The Malaysian Insight

THERE is no rivalry between the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) when it comes to setting the gold standard for sustainable palm oil, said Teresa Kok.

The primary industries minister said the groups often work together on the matter.

“They are not competitors. But regarding MSPO, the government is pushing it as our initiative.

“We also pay for the certification cost. In reality, both RSPO and MSPO complement each other,” she said after chairing a meeting with Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry officials.

She was replying to a question on whether the groups’ certification schemes could affect the European Union’s anti-palm oil stance.

RSPO’s has been hailed as an internationally recognised scheme, but questions have been raised on MSPO’s standards.

Malaysia aims to make the MSPO certification mandatory for smallholders this year.

The country is the second-biggest palm oil producer in the world, with 5.81 million hectares of oil palm estates.

To date, only 1.19 million hectares are RSPO-certified, and just 1.26 million hectares are MSPO-certified.

On the argument that oil palm cultivation has led to widespread deforestation, Kok said the ministry is looking at an area near Lahad Datu, on Sabah’s east coast, to plant one million forest tree species.

As part of the Love MY Palm Oil campaign, the minister is seeking the help of Sabah government agencies to promote palm oil to visitors.

“There are about three million tourists visiting Sabah, so we need government agencies to help us promote the use of palm oil.” – April 1, 2019.