KOTA KINABALU, Sabah: Minister of Primary Industries YB. Teresa Kok officiated at the two-day 5th International Palm Oil Sustainability Conference (IPOSC) 2018 on September 20, 2018. The conference was organised by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) to update the palm oil industry stakeholders on current and emerging sustainability developments.
In her speech, YB Teresa reiterated Malaysia’s commitment to maintain the natural forest cover of more than 50% of its total land mass, which was a pledge made at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit and a feat not many countries in the world could match.
She also informed the conference that the forestry departments in Malaysia used satellite imageries and digital mapping to monitor and manage their forest areas. The forestry agencies are closely working together and collaborating in sharing Sustainable Forest Management and technical expertise under the umbrella of Ministry of Water, Land and Natural Resources (KATS) on Satellite Mappings.
She added that oil palm areas are in designated land reserved as land banks for agriculture under state land, or alienated land, and not planted on permanent forest reserve. As such, no deforestation is undertaken or allowed in permanent forest reserves.
YB Teresa also witnessed the signing of an MoU between the MPOC and the POIC Sabah Sdn Bhd. The MoU aims to create greater awareness of palm oil and its downstream activities in Sabah, through the organisation of sustainability-themed awareness events. The focus areas for collaboration include the promotion of palm-based materials and educational programmes with local polytechnic institutions and schools.
