Putrajaya, 10 February 2021 – The ‘Sawit Anugerah Tuhan’ campaign was officially launched to harness more support for palm oil, and more importantly, to promote public appreciation of its vital role and contribution towards building an inclusive and sustainable socio-economic growth for the nation.
Adhering to the new SOPs, the campaign was launched virtually by Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister, Dato’ Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali, and live streamed on the Malaysian Palm Oil Council’s Facebook page.
During the event, a dedicated website for the campaign, www.sawit.com.my and an online contest were launched for the public to discover and learn more about the attributes and benefits of Malaysian palm oil.
Dato’ Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said, “Palm oil is definitely a gift to our nation. Since the first commercial planting of the oil palm in 1917 at Tennamaram Estate in Selangor, it has been instrumental in bolstering the socio-economic development of the nation. The Malaysian palm oil industry is not only providing job opportunities for the people but also one of the biggest contributors to the nation’s income.”
Palm oil has vital socio-economic functions, including provisions of foreign exchange earnings, employment provider, source of raw materials for the food and non-food industries; all of which are critical to sustaining the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. Globally, palm oil plays a key role in ensuring a sustainable and consistent supply of vegetable oils and fat while promoting global food security.
Malaysia currently ranks second in the world for total production and export of palm oil; accounting for 26% and 34%, respectively, in 2020. Khairuddin emphasised that the palm oil industry is very important to a developing nation like Malaysia. Last year, palm oil and palm oil-based products contributed about RM72.8 billion to the nation’s GDP, an increase of 14.2% compared to that recorded in 2019, and the highest since 2017 (RM77.9 billion).
In addition, palm oil plays a vital role in supporting the livelihoods of small farmers and creating job opportunities within the palm oil supply chain and downstream ecosystem. It has been estimated that between three to four million people are dependent on Malaysian Palm Oil for livelihood today. Interestingly, palm oil is also contributing to the fight against COVID-19.
“Palm oil is a major source of the oleochemicals and derivatives in most soaps and hand sanitisers, which are the first line of defense against the COVID-19 virus. Indirectly, consumption of palm oil-based non-food products has opened up business opportunities for pharmaceutical entrepreneurs during these challenging times,” Khairuddin added.
“Recognising the Malaysian palm oil’s crucial role, the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities has taken the initiative to introduce the ‘Sawit Anugerah Tuhan’ campaign, which was previously announced on 19 November 2020. This campaign aims to build awareness and instil a sense of pride and appreciation for palm oil’s contributions to the country,” Khairuddin said.
Despite palm oil’s immense contributions, the industry is still facing criticism from certain quarters, who alleged its cultivation as the major driver for deforestation of rainforest and destruction of wildlife. Ignorance and lack of understanding about the commodity have been identified as one of the root causes for this criticism.
The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities is urging all Malaysians to follow this campaign and gather accurate information about Malaysian palm oil. “By doing so, they can become unofficial ambassadors for this important commodity by helping us disseminate the information to the global audience,” Khairuddin concluded.
The ‘Sawit Anugerah Tuhan’ campaign will feature a variety of promotional initiatives until the end of 2021. Educational activities, visual information, and social media activities will be organised to highlight numerous benefits of Malaysian palm oil.
For more information about the ‘Sawit Anugerah Tuhan’ campaign and online contest, visit www.sawit.com.my
