Malaysia has reiterated that the allegations by some western countries over indiscriminate opening of oil palm plantations and destruction of its rainforests and habitats are unfounded, Malaysian News Agency Bernama reported. Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman urged the western non-governmental organizations to stop their smear campaigns because Malaysia is committed to protecting the environment. "We're proud of our eco treasures from mountain high to ocean deep. This is also our selling point in getting tourists to the state," he said at a dinner to welcome participants of the OANA Workshop on Sustainable Forest Management here. His speech was delivered by Deputy Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan. However, despite its strong commitment towards sustainable forest management, it had had to face negative publicity campaigns from time to time, he said. Welcoming the move by the Organization of Asia Pacific News Agencies' (OANA) secretariat to hold the workshop in Sabah, Musa hoped that the participants, particularly foreign journalists, would be able to personally see the conservation efforts by the government and write truthfully, thus correcting the misconception. He said the workshop could be a springboard to generate fresh ideas and encourage smart partnerships between news agencies in the region as well as public and private sector initiatives in environmental sustainability. OANA, formed in 1961, brings together 40 news agencies from 33 countries. Some of the agencies, namely Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Xinhua of China, Kyodo (Japan), Yonhap (South Korea), Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Antara (Indonesia) and Ria Novosti (Russia), have sent their representatives to the workshop. The two-day workshop is aimed, among others, at providing an opportunity for the participants to know more about the policies and practices undertaken by Malaysia to create a balance between development need and the need to preserve the environment.
