Orang utan diplomacy: Why Malaysia’s scheme is attracting criticism before it starts

Malaysia plans to gift orang utans to major economic partners as a way of improving its international image and building alliances. The

“orang utan diplomacy” plan was confirmed by Plantation

and Commodities Minister Johari Abdul Ghani at a biodiversity conference in early May.

The controversial announcement came days after the European Union, one of Malaysia’s biggest palm oil importers, agreed to ban imports linked to deforestation. Firms wishing to export to the EU would now need to provide proof, such as satellite images, that crops were not grown on lands that were deforested after 2020. This could hit Malaysia’s palm oil industry, which has been accused of destroying the forest habitats of endangered species, including the orangutan.

Without adopting a comprehensive conservation plan for the animals, Malaysia risks global condemnation that it is gifting orang utans as a reward to major palm oil importers. This could undermine the programme and the nation’s image.

In the Malay language, orang utan means “person of the forest”. These great apes are found only in Malaysia and Indonesia. They have reddish fur, long arms, cheek pads and, just like China’s giant pandas, opposable thumbs. They have human-like intelligence and have been known to employ herbal medicine to heal their wounds, and use sign language to communicate.

Unfortunately, orang utan numbers are dwindling. The WWF (formerly the World Wide Fund for Nature) states that there were more than 230,000 orang utans 100 years ago. But the current population is less than half that figure, and the primates are critically endangered. Undoubtedly, poaching and the illegal animal trade are partly responsible. However, the biggest culprit appears to be palm oil-linked deforestation where swathes of forest land, which contain orang utan habitats, are cleared to make way for these plantations.

The proposal to send orang utans to major palm oil importers is already controversial. Dr Stuart Pimm, a conservation ecologist from Duke University in the US, described orang utan diplomacy as “obscene” and “repugnant”, while emphasising that, unlike China’s giant pandas, orang utans do not have established state-of-the-art facilities and protected areas in their homeland.

Malaysia is economically dependent on palm oil. Five per cent of the country’s 2022 gross domestic product came from the sector, while palm oil exports are also a major source of Malaysia’s foreign exchange earnings. Palm oil is a highly versatile and cost-effective commodity. It is used to make cooking oil, lipstick, shampoo, detergent, soap, cookies, chocolate and many other everyday products.

Datuk Seri Johari concedes that his idea of gifting orang utans to major palm oil importing nations is a diplomatic strategy to convince economic partners that Malaysia is committed to developing its economy while preserving wildlife. Malaysia also clearly wants to try and offset the bad publicity over palm oil and its industrial policy.

History of panda diplomacy

The idea for orang utan diplomacy is inspired by the success of China’s panda diplomacy project. Legend has it that panda diplomacy began during the ancient Tang Dynasty (from 618 to 907), but took off only after US president Richard Nixon and his wife Pat Nixon paid an official visit to China in February 1972.

Two months later, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing arrived at the National Zoo in Washington. Within a year of their arrival, the pandas had drawn more than 1.1. million visitors and were the zoo’s star attractions for years.

As a soft power tool, panda diplomacy has been designed to build alliances with other nations. It moved towards becoming a conservation programme in the early 1990s, and Beijing has sent dozens of its pandas to key partners across the world.

There are three main elements that make panda diplomacy a success. One, the pandas have visual appeal. Giant pandas have what experts call kindchenschema, a clumsy and childlike set of characteristics that evoke empathy and a sense of protection from humans.

Two, pandas are found only in China. When foreign citizens see pandas as adorable, friendly and peaceful, they also associate them with China exclusively.

Three, the initiative is tied to a high-profile conservation programme. While people have criticised the political aspects of panda diplomacy, the conservation component has won over critics. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, giant pandas are no longer endangered, and panda diplomacy has played a crucial role in this.

Could orang utan diplomacy follow the same path? Orang utans have unique physical attributes and appeal, but there are major points of difference.

For one, the Chinese government loans, rather than gifts, pandas to strategic allies, and it did not appear to roll out panda diplomacy due to pressure from external factors. More importantly, China has worked closely with groups like the WWF to set up green corridors for pandas, and has won accolades from conservation bodies.

In the end, Kuala Lumpur needs to be honest with itself: Can orang utan diplomacy reverse the misfortunes that may befall Malaysia’s palm oil exports? It’s not likely.

If forest management, conservation of wildlife and the sustainability of palm oil production are concerning trading partners like Europe, then it may be best if Malaysia addresses these issues before contemplating its own version of animal diplomacy. As it stands, orang utan diplomacy is looking more like a public relations disaster waiting to happen.