China's panda pair to arrive Wednesday

A pair of giant pandas from Chengdu, China which are borrowed via a Giant Panda International Conservation Cooperation Agreement Programme is scheduled to arrive here on Wednesday.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said the two giant pandas were scheduled to be sent from China on Tuesday night and would arrive at the MASCargo Complex, KL International Airport (KLIA), Sepang the following day.

"The pair will then be taken to Zoo Negara and quarantined for a month at its enclosure which has been built at the zoo," he told reporters after an award presentation ceremony here, on Sunday.

He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was also scheduled to visit Zoo Negara on May 25 to see the two panda named Fu Wa (male) and Feng Yi (female).

The government of China postponed the shipment of the two pandas which was initially scheduled for April following the incident of the missing Malaysian Airlines MH370 flight in March.

According to Palanivel, the agreement programme between Malaysia and the People's Republic of China was signed in 2012 and through it, Malaysia had the opportunity to carry out a conservation research on the giant panda beside developing and training local experts.

He said the experience and expertise could be used to boost awareness on the effort to protect the animal and appreciating the uniqueness and importance of conserving wildlife and biodiversity.