We refer to the Malaysiakini report Govt abandons monkey export plans .

The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (Buav) welcomes the recent announcement made by the Malaysian natural resources and environment minister that the government intends to reinstate the ban on the export of macaques from Malaysia. This is a major victory for Malaysian primates and follows an international campaign by animal and environmental groups within Malaysia and across the world.

At a time when there is growing international concern over the plight of primates in areas such as research, it is heartening to learn that Malaysia intends to maintain the important ban that it implemented in 1984. Such a move will prevent the infliction of immense suffering, misery and death to many thousands of primates who would otherwise have been exported for the food and research industries.

Buav now urges the government of Malaysia to address the underlying problem of human-monkey conflict in urban areas without resorting to the killing of monkeys.

Conflict between human beings and wildlife over habitat is a growing issue facing many governments. There are ways to control monkey populations, however, which are not only humane, but are also more effective. Buav has already submitted a paper to Natural Resources and Environment Minister Haji Azmi Khalid.

This paper offered suggestions on effective means of controlling the conflicts humanely, including reproduction control, relocation and educating the public to adopt behaviour that does not encourage monkeys to rely on humans for food.

Only recently, the authorities in Singapore announced an all-out ban on monkey feeding and heavy fines for those people who do. We ask that the authorities in Malaysia look at similar humane and effective measures to protect its indigenous population of monkeys.

The writer represents The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (Buav).