Mahathir warns of retaliation if EU keeps up palm oil offensive

PULAU CAREY — Putrajaya will consider retaliation if the European Union persists with its campaign against palm oil, Malaysia's prime minister said when describing the offensive as disingenuous.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad dismissed the EU’s expressed concern over deforestation caused by oil palm cultivation and accused the bloc of using the claim as a cover to protect its own agriculture sector.

“This is not a question of demand or supply, but rather them trying to protect their own economy.

“We may have to retaliate. If they don’t want to buy our products, we won’t buy their things,” he said after launching the Sayangi Sawitku campaign at the Sime Darby Ladang East in Pulau Carey on Sunday (March 24) morning.

The PM stressed, however, that he was not talking about outright boycotts or trade wars, but explained that Malaysia would consider other countries as suppliers for products it currently purchases from the EU.

Among others, he said this could include defence procurements.

Dr Mahathir said he observed Pakistan’s use of Chinese military technology during his visit to the South Asian country and said Malaysia could follow suit.

“If they (the EU) keep taking action against us to impoverish us, we will have to think of buying planes from China, or from any other country.

“Their technological capabilities are not backward, some are more advanced than Western countries,” he said.

The EU is proposing legislation next month that will restrict the use of palm oil as a biofuel and completely ban it in transport use by 2030.

Malaysia is the world’s second-largest exporter of palm oil after Indonesia. THE MALAY MAIL