The state government of Sabah has managed to increase and stabilise the number of orang utan despite active oil palm cultivation due to proper and balanced management.

Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Mah Siew Keong said he understands that the number of orang utan in Sabah is almost 12,000. He said in his discussions with ministerial counterparts in Europe and elsewhere, the topic of orang utan conservation in Malaysia would be brought up and the palm oil industry targeted as a sector that’s driving this iconic species into extinction.

“However, what we can see now is a far cry from claims by western non-governmental organisations that the orang utan population would be extinct by 2015 due to oil palm cultivation,” Mah said.

The visit also allowed him to get a first-hand account of the work carried out by the Wildlife Rescue Unit and operated by the Sabah Wildlife Department with full funding from the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) for this purpose.

Mah said even the number of orang utan sent to SORC for rehabilitation had dropped to single digit. This was due to pro-active wildlife conservation efforts in Sabah under state Tourism, Culture and Environment minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, he said.

He said apart from that, collaborative efforts between state authorities and his agencies, through MPOC as well as conservation funding from numerous bodies and agencies had helped.

However, he said conservation efforts must continue and it would be even more beneficial for the palm oil industry to further amplify its corporate social responsibility by making even larger contributions towards wildlife conservation in Malaysia.

More conservation efforts, funding and public awareness are necessary to further secure confidence and to demonstrate the positive roles that the palm oil industry plays, he said.

Mah said peaceful coexistence with the environment, wildlife and plantation related activities could not be overemphasised.