Foreign Minister Winston Peters directed Antarctica New Zealand to give two highly prized spots on a trip to the continent to two women closely linked to one of South East Asia's richest families.
Bee Lin Chew and her daughter Su Arn Kwek, who are dual Malaysian-New Zealand citizens, travelled to Scott Base in February after Antarctica New Zealand scrambled to make room for them at the insistence of Peters' office.
Antarctica New Zealand initially warned its programme may have to be cut to make room for the two - but it ultimately managed to fulfil the request without disruption.
Bee Lin Chew says she was a good friend of Peters and his partner Jan Trotman.
RNZ's Guyon Espiner has been investigating and speaks to Corin Dann.
