RM151m would be spent by 2024 for giant panda conservation at National Zoo
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will spend over RM151 million by 2024 for the giant panda conservation at the National Zoo.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said more than RM30.2 million is spent for years to maintain the conservation.
"The total expenditure for the implementation of the Malaysia-China Giant Panda International Conservation Agreement at the National Zoo for 2014-2016 is RM30,214,186.
"This amount is a combination of allocation of RM25,449,044 and RM4,765,142 from the government and the zoo respectively," he said in a written reply to Datuk Liang Teck Meng (BN-Simpang Renggam).
Wan Junaidi said the agreement was signed between Malaysia and China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) for a period of 10 years and will end on May 24, 2024.
"The decision to whether extend (the stay) or to return the panda pair to China will be decided by the Cabinet later," he said.
Liang had asked the ministry to state the total expenditure for the giant panda conservation and the government's plan after the end of the agreement term.
Wan Junaidi had previously said it costs an average of RM60,000 a month to maintain the pandas.
The government had come under heavy criticism for the high maintenance costs for the conservation of the pandas.
It was reported that environmentalists have said the money would have been better spent on conservation efforts for threatened Malaysian wildlife.
The giant pandas female Feng Yi and male Fu Wa, arrived in Malaysia on May 21, 2014 and are housed in a 1.6ha air-conditioned complex at the zoo.
Their names were later changed to Liang Liang and Xing Xing respectively.
China has agreed to loan them to Malaysia to mark 40 years of diplomatic ties in 2015.
In September last year, the government had to pay US$600,000 (RM2.6 million) for the giant panda cub Nuan Nuan, that was born here on Aug 18, 2015 as stated in the agreement.
Malaysia is the eighth country that breeds panda among 18 countries that has pandas in the world.