Ex-Indonesian minister slams Syed Saddiq over ‘Asean outcast’ remark on haze
Muhammad Lutfi says Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman should have a better understanding of the palm oil industry.
Former Indonesian Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi has criticized Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman for his comments about treating Indonesia as an "outcast" in Asean due to the recurring transboundary haze. Lutfi argued that the haze is not an opportunity for political grandstanding and that Indonesian firefighters have died while battling the blazes.
He emphasized that Malaysian companies operating plantations in Indonesia must also be held responsible for the crisis, as they control a significant portion of land in the country, with some financing their operations through Malaysian banks. Lutfi urged holding every "rogue corporation" accountable, regardless of their nationality, but cautioned against insulting an entire nation that has given opportunities to Malaysian industries.
He pointed out that Indonesia did not call Malaysia an outcast following the US's ban on Malaysian palm oil imports. Lutfi also criticized Greenpeace's report, which identified 19 fire hotspots in Indonesian concessions linked to Malaysian groups, and urged investigations into companies and their supply chains. He expressed frustration at being scapegoated for the issue, stating that he served as Indonesia's Trade Minister from 2014 to 2022 and demands a more targeted approach.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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