Candidates for space programme to undergo further assessment
By STAR Online
PETALING JAYA: Malaysians are another step closer to knowing who their first astronaut will be after the final four were announced yesterday.
The four are Malaysia Airlines pilot Mohammed Faiz Kamaluddin, Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia medical officer Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, Royal Malaysian Armed Forces dental surgeon Faiz Khaleed and senior quality engineer S. Vanajah. Their names were announced by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at a simple ceremony at the Subang RMAF airbase here yesterday.
The four will be leaving for Moscow for further assessment by the Russians in the next three weeks.
Najib said they would be going to the Russian Space Agency in Star City, Moscow, where they would be put through a comprehensive medical test.
The select panel will receive input from the Russian technical evaluation committee before picking the last two candidates to undergo an 18-month training programme at the Russian Space Agency.
Najib also said that the programme was financed under a value-offset programme for the purchase of Sukhoi SU 30 MK fighter jets from Russia.
“The Government did not have to come out with any sen to pay for the programme,” he said.
“It will be funded by the Russians and the figure for this entire programme is expected to be RM80mil, but there is no hard cash involved here.”
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