China delays delivery of giant pandas to Malaysia

Malaysia said Friday that China has postponed the transfer of two giant pandas to Kuala Lumpur out of respect for the families of passengers on the missing flight MH370.

The pandas are gifts to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations and were due to arrive next Wednesday. But Malaysian Natural Resources and Environment Minister G. Palanivel said the move has been put back to later in May, though an exact date has not been set.

The delay was made to respect the families as the search for the plane reaches a crucial stage, Palanivel said, adding that it has been agreed that the giant pandas should arrive "at a more significant date."

May 31 marks the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia.

Chinese relatives of the missing passengers have accused the Malaysian flag carrier and authorities of bungling the response to the plane's disappearance and withholding information. The aircraft with 239 people on board, 153 of them Chinese, disappeared on March 8 while en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysian government officials were quoted as saying yesterday that at least 30,000 Chinese tourists have cancelled planned trips to Malaysia.

China is Malaysia's largest trading partner and Kuala Lumpur has been courting closer ties with Beijing. It has earlier declared 2014 as "China-Malaysia Friendship Year."

It was agreed in 2012 that China would send the pandas for a 10-year stay in Malaysia.

The animals — Feng Yi (Phoenix) and Fu Wa (Lucky) — have already caused controversy in Malaysia over plans to house them in a US$7.7 million facility in the national zoo in Kuala Lumpur. Environmentalists said the money could have been better spent on local conservation efforts.

Malaysia's image in China took a further blow last week, when a tourist from Shanghai was kidnapped by gunmen believed to be Islamic militants from the southern Philippines. Malaysia has said ransom negotiations are under way.

Shanghai Daily - Agencies