By Zaki Salleh
TAIPING: The orangutan’s habitat has often been misused as a campaign symbol by certain parties attempting to portray the palm oil industry as the main cause of deforestation.
However, orangutans should not be used as a tool to attack the palm oil industry, but rather as proof that a sustainable palm oil sector can coexist as a partner in environmental conservation.
This was emphasized by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation (MPOGCF), Dato’ Yusran Shah Mohd Yusof.
He stated that Malaysia has long introduced various sustainable policies and standards related to the development of the palm oil industry.
Among them is the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification, which mandates the protection of High Conservation Value (HCV) areas, restricts new forest clearing, and promotes the restoration of wildlife corridors.
“Since its introduction in 2023, the World Orangutan Day celebration has become one of MPOGCF’s flagship programs to educate the public about the important role of orangutans as indicators of ecosystem health and to foster awareness of the significance of sustainable development within the palm oil industry.
“Through this celebration, MPOGCF aims to further connect communities with the value of conservation and strengthen national commitment towards protecting the country’s biodiversity,” he said.
He made the remarks during the World Orangutan Day 2025 Celebration held at Zoo Taiping & Night Safari.
The event was organized in collaboration with the Taiping Municipal Council.
Dato’ Yusran Shah stressed that the celebration is not merely symbolic but a reflection of Malaysia’s commitment to balancing economic development with biodiversity conservation.
The main event featured a 2.5-kilometer Fun Walk within the zoo, participated in by more than 500 people, who were required to complete checkpoints with quiz questions related to orangutans and the palm oil industry.
In the afternoon, the celebration continued with a coloring contest that drew the participation of nearly 200 children.
