Palm Oil Processing

University Roadshow 2019—2023

Most events are hybrid sessions. (rev 15 December 2023)

Overview

Palm oil is the most sustainable edible oil in the world, with 3.8 tons palm oil produced per hectare. The benefits of palm oil on health include protecting brain functions, reducing heart disease risk and improving vitamin A status. In transgenic Alzheimer's disease (AD) animal model, the chemical components in palm oil exert neuroprotective effects in neuronal cells and attenuate oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis. As palm oil is the top export product in Malaysia, several campaigns have been introduced by the ministry at the government of Malaysia.

Objectives

POPSIG Palm Oil Educational Roadshow aims to provide a platform for students to learn more about the roles of chemical engineers in palm oil industry. It also addresses accurate perceptions and promotes various career opportunities in the industry.

Palm oil campaigns

Love My Palm Oil

The former Minister of Primary Industries (MPI, 2 July 2018—24 February 2020) in Malaysia, YB Teresa Kok Suh Sim did a soft launch of the Love MY Palm Oil campaign on 8 January 2019. The 7th Prime Minister of Malaysia, Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad officially launched the campaign organised by MPI on 24 March 2019 on Pulau Carey, Selangor, Malaysia. YBhg. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad has been very supportive of the palm oil industry as it is a major contributor to the economy and rural poverty eradication.

Sawit Anugerah Tuhan

The effort to disseminate accurate perception was continued in the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) with Dato' Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali as the Minister of MPIC (10 March 2020—16 August 2021) when YB Tan Sri Dato' Haji Mahiaddin Bin Mohd Yasin, familiarly known as YB Tan Sri Dato' Haji Muhyiddin Bin Mohd Yassin, was the 8th Prime Minister. On 22 July 2020, he stated that Love MY Palm Oil campaign was rebranded to 'Sawit Anugerah Tuhan' or Palm Oil is God's Gift campaign.

Malaysian Palm Oil Full of Goodness

In August 2021, Datuk Hajah Zuraida Kamaruddin sworn in as the Minister of MPIC (21 August 2021—24 November 2022) when YB Dato' Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob became the 9th Prime Minister on 21 August 2021. On 5 January 2022, the then minister launched 'Minyak Sawit Malaysia Penuh Kebaikan' (Malaysian Palm Oil Full of Goodness) campaign and 'Mari Kenali Sawit' (Let's Get to Know Palm Oil) books during Reach & Remind Friends Of The Industry Seminar 2022 & Dialogue.

Malaysian Palm Oil Full of Goodness campaign reflected many benefits of palm oil and palm-based products. It was good for health, environment, sustainability, livelihood, and prosperity. The books were introduced to educate the younger generations on the benefits of palm oil. The books outlined the contributions of palm oil industry to the national socio-economy and the livelihood of the generations that pioneered the industry.

Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (2022-2023)

When Yang Amat Berhormat Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim became the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia on 24 November 2022, the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia and Minister of Plantation and Commodities (Kementerian Perladangan dan Komoditi, KPK), Yang Amat Berhormat Dato' Sri Haji Fadillah Bin Haji Yusof was then sworn in on 03 December 2022.

Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (2023-present)

Yang Amat Berhormat Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim did the cabinet reshuffle on 12 December 2023. Yang Amat Berhormat Dato' Sri Haji Fadillah Bin Haji Yusof became the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Public Utilities. Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Johari Bin Abdul Ghani was appointed as the Minister of Plantation and Commodities, while Yang Berhormat Datuk Chan Foong Hin was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Plantation and Commodities on 12 December 2023. The swearing-in for the Federal Ministers took place in Istana Negara on 12 December 2023.

Understand palm oil industry

Many Malaysians already use palm oil for cooking because it is the cheapest cooking oil in the market. Some believe what is imported and more expensive is better, and believe foreign media streamed on smart phones. What they do not realise is how healthy it is as well as value for money.

The crude oil glut of 2015 saw many people including chemical engineers in the oil and gas industry losing their jobs as the price fluctuated. This has made chemical engineering undergraduates eyeing on the food grade edible oil sector as the top employer. Many graduates consider the palm oil industry, which is the third highest value of major exports of Malaysia after electronic products.

  • Is the palm oil industry sustainable?
  • What are the career prospects?
  • Does it address SDGs and explore ESG opportunities?
  • What are the roles of the palm oil industry in tackling climate change?

These questions will be answered at the POPSIG University Roadshow during the visit to the 24 universities in Malaysia offering chemical engineering degree courses. There will be a highly interactive session with speakers from POPSIG, the Malaysia Palm Oil Council (MPOC), the palm oil industry as well as academia. There will also be a field trip to one of the sectors of the industry viz plantation, oil mill, crusher, refinery or oleochemical plant.

Schedule

List of roadshows can be viewed here >>

Contact us

If you would like to organise a roadshow at your university, please contact Mr Vincent Tiang Soon Thai, Roadshow Director.

If you are a chemical engineer working in the palm oil industry and want to volunteer to be a speaker at roadshow, please contact the Roadshow Director at popsigmalaysia@gmail.com.

Award-winning programme

POPSIG Roadshow was one of the Top 20 best Youth Sustainable Projects, which were selected by the Delegation of European Union to ASEAN, in collaboration with ASEAN Secretariat in 2022.

Appreciation to MPOC

We are delighted that Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) supports the POPSIG University Roadshow since 2019. MPOC is a corporate body with a mission to promote the market expansion of Malaysian palm oil and its products by enhancing the image of palm oil and creating better acceptance through awareness of various technological and economic advantages (techno-economic advantages) and environmental sustainability.

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