Monday, August 12, 2002 (The Star) - THE MPOPC Seminar 2002, themed “Emerging Trade Issues for Palm Oil” will highlight the current state ofthe industry as well as agricultural and environmental issues pertainingto the planting of palm oil in Malaysia, said Malaysian Palm Oil PromotionCouncil chief executive officer Datuk Haron Siraj.Speaking at a press briefing, Haron said the one-day conference to be heldin Ipoh next Friday would address issues such as claims from overseasorganisations that palm oil plantations were harmful to the environment.“In Malaysia, as much as 72% of the country is still green, of which morethan 50% is still natural forest, with the rest in the form of plantationsand agriculture,” Haron said.He said the conference would enable relevant bodies and experts to sharewith participants the facts and to educate them on what was the actualsituation regarding the foreign claims.Haron said there were still some local nutritionists, for example, whowere not conversant with the true and actual health benefits of palm oiland therefore did not highlight these benefits to the population atlarge.“We want all the participants, be they planters, millers, refiners,nutritionists or otherwise who attend, to be educated on the benefits ofpalm oil, as then they will be able to counter (foreign) accusations ofthe dangers of planting and consuming palm oil,” Haron added.Haron said he felt that many of the issues against palm oil and itsbenefits that were raised overseas, especially those by non-governmentalorganisations, were actually merely a cover for trade issues.