S’wak athletes to get RM5,000 for 1st gold medal
KUCHING: Sarawak government will give cash incentives to the gold medallists in the Para Sukma 2018.
Minister of Welfare, Community Well-Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development, Datuk Sri Fatimah Abdullah said her ministry was given the task by the State government to look after all sports for the People With Disabilities (PWDs) in the State.
She said her ministry accepted the challenges faced in the given task, and at the same time they are very grateful that the state government has approved the budgets asked for carrying out activities and development programmes.
“In our budget for this Games, we are ready to reward your first individual gold medal with RM5,000, second and subsequent gold medals with RM7,000.
“Team gold is fixed at RM5,000 and will be rewarded to each member of the team and silver medal will be rewarded RM750 for individual and team events and RM500 for winning a bronze medal as individual and team,” said Fatimah when officiating at the handing over of the Sarawak flag to the Para Sukma contingent held at the Sarawak Youth and Sports Complex, Jalan Keretapi, yesterday.
She added the ministry has mapped out an annual programme and a biennial programme to look into recreation and sports for PWDs in Sarawak starting 2019.
Fatimah also hoped that the State contingent for the Para Sukma 2018 would continue its success to become the sports powerhouse in the state.
She said Sarawak have achieved an excellent run of 12 consecutive championship titles at national level for Para Sukma Games since 1994 in Johor.
“I understand that Sarawak targets 77 gold medals in this edition of the Games. In the previous one, we won 84 gold medals.
“It is definitely the mission this year to bring the championship title back to Sarawak again. The people of Sarawak are behind you all to do well,” said Fatimah.
The Para Sukma 2018 in Perak will be hosting a total of 29 sports event and Sarawak will participate in nine sports, namely athletics, swimming, 10 pin bowling, badminton, ping pong, powerlifting, chess, boccia and archery.
