RM2.3 million reward for fine show

Kota Kinabalu: A total of RM2.3 million in cash incentives was awarded to State athletes and sports associations on Wednesday following their medal-winning performances at the recent Malaysia Games (Sukma) and Para Sukma.<br><br>

The Para Sukma contingent received the larger portion, with RM1,395,500 distributed across various sports. Athletics received the highest share at RM678,500, followed by swimming (RM367,000), archery (RM96,000), tenpin bowling (RM80,000), table tennis (RM63,500), badminton (RM57,000), powerlifting (RM26,000), lawn bowls (RM16,500) and boccia (RM11,000).<br><br>

The remaining RM941,400 was allocated to the Sukma contingent. Sepak takraw led the recipients with RM180,000, followed by athletics (RM110,500), karate (RM81,000), pétanque (RM61,800), pencak silat (RM52,000), football (RM46,500), wushu (RM41,000), archery (RM40,500), artistic gymnastics (RM40,500), sailing (RM39,000), boxing (RM33,000), muaythai (RM31,500), shooting (RM29,000), swimming (RM24,000), lawn bowls (RM21,800), women’s rugby (RM19,000), weightlifting (RM16,500), e-sports (RM13,000), fencing (RM12,000), judo (RM11,000), diving (RM11,000), tenpin bowling (RM10,000), golf (RM8,500) and cycling (RM7,000).<br><br>

In addition, a RM30,000 reward was presented to the State athletics contingent for securing the overall championship title at the Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MSSM) Games for three consecutive years.<br><br>

Minister of Youth Development, Sports Advancement and the Creative Economy Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan stated that the incentives reflect the State Government’s appreciation for the commitment shown by the athletes.<br><br>

“This serves as a gesture of appreciation from the government; hopefully, it will provide a morale boost to the associations, motivating them to work even harder, focus on consistent training and strive to address any existing weaknesses,” he said after the presentation ceremony at the Sabah International Conference Centre.<br><br>

He called on the Sabah Sports Council to continue providing development and training programmes for high-potential athletes.<br><br>

“We hope the Sabah Sports Council, as the body responsible for monitoring athlete performance, will continue to implement programmes that elevate their standards. They should not only succeed nationally but also excel on the international stage,” he stressed.<br><br>

He added that the State’s long-standing goal of winning 40 gold medals at Sukma, first set in 2016, remains a tough challenge.<br><br>

While Sabah secured only 30 gold medals this year, it still marks an improvement from the 29 won two years ago in Kuching.<br><br>

“We are certainly capable of reaching this 40-gold target. However, there were instances where athletes expected to win gold fell short in the finals, securing silver instead. Nevertheless, I truly appreciate their dedication,” he said.<br><br>

Also present at the ceremony were Assistant Minister Dato’ Seri Anil Sandhu, Ministry’s permanent secretary Datuk Mansur Asun and Sabah Sports Board chairman Syed Ahmad Syed Abas.<br><br>