See Khor Yu Leng’s update on LinkedIn
Just wrapped 3.5 intense days at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board HQ—marking the close of my three-year stint chairing the #ClimateChange Mitigation & Adaptation (aka #sustainabledevelopment) sub-committee under the Programme Advisory Council.
A simple takeaway: the science has moved on. #Sustainability in palmoil is no longer about frameworks or compliance - it is about measurement, integration, and real-world decisions. The research teams are stepping up: stronger capabilities, deeper field work, and an encouraging ability to innovate under real plantation constraints. What stood out most was not just the data, but the spirit of the researchers - practical, adaptive, and increasingly systems-focused, led by Meilina Ong-Abdullah, Dr. Vijaya Subramaniam, mohd hefni Rusli, Kamil Azmi Tohiran, Zaki Aman, Rafidah Abd Hamid, Nor Hasbira Hasbullah, Wan Aina Farhana.
Under the leadership of Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir, the next wave of #yield actualization has taken shape - driven by MPOB’s genomic advances, particularly on the #shellgene to eliminate ultra-low-yield planting material. At the same time, the industry is beginning to grapple with the role of #DNAtesting in enabling wider adoption of #clonal planting material.
Across biodiversity, soils, water and climate, the conversation has clearly shifted. The challenge is no longer identifying issues - it is connecting them. #Watersystems linking to yield and emissions. #Soilbiology linking to carbon and productivity. #Biodiversity linking to #pestcontrol and landscape resilience. #Climaterisk cutting across all of it. In short: from siloed projects to integrated systems thinking.
The next frontier is clear - turning this into decision tools. Spatial mapping, data integration, and partnerships that bring in estates, smallholders, more research institutions and increasingly, finance. This is where agencies like MPOB have a unique role - not just as a research body, but as a platform to unlock value from sustainability.
A personal note: it has been a privilege to work with a deeply committed team over these years. The capability is there. The question now is speed, focus, and execution.
Congratulations to Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha (HOB) on a second consecutive appointment, allowing him to build on the momentum of his MPOB Chairman role.
Bottom line: The future of oil palm will not be judged by what we say about sustainability - but by how well we measure it, integrate it, and act on it.
Our members
Ms. Khor Yu Leng (Segi Enam Advisors Pte Ltd)
Mr. Ho Shui Hing (United Plantation Berhad)
Prof. Dr. Simon Lord (Simon Lord Consultancy)
Mr. Rashyid Redza Anwarudin (SD Guthrie Berhad)
Prof. Dr. Takashi Hirano (Hokkaido University)
Ms. Marcie Elene Marcus Jopony (IDH)
Datuk Dr. John Payne (BORA)
Dr. Ahmad Aldrie Amir (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia)
Dr. Pankaj Trivedi (Texas Tech University, USA)
Reach us at khorreports@gmail.com for more information!