January 20, 2010, KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is not keen to relocate any orang utan to Peninsular Malaysia for eco-tourism purposes. State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said not only is it dangerous to remove the sensitive primates from their natural habitat but the local people were against such a move to send the state’s icon away.
He said this when commenting on a statement by Deputy Tourism Minister
Datuk James Dawos Mamit, who said they would obtain orang utan from
Sabah and Sarawak to set up an eco-tourism attraction similar to the
Sepilok orang utan sanctuary in Sandakan and the Semenggoh Wildlife
Centre in Kuching.
Mamit had told reporters in Kuching on Sunday that Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Najib Tun Razak had requested for some orang utan to be sent to
Peninsular Malaysia to promote eco-tourism.
Masidi said yesterday orang utan were not like some other animals that
could be easily relocated from their habitat. He said any relocation
could be traumatising enough to cause their death.
He said relocating an orang utan involved a lot of technicalities and planning.
“The orang utan should stay where they are.
Those who want to see orang utan will have to come to Sabah to see
them,” Masidi said adding that there had been no official request made
to the state government for the primate.
The Star, Wednesday January 20, 2010
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