The wildlife and parks department (Perhilitan) said it would assess the success of the GCS rehabilitation programme after the five-year period ends.

“If the assessment finds that the wildlife is still not suitable for release into its natural habitat, the applicant may reapply for the permit,” the department said. The application would be subject to approval by the minister for natural resources and environmental sustainability.

The society said recently that the five-year period granted by Perhilitan was insufficient as the International Union for Conservation of Nature holds that gibbon rehabilitation requires more time than other species.

GCS founder and president Mariani Ramli previously told FMT that it could take anywhere between five to 15 years for one gibbon to be successfully rehabilitated and released into the wild. It can take a further 12 to 24 months of monitoring the gibbons post-release.

However, Perhilitan said the five-year duration was sufficient; it said its procedures called for monitoring in the first four months after release.

Perhilitan said GCS could still appeal against the conditions of the current permit. However, the conditional permit was temporary as a different permit is needed for operating a rehabilitation facility under a new law on wildlife conservation.

“At present, the ministry and Perhilitan have given GCS leeway to keep the wildlife until the new law is enforced,” said the department.