KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 — Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation (MPOGCF) yesterday held a World Orangutan Day celebration themed ‘The Other Malaysians’ at Zoo Negara.

Ministry of Plantation and Commodities (KPK) secretary-general Datuk Mad Zaidi Mohd Karli officiated the event.

"Orangutans have a significant relationship with the palm oil plantation sector, especially in Sabah,” he said in his speech.

He cited a study by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) which found that the orangutan population in Sabah will remain stable for another 15 years.

He said that the MPOGCF is running conservation efforts in Sabah based on the study including programmes such as planting a million trees to rehabilitate the 2,500-hectare natural habitat of orangutans in the Ulu Segama-Malua Forest Reserve, Lahad Datu, a 10-year project which will also aid the economy of Kampung Tampenau residents through their supply of saplings to the foundation.

He added that it is also sponsoring establishing and operating a wildlife rescue unit to rescue and relocate orangutans and other wild animals in Sabah. A total of 61 orangutans have been successfully rescued from 2010 to 2020.

He said MPOGCF is also sponsoring an RM1.1 million project to upgrade the Bornean Orangutan Exhibition at Zoo Negara and has allocated RM1.2 million for the Orangutan Population Survey Project in Sabah.

"These efforts are the commitment of Malaysia’s palm oil industry to transform into a sustainable industry that prioritises environmental sustainability and wildlife friendliness as well as an industry that has minimal impact on the natural ecosystem,” he said.

He urged Malaysians to support these efforts by prioritising products with Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification.

MPOGCF said the theme was chosen to promote the coexistence of humans and three wild animals that are synonymous with the palm oil industry: orangutans, elephants and Malayan tigers.

Over 500 participants took part in the Orangutan Fun Walk event while 150 participants made up of parents and their families were part of the Night Camp programme.

Meanwhile, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme Grow and Glow had 100 participants.

World Orangutan Day is celebrated every August 19 to raise awareness of the importance of conserving the mammalian species.