The deputy prime minister, who is on a four-day visit to France, said this was expressed during a meeting at a hotel here.
“They have gone to Malaysia and seen for themselves, concluding that the negative campaign is baseless. They also admitted that the Malaysian palm oil industry is not as bad as claimed,” she told Bernama and RTM here today.
She also said the French MPs and politicians had been shocked to learn that Malaysia still has more than 53% forest area.
“The campaign against Malaysian palm oil gave the impression that the forest is diminishing, despite the fact that we still have more than 53% forest cover.
“I also told them that our wildlife such as the Malayan tiger and orangutan are protected,” she said.
Two of the French MPs present in the meeting with Wan Azizah were LaREM party member Anne Genetet and UDI party member Meyer Habib. They were joined by three other political leaders.
The national palm oil industry has been widely criticised of late over claims of deforestation affecting the environment.
The EU had before this approved a resolution to boycott the consumption of palm oil produced through unsustainable means by 2030.