KUALA LUMPUR: Zoo Negara is hopeful the National Security Council (NSC) will allow it to reopen soon as revenue from ticket sales could help it cover operating costs.
Zoo Negara deputy president Rosly @ Rahmat Ahmat Lana said the zoo was heavily dependent on ticket sales as its primary source of income to cover operating cost of RM1 million a month.
Managed by the Malaysian Zoological Society (MZS), the zoo has been unable to generate any income from ticket sales since the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) was implemented in the Klang Valley to curb the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rosly said the zoo took note of the advice from Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah for the zoo to improve its financial position during a meeting with MZS president Datuk Zaharin Md Ariff on Thursday.
He said the zoo would be "financially stagnant" if operations did not resume as ticket sales was the only way for it to recoup revenue lost during the CMCO.
"As long as we can't open, we have no choice but to rely on donations from the public and the Adopt An Animal programme, which is not much at the moment.
"As advised by the minister, we need to have a six-month contingency fund plan and we can achieve that through ticket sales revenue. We must start soon as six months is not a long period either.
"We really hope the NSC will make a favourable decision after the meeting several days ago. We have made our plea and we hope the government will hear us," he told the New Straits Times.
Rosly said the zoo management had no intention to burden the government and had always wanted to be financially independent.
"For us to be financially independent, we need to welcome visitors back."
He said the zoo told NSC officials during a recent meeting that as the zoo operated on 63 acres of open land, with 2.3km of walking space, measures to limit the number of visitors in line with the standard operating procedures could be implemented.
He said Zoo Negara's committee would hold a special meeting to deliberate on the suggestions and advice from Shamsul Anuar.
They include a call for the zoo to develop a six-month contingency fund plan and come up with a viable business plan to ensure the sustainability of its operations.
On Shamsul Anuar's advice for Zoo Negara to conduct an independent audit to increase transparency, Rosly said external auditors had been appointed during its annual general meeting to examine its financial accounts and third party secretary and treasurers had been hired to scrutinise its monthly meeting minutes.
"This is our way to ensure transparency because donations we receive are the people's money and our priority are the animals, their healthcare and wellbeing.
"As for the RM1.3 million aid we received from the ministry in April, we submitted details on how the funds were used to the Wildlife and National Parks Department a few months ago."
Rosly dispelled claims that the government had not been helpful to Zoo Negara, which could have stemmed from the wrong perception that the establishment belonged to the government.
Despite the zoo being a 100 per cent non-governmental organisation, Rosly said the government had given numerous financial aid and assistance, besides holding various discussions together on ways to move forward.
"Zoo Negara has never been neglected by the government. They have channelled various aid to us amounting to millions of ringgit and helped develop our infrastructure. We are thankful to the government for that."