Malaysia plans to introduce ‘orangutan diplomacy’ in its relations with major palm oil-importing countries, offering the animals as trade gifts in a bid to allay concerns about the environmental impact of growing the oil palm from which the raw material is derived to take.
However, the plan, which the country’s resources minister has likened to China’s “panda diplomacy”, has raised concerns among conservation groups, who have called on the government to consider alternative measures to protect the orangutan’s habitat and improve the sustainable production of palm oil. used in everything from lipstick to pizza.
The proposal comes after the European Union last year approved an import ban on raw materials linked to deforestation, which could harm palm oil.
