CHAPTER 95: The Malaysian Space Dream

"The most splendid achievement of all is the constant striving to surpass yourself and to be worthy of your own approval." - Denis Waitley

Last Monday, the final two of the country’s astronaut program had been selected. Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and Dr Faiz Khaleed will be Malaysia’s representative in the next step to determine which of them will be the first Malaysian to be in space.

I’m writing this, because it’s a historic moment for my country. And I’m also writing about this because at the moment, it’s one piece of positive news that’s got to do with the country. Nowadays, you keep getting negative information and happenings, such as the never ending bickering of ministers and politicians, what with the constant criticism from Tun Mahathir on the present government, and then there’s the rebuttal from some ministers back against Mahathir (like Nazri). Then there’s also the controversy with Khairy Jamaluddin (ntah macam-macam masalah). The Singapore-bridge issue is still lingering.
Then there’s the community and social issues. Masalah mat-mat rempit, masalah gejala sosial, masalah artis-artis, kes rompak, kes bunuh, macam-macam kes lah.
Then you got MARA’s problem & constant struggle, trying to collect back money from loan students.
And then there’s also the usual incompetence from the football squad (crash out lagi dalam competition, Piala Merdeka, at home, against Myanmar pulak tu, malu betul.)

I wish the best of luck to the two mentioned Malaysians. Now that after this, they’ll be heading to Russia to do further training for the upcoming 12 months.
Although eventually only one of them will be joining the Russians in space, it should be said that is as good as done (as one will go and the other one will be his replacement should anything happens).
Congratulations to the two candidates, and best of luck. Not forgetting also the achievement of the other two candidates of the final four who were not selected, S. Vanajah and Mohamed Faiz Kamaluddin, congrats to them because they had come this far.