EU: All countries subject to deforestation risk ratings
PETALING JAYA: The 'standard risk' status given to Malaysia under a deforestation law came about following an assessment all countries had gone through under a new benchmarking system, says the European Union to Malaysia.
Responding to an outcry from Malaysia over the classification, the EU explained that its benchmarking system would rate countries either as low, standard or high risk, based on their risk of deforestation when producing seven commodities – namely cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soya and wood.
The assessment of the countries was based on a methodology of combining two quantitative thresholds to distinguish low-risk countries from standard risk ones.
These include an absolute threshold (below 70,000ha of annual forest loss) and a relative one (below 0.2% of annual forest loss of their total forest area).
The EU said in statement that Malaysia, which exceeded one or both of these thresholds, had been classified as standard risk by looking at its overall deforestation and not deforestation linked to any of the seven commodities in particular.
It has been reported that the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) wanted the European Commission to explain its benchmarking methodology used that led to the 'standard risk' label given to Malaysia under the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
'The 'standard risk' status for Malaysia does not recognise at all the progress and achievements made by the Malaysian palm oil industry in reducing deforestation and producing sustainable palm oil for European consumers,' MPOC chief executive officer Belvinder Sron said in a statement on Friday.
He cited latest independent satellite data which showed that Malaysia's oil palm sector had transformed its environmental footprint for the better.
On Saturday, MPOC chairman Datuk Carl Bek-Nielsen criticised the 'standard risk' classification, saying that it was unjust as it could lead to palm oil being excluded from the EU market despite the country's progress in curbing deforestation and raising sustainability standards in the oil palm sector.
In its response yesterday, the European Union said that all countries went through the same process under the EUDR after a new benchmarking system (country classification) was adopted on May 22.
It said that the system was landmark legislation that promotes the consumption of 'deforestation-free' products in the EU with the aim of reducing the impact on global deforestation and forest degradation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Cuts hit contract workers
Meeting of minds: Anwar receiving a courtesy call from Muhammad Shahrul in Putrajaya. — Photo courtesy of Anwar's Facebook page PUTRAJAYA: The move by PETRONAS to trim its workforce by about 10% involves mostly contract workers, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. 'It mostly involves contract (positions),' Anwar said when asked to comment on reports that PETRONAS would cut about 5,000 employees as part of a 'right-sizing' process. Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said this after performing Friday prayers with over 500 congregants at Surau Al-Ikhwan, Jalan Pinggiran Putra, near here yesterday, Bernama reported. Also present was Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari. On Thursday, PETRONAS president and group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Kamadjaja Aziz was reported to have said that the national oil and gas company would cut about 10% of its workforce as part of its right-sizing and restructuring process. He also denied that the state-owned company would exit its business in Canada. PETRONAS had previously stated that it needs to right-size its workforce to ensure the company's sustainability in the decades to come. It has nearly 50,000 employees, according to its website. Separately, Anwar said he would contact his Thai counterpart, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, regarding the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. Anwar said that as the Asean Chair, Malaysia took note of the developments in both countries. 'We will issue a statement (on the outcome of the discussion with Paetongtarn) later,' he told reporters. On May 28, Thai and Cambodian troops were involved in a brief skirmish in Thailand's Ubon Ratchathani province and Cambodia's Preah Vihear province, which resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier. Cambodia has since announced its intention to bring the border dispute to the International Court of Justice. Thailand, meanwhile, has reportedly reiterated its commitment to resolving the issue peacefully in accordance with international law, as well as existing agreements and memoranda with Cambodia. Earlier, Anwar received a courtesy call from the new Malaysian Ambassador to the United States, Tan Sri Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob. Anwar said that they discussed, among others, measures to strengthen bilateral ties between Malaysia and the United States, including strategic efforts to attract quality and high-impact foreign investments. 'Among (the topics) touched on included strengthening Malaysia-US ties as well as efforts to attract quality and high-impact foreign investments from the country,' he said in a Facebook post today. The Prime Minister also wished Muhammad Shahrul all the best on his appointment, while stating his confidence in the former to elevate Malaysia's aspirations, image and reputation to the highest level. On June 3, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, presented the instrument of appointment to Muhammad Shahrul in a ceremony at Istana Negara.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
O'Briens Malaysia: Fresh, fast and balanced
ON the sandwich shop spectrum, O'Briens Irish Sandwich Cafe Malaysia (O'Briens) falls on the slightly more premium end but customers are known to get what they pay for – sandwiches crafted to international standards with high-quality, fresh ingredients. Speaking to theSun, O'Briens managing director and master franchise holder Brian Pua explained that the success of the brand over the past two decades is the result of his team's relentless commitment in upholding the highest standards in food quality, customer service and healthy food products. Opening its first outlet in Malaysia at Great Eastern Mall in Kuala Lumpur back in 2002, O'Briens quickly expanded under Pua's stewardship to over 30 locations, largely in urban areas. Though the 'Irish' in its name may give some pause, Pua stressed that O'Briens is halal-certified, which was his very intention from the opening of the initial Malaysian outlet. 'As a cafe offering what many consider comfort food, it was important for us to target the halal status. Now, all our food is halal-certified, so our Muslim customers can enjoy their meals with confidence,' Pua explained. 'From the start, it was very clear how we would serve our customers,' he said. Healthy eating, local flavours O'Briens was one of the first businesses in the country's food and beverage landscape to push the concept of fresh and nutritious food – even if the general awareness on how both went hand in hand with living a healthy lifestyle was not as prevalent. Pua believes the pandemic drove a change in attitudes. 'It was when people began to have more awareness on the importance of taking care of their immune system by consuming more natural, fresh food products. 'People now look for meals that support their lifestyle, where they want something balanced, fresh and satisfying. We are proud to be part of that movement and it is great to see so many regulars who have made O'Briens part of their everyday routine,' he said. Yet, O'Briens is not rigid in its offerings. Over time, the brand has adapted – or rather tweaked – its menu to suit local tastes while maintaining its original values. 'Being a Malaysian myself has helped guide O'Briens. In the beginning, we looked at introducing Irish sandwiches, the concept and lifestyle to the Malaysian market. Over time, we looked into the taste of what O'Briens offered,' he said. Giving an example, Pua cited how Malaysians liked spicy food. This eventually led to the O'Briens menu adopting items such as the Piri-Piri Chicken Multigrain and the Volcanic Chicken Wrap. 'Another thing was the demand for vegetarian options and we answered it with a wide range of vegetarian offerings such as the Watercress Sandwich and even those that combined the spicy and vegetarian taste portfolio, such as the Sundried Tomato on Hot Ciabatta, which is popular with vegetarians,' he pointed out. 'We put in the effort to make each and every sandwich have its own unique identity by increasing the taste portfolio, while staying true to our Irish roots and the philosophy of clean, nutritious eating'. Listening to lifestyles Today, O'Briens continues to adapt to what consumers are looking for. To Pua, this means always having his ear to the ground. On top of integrating new technology into its operations, O'Briens is working with the fitness industry, finding new ways to approach the food and beverage landscape. They are already taking into consideration what gym-goers want. 'We have done surveys with them to develop our salads to be low in carbohydrates and high in protein, while striking a balance between the health aspect and the taste of our food,' Pua said. While the brand is known for promoting healthy foods and living, one element is conspiciously missing from its clean and attractive menu – nutritional information for each item, with calories, protein, carbohydrates, fats in gram and so on clearly stated. 'We are currently working on it,' Pua exclaimed with a laugh. 'In fact, our halal quality control team already has all the information for each product and very soon, we will incorporate it into our menu. 'We want our customers to know the nutritional value of what they consume and they can plan their meals. That is also what we want to encourage our customers to do, which is to have a balanced diet,' he said.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Healthy bites, local flavours
ON the sandwich shop spectrum, O'Briens Irish Sandwich Cafe Malaysia (O'Briens) falls on the slightly more premium end but customers are known to get what they pay for – sandwiches crafted to international standards with high-quality, fresh ingredients. Speaking to theSun, O'Briens managing director and master franchise holder Brian Pua explained that the success of the brand over the past two decades is the result of his team's relentless commitment in upholding the highest standards in food quality, customer service and healthy food products. Opening its first outlet in Malaysia at Great Eastern Mall in Kuala Lumpur back in 2002, O'Briens quickly expanded under Pua's stewardship to over 30 locations, largely in urban areas. Though the 'Irish' in its name may give some pause, Pua stressed that O'Briens is halal -certified, which was his very intention from the opening of the initial Malaysian outlet. 'As a cafe offering what many consider comfort food, it was important for us to target the halal status. Now, all our food is halal -certified, so our Muslim customers can enjoy their meals with confidence,' Pua explained. 'From the start, it was very clear how we would serve our customers,' he said. Healthy eating, local flavours O'Briens was one of the first businesses in the country's food and beverage landscape to push the concept of fresh and nutritious food – even if the general awareness on how both went hand in hand with living a healthy lifestyle was not as prevalent. Pua believes the pandemic drove a change in attitudes. 'It was when people began to have more awareness on the importance of taking care of their immune system by consuming more natural, fresh food products. 'People now look for meals that support their lifestyle, where they want something balanced, fresh and satisfying. We are proud to be part of that movement and it is great to see so many regulars who have made O'Briens part of their everyday routine,' he said. Yet, O'Briens is not rigid in its offerings. Over time, the brand has adapted – or rather tweaked – its menu to suit local tastes while maintaining its original values. 'Being a Malaysian myself has helped guide O'Briens. In the beginning, we looked at introducing Irish sandwiches, the concept and lifestyle to the Malaysian market. Over time, we looked into the taste of what O'Briens offered,' he said. Giving an example, Pua cited how Malaysians liked spicy food. This eventually led to the O'Briens menu adopting items such as the Piri-Piri Chicken Multigrain and the Volcanic Chicken Wrap. 'Another thing was the demand for vegetarian options and we answered it with a wide range of vegetarian offerings such as the Watercress Sandwich and even those that combined the spicy and vegetarian taste portfolio, such as the Sundried Tomato on Hot Ciabatta, which is popular with vegetarians,' he pointed out. 'We put in the effort to make each and every sandwich have its own unique identity by increasing the taste portfolio, while staying true to our Irish roots and the philosophy of clean, nutritious eating'. Listening to lifestyles Today, O'Briens continues to adapt to what consumers are looking for. To Pua, this means always having his ear to the ground. On top of integrating new technology into its operations, O'Briens is working with the fitness industry, finding new ways to approach the food and beverage landscape. They are already taking into consideration what gym-goers want. 'We have done surveys with them to develop our salads to be low in carbohydrates and high in protein, while striking a balance between the health aspect and the taste of our food,' Pua said. While the brand is known for promoting healthy foods and living, one element is conspiciously missing from its clean and attractive menu – nutritional information for each item, with calories, protein, carbohydrates, fats in gram and so on clearly stated. 'We are currently working on it,' Pua exclaimed with a laugh. 'In fact, our halal quality control team already has all the information for each product and very soon, we will incorporate it into our menu. 'We want our customers to know the nutritional value of what they consume and they can plan their meals. That is also what we want to encourage our customers to do, which is to have a balanced diet,' he said.
