PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress has called for a corruption probe into what it says could be “hanky panky” in the management of Zoo Negara, following a report that the 56-year-old national zoo is suffering from a lack of funds to improve its facilities.
MTUC secretary-general J Solomon said the allocation was for the construction of seven three-room apartments, adding that it was “grossly over-priced”.He said MTUC’s complaint to the water, land and natural resources ministry – which oversees the zoo – as well as the human resources ministry, has not received a response.
He said the Malaysian Zoological Society which runs Zoo Negara should come clean and explain its weak financial position despite receiving substantial allocations from the government. Yesterday, Zoo Negara deputy president Rosly @ Rahmat Ahmat Lana said the zoo was facing a shortage of funds to upgrade the facilities.“We have no problem with running the zoo on a daily basis, to pay staff salaries to our staff and manage the animals that we keep in here. We can still bear the costs out of visitors’ fees,” said Rosly.