The Government under the Ministry of Primary Industries is trying its very best to address the woes of the smallholders in the country.
‘As the problem of the ban is no fault of us, the smallholders, as it is the State Government under GPS that has flouted the federal government moratorium by allowing its crony companies to clear virgin forests especially the recent episodes of clearing land for supposed use of oil palm next to our World Heritage site of Mulu. This caused uproar in Europe.’
‘The Minister for Primary Industries had to come twice to Sarawak to get a confirmed & valid guarantee that the State Government would not open new areas or else we will be constantly attacked by the EU for destroying forests for oil palm planting’, Leon said.
‘Your worries & concerns are the same as mine, as I too am an Oil Palm Planter like you as well, and that is why the whole country’s Oil Palm industry is being affected by the policy of this GPS State Government, so we must be clear who is in the wrong here,’ reiterated Leon.
‘Thankfully, one of the enterprises undertaken by our Minister YB Teresa Kok is to increase demand of local consumption of Oil Palm by introducing the loveMYpalmoil (Sayangi Sawitku) initiative. This is also to rebuke the constant attacks on our palm oil.’
‘The Sayangi Sawitku initiative was successfully launched last Saturday by PM Tun Mahathir, and we hope this initiative will increase local consumption of palm oil and therefore increase demand,’ added Leon.
Leon J Donald was speaking & presenting a cheque from YB Chong Chieng Jen, Deputy Minister of KPDNHEP, given to TR Linggi in San Ugol, Sri Aman.
