The Malaysian Insider reports: “It is utter cruelty to the orang utans. The zoo must understand these are animals from the tropics and adequate protection should be given to them during winter. Their enclosures must be warm and made comfortable,” (Tan Sri Yusof Barison, head of the Malaysia Palm Oil Council) was quoted as saying..... Yusof was reported as saying that he suspects having the orang utans in such degrading captivity was to win public support in Australia in the campaign against the use of palm oil products.... He said having anti-palm oil signs at the zoo was to win public sympathy and to misrepresent the orang utan issue.... “Australians must visit our orang utan sanctuaries in Malaysia and see how well the animals are taken care of. There is something sinister behind the campaign by western NGOs to ruin the palm oil industry,” he said. (Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/palm-oil-council-chief-upset-over-orang-utan-treatment-in-aussie-zoo/)

Khor Reports comment: The orang utan is a key symbol of the campaigns by NGOs for the sustainable growing of palm oil i.e. without deforestation, peat land development and loss of biodiversity.