Sneak Peek
What I've Learned: Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor
In our latest issue, we cover The Originals: those who have walked their own path, and are not easily imitated. We talked with Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor about his space travels and life after. Here are six choice quotes from our interview.
Published in the July Meaning of Life Issue 2011.
If somebody gave me a one-way ticket to Mars and told me I wasn't coming back, I would go. I would do anything for space. I would die for space.
The French brought cheese. The Italians brough pizza. the Japanese brought ramen. The Koreans brought kimchi. We brought satay and rendang. We wanted to bring durians. The Russians said no.
We should send all politicians into space. It doesn't matter what country you're from, what religion you are, what gender, because there are no boundaries. We all work as a team for the benefit of the Earth.
The Europeans did a study on me and I belong to the twenty percent of people who are immune to space sickness. I had no vomiting, no headache, and no giddiness. I was born for space.
Teh tarik cannot be tarik-ed in space. It just doesn't work.
About my sexuality, whatever I do, people will talk. I'm immune to it. I mix around with a lot of people. I enjoy lots of people with various backgrounds, it doesn't matter who they are.
To read the rest of our interview with Dr Sheikh, get our July Issue, in newsstands now. Interview by Jon Chew. Photograph by Choen Lee.
July 12th, 2011