THE giant panda couple in Malaysia, Xing Xing and Liang Liang, have given birth to their second cub, weighing 150gm, on Sunday.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said Liang Liang gave birth to its cub naturally at 7.50am, 89 days after insemination on October 18, 2017.

“This is indeed another success story for Malaysia in its Giant Panda Conservation Programme, as Malaysia is now the first country to record a natural birth of (a) giant panda cub within two years after the first birth.

“Both mother and cub are fine,” he told a press conference at the Giant Panda Conservation Centre at the National Zoo in Kuala Lumpur today.

The gender of the cub, however, had yet to be ascertained as Liang Liang kept covering the cub and held it close to her during its nursing phase.

Wan Junaidi said the conducive environment and facilities, as well as intensive care and attention given by a team of researchers and veterinary experts at the conservation centre were among the factors contributing to the natural birth of the giant panda cub.

He said Liang Liang was temporarily quarantined to undergo confinement while nursing the baby and would not be allowed to receive visitors to ensure both mother and cub would be healthy.

Wan Junaidi said Malaysia would inform China of the birth, besides discussing several matters related to the agreement inked under the Joint Giant Panda Conservation Project.

He said Malaysia intended to keep the giant panda cub, but the matter must be discussed in detail with China, including the technical and financial factors.

Xing Xing and Liang Liang  came to Malaysia on May 21, 2014, on a 10-year loan to mark the 40th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China.

Their first cub, Nuan Nuan was born on August 18, 2015, and could stay in Malaysia for only two years before being sent back to Chengdu, China on November 14 last year, in accordance with the Malaysia-China Giant Panda International Conservation Agreement. – Bernama, January 17, 2017.