Malaysia, Indonesia to be more aggressive in countering attacks against palm oil industry: Saifuddin

JAKARTA: Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said Malaysia and Indonesia would be more aggressive in countering attacks by Europe against the palm oil industry, as well as work together to promote oil palm products.
The cooperation between Malaysia and Indonesia was vital to safeguard the future of the oil palm industry and its smallholders, he added. He said this being that Malaysia and Indonesia were the world's two largest crude palm oil producers and exporters.
"We (Malaysia and Indonesia) want our oil palm products to sell well and for that, we have to work together to further promote the products and counter the attacks by Europe," he added.
He said the two countries, would among others, enhance the role of the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) for the promotion of oil palm products.
In October last year, the European parliament's Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (Envi), among others, passed a resolution to ban palm oil biofuels in Europe.
Saifuddin, who is on a working visit to Indonesia, said his visit was a continuation of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's official visit to Jakarta on June 28 and 29, to further enhance cooperation between the two countries.
It is Saifuddin's first working visit after being appointed as a member of the cabinet last July 2.
On his first day today, Saifuddin held a meeting with the Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representative (DPR) Bambang Soesatyo, and also with the leader of two non-governmental organisations, Said Aqil Siradj of Nahdlatul Ulama and Haedar Nashir, of Muhammadiyah.
He is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Joko Widodo and his counterpart, Retno L. P. Marsudi, on Monday. — Bernama