KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — The Ministry of Plantation and Commodities (KPK) will work with the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDN) to take action against product-importing companies that discriminate against palm oil in the country.

KPK Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said every imported product that has signs of discriminating against palm oil products will be fined as much as RM250,000, in line with Section 69 of the Trade Description Act 2011.

The Act prohibits any person in any business or trade, or in any advertisement, to use any statement, expression or indication that discriminates against or boycotts palm oil products.

"We see many imported products from abroad which have nothing to do with palm oil, do not have palm oil content but the packaging states ‘palm-oil free’.

"We have laws. Our products should not be discriminated against. In Indonesia, you can’t find this,” he told the media after launching the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) logo today.

To sustain the country’s palm oil industry, the minister said KPK will discuss with the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) to put the MSPO logo on every palm oil-based product marketed in the country.

He said the MSPO logo will emphasise the importance of the environment and awareness of sustainability efforts in the country’s oil palm industry.

Earlier, MSPO and FGV Holdings Bhd signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to use the MSPO logo on "Saji” cooking oil and its culinary range of products.

The signing of the MoU marked a collaboration between MSPO and FGV in cross-promoting, exchanging information and exploring new opportunities and initiatives related to sustainability in the palm oil and halal industry. — Bernama