Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin stressed that the incentives for para athletes will be the same with other athletes.
“Our para athletes' achievements and sacrifices must be honoured the same as other athletes. Not 30 percent of 'normal' athletes.
"I would not know how to feel 30 percent proud of them. I only feel 100 percent proud of our para heroes,” said Khairy in a statement posted on his Facebook today.
READ: Malaysia creates history, wins two golds
Khairy also shared that he only knew that the incentives for para athletes are much less than other athletes after an encounter with national Paralympic athlete Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli after his win at the World Athletic Championships in Lyon, France three years ago.
“I said it is not fair to receive less incentives than normal athletes. I suggest for them to change the policy.
“Thank you Ziyad for giving me strength to change this treatment towards para athletes three years ago. Today Malaysia is one of the only countries in the world to give the same incentives for normal and para athletes,” he said.
Malaysia has created history by winning two gold medals at the Rio Paralympics in Brazil, and etching one of the victories by setting a new world record.
The first gold medal was won by Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi Sunday (Saturday in Rio de Janeiro) in the 100m T36 (celebral palsy) event and the second by Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli with a new world record in the Men's Shot Put F20 (intellectual disability) event, also on Sunday.
READ: Gold medalists will get new Kia Sportage - Naza
Malaysia has won medals previously at the paralympics, but only silver and bronze.
Syafique Shuib
Sun Sep 11 2016
Khairy Jamaluddin says it is unfair of para athletes to receive less incentives than normal athletes.
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