Malaysian palm oil giant tied to social conflict, deforestation, says report

Source: Mongabay.com

Published on 3rd April, 2014

Rainforest conversion for an oil palm plantation in Malaysia 

Unlike other palm oil giants that have recently made strong commitments to eliminating deforestation and social conflict from their supply chains, Malaysia-based Kuala Lumpur Kepong (KLK) continues to source palm oil associated with forest destruction and community conflict, argues a new report published by the Rainforest Action Network (RAN).

The report, titled Conflict Palm Oil in Practice, cites several high profile cases from the past year involving KLK, including conflict with communities in Papua New Guinea and Liberia, use of child labor on an Indonesian plantation, and continued deforestation at two plantations in Indonesia. 

“The sheer magnitude of the abuse that KLK has engaged in is shocking,” said Robin Averbeck, senior forest campaigner with Rainforest Action Network. “From Liberia to Indonesia to Papua New Guinea, KLK is involved in everything from the destruction of endangered orangutan habitat to widespread child labor and the violation of the rights of Indigenous Peoples.” 

 


Deforestation for palm oil in Malaysia 

The report aims to pressure American firms that buy from KLK to drop the company as a supplier. One of KLK’s major buyers, Wilmar, recently established a zero deforestation policy that would seem to compel it

Malaysia to Increase Palm Oil Component of Biodiesel

Source: Environment News Service

Published on 28th October, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, October 28, 2013 (ENS) – Malaysia is about to require a higher concentration of palm oil in its biodiesel fuel blend, government and industry and  sources said last week.

The new B7 biofuel blend would increase the palm oil component of biodiesel to seven percent, up from the current five percent.

Land clearing for oil palm expansion, Miri Division, Sarawak, Malaysia, 2009 (Photo by Wakx)

Adding more palm oil to the blend increases the pressure to convert rainforest lands to oil palm plantations, putting indigenous communities and wildlife, including the critically endangered orangutan, at risk.

“So far the direction from the ministry is quite clear. We’re really moving to B7,” an official from the Malaysian Biodiesel Association told the online news service Malaysian Insider.

He declined to be named as the discussions were held behind closed doors. Another government official, who also declined to be named, said Malaysia is working out final issues with car manufacturers before implementing the new requirement.

They indicated that the B7 blend could be in place as early as December in Malaysia, the world’s second-largest palm oil producer.

Indonesia, the world’s top palm oil producer, recently announced plans to raise its own minimum mandatory biofuel requirement for biodiesel to 10 percent, up from a range of

Malaysia to launch palm oil certification scheme to compete with RSPO

Source: Mongabay.com

Published on 6th September, 2013

Malaysia will launch its own certification standard for palm oil produced by local firms by 2014, reports Reuters. The initiative aims to differentiate Malaysian palm oil from that produced in other countries, while offering a less stringent alternative to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, the sector’s leading certification body.

“To move forward in the palm oil industry, we decided to have our own Malaysian standard,” Embas, a Malaysian official, was quoted as saying. “This will be the branding that we hope to make for Malaysian palm oil.”

“The RSPO is more of a burden to the industry. It has certain conditions that are too stringent, it is very costly, and they keep changing their goals. The premium that we get is also minimum.”

Oil palm vs rain forest in Malaysia.

Embas said the program will start out as a voluntary initiative but would likely become compulsory over time. He added that the standard would help counter criticism about the environmental impact of palm oil.

Whether that proves to be the case is an open question. Vast areas of rainforest and peatlands in Malaysia have been

Malaysia Starts Biodiesel Mandate, Looks for More

Source: Domestic fuel

Published on 30th July, 2013 by John Davis

Building on the success of a biodiesel mandate in the central part of the nation, Malaysia is starting a 5 percent biodiesel mandate in the southern part as well. And this article from Biodiesel Magazine says the Southeast Asian country could be looking to expand that requirement even more.

[Malaysian Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities] says implementation of the biodiesel program in the south will create an additional annual demand of 37,270 tons, displacing about 11 million more gallons of petroleum diesel per year. Since July 1,

Malaysia’s rich natural resources are standing in the way of an Arab Spring

Source: QUARTZ

Published on 25th July, 2013 by Nithin Coca

Nithin Coca is a freelance writer. Previously, he worked in media and public relations for the Sierra Club and he received his Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University

Fifty-six years and counting. Reuters / Bazuki Muhammad

A long time corrupt, disconnected ruling party? Check. Contentious elections? Check. Allegations of voter fraud? Check. Ethnic and religious fault lines? Check. On the surface, two months after the closest election in Malaysian history, one in which the opposition coalition actually received more votes, the situation looks ripe for an uprising along the lines of Egypt or Tunisia, or even nearby Indonesia and Thailand. Instead, the country seems destined for more years of unequal, resource-driven, racially divisive policies.

Growth = Discontent

Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1963, and separated from Chinese-majority Singapore two years later. This made Muslim Malays, Bumiputera, the majority in the country at 55% of the population, versus 30% for Chinese-Malaysians, and 8% for Indian-Malaysians (the remainder are orang asli, indigenous peoples, and immigrants). Since then, Malaysia has been governed by the same ruling coalition, Perikatan, later renamed Barisan Nasional, led by the United Malays National Organization.

They ruled freely and, for several decades, elections weren’t even close. Until 2008,

Miracle in the Sabah jungle

Source: Free Malaysia Today

Published on 8th January, 2012 by Michael Kaung

The Sabah Wildlife Department is organising a colloquium with the Malaysian Palm Oil Council to discuss the future of wildlife conservation in the state.

KOTA KINABALU: The survival of “Puntung”, the recently captured female Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni), was a miracle considering the odds stacked against her.

“Puntung was captured because years of monitoring her had revealed that no other rhinoceros had come into her range,” said Dr Laurentius Ambu, the director of the Sabah Wildlife Department.

He said that the situation was symptomatic of the many dangers other species of wildlife in Sabah faced as their habitats have been broken up and lacked the expansive linkages they needed to survive undisturbed.

He added that while Sabah is considered rich in wildlife and has many success stories in terms of conservation, much work still needs to be done.

“The level of threats to wildlife (from poachers) is still high…” Ambu said.

Oil Palm Expansion in South East Asia – Trends and implications for local communities and indigenous people

Click the following links for the report. This is a rather long report though. Have a good read!

http://www.forestpeoples.org/sites/fpp/files/publication/2011/11/oil-palm-expansion-south-east-asia-final.pdf

 

Sustainable palm oil initiative falters

Source: Mail & Guardian Online

Published on 20th November 2011 by Romen Bose

Environmentalists have warned that an effort to encourage the sustainable production of palm oil launched several years ago has not kept pace with expanding cultivation driven by rising demand.

The edible oil is a key ingredient in soap and everyday foods ranging from peanut butter to sweets but its cultivation is one of the biggest threats to the world’s dwindling rainforests.

The issue will loom large this week at the annual meeting of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil from November 22 to 24 in key producer Malaysia.

Harried habitat: El Paso Zoo official heads to palm oil summit

Nov 19, 2011 (El Paso Times – McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX)

Source: Menafan.com

From deodorant to cookies, hundreds of products in the market contain palm oil — which may be used as a binding agent in cosmetic products or be used for taste in foods.

But the production of these items is endangering hundreds of animals in Malaysia and Indonesia, including the orangutans, El Paso Zoo officials said.

In an effort to encourage companies to use other sustainable resources, an El Paso Zoo official will attend the 9th Annual Roundtable Meeting on Sustainable Palm Oil in Sabah Borneo, Malaysia.

Jeffrey Sachs stung by the corrosive mix of palm oil and publicity

Source: The Guardian

The tale of the world’s biggest palm oil producer, discredited TV shows and the renowned economist and his institute reveals a ruthless global PR campaign..

Oil palms displace native plant and animal species in Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia. Photograph: Mattias Klum/NG/Getty Images