KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia may expand its palm oil trade with Pakistan following controls imposed by the Indian government on refined palm oil imports.
“Pakistan is one of Malaysia’s most regular and dependable buyers of local palm oil and products,” Malaysian Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok said on Sunday.
Kok met Pakistan’s Adviser for Commerce, Textiles, Industry and Production and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood on an official visit to Pakistan.
“In 2018, Pakistan imported 1.16 million metric tons of palm oil from Malaysia valued at RM2.97 billion ($730 million). Avenues were discussed to further expand Malaysian palm oil share in this growing market,” said a statement by the Ministry of Primary Industries in Malaysia on Sunday following the minister’s visit.
India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) last week announced restrictions on the import of refined palm oil and palm olein, a liquid form of palm oil. Importers will now be required to apply for licenses.
Indian media reported that while the announcement was “not country-specific, but product-specific,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government had “informally” requested palm oil refiners and traders forgo Malaysian palm oil.
India is the world’s biggest palm oil importer and in 2018 imported $3.8 billion worth of palm oil from Indonesia, and $1.3 billion from Malaysia. The two Southeast Asian countries are the world’s main producers in the palm oil industry.
The Indian import controls came after remarks by Malaysian Prime Minister regarding India’s actions on Kashmir and the new citizenship law last year.
A Malaysian political analyst from the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, Dr. Oh Ei Sun, said that the restriction “doesn’t help to improve bilateral relations” and is seen as New Delhi’s retaliation to a series of remarks made by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad regarding India’s widely criticized citizenship laws and Kashmir lockdown.
“We speak out our minds and we don’t retract and change,” said the 94-year old leader at a press event in October regarding his UN speech last year calling for a UN resolution on the Jammu and Kashmir conflicts.
He also spoke out against the new citizenship legislation last year during the KL Summit in December, claiming that the new law would “deprive some Muslims of their citizenship.”
Mahathir’s decision to allow controversial Indian preacher Zakir Naik to remain in Malaysia also upset Modi.
“As India is a major buyer of Malaysian refined palm oil, palm oil refining industry will, of course, be significantly affected,” Dr. Oh said, adding that it remains to be seen if the broader crude palm oil-producing industry will be affected.
End.
Malaysia looks to Pakistan after Indian palm oil controls
https://arab.news/542av
Malaysia looks to Pakistan after Indian palm oil controls
- India is world’s biggest palm oil importer and in 2018 imported $5.1 billion worth
- Palm oil restrictions are seen as New Delhi retaliation following Malaysian criticism
New Murabba seeks contractors for Mukaab Towers fit-outs: MEED
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s New Murabba Development Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, has issued a request for information to gauge the market for modular and offsite fit-out solutions for its flagship Mukaab development, MEED reported on Wednesday.
The RFI was released on Jan. 26, with submissions due by Feb. 11. NMDC has also scheduled a market engagement meeting during the first week of February to discuss potential solutions with prospective contractors.
Sources close to the project told MEED that NMDC is “seeking experienced suppliers and contractors to advise on the feasibility, constraints, and execution strategy for using non-load-bearing modular systems for the four corner towers framing the Mukaab structure.” The feedback gathered from these discussions will be incorporated into later design and procurement decisions.
The four towers — two residential (North and South) and two mixed-use (East and West) — are integral to the Mukaab’s architectural layout. Each tower is expected to rise approximately 375 meters and span over 80 stories. Key modular elements under consideration include bathroom pods, kitchen pods, dressing room modules, panelized steel partition systems, and other offsite-manufactured fit-out solutions.
Early works on the Mukaab were completed last year, with NMDC preparing to award the estimated $1 billion contract for the main raft works. This was highlighted in a presentation by NMDC’s chief project delivery officer on Sept. 9, 2025, during the Future Projects Forum in Riyadh.
Earlier this month, US-based Parsons Corp. was awarded a contract by NMDC to provide design and construction technical support. Parsons will act as the lead design consultant for infrastructure, delivering services covering public buildings, infrastructure, landscaping, and the public realm at New Murabba. The firm will also support the development of the project’s downtown experience, which spans 14 million sq. meters of residential, workplace, and entertainment space.
The Parsons contract follows NMDC’s October 2025 agreements with three other US-based engineering firms for design work across the development. New York-headquartered Kohn Pedersen Fox was appointed to lead early design for the first residential community, while Aecom and Jacobs were selected as lead design consultants for the Mukaab district.
In August 2025, NMDC signed a memorandum of understanding with Falcons Creative Group, another US-based firm, to develop the creative vision and immersive experiences for the Mukaab project. Meanwhile, Beijing-based China Harbour Engineering Co. completed the excavation works for the Mukaab, and UAE-headquartered HSSG Foundation Contracting executed the foundation works.
