Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has stressed Malaysia's position to speak in “one voice” with Indonesia against the European Union’s (EU) proposed deforestation law that would affect exports of palm oil and other major commodities by both countries.
Anwar, in a joint press conference with Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), also reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the interests of major and small industry players in both nations.
“We welcome Indonesia’s commitment to the issue.
“Malaysia and Indonesia are in ‘one voice’ to defend the importance of palm oil,” said Anwar in reference to a recent joint representation by Malaysia and Indonesia to the EU.
Earlier, Anwar held a closed-door discussion with Jokowi, who was in Malaysia together with his wife Iriana Widodo and an Indonesian ministerial delegation, in conjunction with a two-day official visit ending today.
Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof, together with a Malaysian delegation and counterparts from Indonesia, had last month reportedly met with leaders of the EU Commission and its parliament to negotiate the terms of the upcoming EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
Currently, Indonesia and Malaysia account for about 85 percent of global palm oil exports and the EU is their third-largest market.
Further, Anwar noted that their joint commitment today was reached partly after Jokowi’s stern statements on various international platforms, reportedly including during a bilateral meeting with European Union (EU) Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, late last month.
“As I told him (Jokowi), the Netherlands prime minister (Mark Rutte) had joked with me, ‘Anwar is now involved with a new cartel.’
“At first I didn’t get it, but turns out the president (Jokowi) had used the term during the G7 summit to defend their economic interests,” he said.
Among Malaysian ministers present to receive Jokowi’s delegation, as well as to sign various bilateral instruments, included Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir, International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, and Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
Their counterparts included Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan, and Home Minister Tito Karnavian. - Mkini
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