Boycott Calls Not Solution To Haze Issue -- MPOB
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 (Bernama) -- Calls to boycott palm oil-based products over the transboundary haze issue will not be an accurate or effective approach to tackling air pollution, said the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).
MPOB director-general Datuk Badrul Hisham Mohd said MPOB does not dispute anyone’s right to voice environmental concerns.
“However, 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.
“MPOB’s stance is clear. Any party that conducts open burning or pollutes the environment must be held accountable and is subject to legal action,” he said.
Badrul Hisham said that this principle must apply to all parties without exception.
“However, action against offenders should not be extended to penalise the entire industry, which consists of responsible operators, workers, and smallholders,” he said in a statement.
The statement was issued in response to remarks circulating on social media by a local celebrity who urged the public to boycott palm oil-based products over concerns about the haze issue.
MPOB said that generalising the entire oil palm industry risks jeopardising the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of smallholder families who depend on this sector as their main source of income.
“More than 242,000 independent oil palm smallholder families nationwide cultivate a planted area exceeding 866,000 hectares. This group is among the most vulnerable to price fluctuations, production costs, and market demand.
“Any campaign that affects the demand for palm oil products has the potential to impact the entire value chain, including smallholders’ incomes, the collection and processing of fresh fruit bunches, mill operations, and related employment opportunities,” it added.
-- BERNAMA