ID :
67208
Tue, 06/23/2009 - 11:14
Auther :

MINISTRY TO PROPOSE SPACE TECHNOLOGY TRAINING SCHEME FOR STUDENTS




MOSCOW, June 23 (Bernama) – Information Communication and Culture Minister
Dr Rais Yatim said steps must be taken to expose students to satellite
technology via training schemes which hopefully will culminate in
facilitating the transfer of technology to Malaysia in the long-term.

To this end, he said it was crucial for the government and the private
sector to establish training schemes for students in the aerospace sector to
facilitate the transfer of satellite technology.

"Malaysia should not be contented with acquiring knowledge on space
technology and sending the country’s first astronaut into space," he said at
Domodedovo International Airport here after arriving from Baikonur, Kazakhstan
where he together with five Malaysian students and officials, just hours ago
witnessed the launching of MEASAT-3a, Measat’s fourth communications satellite.


The launch of the satellite on schedule at 5.50am Malaysian time Monday,
was witnessed by students Ahmad Ruiz Mohd Asri from SMK Taman Tun Dr Ismail,
Lina Na’ilah Abdul Talip from SMKA Maahad Hamidiah in Kajang, Chandra Sekhar
Kuppusamy from SMK Dato Penggawa Timur in Masai, Cliff Asher R Ongil from SM St
Paul in Beaufort in Sabah and Edmund Lau Chen Min from Kuching High School.

The students who scored in the 2007 PMR examination were joined by students
from Indonesia, India, the Philippines and the United Kingdom in the wee hours
of a cool and windy morning in the arid desert to witness Measat-3a’s take-off.

Also present at the press conference and at the launch earlier was Measat
Chief Operating Officer, Paul Brown-Kenyon.

Rais said his ministry together with Measat as well as the Science and
Innovation Ministry could join hands to create such a scheme for students.

He said via the training scheme, the five Malaysian students and those from
other countries would have their own 'orbit' of exposure.


"The question of lack of opportunity does not arise as it wil go to the
Cabinet. The participation of five students is an early indication that young
Malaysians has a foundation in aerospace knowledge."

Rais stressed that it was important that the leap into space was made via
the right angle or transfer of technology and this could only be achieved via
education.

He said Measat or other parties could offer rewards while the government
could propose that the sending of man into space could be studied.

-– BERNAMA

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