Also published on page 14 of the print version of the New Straits Times issue dated October 3, 2007
ZAINUL ARIFIN: An adventure worth pursuing
By Zainul Arifin
03 October, 2007
TOMORROW will be the 50th anniversary of the Sputnik satellite launch. The Soviet Union's move shocked the Americans into what was to be a two-horse race for space supremacy between superpowers. A dozen years later, the US sealed its victory when it sent the Apollo 11 manned mission to the moon. To top that, their astronauts would be walking on the moon.
Back on earth in Ipoh, away from the muscle flexing of the two Cold War rivals, Cikgu Shukor was describing on the blackboard to the 7-year-olds under his charge the Apollo 11 lunar mission. He drew the command module, the landing craft and the lunar surface as we followed the live radio broadcast that was piped into classrooms via the school PA system. We did not know much of what was happening, but we knew it was something momentous for our teacher to dispense with the ABCs.
At home, we had older folks talking about the probability or the impossibility of a lunar landing. We couldn't really understand what was reported in the newspapers, but we knew we were in the midst of an important human achievement.
I am sure the landing has had some impact on many of us that day, and I am sure if we had been older, the significance would have been greater - it was man's journey into the great beyond, into space, into the impossibility of leaving his footprints on moon's surface.
I also remembered going to the museum months later, braving crowds, for a glimpse of the piece of moon rock no bigger than a thumb tack head, which made it to Malaysia courtesy of Nasa and the brave men of Apollo 11.
There was really great excitement on space exploration then, especially among us children, whose imaginations were often littered with images of rockets blasting into space and landing in strange environs.
Till this day, space exploration reminds me of the sense of adventure, the possibilities, and turning conventional wisdom on its head. It heralded a new age in science and technology. It also showed that there would always be room for dreamers among us.
In the next few days, we will be having our space moment, too. One of our two Angkasawan will be blasted into space with the Russian crew and be based at the international space station for over a week. He will be doing some experiments and presumably be contributing to the human knowledge in science.
Invariably, and often too, the question will be asked: why are we spending money to risk the life of a Malaysian by sending him to space? What's in it for me? Our Angkasawan will just be hitching a ride on other people's mission, isn't he?
Some of us will just be too glad with glee to point out that Nasa does not recognise our man as astronaut, despite the fact that the Russians do. Someone pointed out that our spaceman is not a scientist and so this must diminish things a bit.
Well, to that, I would say the US had sent a schoolteacher and other civilians to space before and called them astronauts, regardless.
There were also commentators who claimed that it was costing the country RM1 billion to send someone for the ultimate joy ride. Of course it was a figure they could not substantiate, nor cared to.
Predictably we are too quick to ridicule what we seek to do, because we tend not to look at the bigger picture. We are so used to looking at what will be affecting us as individuals, or our communities, and not much of the country.
Even at the start of this nation, there were those who would seek to tamper visions with their so-called pragmatism. It was said that there were oppositions to the building of Stadium Merdeka, parliament house, highways, the Subang Airport, and later, of course the KLCC, Putrajaya, KLIA, etc., because the money could be better spent elsewhere.
Of course, money could always be spent elsewhere, but there are times when we have to follow our heart to spend where we could be making statements for ourselves and the world.
A nation will be terribly boring and unambitious if it were to be just run by pragmatists and naysayers. There must be the dreamers and visionaries, too, but they should not extend beyond the ostentatious and self-indulgence.
Why do we send our kids to tuition, music class, ballet, taekwondo, art lesson, when deep in our hearts we know they may never be the musical genius, or diva or the scientist or doctor? The money obviously could be better spent elsewhere.
Why do we aspire to dress better or drive a better car or move to a better neighbourhood, when spending less, and not be subjected to mortgages and hire purchase payments, would be more acceptable.
We do so because we are investing in possibilities, to instil a sense of confidence and to remove inhibitions among our charges, and to let them think that everything is possible. We want our kids to know that they can be better, and things could be better, and nothing should be impossible. Truly, really, Malaysia boleh.
Civilisation is often defined by the dreamers, while those who do not, only gripe about what they have become. What is the point of ridiculing, sniping and the outpouring negativism if not to collectively bring each of us down and kill any dreams among us?
Are we small-minded enough not even to have ambitions, to try to test the limits of our abilities and imaginations?
Space has been a confounding beyond, never to be tamed, but the playground of super powers. Now we have an opportunity to be in the sand pit, and we should grab the opportunity and make the best of it.
Truth be said, the money spent to send our Angkasawan to the international space station will truly be money down the drain if we do not capitalise on the programme.
We should use this opportunity to inspire schoolchildren on the adventure beyond, and to look into the possibilities of science and technology.
We should not diminish their idealism by running down the programme, just because we are no longer wide-eyed and eager, but a cynical rumpled curmudgeon who refused to look beyond the confines of our gates.
We need to show our charges of the possibilities of improving beyond what is to be expected of them. Our kids deserve better heroes than foul-mouthed Wayne Rooney or scandal-plagued Britney Spears.
Ultimately, our Angkasawan will be more useful to the country when he is back on earth. The achievements of our Angkasawan may be infectious and inspirational.
But it would be what we make of him when he is back on earth that would prove whether we were right in sending him up into space in the first place.
2007 The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad
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