NEW STRAITS TIMES
KUALA LUMPUR : The seven-month old Malaysian-born giant panda cub now has a name.
The cub, the offspring of Xing Xing and Liang Liang, two giant pandas donated to Malaysia by China in 2014, has been named 'Nuan Nuan'.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the name 'Nuan Nuan' which means 'friendly', reflects the relationship between Malaysia and China.
"The name was chosen and agreed upon by the prime minister, the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) and approved by the cabinet on March 25," he said.
The Giant Panda Cub Naming Competition, held from Nov 17 to Dec 17 last year, received a total of 22,830 entries.
Junaidi said out of those who qualified, only nine entries were selected to be sent to the CWCA for approval.
The playful giant panda cub now weighs 16.5kg.
The Malaysian government received the panda couple named Fu Wa (male) and Feng Yi (female) on May 21, 2014 to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
The giant pandas were then renamed Xing Xing and Liang Liang. Liang Liang gave birth on Aug 18, last year.
Malaysia is among the few countries in the world to have a panda cub conceived in captivity.
