Fearing tobacco's fate, palm oil industry fights back

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Malaysia has led the PR offensive since the EU began working on the law to phase out palm oil from renewable fuel by 2030 due to deforestation concerns. FMTNews

KUALA LUMPUR: On the morning of Feb 26, executives from a Washington consultancy presented a strategy paper to some of the most powerful officials in the Malaysian palm oil industry.

But last year, Malaysia launched a global public relations and lobbying offensive to protect the reputation of its key export, particularly in Europe. Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the EU law was “grossly unfair” and was an attempt to protect alternative oils that Europe produced itself. None of the groups or individuals identified in the proposals have been transparent about their funding and have often claimed to be independent voices.

The MPOC has not spoken publicly about the campaign. It told Reuters that it uses various methods, including engagement of PR agencies and advisory firms, to pursue its objectives, but for competitive and client confidentiality reasons, it would not disclose details. MPOC also approved a 2019 budget of around US$120,000 for Invoke and US$200,000 for Unitas, the sources said.Reuters has seen a copy of an eight-page public affairs proposal distributed by DCI at the Feb 26 meeting with at least a dozen officials from MPOC, the primary industries ministry and palm oil companies. The proposal said: “The eco-colonialists have turned to a scorched earth approach of junk science and faulty logic: they label palm oil as the new tobacco.

 

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