PARLIAMENT PKR and PAS representatives today questioned the rationale behind the Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Said heading a delegation of eight to make a research trip to Antarctica in order to study "climate change".

PKR's Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin charged today that Malaysia, being a tropical country, has nothing to do with climate change studies in Antartica.

"What is the rationale in examining kabatic winds to cool the surface of continental snows? Malaysia has no snow," he said.

The trip cost RM846,328.26 with an average cost of RM105,791 per person.

“Isn’t it better to have the RM1 million be given to researchers? The Malaysia Antarctica Expedition Programme (MARP) only gets RM2 million a year,” Sim said.

He said that the mooted Malaysia-Chile Antarctica research centre will end up being a white elephant because of the country’s small research grants.

“It will only benefit politicians who want to vacation to exotic locations,” he said.

His thoughts were echoed by PAS’ Kuala Terengganu MP Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad, who said that there are many environmental concerns that need immediate attention in Terengganu first before such trips are made.