MALAYSIAN Trades Union Congress (MTUC) is urging the relevant authorities to investigate the alleged mismanagement of Zoo Negara that has reportedly run out of funds to upgrade the 56-year-old facility. 

MTUC secretary-general J Solomon has suggested the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) could begin by investigating Zoo Negara’s failure to build homes for its workers despite receiving a RM1.6 million government allocation as far back as 2001.

“At the time, MTUC was told that the allocation would be used for the construction of seven three-room apartments, which we thought were grossly overpriced. 

“Even so, the apartments were never delivered to the workers,” Solomon said in a statement today.

He said MTUC had raised the matter with the Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry, which overseas Zoo Negara but had not received a response.

A similar report was also lodged with the Human Resources Ministry, which has directed the Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry to address the problem, and yet to receive an answer.

“Over the years, apart from the controversial apartment project, there has been growing discontent among the workers on the manner in which Zoo Negara contracts were awarded and the beneficiaries of those tenders,” said Solomon.

He urged the Malaysian Zoological Society that runs Zoo Negara to come clean on these concerns and explain its weak financial position despite receiving substantial government funding over the years.

Solomon said any public funding for the zoo should only resume if the relevant authorities had ascertained there were no financial irregularity or mismanagement at Zoo Negara. 

“The management of Zoo Negara must earn the public confidence before it is given any more government assistance. There must be full transparency on how funds given in the last 15 years were managed.”

Solomon said MTUC was not just concerned about the welfare of the workers but also the wellbeing of the animals, adding that there were disputes between the workers and the zoo management over low salaries.

Yesterday, Zoo Negara deputy president Rosly Rahmat Ahmat Lana said there was a lack of funds to upgrade the zoo facilities, made worse by the loss of financial support from the government. 

He said visitor fees were only enough for the upkeep of the animals, zoo maintenance and staff salaries. 

The zoo’s financial problems were exacerbated by the loss of five-year federal grants of RM5 million that ended in 2004, he was cited as saying.

Rosli had said the zoo required many repairs and needed to switch to using glass instead of bars and cages to keep animals as practised by zoos worldwide. – July 23, 2019.