Angkasawan Lands at OUM
reams are possible. Visualise your goal and go for it. Do not restrict yourself to routine achievements. The staff of METEOR Group Sdn Bhd, of which OUM is a part, learnt all these and more from a special guest at their first assembly for the year. He was none other than national astronaut Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha.
The 38-year-old orthopaedic surgeon went into space on 10 October 2007 and returned back to Earth on 21 October. The expedition, which involved two other crew members aboard the spaceship Soyuz TMA-11, resulted in Malaysia joining the ranks of other countries which had conducted space explorations. Consequently, in addition to the United States� astronaut, Russia�s cosmonaut and China�s taikonaut, Malaysia now has its Angkasawan.
Dr Sheikh Muszaphar�s love for space, which he says began when he was just 10 years old, did not end with the expedition. Ever since then, he has
been visiting schools and organisations to give talks on his experiences. Students in over 600 schools have had the benefit of listening to him recount his training and journey into the realm that lies beyond Planet Earth. Thus, the METEOR staff were eager and excited when he attended the staff assembly on 6 January as the guest of honour.
been visiting schools and organisations to give talks on his experiences. Students in over 600 schools have had the benefit of listening to him recount his training and journey into the realm that lies beyond Planet Earth. Thus, the METEOR staff were eager and excited when he attended the staff assembly on 6 January as the guest of honour.
Clad in his trademark leather jacket, he made a grand entrance into the auditorium with OUM President and Vice-Chancellor Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Anuwar Ali by his side. The new year address was presented by the University president, who described Dr Sheikh Muszaphar as a role model for Malaysians. Tan Sri Anuwar also offered a warm welcome to other distinguished guests, including OUM�s very first batch of PhD graduates and Prof Dr Ramelah Mohamed, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia�s Medical Molecular Biology Institute principal fellow/ senior consultant microbiologist, who was part of the Malaysian astronaut mission�s scientific research team.
This was followed by a slideshow themed �Soaring to Greater Heights,� which highlighted the University�s major achievements for 2010. These included three convocations which saw over 11,000 graduates receiving their scrolls, the graduation of the inaugural batch of PhD holders and the opening of new learning centres.
The moment everyone had been waiting for came when the Angkasawan, who had beaten 11,424 other candidates for the position of first Malaysian astronaut, went on stage to share his experiences with the audience. Aided by a video show, he revealed some of the rigorous requirements and training sessions he had to undergo before he was declared qualified for the 12-day mission. He also spoke spiritedly about how he conducted his daily routine, such as eating, drinking and even praying, inside the spaceship. Although he was the ninth Muslim astronaut, Malaysia was the first country to come up with guidelines on how to perform prayers in space.
As the theme of his presentation was �Having The Right Attitude Towards Excellence,� it was only fitting that he spoke of the mental qualities one needed in order to excel. �Diversify. Great people take risks,� he told the audience. �I did not want to lead a typical life. I wanted to try out different fields and see how far I can go,� said the surgeon who also co-owns a restaurant and even had a stint as a model.
�You must believe in yourself and be fearless. I was afraid of heights so I tried various activities, such as bungee jumping, to get rid of that fear,� he added.
The Angkasawan also remarked on OUM�s five shared values � integrity, professionalism, caring, teamwork and innovativeness � saying how very relevant these were in the pursuit of excellence.
His lively talk resulted in several questions from the audience, who wanted to know more about his experiences. The assembly ended on a high note, with Tan Sri Anuwar presenting the Angkasawan with a Meritorious Award and all staff receiving a copy of the latter�s book, Journey Into Space, which he obligingly autographed for those who wanted it.
Thus, the new year has begun with a big bang, with a face-to-face encounter with a towering Malaysian. Dr Sheikh Muszaphar is, indeed, a sterling example for all METEOR staff who wish to aspire for excellence not only for themselves but also for the organisation.
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