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New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Over 5.03mil hectares of Malaysian oil palm certified under MSPO scheme
MELAKA: A total of 5.03 million hectares or 89.6 per cent of the oil palm plantation area in Malaysia has been certified under the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification scheme as of June 30 this year, said Deputy Minister of Plantations and Commodities Datuk Chan Fong Hin. He said the achievement reflects the continued commitment of Malaysia's palm oil industry to adopting sustainable plantation practices that align with internationally recognised standards. "The MSPO certification initiative also enforces strict standards to ensure that oil palm plantation companies and smallholders are not involved in any form of forced labour. To this end, the MSPO requires certified entities to comply with the Employment Act 1955, which stipulates that workers cannot be compelled to perform work without their consent," he said when opening the 'Know Your Rights, Do It Right' Programme Series 1/2025. The programme was also attended by the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Plantations and Commodities (KPK), Datuk Yusran Shah Mohd Yusof, here today. Chan said the programme was implemented by the ministry to provide the agri-commodity industry with clear and accurate information on labour issues in the plantation sector, particularly those involving foreign workers. He noted that currently, more than 75 per cent of the approximately 280,000 workers in the oil palm plantation sector are foreign workers, with the majority coming from Indonesia, followed by Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. "The government recognises that the continued heavy reliance on foreign labour can give rise to various issues and risks, including exploitation and forced labour, especially due to a lack of transparency in recruitment processes. "This can also lead to trade restrictions imposed by countries such as the United States if there is evidence of forced labour practices within the supply chain. "Therefore, the ministry has taken the initiative to organise programmes like this, to ensure that labour-related challenges no longer hinder the development and progress of the plantation sector," he said.
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Over 5.03mil hectares of oil palm plantation in Malaysia under MSPO certification scheme
MELAKA: A total of 5.03 million hectares or 89.6 per cent of the oil palm plantation area in Malaysia has been certified under the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification scheme as of June 30 this year, said Deputy Minister of Plantations and Commodities Datuk Chan Fong Hin. He said the achievement reflects the continued commitment of Malaysia's palm oil industry to adopting sustainable plantation practices that align with internationally recognised standards. "The MSPO certification initiative also enforces strict standards to ensure that oil palm plantation companies and smallholders are not involved in any form of forced labour. To this end, the MSPO requires certified entities to comply with the Employment Act 1955, which stipulates that workers cannot be compelled to perform work without their consent," he said when opening the 'Know Your Rights, Do It Right' Programme Series 1/2025. The programme was also attended by the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Plantations and Commodities (KPK), Datuk Yusran Shah Mohd Yusof, here today. Chan said the programme was implemented by the ministry to provide the agri-commodity industry with clear and accurate information on labour issues in the plantation sector, particularly those involving foreign workers. He noted that currently, more than 75 per cent of the approximately 280,000 workers in the oil palm plantation sector are foreign workers, with the majority coming from Indonesia, followed by Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. "The government recognises that the continued heavy reliance on foreign labour can give rise to various issues and risks, including exploitation and forced labour, especially due to a lack of transparency in recruitment processes. "This can also lead to trade restrictions imposed by countries such as the United States if there is evidence of forced labour practices within the supply chain. "Therefore, the ministry has taken the initiative to organise programmes like this, to ensure that labour-related challenges no longer hinder the development and progress of the plantation sector," he said.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Malaysia achieves 89.6% MSPO certification for oil palm plantations
MELAKA: A total of 5.03 million hectares, or 89.6 per cent of Malaysia's oil palm plantation area, has been certified under the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) scheme as of June 30 this year. Deputy Minister of Plantations and Commodities Datuk Chan Fong Hin highlighted this milestone, emphasising the industry's commitment to sustainable practices aligned with global standards. 'The MSPO certification initiative also enforces strict standards to ensure that oil palm plantation companies and smallholders are not involved in any form of forced labour,' Chan said during the opening of the 'Know Your Rights, Do It Right' Programme Series 1/2025. He stressed that certified entities must comply with the Employment Act 1955, which prohibits forced labour. The programme, attended by KPK Secretary-General Datuk Yusran Shah Mohd Yusof, aims to address labour issues in the plantation sector, particularly concerning foreign workers. Chan noted that over 75 per cent of the 280,000 workers in oil palm plantations are foreigners, primarily from Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. 'The government recognises that heavy reliance on foreign labour can lead to exploitation and forced labour risks, especially due to opaque recruitment processes,' he said. Such issues could trigger trade restrictions from countries like the U.S. if forced labour is detected in supply chains. To mitigate these risks, the ministry is actively organising awareness programmes to ensure labour challenges do not hinder sector growth. - Bernama
