KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali has encouraged Malaysians to take Vitamin E based on red palm oil — saying that it has good health benefits.

Speaking during Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat this morning, the PAS minister surprisingly backed his predecessor and DAP Seputeh lawmaker Teresa Kok, after she was teased by Jempol (BN) MP Datuk Salim Sharif.

“I would like to assist Seputeh on the issue of a spoonful of red palm oil. I encourage taking Vitamin E made from palm oil ― tocotrienol.

“This is what should be taken by Malaysians ― tocotrienol, which is vitamin E made from palm oil. I have distributed it for free to all Members of Parliament, for health purposes,” said Mohd Khairuddin.

During her tenure as the plantation industries and commodities minister, Kok had promoted for Malaysians to take a spoonful of red palm oil a day, saying it has good health benefits while also helping the local palm oil industry expand further.

However, she faced ridicule from PAS and Barisan Nasional lawmakers until the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) confirmed that red palm oil has good health benefits.