KUALA LUMPUR: An opposition MP today questioned the government’s wisdom in spending RM846,000 on a trip to Antarctica to study climate change when domestic environmental issues remain unaddressed.
Referring to the government’s written reply to a question he posed in Parliament, Sim Tze Tzin (PKR-Bayan Baru) said: “What is the rationale for us to study kabatic winds to cool the surface of continental snow surface when there is no snow in Malaysia?
”He also asked why Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Said was appointed to lead the delegation.
“Climate change is not his portfolio. He had no business there.”
According to the reply from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, the objective of the trip was to strengthen research ties between Malaysia Antarctica Research Programme (MARP), Sultan Mizan Antarctica Research Foundation (YPASM) and the Instituto Antartico of Chile.
Sim, speaking to reporters covering Parliament, said he did not understand the rationale of spending RM105,700 per head on the trip when climate change patterns in Malaysia and Antarctica were entirely different.
If the government really cared about climate change, he said, it should take action to reduce the use of fossil fuels in the country and stop illegal logging in Terengganu.He also said it would have been better if the money had been given to MARP, which had received only RM2 million in grants since July 2012.
Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah (PAS-Kuala Terengganu) also spoke to reporters on the issue.He said Terengganu was suffering the impact of a land reclamation project involving 140 acres, alleging that it was carried out without the benefit of proper studies.
“We have cautioned that it is high risk project, and we are right,” he said.
“After its completion, Kemaman was hit by a major flood.
“If they really mean to address the impact of climate change, please look into this now.”
