KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 — The return of baby pandas, Yi Yi and Sheng Yi, to China scheduled next month have been postponed, Zoo Negara deputy director Rosly@Rahmat Ahmat Lana.

The decision was made by the Chinese government due to the rising Covid-19 cases there and there has been no official date for the return of both pandas.

"It has been postponed twice, three times this year due to the Covid-19 situation in China, but both pandas will still be returned... maybe at the end of this year or early next year, depending on the Chinese government’s decision,” he told reporters at the iftar event with media and sponsors here today.

Media outlets reported previously that the baby pandas would be sent directly to Chengdu in mid-May after several postponements.

Yi Yi and Sheng Yi are the offspring of the giant pandas, Fu Wa and Feng Yi that were loaned to Malaysia in 2014 for 10 years in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of bilateral ties between Malaysia and China.

The loan programme under the International Giant Panda Conservation Agreement enabled Malaysia to conduct research on giant panda conservation as well as train and develop local expertise.

The giant panda couple, who were renamed Xing Xing and Liang Liang, have had three offspring, Nuan Nuan, born on August 18, 2015, Yi Yi (January 14, 2018) and Sheng Yi on May 30, 2021. Nuan Nuan was sent back to China in 2017.

On the end of the 10-year loan for the initial two pandas next year, Rosly@Rahmat said the new conditions were being discussed with the Chinese government.

"Our contract stipulates 10 plus 10, so now the government is negotiating to extend the contract, but maybe not up to 10 years,” he added. — Bernama