Malaysia bids goodbye to pandas Fu Wa and Feng Yi which are returning to China

KUALA LUMPUR – An overcast sky in the morning loomed over Zoo Negara as faithful fans of Fu Wa and Feng Yi came to say goodbye, their hearts heavy at the thought of the pandas leaving Malaysia soon.

“To me, they’re not just animals. They’re like my children. I talk to them, and they always respond in their own way,” said freelancer Chin Lee Peng, who has been coming to the zoo twice a week over the past five months to see the pandas.

She estimated that she had spent about RM1,700 (S$510) on entrance tickets, excluding food purchased at the zoo and toll on the drive from her home in Puchong.

Ms Chin, 56, has since become a familiar face among staff at the zoo.

“I love pandas very much. Ever since I fell in love with them, I’ve been coming here almost twice a week. If there’s a public holiday, I’ll be here too,” said Ms Chin, her voice trembling.

She would often spend the whole day at the panda enclosure from 9.30am until closing time.

“If I were not working, I’d be here every day. Now that the moment has come for them to leave, it’s hard to accept. But I’ll keep following them, even from afar.”

Ms Chin was among those who stood outside the zoo’s Giant Panda Conservation Centre, peering through the glass, hoping for one last glimpse of Fu Wa and Feng Yi.

A social media update from Zoo Negara said that the centre remained open but Fu Wa and Feng Yi can now be viewed only from behind glass.

Both pandas came to Malaysia in May 2014 at the age of eight. Their arrival was a result of a 10-year loan agreement between Malaysia and China to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic