BUSY PROGRAMME AWAITS MALAYSIAN MINISTER IN AUSTRALIA

By Neville de Cruz
MELBOURNE, July 22 (Bernama) -- Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister, Benard Dompok, will have a busy programme during his eight-day working mission to Australia starting July 25, 2011.

He is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with seven Victorian and New South Wales state ministers, the premiers of these two states and five federal ministers during his visit to Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra.

Dompok, who will be accompanied by plantation and commodities officials, will also take part in Malaysian timber industry seminars in Melbourne and Sydney as well as having talks with officials from the Food Standards Australia and the Australian Food Grocery Council in Canberra.

In Sydney, Dompok will have a dialogue on palm oil with interested parties.

He is also scheduled to visit a moulding factory here and a giant retailer Bunnings do-it-yourself outlet in Sydney.

There is concern in Australia about illegal logging in the region and the unfounded fears of oil palm cultivation on wildlife and the environment.

Crucial bilateral meetings are scheduled with the Federal Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, Environment Minister Tony Burke, Health Minister Nicola Roxon, Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and Trade Minister Dr Craig Emerson.

Dompok will be accompanied at these talks by Malaysian High Commissioner to Australia, Salman Ahmad.