KUALA LUMPUR: Fight Western countries’ claims of Malaysian oil palm plantations causing deforestation with facts, an MP has told the Dewan Rakyat.
Datuk Willie Mongin (GPS - Puncak Borneo) said the European Union’s pontification to Malaysia about forest sustainability belied the fact that those countries had only about 38% forest cover in their areas.
He highlighted the percentages of forest cover in various European countries.
"In Germany it is 33%, in France and Spain it is 30%, and in Poland only 29%.
"Whereas the forest cover in Malaysia is 60% and Indonesia is 51%,” he said when debating the Supply Bill 2025 on Monday (Nov 18).
"If we go to their countries we can hardly see their forest, why should we be afraid to fight facts with facts," he said.
He further claimed that flora and fauna in the EU were more threatened compared to those found in Malaysia and Indonesia.
"What are we afraid of?" he said.
