Ministers told to drum up palm oil sales abroad, not Tg Piai votes

PARLIAMENT | Shahidan Kassim (BN-Arau) has urged ministers to promote Malaysian palm oil abroad instead of campaigning in the Tanjung Piai by-election.

Shahidan (photo) said ministers should not merely go to other countries to explore new markets but deliver tangible results in the form of agreements to buy Malaysian palm oil.

“There are now countries trying to boycott (Malaysian) palm oil. So the ministers should not be in parliament," he said during the committee-stage debate on the Primary Industry Ministry’s Budget for 2020 in the Dewan Rakyat today.

"But why are they in Tanjung Piai? I urge ministers, begone after parliament! Don’t show your face in Malaysia again. Go overseas and talk directly (to other countries). Ministers should go to every country to promote palm oil," he said.

“Don’t ask us to drink palm oil in Malaysia. Even if we drink a bottle a day, we would not solve this palm oil issue.” 

The winding-up speech for the Primary Industries Ministry was done by its Deputy Minister Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin (Harapan-Hang Tuah Jaya), while its minister Teresa Kok (Harapan-Seputeh) was campaigning in the Tanjung Piai by-election.

Shahidan said as a standing committee member for the International Conference of Asian Political Parties, he frequently meets foreign MPs in his personal capacity to promote palm oil.

This is because he is cognizant of the fact that politicians and MPs hold power in the European Union (EU).

“It is political parties who hold power in the EU. I don’t know who you (Kok) met. MPs from EU, Africa attend our conferences. We hold conferences once every two months,” he said.

On Jan 17 last year, the EU parliament passed a bill to phase out biofuels and bioliquids produced from palm oil beginning 2021. This threatens palm oil exports from Malaysia and Indonesia, its biggest producers.

Between May 3 and May 13 this year, Kok had led a delegation to promote palm oil in London, Brussels, Berlin, and Rome, and held discussions with officials and stakeholders in EU countries.

Shamsul said the government has prepared data, facts, and scientific evidence in preparation for EU’s review of its decision.

He said the government was also considering taking legal action against the EU using the World Trade Organizations dispute settlement mechanism.

Interjecting, Shahidan said good relations with EU parliamentarians should be prioritised and said some MPs from the supra-national body have even expressed interest in seeing palm oil production in Malaysia for themselves.

“Let’s not just debate here, and it’s not like those debating know the entirety of the issue. In the end, we would just win here but lose overseas," said Shahidan. 

“Bring them (EU representatives) here and let them see the reality themselves, that oil palm here is well-managed.”  - Mkini