Ms Hillary Chew is a respected environmental campaigner for the Star and should not write words as though they were from my statements. I never said that oil palm plantations are good habitats for orang utans. Additionally, I have never seen statements by the oil palm industry insisting that the oil palm plantations have no less biological diversity than the natural forests. These are Ms Chew’s own words.
Those attending the recent orang utan colloquium are free to report in any way they like. In my view, the most important finding is the report by Dr Acrenaz that the orang utans do indeed feed on the loose fruits of the oil palm. Previously, the other orang utan “experts” insisted that orang utans do not eat the oil palm fruits.
The second finding is the observation that the orang utans are attracted to revisit or transit the fragmented forests nearby the oil palm plantations. Why is it that they do not always stay in the pristine permanent forest reserves which cover almost 50 % of total Sabah land area. Maybe the pristine forest has food easily available only during fruit seasons. The oil palm plantations have fruits all year round. Being clever animals, the orang utans adapt even to living in mangrove forests just to be near the oil palm plantations.
The meeting agreed that oil palm fruits alone would not provide a balanced diet for the long term survival of the orang utans. That is why the resolution of the colloquium was to establish forest corridors to connect the fragmented forests with the main forest reserve to facilitate the movements of the orang utans back to the main pristine forest which is supposed to be their favourite habitat.
What MPOC likes to do is to continue funding orang utan studies to enhance the survival potential of these protected animals. In addition, we are trying to help implement the establishment of the forest corridors as rightly pointed out by Ms Chew. MPOC is the custodian of the Palm Oil Wild Life Conservation Fund, and would match contributions made on approved projects on conservation such as creation of the forest corridors based on availability of the fund.
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Ms Hillary Chew of The Star bring shame to other journalists who hold to the code to tell the truth. Her indulgence in yellow journalism is akin to the Martin Bashir’s 2003 interview for ITV with Michael Jackson where he deliberately doctored the recordings in order to paint Jackson in an unflattering light, as well as emphasising the allegations of child molestation made against Jackson.
Yellow journalism is a type of journalism that downplays legitimate news in favor of eye-catching headlines that sell more newspapers.
Ms Hillary Chew seemed to have hidden agenda to negate the economic and social contribution of oil palm planters and timber companies. She’s not fit to be a journalist as she has, time and again shown she is bias. She’s proving to be a lisbility rather than an asset to The Star. Journalism is about reporting the truth. Sometimes, some jounalist shout and lobby press freedom without realising press freedom is also freedom to tell lies.
A true blue journalist practises DUTY TO TELL THE TRUTH.
Ms Hillary Chew of The Star bring shame to other journalists who hold to the code to tell the truth. Her indulgence in yellow journalism is akin to the Martin Bashir’s 2003 interview for ITV with Michael Jackson where he deliberately doctored the recordings in order to paint Jackson in an unflattering light, as well as emphasising the allegations of child molestation made against Jackson.
Yellow journalism is a type of journalism that downplays legitimate news in favor of eye-catching headlines that sell more newspapers.
Ms Hillary Chew seemed to have a hidden agenda to negate the economic and social contribution of oil palm planters and timber companies in Malaysia. She’s not fit to be a journalist as she has, time and again shown she is bias. She’s proving to be a liability rather than an asset to The Star.
Essentially, journalism is about reporting the truth. Sadly, many journalists shout and lobby for press freedom without realising press freedom also means freedom to tell lies.
A true blue journalist practises DUTY TO TELL THE TRUTH.