Plantations and commodities minister Johari Ghani said the government had decided to change its “Orangutan Diplomacy” programme suggested earlier this year.

The new plan would allow orangutans to move freely about, to forage and breed without any interference from humans, or plantation and tourism activities, Johari said in Sandakan, at an event to mark World Orangutan Day.

Palm oil importing countries are being urged to get involved in the orangutan conservation efforts through the Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation, Johari said.
The foundation had allocated RM1.23 million for a study on the Borneo orangutan population from 2023 to 2025. Johari urged companies in the oil palm industry to contribute voluntarily to the fund and enjoy tax incentives.

“The funds collected will be used to implement various related programmes such as collaborating with a team of rangers consisting of experts to monitor the presence, safety, and condition of these wild animals,” he said.

In May, Johari had suggested the Orangutan Diplomacy initiative to stem the negative perceptions of Malaysia’s palm oil industry. Under the programme, importers of Malaysian palm oil can adopt one or more orangutans and be given the privilege to name them.

He said he hoped to generate the same goodwill as China does with its “panda diplomacy”.

Orangutans are great apes native to the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra which spend most of their time in trees. The Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is one of three species, all listed as critically endangered as a result of poaching, habitat destruction, deforestation, and the illegal pet trade.