She said her ministry, with the support of other relevant agencies, would continue to engage European stakeholders to counter false allegations on palm oil with credible scientific facts.

“The European Parliament election was just over in May, so they will have the next sitting in September.

“I will most likely go to Europe in November to start a new round of lobbying,” she told reporters after launching the Malaysian palm oil centre at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here today.

In order to convince the European Union (EU) about Malaysian palm oil, she said it was crucial for the industry to improve.

She said her ministry had been working relentlessly to ensure oil palm plantations in the country achieve 100% Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification by the end of this year.

To date, about 36% of the 5.85 billion hectares of oil palm plantations in the country have been MSPO certified, she said.

On the palm oil centre at KLIA, Kok said it was vital to educate the public on the benefits of palm oil, as the commodity was the backbone of Malaysia’s agriculture sector and the main driver of economic development.

Located at the departure hall, the centre is aimed at encouraging travellers to learn about the key benefits of the commodity in terms of health, cuisine and the economy in conjunction with the “Love MY Palm Oil Campaign”.

The ongoing promotion is being held in collaboration with Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd.