market.
National Association of Smallholders president Datuk Aliasak Ambia said the resolution would affect the livelihood of over 650,000 oil palm smallholders around the country.
Citing Malaysia’s long history of developing the oil palm industry, Aliasak said the sector has helped to alleviate poverty.
“In the 1970s, poverty in the rural areas was about 45%, but now it has been reduced to 3.6%,” he said.
“Oil palm not only comes from big plantations but also smallholders. If you multiply that by the 650,000 smallholders, more than three million Malaysians will be affected,” he said, adding that European Union (EU) was the largest market for Malaysia’s palm oil export with over 50%.
He said so far, they had collected some 150,000 signatures to be presented to the Delegation of the EU to Malaysia next week.
Felda chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Samad said Felda settlers had started a signature campaign as a sign of protest over the resolution.
“The settlers are very involved in oil palm and dependent on it for their livelihoods,” said Shahrir, pointing out that some 200,000 Felda settlers were involved in the industry.
He said the resolution, which called upon palm oil-based biofuel to be phased out by 2020, was “unfair” and “unjustified” to the countries and planters involved.
“The basis for the resolution is not the emission level of palm oil-based biofuel but deforestatiocn.
“And we have made an international pledge to keep more than 50% of our forests,” he said.
Shahrir urged the EU to work together with palm oil producing countries to increase the sustainability of the industry for a more positive result.
Reaf more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/01/13/drive-to-protest-eus-palm-oil-ban-farmers-launch-signature-campaign/#rxRWwXp1B72GPBSl.99