Phoong visiting Kunak Refinery Sdn Bhd during his three-day working trip in Tawau and Kunak.
KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia’s first plant dedicated to refining and producing tocotrienols is currently being built in Kunak.
This is also a significant milestone in
Sabah’s downstream palm oil industry said Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe during his recent working visit to the construction site.
It would be Malaysia’s first facility utilising refined palm oil by-products to produce tocotrienols.
The plant is owned by Kunak Refinery Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Sawit Kinabalu, which is linked to the Sabah Government’s investment in the palm oil industry.
Besides visiting the construction site, Phoong and his delegation also toured an
operational palm oil refinery.
Tocotrienols, a form of Super Vitamin E known for their potent antioxidant properties are highly sought after by cosmetics manufacturers and supplement producers. These compounds are renowned for their health and therapeutic benefits, including combating cholesterol, cancer, stroke and aging.
Phoong disclosed that the construction of the plant is currently 60 per cent complete and is expected to be finished by mid-2025.
He emphasised that the Sabah Government has always been committed to developing the downstream palm oil industry, rather than merely exporting crude oil and raw products.
This aligns with Sawit Kinabalu Group’s vision to enhance the palm oil industry chain from upstream palm trees to downstream products like vitamin supplements. Industrialisation is essential for Sabah to achieve prosperity.
“The downstream industry of tocotrienols presents a significant opportunity for Sabah. By transforming refined palm oil
by-products into high-value products, we will have excellent export conditions in the future. Especially since last year, under the promotion of Deputy Prime Minister II Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, China approved the import and application of tocotrienols, highlighting the enormous potential for Sabah’s industrial development,” said Phoong.
Additionally, Phoong said that last month, Deputy Plantation and Commodities Minister and Kota Kinabalu Member of
Parliament Datuk Chan Foong Hin witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Kunak Lipids Sdn Bhd and Shanghai Boce Trade Service Company.
This collaboration aims to produce refined palm oil by-products to meet the demand of the Chinese market.
Under Chan’s witness, the Sawit Kinabalu team also engaged with potential distributors and manufacturers who showed great interest in tocotrienols and other phytonutrients extracted from
palm oil, particularly cosmetics manufacturers.
