FWD: Malacca Zoo continues to charge low fees

[Guest guest]

***************************Advertisement***************************

eCentral - Your Entertainment Guide

http://www.star-ecentral.com

 

 

*****************************************************************

This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling.

 

Comment from sender:

 

 

This article is from thestar.com.my

URL:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2002/10/28/nation/mlkzoo & sec=nation

 

________________________

 

Monday, October 28, 2002

Malacca Zoo continues to charge low fees

By LEE YUK PENG

 

MALACCA: Despite running at a loss since it was set up in 1963, the Malacca Zoo

had kept a low entrance fee for people who use it as a recreational and

educational spot, said its director Mohd Nawayai Yasak.

 

“I prefer more people to visit the zoo rather than making profit,” he said in

an interview recently.

 

Out of the thousands of zoos in the world, he said only five zoos were making

profit, of which three were in the United States & #8211; the San Diego Zoo,

Cincinnati Zoo and Bronx Zoo.

 

Mohd Nawayai said a total of 468,000 people visited the Malacca Zoo last year

and entrance tickets contributed some RM2.2mil in revenue while the food bill

for 1,200 animals came to RM1mil a year.

 

The balance of the revenue goes to pay for salaries, maintenance and operating

costs.

 

He said that last year, the zoo needed more than RM3.5mil in operating costs

and had to cover the shortfall from entrance fee revenue by seeking government

funds.

 

“To make profits, we will have to give the animals less food,” he said.

 

He added that tigers, lions, elephants and giraffes topped the list in the

zoo & #8217;s food expenditure bill.

 

Plans to increase the entrance fees from RM5 to RM7 for adults and RM2 to RM4

for children have been deferred due to on-going construction work at the zoo.

 

“I want construction work to be completed before increasing the fees,” said

Mohd Nawayai.

 

In comparison, a Safari Park in Alor Gajah that has a wide range of animals

charges RM32 for adults and RM25 for children as entrance fees.

 

The Malacca Zoo also depends on private companies to help meet its costs

through a sponsorship programme.

 

Among its major sponsors this year were Petronas, Maybank, Malacca Municipal

Council, Alor Gajah District Council, Yayasan Melaka, Powertek and Ansell.

 

Mohd Nawayai said he welcomed private companies to participate in the programme

as it would help the people to feel that “they are part of the zoo.”

 

More information about the zoo can be obtained at <a

href= " http://zoomlk (AT) tm (DOT) net.my " >zoomlk</a>

 

<p>

 

________________________

Your one-stop information portal:

The Star Online

http://thestar.com.my

http://biz.thestar.com.my

http://classifieds.thestar.com.my

http://cards.thestar.com.my

http://search.thestar.com.my

http://star-motoring.com

http://star-space.com

http://star-jobs.com

http://star-ecentral.com

http://star-techcentral.com

 

1995-2002 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written

permission of Star Publications is prohibited.