Even though the giant pandas from Chengdu arrived later than expected, there was ton of excitement and chaos at MASkargo in Sepang.
According to officials from the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, security checks at Chengdu Airport had taken longer than expected, causing the delay.
As soon as the pandas touchdown, a water cannon salute was initiated by Malaysia Airport Holding Bhd (MAHB).
The situation turned chaotic when MASkargo officials proceeded to load the pandas into the trucks which would transport them to Zoo Negara without allowing the media any photos of the animals.
By then, the weather was very hot and the panda handlers said they wanted to immediately transfer the animals to their air-conditioned facility at the zoo.
Officials finally relented, giving the media a five-second glimpse at one panda, Feng Yi, before both were taken away.
On June 15, 2012, the Malaysian and Chinese governments sealed a deal for Feng Yi and Fu Wa to be loaned to Malaysia for 10 years to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries this year.
Fu Wa and Feng Yi, from the Bifengxia panda base in Ya’an, China, will be quarantined for a month for them to familiarise themselves with the Malaysian climate and surroundings before the enclosure in Zoo Negara is opened to the public.
Pandas have become important diplomatic symbols, not only to China but also to their recipient countries as their loan is often interpreted as an exchange for trade and investment deals.
[Source]
