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Malaysians are unsure whether to take the announcement seriously or dismiss it as a joke.

The nation's first astronaut, due to spend about a week aboard the International Space Station in 2007,  will be eating  fiery homegrown  cuisine that gives off a strong odour while clad in  a space suit of multicoloured  batik - the fabric  long championed by former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.

And being Muslim, the astronaut will face the daily challenge of locating Mecca for his prayers.

He will also drink a sweet Malaysian tea called teh tarik and eat roti canai, a pan-fried  Indian bread popular  with the poor.

Malaysia got a free seat  on a Russian space mission when it bought  18 Russian  Sukhoi  fighter jets  in 2003.

'We want the first Malaysian in space to feel at home and not miss anything from home, and at the same time popularise Malaysian food to Russian astronauts in space,' said  Mazlan Othman,  head of the National Space Agency.

The government has announced it is sending  food experts, a tailor-cum designer and an Islamic cleric to Houston, Texas, this month to work with Nasa scientists on how the various projects could be done.

The government has budgeted about M$95 million ($195 million) for research.

Over 3,700 Malaysians have applied to be the nation's first astronaut. Two finalists will be selected from shortlisted candidates, and the pair will train for a year in Russia. The chosen astronaut will shoot into space in 2007 for six to eight days aboard the space station. But not all Malaysians see the agency's plan as wise.

'This must be a joke. Isn't space a serious business?' asked bank clerk Melissa Chew.

'I can't imagine an astronaut in batik and drinking sweet tea and eating roti canai in space. It is a waste of public money. Nobody is going to be impressed.'

Private doctor Latifah Majid wondered whether local dishes would make good space fare. 'Can the astronaut keep it down during the turbulent shoot-off,' she asked.

'People tend to throw up even in buses ... what more in deep space.'

'Why not take some durians to space?' joked taxi driver Alan Khoo.

But Dr Mazlan is unequivocal:  'Definitely ... no durians in space.'



Batik and roti for Malaysia's first astronaut, but durians grounded