Jokowi: Don't Let Indonesia-Malaysia Palm Oil Commodities Criticized By The European Union

President Jokowi and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the Bogor Palace, West Java, Monday 9 January 2023. (BPMI Setpres)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo invited Malaysian Prime Minister (PM) Anwar Ibrahim to continue to strengthen collaboration between the two countries in fighting various discriminations imposed on palm oil.

"I really appreciate the recent Indonesian-Malaysia joint mission to Brussels; and this kind of collaboration must continue to be strengthened," Jokowi said at a press conference with Anwar Ibrahim after a meeting in the First Series, Putrajaya, Malaysia, quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, June 8.

As monitored via the YouTube channel of Malaysian TV3 Bulletin television station in Jakarta, Thursday, Jokowi said it refers to the joint Indonesia-Malaysia mission to the European Union on 30-31 May 2021 in Brussels, Belgium.

Indonesia and Malaysia expressed concern about the European Union Deforestation Free Regulation (EUDR) regulation which is considered to hinder access to palm oil commodities to the European Union market. In addition, EUDR has the potential to harm small farmers because it is burdened with requirements for joining the regulation.

"Do not let the commodities produced by Malaysia, by Indonesia, be discriminated against in other countries," said Jokowi.

Jokowi's attention to the issue of discrimination over palm oil commodities, especially in various international forums including the recent G7 Summit, has drawn appreciation from Anwar Ibrahim.

"We welcome it well and I say tahniah to the two ministers at a European meeting, one time the voice of Indonesia-Malaysia has voiced the interests of oil palm," said Anwar.

He also admitted that even though Malaysia has the same interests, Jokowi still takes the position of leading the issue's struggle through his firm initiatives in various forums between nations.

Anwar even admitted that he had been targeted by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on an occasion, calling himself involved in a new cartel.

"I didn't initially catch (the intention), it turned out that the term cartel was used by the President (Jokowi) in the G7 meeting to defend the economic interests of the country and the people," said Anwar Ibrahim.

Jokowi's arrival to Malaysia was a return visit after Anwar Ibrahim visited the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, on January 9, 2023.

Various agreements and memorandums of understanding between the two countries reached during President Jokowi's visit to Malaysia were a follow-up to Anwar Ibrahim's visit to Indonesia in January.