Anti-palm oil campaigns are damaging trade relations, says Saifuddin

As a country committed to enhancing trade liberalisation through a multilateral trading system centred on the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Malaysia viewed anti-palm oil campaigns and resolutions as damaging to trade relations and contradictory to the principles of free trade. Speaking at the ASEAN-G7 meeting held in conjunction with the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meetings yesterday, Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah emphasised that Malaysia has maintained 55.3% of its land area under forest cover, which exceeds Malaysia’s commitment at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. During the meeting that was held in hybrid form, Saifuddin also encouraged cooperation on climate change between ASEAN and the G7 to support the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Paris Agreement, in accordance with the principles of equity, and “common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.”