Panda Programme Not At Expense of Malaysia's Conservation Programme - Minister

By Alan Ting KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 (Bernama) -- Non-governmental organisations and opposition politicians need not create a 'panda-monium' over China's loan of a pair of giant pandas to the Malaysian Government. The 'Panda Programme' was not done at the expense of Malaysia's conservation programme as alleged by some NGOs and opposition politicians, assured Natural Resources and Environment Minister Douglas Uggah Embas. He said it was not true that the government would take away the allocation for the conservation programme and put it for the programme. "We need to pay US$1 million annually for a period of 10 years, and the money will be recovered through the collection of the visitors' entrance fees where the pandas will be housed, that is Wetlands Park, Putrajaya. "Furthermore, the 1Malaysia Development Berhad Foundation(1MDB) will bear half the cost of constructing the facilities," he told Bernama in an interview recently. The two pandas, to be loaned to Malaysia for a period of 10 years, symbolises the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations, which would be celebrated in 2014. Malaysia’s Wildlife and National Parks Department and the China Wildlife Conservation Association signed the agreement for the loan of the pandas on June 15. The animals will be housed at the Wetlands Park in Putrajaya. Uggah explained, prior to the decision to have a pair of giant pandas in Malaysia, the ministry had conducted studies in the countries where China had loaned its pandas. "For example, if we look at Thailand's experience, for the first year (2004), the Chiang Mai Zoo (where a pair of giant pandas from China were housed), it has attracted 825,010 visitors, with revenue generated about RM33.5 million (US$10.48 million). "They spent RM13 million (US$4.07 million), to build the enclosure and paid the loan fee of US1 million annualy for a period of 10 years," he said. Thailand received the pandas from China in 2004, under a 10-year loan. Based on the statistics provided by Chiang Mai Zoo, the giant pandas attracted 633,764 visitors in 2005, 507,720 (2006), 556,323 (2007), 321,935 (2008), 468,102 (2009), 638,624 (2010) and 469,780 (2011), while in terms of revenue, it generated RM27 million (2005), RM21.7 (2006), RM24 (2007), RM13.2 (2008), RM18.9 (2009), RM25.1 (2010) and RM19.1 (2011). "We have planned not only to have pandas in the Wetlands Park but also our (some other) endangered species," said Uggah. Therefore, he said, Malaysia's Panda Programme not only would benefit the country in terms of tourism but also in terms of local conservation programme. "I'm very sad that the opposition is criticising us with allegations that our Panda Programme was being done at the expense of conservation for our local species, which is not true. "Our conservation programme is still going on. The government is fully aware of this, that is why we have programmes such as National Tiger Conservation Action Plan," he said. Uggah also explained that the government had strong commitments towards conservation programmes in the country, adding that this was proven through a substantial allocation to the Wildlife and National Parks Department, such as RM76.6 million (US$23.98 million) for 90 conservation projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan and another RM56.7 million (US$17.75 million) under the 10th Malaysia Plan. "We also spent RM23 million (US$7.2 million) on the conservation programme and infrastructure development at Penang National Park, with RM1.9 million (US$594,717.25) spent annually for the operation costs," he said. He said, among the significant conservation programmes carried out by the government, included the creation of an ecology corridor under the National Ecology Corridor Master Plan which required a large allocation. Under this, the first major ecology corridor or viaduct, linking the National Park with Tembat Forest Reserve, costing RM30 million (US$9.39 million) was carried out. Two other major corridors are expected to start this year. One will link the National Park and Tanum Forest Reserve in Pahang and cost RM85 million (US$26.61 million). The other corridor or viaduct will link the Temenggor Forest reserve and Belum state Park in Perak, costing RM60 million (US$18.78 million). Apart from that, Uggah said the government had also secured a RM32 million (US$10.02 million) allocation from the World Wildlife Fund for the Malayan Tiger Conservation Project.(RM1=US$0.313) -- BERNAMA