PETALING JAYA, April 6 — The first giant panda cub born in the country will finally have a name tomorrow after being called “baby” for eight months.

Natural Resource and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar will name the female cub at a ceremony at Zoo Negara.

The winning name was among 22,830 suggestions from the public received in a competition that was run between November 17 and December 17 last year.

“I thought the number of names would exceed the 2,324 received for baby’s parents, Xing Xing and Liang Liang, but to attract more than 20,000 suggestions was beyond my expectations,” he told Malay Mail.

Of the total, 15 names were shortlisted by a panel from the ministry before nine, including the winning entry, were sent to Chinese authorities.

“The name we chose for the panda cub was accepted by our counterparts as it was appropriate,” he said.

The winner will be present to collect a RM50,000 Perodua Myvi while the second and third place winners will take home a RM4,500 and RM3,500 Demak motorcycle respectively.

The fourth prize winner will win a 50-inch television set with cash prizes of RM2,000 each going to five consolation prize winners.

Wan Junaidi was disappointed that almost half of the participants had to be disqualified as they did not meet entry requirements.

“Essential details were not filled up and some were sent to us on a white sheet of paper instead of the entry form issued by the ministry,” he said.

Malaysia received Xing Xing and Liang Liang from the Chinese government on May 21, 2014 to mark the 40th anniversary of bilateral relations.

Liang Liang gave birth on August 18 last year, with the cub shown to visitors at the zoo on November 17 after it was quarantined for more than three months.