Primate population assessment relies heavily on ecological techniques such as camera traps, distance sampling, and passive acoustic detection. Although these techniques have proven effective in estimating the number of individuals and primate groups, challenges arise when attempting to scale them up to larger areas such as districts, states, or national levels. This study aims to evaluate the reliability of public responses in determining the primate population at district level. Specifically, an online survey was designed to collect information from the public regarding the primate population within their respective areas of knowledge, focusing on Muar district in Johor, Malaysia. This district comprises of 12 sub-districts ('Mukims'). The survey was conducted over two consecutive months (February to March 2021). A combination of online social media platforms and face-to-face interviews was employed to distribute the survey and successfully gathered responses from 257 respondents. The data collected encompassed species availability, habitat availability, individual primate counts and human-primate conflicts. Chi-squared analysis, point biserial correlation, descriptive statistics and alpha diversity indices were used to analyse the data. The results indicated that Macaca fascicularis reported the highest number of individuals and was predominantly present across all sub-districts. This species also frequently engaged in conflicts with humans, primarily as agricultural pests and residential nuisances. The method described herein proved effective in providing reliable tests for species presence-absence, and collecting human-wildlife conflict data with specific geographical locations. However, further improvements in the design are required to more accurately evaluate the primate populations. Nonetheless, this method serves as a promising pilot approach for estimating wildlife populations at the state level, offering a rapid, cost-effective, and extensive alternative to traditional ecological techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]