Goodbye, baby panda Nuan Nuan... you will be missed

Natural Resources and Environment Minister, Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said Nuan Nuan would be sent to the birthplace of her parents, Dujiangyan Panda Base in Sichuan.

"The submission of this giant panda is to comply with the agreement signed between the governments of Malaysia and the People's Republic of China on June 15, 2012.

"Any giant panda cub born in Malaysia shall be returned to China once the cub has reached its maturity age of two years old.

"In terms of conservation, it is great because of the inherent biological nature of a giant panda mother who would separate herself from her cub once it reaches the age of two," he told a press conference during the farewell ceremony for Nuan Nuan this afternoon.

Weighing at 82kg, Nuan Nuan is the offspring of panda Xing Xing and Liang Liang which arrived in Malaysia from China on May 24, 2014 as a symbol of 40 years of diplomatic relations between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing.

Also present at the event was The Giant Panda Conservation Centre (GPCC) Zoology and Veterinary director, Dr Mat Naim Ramli, who said Nuan Nuan has been undergoing training to facilitate the travel to China via MASKargo.

"We have isolated Nuan Nuan from her mother gradually so that the panda will be able to live independently after this," he said with a heavy heart as he has been raising Nuan Nuan as his own.