Plantations industries and commodities minister Zuraida Kamaruddin spoke of the boycott of Malaysian palm oil overseas as well as the negative reports by two major publications in the United States and the United Kingdom, in the winding up speech for her ministry in the Dewan Rakyat.

Kok, who served as plantation industries and commodities minister under the former Pakatan Harapan government, then interjected and questioned Zuraida over what was being done to counter it.

She urged Zuraida to ger her ministry to act on the issue instead of staying silent.

“We have scientific experts in the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) that research palm oil, as well as retired scientists whom we can seek to assist the government in refuting these articles on our palm oil industry, as well as Hong Kong consumer groups on our palm oil products.

“These attacks from abroad seem to be coordinated, and we should expect more of these to come. Yet, it seems like the government is unable to refute these attacks,” Kok said.

Malaysia’s palm oil sector had been cast in a negative light after the Washington Post released a report on Nov 7 which claimed that the sector under-reported its greenhouse gas emissions to the United Nations.

And on Nov 10, The Guardian reported about claims that the fatty acid found in palm oil can encourage the spread of mouth and skin cancer.

Kok also cited reports published on Oct 20, in which the Hong Kong Consumer Council announced that 60 samples of pre-packed biscuits and crackers it tested contained cancer-inducing elements such as glycidol or acrylamide.

Local biscuit maker Hup Seng was listed as one of the few companies that produced such foodstuff said to contain those cancer-inducing elements.