ISKANDAR PUTERI, June 21 — Johor’s new zoo, to be built in the Iskandar Puteri area, will not replace the existing state facility in the city centre, said state Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor.

He said the proposed land measuring 20.2 hectares that was recommended for the construction of the new zoo had been identified.

“The existing 94-year-old Johor state zoo, the oldest in Malaysia, located along Jalan Gertak Merah in Johor Baru will be maintained.

“The construction of this new zoo is still in the early stages with discussions between public and private agencies.

“Several domestic and foreign zoos that have managed to attract the highest number of visitors will be used as examples, such as the Singapore Zoological Gardens, Melaka Zoo and Taiping Zoo,” he said during a media conference at the Johor state assembly building in Kota Iskandar today.

Mohd Jafni, who is also the Bukit Permai assemblyman, said the state government is in the process of upgrading and repairing the existing zoo facilities.

“The existing zoo at Jalan Gertak Merah in Johor Baru, which has been operating since 1928, is now in the process of being upgraded.

“Due to that, the zoo has been temporarily closed since October 18, 2020,” he said.

Earlier, Mohd Jafni said 23 young captive animals, including a female tiger cub, have been born at the Johor state zoo in last five years.

He said that the young animals came from six different species at the zoo.

“This shows that the Johor state zoo cares and also looks after the welfare of its animals,” he said in reply to a question on the zoo’s current status by Liow Cai Tung (PH-Johor Jaya) during the state assembly session in Kota Iskandar today.