Minister praises school once slammed for anti-palm oil presentation
This followed a study tour by students from the international school to an oil palm estate on Pulau Carey.
PETALING JAYA: Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok today praised an international school for organising a visit to an oil palm oil estate yesterday.
This was the same school that came under attack, including from Kok, in July for spreading an anti-palm oil message during a school function.
Kok said she was “very pleased” that the school had brought its students to visit the oil palm estate on Pulau Carey near Port Klang.
“This shows the school’s management is conscious of the need for their students to see and judge for themselves, first hand, the real aspects of the palm oil industry and not to fall for negative propaganda spread by irresponsible elements,” she told FMT.
Kok also urged other international schools to follow suit.
In July, she had slammed the school for organising a concert where students gave a presentation seen as supporting the anti-palm oil lobby, which also targeted wildlife like the orangutan.
Kok later defended her criticism, saying it wasn’t an attempt to stifle freedom of expression but to express “disappointment and regret” on what she called their lack of understanding of the industry and efforts towards conservation and sustainability.
The school later apologised for the incident.
According to Sime Darby Plantation’s Instagram, some 30 students from the school visited the fields, the oil palm museum, and research and development laboratories, as well as the recently-opened Palm Oil Experience Centre.
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Sime Darby also introduced the Know Your Palm Oil initiative as a familiarisation programme for participants to learn about the industry in a fun and interactive way.