International Polar Year 2007–2008 - WMO

Malaysia
Development of Malaysian Antarctic Science
Program
Malaysia’s interest in Antarctica started in 1983. In
1985 the Academy of Sciences of Malaysia encouraged
Malaysian scientists to embark on Antarctic research;
but funding and interest was then insufficient
to launch a national Antarctic program. The breakthrough
came in 1997, when New Zealand offered the
use of its Scott Base Station in Antarctica to Malaysian
scientists to undertake polar studies. The first Malaysian
field research in the Antarctic with the focus on
climate change and biodiversity was undertaken in
October 1999, at the Scott Base Station.
Since 1999, the Malaysia Antarctic Research Program
(MARP – www.myantarctica.com.my/aboutMARP.
htm#marp) undertook a number of initiatives to develop
and sustain Malaysian scientific research in Antarctica.
Under the leadership of MARP, the number of
research projects grew from the initial four in 2000 to
the current 15, covering the fields of atmospheric sciences,
remote sensing, upper atmospheric and solar
terrestrial connection, and biological sciences. To date,
more than 40 scientists and postgraduate students
from various universities in Malaysia are involved in
Antarctic research. In order to coordinate and archive
MARP activities, the National Antarctic Research Centre
was established in cooperation with the University of
Fig.5.3-16. Major
technical and
research parameters
of Araon.
(Photo: Dongmin Jin)
Malaya in 2002. This is also the physical location of the
Malaysian data server under its obligation as a member
of Joint Committee on Antarctic Data Management
and IPY.
Since the first scientific fieldwork, MARP has established
scientific collaboration with a growing list
of national polar research centers, such as the British
Antarctic Survey, Australian Antarctic Division, Korean
Polar Research Institute, Institut Antarctico Chile, Institut
Antarctico Ecuador, Institut Antarctico Argentine,
Byrd Polar Research Institute, the Japanese National
Institute of Polar Research and other Japanese institutions.
Malaysian scientists are presently conducting
research in Antarctic Peninsula, Ross Ice Shelf, Queen
Maud Land and Wilkes Land. They are also working on
the sub-Antarctic Marion Island in cooperation with
South African partners and recently visited the Korean
research station in Ny Ålesund to collect samples for
biological research, under the MoU with the Korean
Polar Research Institute (KOPRI).
Malaysian IPY initiatives
In 2004–2005, MARP encouraged Malaysian
scientists to submit their proposals for future IPY
activities, resulting in 14 EoIs by Malaysian researchers;
some of them were later merged into endorsed
full proposals (IPY nos. 53, 55, 63, 180). The majority
of Malaysian biological research was conducted
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