Oil palm plantations are jungles too

MALAYSIA has often been chastised for the so-called wanton destruction of its forests to make way for the cultivation of oil palm, rubber and, lately, durian trees.

This has, according to the critics, contributed to the acceleration of climate change.

This is actually very unfair as oil palm, rubber and durian trees are essentially jungle trees. Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is an African jungle tree, rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) is a Brazilian jungle tree and the durian (Durio zibethinus) is a Malaysian jungle tree.

Over the years, Malaysia has planted billions of these wonderful trees so, instead of condemning us, they should be congratulating us.

Malaysia is still covered by about 54% of virgin jungle, which is much more than most of the countries in Europe. Most of these countries have already cleared their forests and benefited greatly from the use of the timber.

And instead of replanting the land with trees, they converted them into fields to farm wheat and other crops.

Fields of grass for their cows and sheep are in no way as good as our rubber and oil palm plantations.

On top of that, their huge herds of sheep and cattle produce vast quantities of methane, which is about four times more powerful than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas.

Our rubber, oil palm and durian trees are just as effective as any jungle tree in absorbing carbon dioxide and other potentially harmful gases such as sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide from the atmosphere.

Our plantations of trees that are originally from the jungle will also provide a sustainable source of food, rubber, timber and employment for hundreds of thousands of people in Malaysia and the rest of the world.

Therefore, condemning us for being greedy in clearing our jungles and applying sanctions on our palm oil is rather unfair.

DATUK DR LOOI HOONG WAH

Fellow, Academy of Medicine Malaysia

Kuantan