<Tr> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> PR and Symbolics </Td> <Td> PAS </Td> <Td> PR and Symbolics activities . </Td> </Tr> <P> On 15 November 2006, in a response to a question in the Dewan Rakyat, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry parliamentary secretary Rohani Abdul Karim (representing the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry) stated that the Malaysian astronaut would, "spin top and toss Batu Seremban (five - stone game) as part of an experiment during his space travel". She added, "The astronaut will also paint a batik motif and make "teh tarik" ("pulled" tea) which would be shared with his fellow astronauts. ". </P> <P> However, on 18 December 2006, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Jamaluddin Jarjis said that making teh - tarik in space would not happen . Various experiments drawn up by selected Malaysian institutes would be carried out by the Malaysian astronaut while in zero - gravity . In the planned physics education (live class in space) portion of the spaceflight, the astronaut will also be, "demonstrating the behavior of fluids" and "observing the effects of a spinning object", to show Malaysian students on the ground the effects of zero - gravity on selected physical phenomena . </P> <P> During the mission, Sheikh Muszaphar performed experiments on board the International Space Station relating to the characteristics and growth of liver cancer and leukaemia cells, the crystallisation of various proteins and microbes in space . </P>

Benefits of the astronaut programme initiated by malaysia in 2006