He said the government took note on calls from the public and associations for the giant pandas to be returned to China due to the high maintenance costs.

The Malaysia-China Giant Panda International Conservation Agreement through the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) was signed for a period of 10 years beginning 2014, the year the giant panda couple, Xing Xing and Liang Liang, arrived in Malaysia.

“China’s agreement to lend the giant pandas to Malaysia proves the special relationship between the two countries since diplomatic relations were established in 1974,” he said in a statement.

Through an agreement signed between the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) and the Malaysian Zoological Society (MZS) on June 22, 2013, the government is responsible for developing the Giant Panda Conservation Centre (PKGP) at Zoo Negara and financing the annual panda conservation fees, he said.

MZS is responsible for insurance coverage, panda offspring fees, repatriation costs as well as operating costs, he said.

“However, as a sign of concern, the government has financed the panda cubs’ fees and the repatriation cost of the first cub, Nuan Nuan in 2017, as well as the cost of having an expert from China stationed at PKGP,” he said.

Shamsul added that the second cub, Yi Yi, who turned two on Jan 14, should have been sent back to China in April but the move was postponed because the conservation centre in China remains closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The ministry will repatriate Yi Yi as soon as possible once the date is agreed by China,” he said, adding that every giant panda cub should be sent back to China once it reaches the age of two.