Targeted by orangutans: Steinmeier has to stop making a press statement

During his state visit to Malaysia, the Federal President also made the acquaintance of orangutans – albeit a little closer than expected. Because the monkey Edwin is too interested in the politician when he visits a breeding station, Steinmeier has to flee.

Seeing orangutans was the hope of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Büdenbender when they visited the Semenggoh Wildlife Center in the Malaysian part of the island of Borneo. However, it was not planned for the animals to come so close to them.

Steinmeier had to break off a statement for journalists on Saturday with a summary of his Southeast Asia trip at the request of the game warden and go to a safe distance. The reason: Orangutan Edwin, one of the stateliest specimens at the breeding station, was heading towards him. “It hasn’t happened to me either,” said Steinmeier, “but it couldn’t either, because I’ve encountered this species for the first time, even though the genetic material is said to be very similar to ours.”

Steinmeier did not find the encounter threatening. But: “Those who are more familiar with the animals and their behavior here have advised that one should not seek an argument,” said the SPD politician. Before that, he and his wife had watched the animals being fed. The orangutans ate bananas, papayas and pineapples with relish.

The island of Borneo was the last stop on Steinmeier’s three-day trip to Malaysia. Together with Büdenbender, he visited the national park in the state of Sarawak and went on a short hike through the rainforest. Both had the biodiversity there, its threats and protection explained to them. His impression from the talks in Malaysia was “that the issue of protecting the environment and protecting the climate is being taken very seriously,” said Steinmeier.

Steinmeier had been in the East Asian country since Thursday. During political talks in the capital Kuala Lumpur on Friday, he and Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim reaffirmed the two countries’ intention to further expand their economic and political relations.