KANGAR: Major Dr Faiz Khalid still has high hopes of being the country’s second astronaut despite calls for the programme to be reviewed.

He said he was ready for a mission to space and has not stopped training.

“The programme should be continued to put Malaysia up there with other developed countries in space exploration,” he said after attending the Science and Technology Week organised by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry yesterday.

“We have started the programme and it would be a loss if it is terminated.”

The country’s first astronaut, Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mus-tapha, had commented that the programme need not be continued as it was costly, while deputy minister Fadhillah Yusof had said the programme slated for 2011 or 2012 needed to be reviewed because of economic factors. — Bernama via NST Online