Father of angkasawan dies at age 77

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Sheikh Mustapha Abdul Shukor, the father of Malaysian astronaut Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, died of colon cancer at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital. He was 77.

Sheikh Muszaphar said his father, who had been suffering from the illness for the past five years, was receiving treatment at HUKM since last month. He died at 9.26am.

His father was an extraordinary man who brought up his children to become good individuals, Sheikh Muszaphar, the first Malaysian to travel to space in 2007, said.

Sheikh Mustapha leaves behind wife Datin Zuraidah Sheikh Ahmad, 67, and four sons, Sheikh Ahmad, 42, Sheikh Taufik, 41, Sheikh Muszaphar, 40, and Sheikh Arwis, 34.

Another son, Sheikh Mustapha, died in 2007 aged 37.

The remains of Sheikh Mustapha were buried at the Haji Said Muslim cemetery in Seremban after Asar prayer. — Bernama