Antarctica Act To Establish Institute Of Polar Sciences

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- One important element of the proposed Malaysia Antarctica Act is the establishment of the Malaysia Institute of Polar Sciences, Malaysian Antarctica Research Programme chairman Dr Salleh Mohd Nor said Monday. The institute is to play an important role in intensifying Malaysia's active participation in polar research and exploration, he added. "We are drafting the bill and, if everything goes well, it will be tabled in parliament before the end of next year," he told reporters after Malaysian King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin visited the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM), here. Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Fadilah Yusof, New Zealand High Commissioner to Malaysia David Pine and ASM president Ahmad Tajuddin Ali were present during Tuanku Mizan's visit. Tuanku Mizan had also made a five-day working visit last month to scientific centres in Antarctica. Dr Salleh said the need for the act follows Malaysia's assent to the Antarctica Treaty, which it signed on Oct 31 this year, making it the first Southeast Asian country and first Islamic nation to accede to the treaty. This allows the country's scientists to be directly engaged in all research undertaken on the continent, he added. He said that prior to acceding to the treaty, Malaysia sent 24 scientists annually to Antarctica with the teams of member countries. "As a member of the treaty, Malaysia can send its own scientists and participate in all the fundamental research undertaken by all other member countries in Antarctica, in an environment where it's very extreme, where sciences play a very important role. "In this regard, it will expand the knowledge and experience and allow our scientists to work together with other scientists," he added. Dr Salleh also said that ASM planned to establish a fellowship to encourage young scientists from the country to undertake research in Antarctica. -- BERNAMA