THERE is a line, an acceptable boundary for advocates of the noble cause of protecting the environment and Mother Nature, including the orangutan. But when advocates of orangutan conservation also directly or indirectly call for a boycott of palm oil, then that line is crossed into a zone of war – trade war, marketing war, psychological war, and war using front-groups. Such is the recent controversial case of The International School@Parkcity KL where primary school pupils put on a play critical of the Malaysian palm oil industry. 

The issue is not about stifling freedom of expression. In fact the student should be commended for their spirited display of art and language. These young minds obviously could not be aware of a war concerning our nation’s primary industry being fought politically, diplomatically, psychologically, and even scientifically; and at stake our economy, national interest, and the livelihood of more than half a million people in the industry, including smallholders. If the teachers who guided the students in the play also were not aware, then wisdom could have escaped their adult minds.  

Prominent mention was made of the Rang-Tan video during the play and the rhymes read out. The Rang-Tan video advert was released last Christmas by British supermarket chain Iceland. The British authorities subsequently banned it for being too political. Besides overt politics, the also video cleverly plays on viewers’ emotions. Scenes of assertive orangutan scorning chocolates and shampoo, products manufactured with palm oil, plus words attributed to them such as  “took away my mother”, are subtle persuasive rhetorical language to trap the simple-minded and the uninformed.  

The marketing war over edible oils has been fought over the last three decades. In the beginning the Western edible oil industry, in protecting its market share, attacked palm oil based on its high content of saturated fats. From 2015 onwards when science has established that saturated fats were not the culprit for heart disease, the tactic to attack palm oil switched to deforestation, and later habitat loss for orangutan. 

Criticism of Malaysia fast deforestation has been unfair. According to a World Bank report in 2018, total land area in Malaysia is 67.6% forest. In contrast, the total land area in UK is 13% forest, France 31%, Germany 32.7%, Italy 31.6%, US 33.9%, and Canada 38.2%.

Livestock and soy farming, a prominent industry in the West, causes more deforestation than oil palm cultivation. Canola, soy and corn plants use much more pesticides and herbicides than oil palm. Canola, or rapeseed plant, is mostly a genetically modified crop engineered to resist Roundup herbicide. Glyphosate, a main chemical in Roundup, has been linked to disruption of sex hormones, infertility, miscarriages, neurological problems, and cancer.

Critics should look into deforestation caused by oil crops and livestock farming in the West before criticising Malaysian palm oil industry. Critics should also understand farming in the West, unlike in Malaysia, generally does not have wolves and other wild animals causing crops damage, and as such imposed their value system and standard for sustainable farming. 

Those who are quick to criticise on sustainability need to know this. The RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) has become the globally recognised standard for palm oil. There are 8 guiding principles for growers to be certified, including environmental responsibility and conservation of natural resources and biodiversity. Obtaining RSPO compliance certification comes with a heavy price which independent smallholders can ill afford. But big corporate plantations, and more than a million hectares are already RSPO certified. The Malaysian Palm Oil Certificate certifies another 1.34 million hectares.   

There is some truth that the orangutan population decline in Malaysia especially in the low-lying rainforest in Sabah and Sarawak has to do with habitat loss to plantations. El-Nino forest fires and hunting contribute to the decline too. The rate of habitat loss currently has been at a low level due to efforts of natural forest management. A comprehensive study by Santika et al (2017) “First integrative trend analysis for a great ape species in Borneo”, concluded that there was decline of 25% population over the last ten years, due to various reasons. The study also mentioned that most of the orangutan population are now well adapted in the protected areas in the region. Malaysia’s protected rainforest is more than 54%, which is more than sufficient for a safe sanctuary to the more than 100,000-estimated population of Borneo orangutan today. Surely there cannot be 25 orangutan deaths daily as mentioned in the Rang Tan video. 

Fair criticism on deforestation in Malaysia and orangutan preservation is welcomed. To blame it on the oil palm industry and call for a boycott of palm oil would be to tread into hostile territory. Critics may unknowingly become the tool of front-groups in an edible oil war. The school with the Rang-Tan creature has unwittingly stepped into the edible oil war zone.  

(For those keen, a Google search of “Wong Ang Peng, palm oil” turns up other articles on the subject written by yours truly).

* Wong Ang Peng is Society of Natural Health Malaysia chairman.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.