KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 — Palm oil blended in Malaysia must carry accurate declarations of origin, as any inaccuracy could undermine the integrity and reputation of Malaysian products in international markets, a maritime expert said.
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) Faculty of Maritime Studies senior lecturer Dr Madzli Harun said that while palm oil blending was permitted in the industry, the process did not automatically make the finished product Malaysian in origin.
He said a product’s country of origin was determined under the applicable Rules of Origin (RoO), which take into account processing methods, raw material content and criteria set out under the relevant trade regulations.
“If the original bill of lading (B/L) states that the refined, bleached and deodorised (RBD) palm olein originates from Indonesia, subsequently blending the product in Malaysia does not automatically make it a Malaysian-origin product.
