19/5/07 (The Star)  -  MIRI: Malaysia will meet British and European parliamentarians to counter allegations by non-governmental organisations that the Malaysian oil palm industry was killing wildlife and destroying forests.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui said he would explain the truth to British MPs in London and members of the European Parliament in Brussels about ”our efforts to conserve the environment and biodiversity while we develop our palm oil industry.”

“The Federal Cabinet wants to counter European anti-palm oil activists on their own home ground and prove that Malaysia has nothing to hide and nothing to fear,” he said Saturday.

Chin, the MP for Miri, will visit Britain, Belgium and Holland from June 3 to June 10, accompanied by industry leaders from both the upstream and downstream sectors.

“We will answer all the accusations by the European NGOs against us. These NGOs are increasing their campaigns against our palm oil by claiming that we are killing the orang utans and destroying the forests.

“I am going to face the British and EU parliamentarians and address these issues. We will also be holding seminars to highlight our conservation and reforestation efforts,” he told a press conference here Saturday.