LETTERS: I HAVE been in the business of growing oil palm for more than three decades now.
I have seen a lot in the industry in that time. Of late, this commodity is back in the news, partly because of the high price it fetches on the global market.
On top of that, the conflict in Ukraine has caused supply for rapeseed and sunflower oil to plummet, forcing European markets to seek alternatives like palm oil.
Indonesia's recent decision to ban the export of the commodity has also pushed Malaysia into the limelight, with expectations growing for us to meet the global supply shortfall.
But over the years, one thing has remained constant: Western vilification of palm oil.
We know that powerful and rich industrialists in the West engage in sophisticated public relations exercises to undermine palm oil. They do this in the hope that consumers, especially those in Europe and the Americas, stay away from these commodities in favour of other edible oils produced in their regions.
For decades, lobbyists have been accusing the oil palm industry of flouting environmental standards and making false claims that products made of palm oil are unhealthy, when peer-reviewed scientific studies have proven otherwise.
Of late, their tentacles have reached into the domain of labour standards. The United States Customs and Border Protection recently issued a Withhold Release Order on palm oil and palm oil products produced by Sime Darby over allegations of forced labour.
Sime Darby is one of the largest palm oil producers in the world and is a public listed company, which means it must adhere to stringent operation standards. Sime Darby has denied the allegations and has shown proof it did not flout any laws.
If you ask me, this episode and the protracted discrimination against palm oil stinks to high heaven. They are all part of a systematic effort to undermine palm oil for commercial considerations. It's all about fattening these perpetrators' bank accounts.
It is time for countries like Malaysia to stand up. In this respect, I am relieved that Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin has decided to put up an "aggressive" fight against these Western quarters.
She is going to the US next month to meet Customs and Border Protection officials over the unfair treatment of Malaysian palm oil and palm oil products.
Zuraida is also calling for certification bodies, like those in Malaysia and Indonesia, the two largest producers in the world, to defend the commodity against vile accusations.
Malaysia and Indonesia must proactively pursue their legal recourse filed with the World Trade Organisation against the European Union's restrictions on palm oil biodiesel.
For far too long, countries like Malaysia and Indonesia have been subjected to an uneven playing field in the edible oil market. The West thinks they can bully us into submission, but surely enough is enough.
It is time for us to remove our gloves and take on the big boys. Or in Zuraida's words, be "aggressive". I am confident we have what it takes.
SEE KOK KHIANG
Segamat, Johor
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times