PETALING JAYA: Any broad-based call to boycott palm oil-based products in retaliation to the recent regional haze is neither fair nor effective in tackling the problem, says the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).
It said the act of generalising the entire oil palm industry as the culprit risks jeopardising the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of smallholder families who depend on it.
“MPOB takes note of the viral statement on social media by a local celebrity who urged the public to boycott palm oil-based products in response to the haze issue.
“Although public concern for the environment is to be appreciated, MPOB is of the view that any public call must be based on facts, evidence and a comprehensive understanding of the actual root causes of an issue,” MPOB director-general Datuk Badrul Hisham Mohd said in a statement.
Badrul Hisham said the transboundary haze is a complex air pollution issue and when a boycott call is made without distinguishing between the parties causing the pollution and the entire industry, the impact can extend beyond the actual target and ultimately burden those who are not responsible for the problem.
“This issue cannot be resolved by blaming or penalising the entire oil palm industry.
“Instead, action must be targeted at activities causing the pollution, regardless of the sector or parties involved,” Badrul Hisham said.
Open burning is already prohibited in Malaysia under Section 29A of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, he pointed out.
“This provision prohibits any party from conducting, allowing or causing open burning on any premises and cultivation land area.
“Any party that conducts open burning or pollutes the environment must be held accountable.
“This principle must apply to all parties without exception,” he added.
