Fatimah: Monetary incentives available for para athletes but amount won’t be revealed yet
Sarawak Allocates Funds for Para Athletes Ahead of Para Sukma 2024
KUCHING, June 13 – Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, the Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, has announced that the Sarawak government has set aside monetary incentives for para athletes participating in the upcoming Para Malaysia Games (Para Sukma) 2024. However, the exact amount of these incentives has not been disclosed at this time.
The incentives will include rewards for record breakers during the games, highlighting the state’s commitment to supporting its para athletes. Since January 2024, para athletes have received an honorarium for attending training sessions, with recent increases based on their classification. Elite athletes, for instance, continue to receive RM1,500, while other classifications range from RM400 to RM1,200.
Fatimah emphasized Sarawak’s determination to reclaim the overall championship title at the Para Sukma, following their success as champions 13 times between 1994 and 2018. Despite a strong performance, Sabah edged out Sarawak in the previous edition with 54 gold medals compared to Sarawak’s 50.
“We are committed to reclaiming the champion’s title for the 14th time. As the host state, we aim to leverage the advantage of competing on home ground,” Fatimah remarked during an appreciation dinner for the Para Sukma 2024 Sarawak contingent.
Track and field, swimming, and tenpin bowling were instrumental in Sarawak’s success in previous Para Sukma events, and Fatimah expects these sports to again contribute significantly to their medal tally.
Fatimah also highlighted the role of sports in empowering individuals with disabilities, citing examples of world-class athletes like Bonnie Bunyau and Jong Yee Khie in powerlifting, Wiro Juki in archery, and Mohamad Nur Syaiful and Jamery Siga in swimming. These athletes will represent Malaysia at the Paris Paralympics later this year.
Encouraging Para Sukma athletes to draw inspiration from their peers, Fatimah urged them to focus on rigorous training, maintaining physical and mental fitness, and minimizing reliance on luck in their pursuit of victory.
Deputy Minister of Women and Childhood Development Datuk Rosey Yunus was also present at the dinner, underscoring the government’s strong support for the para athletes’ endeavors.