The Plantations Industries and Commodities Ministry of Malaysia condemned the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for its ‘hasty and unwarranted’ action against Sime Darby Plantations Bhd (SDP) for alleged irregularities.
The CBP had issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) on palm oil, including all crude palm oil and palm kernel oil and derivative products, made wholly or in part with palm oil traceable to SDP on Dec 16, 2020.
The US authorities had established that there was reasonable evidence to suggest that SDP harvested the fruits and produced the palm oil using forced labor. Under the WRO, products can still land in the US but cannot be traded or processed.
In a statement, the Plantation Industries and Commodities ministry reiterated that the Malaysian palm oil industry operates under strict standards in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
The ministry is working closely with the Human Resources Ministry and the Environment and Water Ministry to ensure that the country’s oil palm industry complies with domestic and international laws and practices.
The ministry would seek further clarification on the issue from the relevant US agencies so that an immediate solution can be reached and will also work closely with Wisma Putra and the International Trade and Industry Ministry.
-NIAGATIMES
