'Golden heroes' welcome for Paralympics contingent - Khairy

The Malaysian paralympians to the Rio Paralympic Games are in for a "Heroes Welcome" when they return home this Thursday.

The highlight will be a parade around the federal capital after a grand welcome for them at the KL International Airport.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the convoy bringing the "wira and wirawati" (heroes and heroines) was scheduled to arrive at Jalan Tun Razak here at about 5.30pm.

He said after their arrival in Jalan Tun Razak, the paralympians will board an 'open top bus'which then, together with the welcome convoy, will traverse Jalan Tun Razak on to KLCC via Jalan Ampang and make a stop in front of the entrance of Dewan Filharmonik Petronas.

The convoy will then head to the Pavilion shopping mall in Jalan Bukit Bintang via Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Raja Chulan and make a stop at the fountain at the entrance of the mall before continuing to the Paralympics Excellence Centre in Kampung Pandan, the final stop, he said.

"It is to celebrate their extraordinary achievements in making Paralympics history for Malaysia. They deserve no less.

"I hope all of us can express our support by coming to the Bunga Raya Complex in KLIA or lining up the route or better still get up close to them at the stops," he told a press conference here today.

"We have voiced our support on social media, don't just stop there. Come, celebrate these warriors! If you say that you care about the Paralympians, please come out to celebrate them in KL City this Thursday.

"There will be a golden heroes welcome, this is something we're very proud to organise for them," he added.

The national paralympians created history by winning three gold medals and a bronze in Rio - all in athletics and in the process ended the country's long-awaited dream of securing Olympic gold medals after the nation's normal athletes came close but failed to deliver at the Rio Olympics.

The first gold was won by sprinter Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi in the men's 100m T36, followed by Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli in the men's F20 shot put, who also set a new World Record with a throw of 16.84m.

The third gold was contributed by Abdul Latif Romly in the men's T20 long jump. He also set a new world record after jumping 7.60m.

Siti Noor Radiah Ismail won the bronze in the women's T20 long jump and set a new Asian Record (5.20m).

Meanwhile, Khairy said incentives under the SHAKAM reward scheme to Malaysia's medal-winning Olympians and Paralympians would be held simultaneously and that the date would be announced later.

"I am still waiting for the date from the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) for the incentives presentation ceremony," he said.