Global News - August 2007

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Malaysia lifts monkey export ban

Mon 20 August 2007 12:30 UK — Asia

The Malaysian government is planning on lifting a ban on the export of long-tailed macaques, state media has reported.

State news agency Bernama revealed that Malaysia is currently negotiating to export the primates to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea and Japan in a bid to thin their numbers in the country.

Once exported, the animals could be used as pets or as food.

Bernama quotes natural resources and environment minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid as saying: "The cabinet has decided to lift the ban which was imposed in 1984 on the capture and export of this type of monkey.

"These monkeys create havoc in urban areas, not only stealing food from houses but also attacking people, and this is a cause for worry."

However, Mr Azmi Khalid stressed that only monkeys from urban areas would be exported. He explained the environmental officials would make sure that wild populations were still protected.

"We want to make sure that long-tailed monkeys in the wild are not disturbed," he added.

"We also want to ensure that monkeys caught in urban areas are not ill treated in the process of export. These monkeys still are under the endangered list of animals, so we have to do this right."

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