Najib to announce new names for panda pair in June

SEPANG: The new names for the pair of giant pandas from China will be announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on the official opening for the bears at the end of June.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G.Palanivel said the new names for the pandas had been discussed by Najib and the Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Dr Huang Huikang.

"He (Najib) himself will announce the names when visiting the National Zoo later," he told the media after receiving the pair of pandas at Kompleks MASKargo, Complex, KL International Airport in Sepang, Wednesday.

The pair of giant pandas from China, Fu Wa and Feng Yi, the symbol of 40 years of Malaysia-China diplomatic ties, arrived in Malaysia at 7.53am after they were flown via a special MASKargo Airbus 330-200 MH6462 from Chengdu, China.

Both the seven-year-old bears were then taken directly to the National Zoo for a one-month quarantine in an enclosure specially built for them.

As symbol of 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations, the pair were lent to the National Zoo by the Chinese government for 10 years via the Giant Panda International Conservation Cooperation Agreement.

Via the agreement signed in 2012, Malaysia would carry out a conservation research on the giant pandas and develop and train local experts.

Palanivel said the arrival of the pandas was expected to attract more visitors to visit the National Zoo.

The government had spent RM60 million, including constructing an enclosure for them costing RM25 million, RM20 million for four-year rental and RM15 million for maintenance costs.

Meanwhile, Huang said the giant pandas, which were received with warmest welcome to their second home in Malaysia, would have a happy time in the next ten years.

When asked about the delay of the pandas' arrival in Malaysia, he said: "There's no delay at all."

He said Fu Wa and Feng Yi, the symbol of Malaysia-China friendship, should arrive before the 40th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic ties on May 31.

Thorough preparation had to be made in terms of technical and logistics for the pandas which require a comfortable environment.