Nerdy Science Blog

Malaysian Cabinet decided to sponsor another space tourist Dr Faiz Khaleed and they were looking for its budget.  Today Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili told the reporters that there was no money left in his ministry.

The Star:

“Under the mid-term review, I can say that there is zero money. If we want to proceed with the second phase we have to look for money,” Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili told reporters after the launch of the Creativity and Innovation Day 2008 celebrations at KL Tower yesterday.

As the first space trip expense was not planned wisely, which caused the backup space tourist, Dr Faiz Khaleed, could not proceed his space travelling trip.  Even so, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak still did not give up the programme.  He said Dr Faiz will still continue his training and government will think of ways to sponsor Dr Faiz’s luxury space trip.  Guess Dr. Faiz was not as lucky as Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Sheikh Shukor as Sheikh’s trip was funded by Defence Ministry as it bought Sukhoi SU30MKM fighter jets from Russian Government.  Doesn’t the cartoon above reminds you of Dr Sheikh who was sent to space to enjoy satay and other Malaysian food?

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BERNAMA:

Second Space Mission Should Be Postponed - Sheikh Muszaphar

PENDANG, April 19 (Bernama) — National astronaut Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Sheikh Mustapha has proposed that the government postpone Malaysia’s second space mission.

He said the postponement was to allow the community to be fully exposed to the programme before the second mission could take-off.

“We need to learn a lot of things about aerospace and the community must have a good understanding of the programme.

“(Moreover) the space mission uses a large amount of public funds,” he told reporters after launching Mara Junior Science College’s astronaut programme and the astronomy and amateur radio club here Saturday.

Muszaphar said people at the grassroots-level should have a clear understanding of education, technology and skills in aerospace before the mission could be continued.

About 2,000 students, including those from Mara junior colleges at Kubang Pasu and Beseri in Perlis, attended the launch of the programme.

– BERNAMA

Dr Sheik Muszaphar Sheikh Mustapha had urged government to postpone second space mission as he want government to brainwash the community that how hard the space travelling is. He said that people in grassroots-level, like us, should know how complicated the education, technology and skills involved in space travelling. He didn’t mention anything about “benefit of space travelling”. Second, he knew that a lot of public funds had been used for the first one. Those money are used for the space travelling education, technology and skills, and again there is no benefits mentioned. As I knew, when he got chosen as space traveller, he didn’t have any knowledge in science.

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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)

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