17/04/2008 (Biodiesel Magazine) - The Malaysian Minister of Plantation Commodities and Industries Yang Berhormat Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui announced the formation of a Malaysian Palm Oil Wildlife Conservation Fund at the opening ceremonies of the first International Palm Oil Sustainability Conference on Monday, April 14, in Sabah, Malaysia.

The fund is a collaborative effort of the Malaysian government, the Malaysian Palm Oil Council, Bursa Malaysia (the country’s financial market) and the Borneo Conservation Trust. One of the first projects for the new $6.25 million research and conservation fund will be surveying the orangutan population in the Malaysian state of Sabah on the island of Borneo. Sabah is the biggest palm producing state in Malaysia, and also home to populations of orangutans in remnants of virgin tropical rain forests.

The Malaysian Palm Oil Council hosted the first International Palm Oil Sustainability Conference to bring together approximately 600 industry players from Southeast Asia, Australia, Europe and the United States to discuss the emerging issues surrounding sustainability. Topics included sustainability, corporate social responsibility, certification for adherence to international sustainability goals, wildlife conservation care, life cycle analysis and carbon balance.