KUALA LUMPUR: The Special Committee on the Implementation of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) has studied strategies and measures that need to be implemented holistically across ministries to ensure that Malaysia can be reclassified as a low-risk country under the EUDR framework.
Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, said the review covers the assessment of country benchmarking criteria that fall under the responsibilities of various ministries.
“Among the steps are the coordination of forest data reporting and enforcement of forestry-related laws by the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry, compliance and enforcement of laws protecting human rights, including the rights of indigenous communities, by the Rural and Regional Development Ministry.
“(Also) the inclusion of sustainability elements in free trade agreement negotiations by the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry,” he said in a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
He was responding to a question from Chong Zhemin (Pakatan Harapan-Kampar), who wanted to know the ministry’s progress and achievements in efforts to remove Malaysia from the “standard risk” category under the EUDR. — Bernama
