Guest guest Posted March 22, 2010 Report Share Posted March 22, 2010 Malaysian PM wants orangutans to attract eco-tourists to mainland - Digital Journal By R. C. Camphausen. <http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/289373> 6 hours ago by ■R. C. Camphausen<http://www.digitaljournal.com/user/248303>- 4 votes <http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/289373>, no comments<http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/289373> ShareThis <javascript:void(0)> Share <http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitaljournal.com%2Farti\ cle%2F289373 & t=Malaysian%20PM%20wants%20orangutans%20to%20attract%20eco-tourists\ %20to%20mainland & src=sp> <http://www.digitaljournal.com/print/article/289373> While the Malaysian part of Borneo does have orangutan sanctuaries, mainland Malaysia does not. The PM now wants to have a new eco-tourism attraction built near the capital, but finds it difficult to get the necessary primates moved. The Malaysian website The Star Online<http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/21/nation/2010032117514\ 1 & sec=nation>of March 21, the official beginning of spring, reported that both of the currently existing wildlife centers on the Malaysian part of Borneo are not in favor of relocating any of their primates to the mainland, even if that goes against the wishes of the current Prime Minister *Mohamed Najib bin Abdul Razak*. The article cites the Deputy Tourism Minister as saying both orangutan sanctuaries want their primates to stay where they are, and that the government would have to look for orang utans from elsewhere, for example the small island in Perak. This news comes because the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) has plans to allocate circa 200 acres in Kepong, not far from Malaysia's capital, in order to set up a new center to attract eco-tourism that is similar to the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre as well as to the Sepilok orang utan sanctuary in Sandakan. While it is not even certain just when the mainland project will come off the ground, the government seems determined to have an orangutan sanctuary near Kuala Lumpur, imagining that it could be a great success as it would leave a lasting impression on wildlife and ecology oriented visitors. The Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit has stated the following: “I cannot ascertain when we can make it a reality. But this is a directive from the Prime Minister, which is why we must do it.†<http://www.digitaljournal.com/image/65090> ■R. C. Camphausen <http://www.digitaljournal.com/user/248303> Orangutan on Borneo. Photograph taken during a visit of the Semenggoh Wildlife Center. Vote up this image! <http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/289373> Having been to the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre some years ago, I can perfectly understand why the existing centers don't want their fellow primates to be moved. Although chimpanzees do have more DNA in common with humans than do orangutans, these intelligent primates do certainly forge a bond with their human helpers and handlers, not to mention that they carve out a niche for themselves in the remaining bits of original jungle that's left on the huge island. *Orang*, incidentally, means human in Malay, and *utan *means forest. An *Orang Utan* therefore is a forest-dwelling human. The complete inter-relatedness of these words are brought home to you when travelling in Malaysia. On the local bus, for example, it may say *32 orang*... meaning " room for 32 passengers. " --\ -------- Published: Sunday March 21, 2010 MYT 5:46:00 PM - The Star Sabah, S'wak unwilling to send their orang utan to KL By RINTOS MAIL *KUCHING:* Sarawak and Sabah are not willing to relocate their orang utan to a new sanctuary for the primate in Kuala Lumpur. Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit said both states wanted their orang utan to stay where they were and, therefore, the government now had to look for orang utans from a small island in Perak. He said the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) had allocated about 200 acres in Kepong to set up the new eco-tourism attraction that was similar to the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre here and the Sepilok orang utan sanctuary in Sandakan. “We are going to transfer some of the orang utan from the island in Perak since the population has increased and exceeded the island’s caring capacity, which makes it difficult for the primates to get enough food,†he said opening SK Siburan Baru Parent-Teacher Association’s annual general meeting here Sunday. Dawos said the species in Perak, the Borneon orang utan (Pongo pygmaeus), was similar to that in Sarawak and Sabah. He was not certain when the project would start. However, he said the government would not go back on its plan because an orang utan sanctuary in Kuala Lumpur would be a big success as it would leave a lasting impression on visitors in line with the government’s intention to make eco-tourism a more prominent sector. “I cannot ascertain when we can make it a reality. But this is a directive from the Prime Minister, which is why we must do it,†he said. --\ -------------------------- Monday March 22, 2010 - The Star Questions over big ape sanctuary KUCHING: Mystery surrounds a proposed new orang utan sanctuary in Kuala Lumpur, which nobody seems to want. Sarawak and Sabah are not willing to relocate their orang utan to the sanctuary, said Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit. He said both states wanted their orang utan to stay where they were and therefore, the government now had to look for orang utans from a small island in Perak. He said the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) had allocated about 200 acres in Kepong to set up the new eco-tourism attraction which was similar to the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre here and the Sepilok orangutan sanctuary in Sandakan. “We are going to transfer some of the orang utan from the island in Perak since the population there has increased and exceeded the island’s caring capacity which makes it difficult for the primates to get enough food,†he said after opening SK Siburan Baru Parent-Teacher Association’s annual general meeting here yesterday. Dawos, who is a FRIM board member, said the species in Perak, the Borneon orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), was similar to that in Sarawak and Sabah. He was not certain when the project would start. However, he said the government would not go back on its plan because an orang utan sanctuary in Kuala Lumpur would be a big success and it would leave a lasting impression on visitors in line with the government’s intention to make eco-tourism a more prominent sector. “I cannot ascertain when we can make it a reality. But we must do it,†he said. FRIM director-genereal Datuk Dr Abd Latif Mohmod, however. said the institute had never requested for the setting up of an orang utan sanctuary. “Orang utan conservation comes under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Perhilitan. We are a forest research centre focusing on flora,†he said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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