In conjunction with the International Day of Action Against ExxonMobil, representatives from non-governmental organisations and individuals led by the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) launched a boycott campaign against the oil giant today.

The delegation headed by CAP representative, Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid, handed a letter of protest to an official from the company's Malaysian subsidiary.

The letter signed by over 75 organisations and individuals, held ExxonMobil and the United States (US) responsible for global human rights abuse and environmental devastation inflicted around the world.

Mohd Azmi said the oil giant is the "biggest culprit behind global warming".

"ExxonMobil contributed to (US president) George Bush's campaign and lobbied to the Bush administration to reject the Kyoto Protocol," he said.

He added that because of the company, US had "betrayed the world" in the cause of environmental conservation.

Strongly protest

In April this year, Bush rejected the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change on the grounds that it could hurt the superpower's economy and that the scientific evidence claiming that carbon dioxide emission contributed to the global climate change was incomplete.

"We ask the government and people of Malaysia to strongly protest the action of ExxonMobil. Therefore, we urge everyone to boycott all Esso and Mobil petrol stations in the country," said Mohd Azmi.

He also expressed his hope that the campaign will put enough pressure to force the company to change its business orientation.

Activist Lilianne Fan told reporters, "They (ExxonMobil) say that they protect the environment. They say they bring development. They say they bring the benefits of globalisation to the people. But they don't listen. They don't listen to the cries of the communities that are being affected."

The protest letter was received by the local subsidiary's public affairs manager, Dr Lee Chee Fook, who promised to look into the matter.

During the 10-minute gathering, a masked man was seen carrying a placard bearing the words "Tiger (Esso's mascot): I'm quitting now. You can ask the rat or running dog to be your mascot".

ExxonMobil, which boasts annual profits of US$210 billion is one of the largest oil producers in the world.

Meanwhile, human rights groups all around the world have also claimed that the transnational oil company contributed to the proliferation of human rights violations in various countries such as Indonesia, Nigeria, Ecuador and Columbia.

In June 20 this year, a lawsuit on behalf of 11 villagers from Aceh, Indonesia, was filed against ExxonMobil. The lawsuit named the company as liable for murder, genocide and kidnapping at its liquefied natural gas operations in the conflict-ridden province.

Highest standards

Later today, ExxonMobil subsidiaries in Malaysia, in a press statement, denied the allegations levelled against the company.

The oil giant said that it supports the right of all parties to make their own views but it maintained that the company sought the "highest business and ethical standards in their operations and in the way they treat people, communities and the environment".

"Activists promote the idea that opposition to the Kyoto protocol equates to a lack of concern about climate change. This is simply not the case. Like many other companies, we do not believe Kyoto is the right approach," the statement said.

"We fear it would impose dramatic economic costs in the developed world, while doing little to achieve its goal of addressing climate change since developing nations, which require most of the world's increased needs for energy to grow their economies, have no comparable commitments," it added.

ExxonMobil also denied that the company or any of its affiliates was involved in the alleged human rights abuse by the Indonesian security forces in Aceh

The statement further explained that those who will be most harmed by a boycott here are the thousands of Malaysian independent business people, who own and operate local service stations, and their employees and the many Malaysians working for ExxonMobil.