KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 (Bernama) -- Primary Industries Minister Datuk SeriDr Lim Keng Yaik has become an Honorary Fellow of the Incorporated Societyof Planters (ISP).

This award, which was for his outstanding contributions to the plantationindustry, was conferred on him at the ISP's dinner here tonight held inconjunction with the on-going 4th International Planters Conference whichends here on Wednesday. Dr Lim had earlier officiated at the opening ofthe conference Monday.

The ISP is a professional body incorporated on Oct 8, 1919 for thedevelopment and advancement of the professional interests of thoseinvolved directly or indirectly with the plantation industry.

Besides Dr Lim, the ISP also conferred the same award to Aberdeen-bornplanter Datuk Leslie Davidson for his outstanding contributions to thesociety in particular and the plantation industry in general as well as toPakistani scientist Datuk Dr Rahman Anwar Syed for his outstandingcontributions to the plantation industry in general.

In a citation on Dr Lim's contribution, ISP said the growth of Malaysianpalm oil was due to victories of the "palm oil general" in the nutritionwars (1985-1990), the world-trade-regime wars (1989-1999) and theenvironment battles (1998 till now). Dr Lim has been primary industriesminister since 1986.

Davidson, who celebrates his 52 years as a member of ISP this year,started planting in Pamol Estate in Kluang in 1951 before working in Sabahfrom 1960-1969 to help develop the oil palm industry there and returned toKluang again in 1970 to become chairman of two Unilever plantations.

He left for London to become the vice-chairman of Unilever InternationalPlantations Group in 1974 before joining Bertam Holdings at age 61 andretiring as its deputy chairman at age 70 in 2001.

Davidson was also the winner of the 1992 World Vision Award forDevelopment Initiative, a recognition given to the individuals whopersevere in their contribution to sustainable development.

Dr Rahman, who has dedicated his life to the study of insects, is wellknown for his work on oil palm pollination.

He joined the Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control (CIBC), nowCABI Bioscience, in early seventies and his 1997 assignment to Malaysiaand the Cameroon saw his great contribution to oil palm, especially inSoutheast Asia.

His work also confirmed that oil palms are entomophilous or pollinated byinsects. -- BERNAMA