Struggling butterfly park hopes for lifeline

The entrance of Kuala Lumpur’s only butterfly park.

THE government, through the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (Motac), hopes to revive the flagging fortunes of many of Kuala Lumpur’s tourist attractions in line with the National Recovery Plan 2021.

Tourism Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said one of the tourist spots that the ministry had identified was the Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park (KLBP), which she described as “one of the Federal Capital’s unique attractions.”

The world-famous butterfly park has been experiencing a slow death due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

A bird’s eye view of Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park on Jalan Cenderasari. The green netting shows the site.

The operators say it is tough to run the place without a steady income. Business has dropped. Ticket sales have plummeted.

In keeping with Covid-19 restrictions, the park was only open for few months last year, operating only from Friday to Sunday. This year, it was barely operational for one month.

“KLBP is one of the leading tourist attractions for families, students, as well as domestic and international tourists,’’ Nancy said.

Her assurance is indeed timely as the future of the city’s precious asset is uncertain.

KLBP is located on Jalan Cenderasari, Taman Tasik Perdana (Lake Gardens) and is the only butterfly park in Kuala Lumpur.

There are concerns that the park may fall prey to corporate predators.

According to sources from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), the KLBP’s lease tenure was for 20 years, and it expired on Dec 31 last year.

Fortunately, the operators had successfully appealed for an extension from DBKL, which ends on Dec 31 this year.

The butterfly park’s landscape features man-made streams, ponds and flowering plants, ideal for the pollination by butterflies.

“We managed to get approval for another year from DBKL which will end in December,’’ confirmed park director Timothy Tong.

But that only gives the park operator another five months.

For many of the butterfly park’s lovers, it is quite disheartening to know that this may be the end of the road for the attraction.

Many city folk are also concerned that with the expiry of the lease, it would mean that the park could be open to development.

Nancy’s assurance has not only given hope to the park operators but to Kuala Lumpur residents as well.

“Motac and Tourism Malaysia will support and recommend to DBKL to expedite the butterfly park’s renewal process due to its uniqueness and attraction as an ecotourism product located right in the heart of the city,’’ she said.

“Tourism Malaysia will continuously provide relevant information on the park to the public, especially students and institutions on educational tours.

She added that she would urge the park’s operators to continue collaborating with schools and learning institutions to organise educational tours from time to time.

In previous reports, StarMetro had quoted experts in the field, who warned that Kuala Lumpur was in danger of losing its butterfly population if the city did not take efforts to conserve them.

The wild foliage and flowering plants at the park provide a haven for these winged beauties.

Entomologists had said that DBKL needed to preserve as many green lungs as possible and plant more flowering plants that would attract butterflies.

In January, Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Mahadi Che Ngah told StarMetro that DBKL was not the landowner of the butterfly park.

“The land (butterfly park) belongs to the Federal Lands Commissioner (PTP) and we are subject to the landowners’ future plans,’’ he had said.

Mahadi had also said that DBKL was preparing its local plan and consultants were studying the distribution of land use for the entire area, including the park, and would be engaging with stakeholders before it was zoned and gazetted.

“It is too early to say anything about it, so I would appreciate if people do not speculate,” he added.

StarMetro had contacted former mayor Tan Sri Ahmad Phesal Talib for verification on the parties interested in the land.

Now retired, Ahmad Phesal confirmed that there had been a proposal from a developer to develop the land and its surrounding areas.

“Yes, there was a proposal but those were just ‘talks’, a redevelopment proposal under the theme Warisan (Heritage), which involved several plots of land in the area, to be developed together with a condo project,’’ he said.

He added that the proposal did not go through following objections from various stakeholders, including the police whose headquarters in Bukit Aman would have been affected by the development.

Impact of pandemic

KLBP director Timothy Tong said the park has been struggling since Covid-19 movement restrictions came into effect in March last year.

Ticket sales have plummeted as 70% of the visitors were foreign tourists.

“We have been operational probably only one month this year and it’s been tough as operating costs have been increasing,’’ he lamented.

Asked to comment on Nancy’s assurance, Tong said: “Yes it’s good news. It gives us something to look forward to.”

The 0.8ha butterfly park was built in 1991 and opened to the public in 1992.

Tong took over the management of the park from its previous operator in 1995.

The KLBP is the legacy of the late Kuala Lumpur mayor Tan Sri Elyas Omar.

Elyas served as the capital city’s third mayor from 1981 to 1992, and was instrumental in introducing the butterfly park, as well as the Kuala Lumpur Orchid Garden and Kuala Lumpur Bird Park.