Monkey business: Conflicts involving animals cost Malaysia $1.6m worth of losses in 5 years
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The causes of human-wildlife conflict involving monkeys includes shrinking animal habitats.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
KUALA LUMPUR – Human-wildlife conflicts involving monkeys incurred about RM4.99 million (S$1.6 million) worth of economic losses between 2020 and 2025, the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives of Malaysia) was told.
Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh said this involved losses towards fresh produce or even properties among farmers and communities.
He said the ministry has a compensation scheme to assist communities impacted by human-wildlife conflict since 2024.
This is implemented through the National Wildlife and Parks Department (Perhilitan), Sabah Wildlife Department and also the Sarawak Forestry Corporation.
The deputy minister said there were 244 applications worth RM987,000 in 2024 and 314 applications in 2025 worth RM1.49 million.
“This year, the government has agreed to continue this initiative with allocations up to RM1.5 million,” he said during question time in the Dewan Rakyat on Feb 12.
He assured Dewan Rakyat that the matter would be handled tactfully by the authorities and warned the public against taking matters into their own hands as it is barred under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010.
He said tackling this matter must be done collectively, with involvement from local authorities and also communities.
The causes of human-wildlife conflict involving monkeys includes shrinking animal habitats due to development activities, unsystematic waste management and the rapid reproductive rates of the primates.
“These animals can adapt to their surroundings quickly and have survival instincts, which has led to their numbers.
“Some communities are also feeding the monkeys, which can lead to increased cases of human-wildlife conflict,” he said.
He also noted that Universiti Putra Malaysia has carried out a study on using contraceptives to manage the monkey population in Bukit Jalil.
“If the findings are successful, it can be considered for other hotspots,” he said.
The deputy minister was responding to questions by Mr Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman, who asked about strategies taken to manage conflicts involving monkeys. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
