Malaysia’s palm oil board urges countries to reconsider food versus fuel priorities
Updated 25 April 2022
Reuters
KUALA LUMPUR: Countries should pause or slow down the use of edible oil as biofuel to ensure adequate supply for use in food, a state-backed Malaysian palm oil group said on Monday, warning of a supply “crisis” following an Indonesian ban on palm oil exports.
Indonesia, which is the world’s top producer and exporter of the edible oil, on Friday said the ban will commence on April 28, in a shock move that could inflame surging global food inflation and constrain supplies.
Global edible oil supplies were already choked by adverse weather and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and now consumers around the world will have no option but to pay top dollar for supplies.
“Exporting countries and importing countries need to have their priorities right, this is the time to temporarily reconsider food versus fuel priorities,” said director general of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir.
“It’s very important for countries to ensure available oils and fats are used for food and ... temporarily stop or reduce their biodiesel mandates,” he said, adding that countries could continue their existing biodiesel mandates once supply returns to normal.
Palm oil, the most widely used edible oil, is also used as a biodiesel feedstock.
Indonesia and Malaysia have made it mandatory for a certain amount of palm oil to be used for biofuel, and just last month said they remain committed to those mandates despite higher palm prices.
Other countries also make biofuels from animal fats and plant oils like corn and soy.
Demand for such biofuels has boomed in recent years due to climate change mitigation efforts.
Malaysia, which accounts for 31 percent of global palm oil supply, is the world’s second largest producer of palm oil after Indonesia, which makes up 56 percent.
Producers in Malaysia are facing a pandemic-induced labor shortage and said they cannot meet the gap left in global supply by Indonesia’s ban.
Malaysia also needs to look at its stock and production forecast to ensure local demand is not neglected while fulfilling global demand, Ahmad Parveez said.
Following Indonesia’s announcement, Chicago soy oil futures surged to their highest since 2008 while crude palm oil futures rallied to their highest in six weeks.
Artificial intelligence is transitioning into a ‘digital employee’
AI can be an effective tool, business leaders tell Arab News
Not about jobs, but ‘convergence of human capital and AI’
Updated 57 min 29 sec ago
Hebshi Alshammari
RIYADH: Artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping the world of work, transitioning from a supporting tool to an active partner that is radically changing the nature of professions and productivity standards.
Amidst the current global transformations, an active regional digital environment is emerging.
This is being led by Saudi Arabia through Vision 2030 and massive investments in smart infrastructure, providing a living model for studying the implications of this partnership between humans and machines on the future of work in the region.
Arab News spoke to various business leaders about the emerging shape of the sector.
Salem Bagami, co-founder of Metatalent, said the ideal relationship between humans and machines at work should be complementary and collaborative.
Humans would bring creativity, emotional intelligence, and complex decision-making, while machines excel at processing big data and performing repetitive, precise tasks.
He believes that this type of balanced partnership would lead to unprecedented productivity and innovation.
While machines excel at processing big data and performing repetitive, precise tasks, humans would bring creativity, emotional intelligence, and complex decision-making. (Supplied)
Mohammad Al-Jallad, chief technologist and director at HPE, said AI has gone beyond being merely an executive tool to becoming a “digital employee” entrusted with automating routine tasks and providing insights based on data analysis.
He believes that the real opportunity lies not in the debate over job replacement, but in “the convergence of human capital and artificial intelligence.”
AI should augment human teams by taking on menial and routine tasks, enabling employees to focus on critical thinking, creativity, and ethical reasoning, significantly improving operational results.
Bagami also emphasized the complementary nature of this partnership. “The ideal relationship between humans and machines at work is one of collaboration, where each complements the others.”
He explained that humans bring creativity, emotional intelligence, and nuanced decision-making, while machines excel at processing big data and performing repetitive tasks efficiently, leading to increased productivity and innovation.
Opinion
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Salem Alanazi, chairman of Jathwa Technology Co., notes a significant trend among Saudi Arabia companies toward using AI applications to provide faster services to customers at lower costs.
The emergence of the “virtual employee” available around the clock has eliminated the need for some traditional jobs in specific sectors.
Alanazi warns that some companies’ reluctance to adopt AI may expose them to real risks. “All those who hesitated to benefit from AI applications have a lack of understanding of these technologies.”
He said those who adopt these technologies will be able to offer lower-cost, higher-quality services, which will affect the market position of companies that lag behind.
Ali Aljumhour, CEO of VALUE Consultancy, said that the transition of AI into a partner has reshaped the list of most in-demand skills in the job market.
Skills such as “prompt engineering,” “human-machine integration,” and “digital ethics” are becoming increasingly important.
He added that AI has become an instantly available “technical knowledge base,” shifting the criteria for professional distinction toward those capable of smart interaction with these technologies.
In terms of ethics, transparency, and trust, Alanazi points to the complexities of global AI governance, where legislation overlaps and evolves rapidly to keep pace with potential risks, particularly in the areas of cybersecurity and privacy.
Ali Aljumhour, CEO of VALUE Consultancy. (Supplied)
Al-Jallad emphasizes this crucial dimension, noting that providing responsible and reliable AI solutions that meet the highest standards of transparency is a key priority, especially in regulated sectors.
Bagami believes there should be basic standards for the ethical use of Al, emphasizing the need for transparency, accountability, and fairness, along with using diverse data sets to prevent bias and protect privacy.
He believes that building trust between humans and machines requires clear explanations of how systems work, giving users the opportunity to provide feedback and conducting periodic performance reviews.
On performance evaluation, Aljumhour said: “I expect radical changes in standards, shifting from measuring individual effort to evaluating the quality of the partnership between humans and machines.”
There should be a focus on the quality of inputs provided to intelligent systems, the accuracy of review and modification, and complex decision-making based on outputs.
He warns, however, of new risks that may arise, such as over-reliance on AI or difficulty in determining responsibility for mistakes.
In the employment sector, Aljumhour expects fundamental changes in standards.
There will be questions and tests focusing on measuring skills in dealing with AI, such as asking candidates about their experiences of collaborating with these systems, or testing their ability to formulate effective requests for complex tasks.
Aljumhour identifies significant human challenges in this transition, with “fear, loss of power, and exclusivity of knowledge” being the biggest concerns for experienced employees.
