KUCHING: Malaysia is on the right track to obtain the European Union’s (EU) "green light” in the near term for the recognition of the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification scheme, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Fadillah, who is also the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said the EU leadership is expected to make the announcement by June at the latest.
"We want MSPO to be recognised so that our smallholders are not left out or marginalised following the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
"This is good news. With our MSPO being recognised by the EU, locally-produced commodity products would not be required to be audited by them,” he told reporters after the 2024 annual grant handover ceremony for the Petra Jaya federal constituency’s village development and security committees (JKKKs) here today.
He said this was shared during a brainstorming session with an EU delegation that has been in the state since last Wednesday for the launch of Invest Sarawak and Business Day programme.
In May last year, Fadillah, who was then holding the Plantation and Commodities Minister portfolio, jointly led a mission to Brussels, Belgium, to convey the stance of the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) members on the EUDR implementation.
As a CPOPC member, he said, Malaysia is committed to be involved actively through the platform and continue the agenda of countering Western countries’ negative campaigns against palm oil.
At the ceremony on Saturday (Feb 17), Fadillah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Petra Jaya, presented grants totalling RM255,000 to 85 JKKKs under his constituency. - Bernama
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