Latest update- our astronaut

Latest info dug from Kickdefella blogs about our astronaut, just to share the truth and I think its funny then but we need to appreciate what our government was done to have an 'astronaut' actually.

I post 2 questions to “someone in the know”, first, is it true that Dr Sheikh has officially been selected before 23rd July 2007 and second, is it true that he is merely a Space Tourist and not Angkasawan.

This is the replied that I got, “He was the first choice but confirmation only after Russian Medical Board made their assessment. PM only confirm on behalf of Malaysian. Russian recognised (Dr. Sheikh) as cosmonaut. By strict definition, memang out”.

So, I put to you that when our Prime Minister made the announcement early in September, he has lied to all Malaysian.“Malaysia on Monday unveiled its first astronaut, a 34-year-old doctor who will blast off on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft and visit the International Space Station in September 2007.

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor was the winner of a nationwide hunt which drew tens of thousands of hopefuls. Army dentist Faiz Khaleed, 26, was chosen as the back-up astronaut, or “angkasawan” as they are known in the Malay language.

“I pray to God that he will ensure the success of your mission and raise the profile of Malaysia in the international arena,” Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said at a ceremony to announce the winning candidates (more)”.

Prime Minister announced that Dr. Sheikh as first Malaysian Astronaut but he is not qualified to be consider as one. He is qualified as Cosmonaut and that is only after huge sum of money being agreed to the Russian.

So, Dr. Sheikh as a space tourist should then be allowed to play congkat in space after all. He should be allowed to eat rendang and ketupat. He should be allowed to do what tourist did.
No wonder, Dr. Mazlan from Pusat Sains Negara has all sorts of weird and not so serious things that she wanted our Angkasawan to perform in the outer space. After all, we only spent few billion Ringgit of taxpayer money to purchase the Russian made aircraft so we can send someone to tour the space.

Bravo, that is truly Malaysia Boleh!