MAKAF President, Datuk Nur Azmi Ahmad, said this initiative is taken by the governing body to provide additional motivation for athletes to strive harder and achieve outstanding performances in the future.
"We have decided to provide a monthly allowance to athletes in the top five world rankings. Currently, C. Shahmalarani is ranked 20th, and Muhammad Arif Afifuddin Ab Malik is in the 40th position.
"This allowance, funded by MAKAF, will be given every month as long as the athlete maintains their positions, as a token of appreciation for their performance," he said after the MAKAF 2004 Annual General Meeting held here yesterday.
Earlier, Nur Azmi also presented incentives totaling RM20,000 from MAKAF to five athletes who successfully contributed medals for the country in 2023 and early 2024.
The five are kumite exponents Muhammad Arif, Shahmalarani, Lovelly Ann Roberth, Niathalia Sherawinnie Yampil and Naccy Elly Evvaferra Rojin.
Muhammad Arif won gold in the men's individual kumite 84 kilogrammes category at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games, while Shahmalarani took gold at the World Karate Federation (WKF) Karate 1 Series A Championship in Larnaca, Cyprus, in the women's under 50kg category in January.
Lovelly Ann contributed a silver medal in the women's kata event at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games and won a silver medal in the team kata event with Niathalia and Naccy.
-- BERNAMA
