Malaysia Tuesday announced the name list of four astronaut candidates selected to undergo training in Russia.

The four candidates are Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, 34, a medical doctor, Faiz Khaleed, 26, a dentist, S. Vanajah, 35, a woman engineer, and Mohammed Faiz Kamaluddin, 34, a pilot.

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who announced the name list, said the candidates would receive training in Moscow either at the end of this month or early next month.

The government's decision to buy 18 Sukhoi SU-30MKN fighter jets from Russia gave birth to Malaysia's first astronaut program, said the deputy prime minister at the Royal Malaysia Air Force base near here.

To reciprocate Malaysia's purchase, the Russian government offered a place for a Malaysian astronaut to join the Russian astronauts on the expedition to the International Space Station ( ISS) in October.

Out of the four candidates, only two will be chosen for an 18- month training at the Star City Moscow and eventually only one candidate will go on the expedition to the ISS.

S. Vanajah, 35, and three Malay men will be sent to the Russian Space Agency in Moscow soon to undergo medical and technical tests that will determine who will take part in a scientific expedition on board the orbital station in 2007.

The other finalists are Malaysia Airlines pilot Mohammed Faiz Kamaluddin, 34; army dentist Faiz Khaleed, 26; and Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, a 34-year-old hospital medical officer, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak announced.

Vanajah, who outlasted more than 11,000 other Malaysians who applied for the astronaut selection process in 2003, made national headlines last month when she was named as the only woman in a shortlist of eight people remaining in the competition.

Ethnic Indians comprise about 8 percent of Malaysia's 26 million people. The other three shortlisted candidates are from the majority Malay community.

Vanajah has previously said she hopes to inspire other Malaysian women to participate in science-related projects, saying her achievement proved that women could compete alongside men in rigorous trials.

The finalists have endured a battery of physical and psychological examinations, and officials said the remaining four were chosen on the basis of physical fitness, personality and preparedness, including family support.

The upcoming two-week round of tests in Russia - meant to examine the finalists' neurological fitness and ability to adapt to a weightless environment - will whittle their ranks to two candidates, each of whom will undergo 18 months of training at the Russian Space Agency.

But only one will have the chance to spend up to 10 days in October 2007 in a planned scientific expedition aboard the ISS, officials have said.

Officials have estimated Malaysia's space program will ultimately cost around US$25 million (euro20 million), but it will be offset as part of a US$900 million (euro750 million) defense deal struck with Moscow in 2003 to buy 18 Sukhoi Su-30 MKM fighter jets.

However, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor from Kuala Lumpur does not consider himself the most eligible bachelor and claims that looks do not matter to him. 

"Thank you if you think I'm good looking. I'm flattered," he said, adding that what was more important was one's ability and personality. 

He is one of the eight aspirants – including single girl S. Vanaja – short-listed for the National Astronaut programme. 

On Thursday, they went for a one-on-one interview with a select panel of experts, which will narrow down the selection to four candidates for the next tests in Russia. 

The select panel, chaired by Tun Hanif Omar, interviewed each candidate to assess their personality and character. 

Dr Sheikh Muszaphar, a 34-year-old orthopaedic doctor at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital said the programme did put a little pressure on his relationship with his girlfriend, whom he has been dating for six months. 

"But she has to understand my situation," he said.  

AirAsia pilot Kelvin Lim Hock Seong, 25, who is also single, said he liked a girl who is supportive, understanding and easy to communicate with. 

"Dr Sheikh Muszaphar is the charmer. We are overshadowed by his good looks," he said in jest. 

Lim said it was not easy to maintain a relationship with his busy schedule, particularly when he has to shuttle between his job and the astronaut programme. 

"Most girls want guys who work 9 to 5. Many girls like guys in uniform but not the job," he said.  

Lim, also from Kuala Lumpur, admires American pilot Chuck Yeagar, who flew a Bell XI rocket plane in California and broke the sound barrier, Richard Bach, author of Joy of Flying and National Space Agency director-general Datuk Mazlan Othman.  

Another aspirant from Kuala Lumpur, dental surgeon Faiz Khaleed, 26, said dating was not his priority but he loved sweet natured girls who could converse well. 

"I'm not satisfied staying in a comfort zone and prefer to venture into new fields," he added. 

Muhammad Husaini Hashim, from Seremban, described his ideal girl as one who was adorable, intelligent, humble, independent and knows how to appreciate him. 

The 25-year-old machinery engineer, who has a girlfriend, loves outdoor activities, including scuba diving, snowboarding and white water rafting. He also enjoys photography. 

"I took and compiled photographs of at least 15 national parks in the United States and Switzerland during my travels when I was tutoring (at the University of Minnesota between 2002 and 2003)," he said. 

Automotive designer Mohd Bostami Ahmad, 25, said he was attracted to girls who were knowledge driven, honest and friendly. 

"What makes a girl attractive is not the physical attributes. It is in the way that she expresses herself that makes an impact," said Mohd Bostami, who enjoys arts and photography, travelling, watching football matches and thriller movies.