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"About the WTO, yes we are pursuing it, in fact the documents
are with the attorney general chambers now... They are assisting
us... (and) helping us identify experts who can argue the case
in the WTO," Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok told
reporters after an industry event on Monday.
She added that it would be strategically good for Malaysia to
file a joint complaint with Indonesia.
The European Commission had earlier this year decided to phase
out palm-based transport fuels in its share of renewable energy
after concluding that its cultivation results in excessive
deforestation.
This led Malaysia to threaten a WTO challenge to the EU move,
while Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said the EU
risks opening up a trade war with Malaysia over its "grossly
unfair" policies aimed at reducing the use of palm oil.
Malaysia is the world's second-biggest palm oil producer and
exporter after Indonesia, and relies on the crop for billions of
dollars in foreign exchange earnings and hundreds of thousands
of jobs.
Palm oil however has been accused by environmental groups of
vast deforestation, leading to a loss of biodiversity and
climate change.
(Reporting by Emily Chow; editing by Christian Schmollinger)
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