The Association was established on 26th October 1889 in Sandakan, then, North Borneo by a group of tobacco planters from Kinabatangan, Segaliud, Labuk and Sugut, under the name of North Borneo Planters’ Association. The purpose then and now, was to discuss plantation challenges, to represent estate interest to the Government, and to cooperate with the Government on matters of mutual interest.

 

In early of 1890s, when rubber planting had superseded tobacco as the dominant crop, the Association was re-founded as The Planters Association of the West Coast with its headquarters in Jesselton where is now referred to Kota Kinabalu.

 

In the 1920s, it became The North Borneo Planters Association and since then has represented all or nearly all of the principal estates on both East and West Coast of Sabah.

 

In 1963, when North Borneo achieved independence and confederated with Peninsular Malaya, the Association changed its name to Sabah Planters’ Association.

In 1973, when plantation development activities in Sarawak began on a commercial scale, the name of the Association was changed to The East Malaysia Planters’ Association (EMPA) to accommodate members from Sabah and Sarawak.

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In the late 1970s, EMPA has pioneering the research in oil palm pollination and resulted in 1981, the introduction of pollinating weevil: Elaeidobius kamerunicus, one of the significant contributions to the oil palm industry. It also has improved the economic viability of oil palm cultivation on a commercial scale and has been widely practiced, not only in Malaysia, but in many other countries where oil palms are cultivated.

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In 1984, EMPA and Timber Association of Sabah (TAS) jointly established the Sabah Immigrant Manpower Centre (SIMC), one-stop recruiting center, to regulate the recruitment and employment of foreign workers in the agriculture and timber sectors.

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​In 2008, the Association appealed to Federal Government on Windfall Levy threshold; and in 2009, the threshold raised to RM3,000 per m. ton of CPO at the rate of 1.5% for Sabah and Sarawak.

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​In June 2017, the EMPA Management Committee pledged to assist its members, especially the small and medium-sized estates (40.46 Ha – 1,000 Ha), to attain MSPO Certification before the end of 2019. It followed that EMPA collaborated with Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC) had conducted forums on MSPO Certification throughout Sabah. The Association also organized training courses and members achieved their MSPO Certification successfully.

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​In 2019, the Association proposed incentive to cover MSPO Audit Fees and Preparation Costs especially for small and medium-sized estates. These had been approved by the Ministry of Primary Industry Malaysia; it benefited not only for EMPA members, but for all small and medium-sized estates across Malaysia.

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​In May 2019, with EMPA’s appeal, the Chief Minister of Sabah has suspended the property assessment tax which imposed on palm oil mill and its housing.

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​In 2020, the Association actively engaged with Sabah State Government and Ministry of Primary Industries Malaysia on the Lock-Down measures and SOP for plantation industry. EMPA also distributed infrared thermometers to members; and donated medical test kits to Health Department Sabah for fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic.

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​In 2021, EMPA's members collaborated with the Sabah State Government Departments, successfully conducted COVID-19 vaccination campaigns for the plantation industry.

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​In June 2021, the Association proposed a method for on-line payment of windfall levy to the Federal Government, aiming to streamline the payment process and enhance efficiency. Subsequently, in November 2023, Jabatan Kastam has implemented the “My Sawit System” to address this aspect.

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​As well, the Association collaborated with Malaysian Naturalist Society (MNS), NGOs, and Government Departments on a special publication titled: The Wild Side of Sabah – A Bumper Issue to Celebrate Its Rich Biodiversity. This publication was released to commemorate EMPA’s 132nd anniversary and MNS’s 81st Anniversary, highlighting the diverse wildlife and natural heritage of Sabah.

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​In March 2022, with the participation and contribution of EMPA representatives, the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Revised Standards MS2530: 2022 were launched.

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In 2023, EMPA organized and conducted briefings, trainings, and field visits aimed at sharing best agriculture practices with its members across Sabah.

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​The Association is now with a membership strength of 202 members.

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​EMPA, through its members' activities, has made meaningful contributions to the social and economic well-being of Sabah and the country. The Association is recognized by Sabah and Federal Government as the coordinating body for various plantation industries in East Malaysia, i.e. oil palm, cocoa, agro-forestry and other crops.

 

​*EMPA is built by the Members for the Members*