PETALING JAYA: In regards to news reports which identified Sime Darby Plantation (SDP) as the “next major plantation firm” facing a withhold release order or import ban by the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), it revealed that it has not been afforded the opportunity to provide any explanation to the agency.
The group acknowledged that it the subject of a petition filed by Liberty Shared (LS)
with the CBP on April 20, 2020 and it still had not been provided any details of the allegation.
“A possible action by the CBP is a concern to SDP as we view the US as an important growing market for our products, even though the annual value of our export to the US at present is a modest sum of approximately US$5 million (RM20.8 million),” it said in a statement.
Prior to this, SDP has also responded to the allegations via three public statements based on the information available by outlining its policies and best practices related to matters raised in the petition between July and August this year.
It stated that the group’s responses underline its serious commitment to uphold human rights and genuine intentions to remedy any lapses in its operations and supply chain.
“They are further underscored by our plan, following our engagement with LS, to commission an independent review of our governance, procedures and practices related to the areas of concern, the details of which will be announced in due course,” it said.
SDP said it will continue its engagements with hopes of being able to obtain the details of the allegations for it to address them at the earliest opportunity.
Source: The Sun Daily
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