Nerdy Science Blog

BERNAMA:

April 14, 2008 16:04 PM

Cabinet To Discuss Budget To Send Second Astronaut Into Space

KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 (Bernama) — The cabinet will discuss the budget to sent a second astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2011, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili said Monday.

He said at the moment the government wanted to continue with the programme even though it had not yet allocated a budget for the purpose.

“At the moment, the money for the second phase has not been allocated yet. That’s why the government will have to decide on the next plan,” he told reporters after visiting the Academy of Sciences Malaysia here Monday.

Ongkili said the government had not responded yet to the Russian government whether to continue with the programme as it needed to study the budget as well as the impact of the first phase of the programme.

He said the government needed about two months to decide on the matter, afterwhich the decision would be conveyed to the Russian space agency, Roskosmos.

Astronaut Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha was chosen to travel to the ISS in the first phase of the programme in October last year.

Major Dr Faiz Khaleed, 26, who underwent training with Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, had been named as the astronaut for the second phase of the mission.

– BERNAMA

Although the decision whether to send another Malaysian tax-payers sponsored space traveller to enjoy his luxury ’scientific’ space trip was still undecided few days ago, today the Malaysian were being told that the Cabinet will send another space traveller and they are still discussing how much money they should spend on it. No beneficial impact was observable from the first space trip (either short-term or long-term) by me and other Malaysians, except the Russian government.

How much more government is going to spend on this white elephant project that only benefits Russian government, particular industries in the states and selected space traveller? Why the allocation of the budget is not planned during the first phase of the programme as they already decided to send second space traveller at that time? Halt the project or continue the programme has larger negative impact to the counry?

Noted that it is the GOVERNMENT who wants to continue this space travelling and cause country in debt, but not the tax-payers who want it.

MOSTI to retain policies under new minister
By : Farrah Naz Karim

PUTRAJAYA, Mon:

The new Science, Technology and Innovation minister has promised that old policies will stay. Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili said he will be meeting department heads over the next month to keep track of the progress of ongoing programmes and those in the pipeline.

“Only then can we think about new initiatives that need to be carried out to stir the people’s interest in science and technology,” he said at a handing-over-of-duties ceremony at his ministry here, formally taking over from former minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis. Also present was newly-appointed deputy minister Fadillah Yusof.

On the top of Ongkili’s agenda is the need to dispel the notion among some that science and technology was only for the elite and those trained in the fields.

On plans to send Mej. Dr Mohd Faiz Khaleed to the international space station (ISS) in 2011, he said it would go on as planned.

He said the Malaysian Space Programme would also have value-added factors to increase public awareness of advancements in science and technology.
“All programmes under the Ministry would be value-added so that the importance of science and technology will reach rural folk,” he said.

No more Space Programme in Malaysia please. This is one of the reasons for the defeat of ruling coalition in recent election. Please fund more to research labs in stead of sponsoring more people to space travelling. Please increases the salary paid of researchers in Malaysia to attracts more people coming back Malaysia to work and also being more productive.

(news)