'Malaysian astronaut makes 'teh tarik' in space'.

This may be the world headlines which Malaysians will have to live with when our astronaut returns from space next year aboard a Russian spacecraft. At that time, will we gain worldwide respect for this 'scientific achievement' or will we become a laughing stock?

In reply to comments made by MPs in Parliament on what the Malaysian astronaut might do at the International Space Station, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry parliamentary secretary Rohani Abdul Karim (on behalf of the Science, Technology and Innovations Ministry) said the astronaut may carry out experiments on top-spinning and play 'batu seremban' (traditional children's game). He would also do batik painting and make 'teh tarik'.

Although Rohani did mention that 'the astronaut would also conduct experiments on micro-gravity in front of the television camera (whatever that means) one would expect a more serious answer from the parliamentary secretary.

Perhaps, this may be because she is from another ministry and should not be answering queries by the MPs on this matter. Will the minister for science, technology and innovations ministry please clarify to Malaysians what important experiments will be carried out which 'will also be studied by our own scientists in the medical, science and educational fields'?

Rohani also said that the programme to send a Malaysian into space will not cost a single sen as it is part of an offset arrangement for the purchase of Russian military aircraft. I beg to differ. By the very fact that it is an offset arrangement, it means we are paying for the space programme indirectly. To give an idea of the cost involved, the Iranian-American Anousheh Ansari paid more than US$20 million to be sent into space in September this year

When a country sends someone into space, it is usually a cause for celebration because it signifies that the scientific and technological developments in the country have advanced to such a stage that it is capable of designing, building and sending the spacecraft into space.

However, when we send our Malaysian astronaut into space next year using Russian technology, it is not an indication of the scientific and technological advancement of our country. It is not something we can be proud of especially when he is going to make 'teh tarik' as one of the experiments!