SEPANG, May 21 – The giant panda pair of Fu Wa and Feng Yi arrived safely here today from China to start a new life in Malaysia for the next 10 years.
They arrived at MASkargo Complex of KL International Airport (KLIA) Airport at 7.53am via a special MASkargo Airbus 330-200 (MH6462) from Chengdu, China.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel and China’s Ambassador to Malaysia Dr Huang Huikang were present.
The Chinese government loaned the pandas to the Zoo Negara for 10 years to mark the 40th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic ties.
It was made under the International Giant Panda Conservation Cooperation Agreement.
Via an agreement signed in 2012, Malaysia has the opportunity to conduct research on giant panda conservation in addition to develop and train local expertise.
Fu Wa (male) and Feng Yi (female) were immediately taken to Zoo Negara and quarantined for about one month in their enclosure.
Their arrival originally scheduled for April 16 was postponed as the Chinese government focused on efforts to find Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, missing since March 8.
– BERNAMA
