YOURSAY | ‘If mistakes are made, they should be corrected, not condemned, especially when made by students.’

Yoursay: 'Gov't sowing culture of fear by acting against anti-palm oil school show'

Anonymous_7febc442: "If we don't do something about this and ensure oil palm is sustainably grown, within 10 years these beautiful creatures could be gone from our world," one student said - sounds perfectly balanced and makes sense.

In the performance, the schoolchildren said oil palm plantations have caused deforestation and threatened the orangutan. Also, both true statements.

This is not about an East-West divide. Our government went all-out on the palm oil strategy in the 60s. This protectionist knee-jerk reaction by the government and the industry is brought about by them suffering from the sunk costs.

A lot of people have invested their life in the industry. All the more reason for it to adapt to change. You are selling a product, and your market is shifting - you either change with the market or you get left behind.

If we are threatened by the musings, debates and valid argumentative points made by school children, is the problem with the kids or with us?

Anonymous_a338f3e4: What is wrong with saying oil palm leads to deforestation? That is exactly what happens... you clear forests to plant oil palm.

And all studies point out that cutting down natural forests impacts the homes of orangutans... they are both true statements.

Malaysia My Home: Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok, I am surprised and disappointed in your response. I hope you can use persuasion and collaboration rather than aggression and bullying. These are school kids after all.

People are allowed to disagree with you. Use information, not punishment.

Appum: Don't we encourage critical thinking?

Besides if mistakes are made, they should be corrected not condemned, especially when made by students. Year 3 students are, by the way, 9-year-olds.

Toffeesturn: Do not take action against the schools. Negative action will only yield negative results.

In the 80s when we were attacked by the soya bean and sunflower oil lobbies, we fought back with our own lobby.

We still have more than 50 percent of our nation clad in virgin jungle. Can the nations promoting this boycott of our oil palm match us?

Anon88: Propaganda or truth? Is it so difficult to ascertain which is which?

There must be objective data out there - satellite photos, statistics to show the reality on the ground.

How much forest has been lost to plantations? How many orangutans are left? What is the yearly rate of encroachment of plantations into forested territory?

What foreigners say or do, whether their forests still exist or not, is irrelevant to this issue. There are red-herring arguments.

Simple Truth: Freedom of speech does not give advocates the right to betray the nation by acting against the interests of millions of livelihood that are at stake.

The Analyser: What level of betrayal would you class the alienation of much of Malaysia’s natural resources to large companies to create the sort of sterile environment that is always associated with a monoculture.

What level of betrayal would you class the destructive effects of flooding and river pollution?

The expansion of the palm oil industry is the product of greed and ignorance, and when the product produced is damaging to the health of an already unhealthy nation, the problem is compounded

I wonder where your principles lie. And how much they have been overrun by your delusions. Freedom of speech is absolute. Otherwise, it’s not freedom of speech.

Economies all over the world have had to deal with the waning popularity of their products. Australia once rode on the sheep’s back. It is now producing half the wool it produced in 1980.

What do you think happened to industries all over the world when manufacturers moved off-shore to take advantage of low-cost labour? What about the growing unpopularity of coal as a source of energy?

The Pakatan Harapan government hasn't the intelligence to deal with palm oil issues. So they do what Malaysian governments always do – bury the head in the sand. Then try to impose outdated dogma on the community.

CEC: Those who defend the school’s actions with the reason of ‘freedom of speech and expression,’ let’s turn the scenario around.

Supposed the school put on a play that is anti-religion, whatever, just pick a controversial topic: would you also defend this act?

I am sure you would be loudly demanding an ‘investigation’ of the school’s management. Eight-year-olds just follow blindly what adults tell them.

It’s okay to present balanced facts and let the kids debate it... but to take a pro- or anti- stance?

Anonymous_1544167666: Freedom of speech should never be absolute, otherwise chaos will descend. Let your children be free to curse you every time they disagree and get upset.

Don't ape the West to achieve progress, but have a sound understanding of a subject matter before putting in place or imposing policies.

Clever Voter: Freedom of speech is relative, and comes with responsibility. If the intent is to ensure all speeches are not against national policy and will affect the country's good name, we should begin with the politicians. It is not good enough to blame Western propaganda.

Recent pollution crisis in Pasir Gudang shows the consequence of what would happen if we neglect such responsibility, and we have no one to blame except ourselves.

Chandra Sekran: What is being protected is the interest of the big companies that own oil palm plantations. And who do they employ to harvest these fruits? Thousands of foreign workers.

When we lose our jungles and all the creatures in it, the whole country will suffer.

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