My oh my, after spending around RM90 million to send Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor to space, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation is said to be planning to send the second angkasawan Faiz Khaleed to space, in 2 years time. The Minister, Dato' Sri Dr. Jamaludin Jarjis, even proudly announced that another competition will be held to select a backup for Faiz Khaleed, the army dentist. Now, i don't like that word "competition". It's like yet another Reality TV show that serve to fulfill one's dream rather than seriously developing Malaysia's aerospace industry. Why pre-determined Faiz Khaleed as the second angkasawan? Why can't we picked those who have committed themselves in aerospace research? Or at least start a proper plan of outlaying national space programme rather than using money to fulfill a nation's or maybe a person's dream. We don't even have enough human capital to develop our own aircraft yet! Seriously, nations like Japan, Korea and India, are laughing at how our media has turn a normal spaceflight participant into a heroic Cosmonaut. Media in Middle East, on the other hand, are hailing Dr. Sheikh as the first MALAY and the third MUSLIM to go to space. Hmmm....by the way maybe the media in Middle East do not know that his flight is also "sponsored" by money from Chinese, Indian, Kadazan, Iban, Melanau, Bidayuh, Bajau, Penan, Orang Ulu, Dayak, considering that they also pay their income tax. :)
Now that a dream has been made possible (by spending money of course), Malaysians should now go back to reality! Like I've always mentioned, it's not wrong to send a Malaysian to space, but it's definitely unfair to do it at the expense of struggling farmers, fishermen, the jobless, the poor, or even the single mothers! The RM90 million spent on a spaceflight could have trained 180 medical doctors who could have done more good to the country, and boost the much needed human capital, RM90 million could have also turned into thousands of low-cost houses for the low-income families. It is also amazing how the Angkasawan's news has "covered up" the more prevailing news of the brutal killing Nurin, rising road accidents, rising of consumer product's prices, the growing rate of unemployment and the disturbing corruptions in Malaysian judiciary system.
Sorry if i sound like i'm not patriotic but being patriotic is more than just sailing the oceans, conquering Himalayas, walking on Antarctica or even being a spaceflight participant in Russian-powered ISS.
Being patriotic is more than enough by just fulfilling our roles and responsibilities as a MALAYSIAN and serving the people living around us, not because they are Chinese, Malay, Indian, Kadazan, Iban, Bidayuh, Bajau, Melanau, etc but because they are Bangsa Malaysia.
Selamat Hari Raya to all!
Adopted By Kee Man...one of the greatest mind in the world....
