KOTA KINABALU: Sabah athletes who excelled to bring honours to the country and state by winning medals in four international level sports games this year appreciate the winning incentives presented by the Sabah government.
They expressed their appreciation and described the incentive as boosting their spirit to continue training, in addition to the motivation to achieve more success in next year’s competition.
National swimmer Abd Halim Mohammad said he did not expect to receive an incentive of RM32,500 from the Sabah government for his achievement of winning five gold and one bronze medals at the 12th Asean Para Games in Cambodia in June.
“I started in this sport from the age of 13, and since then, I have been guided by coach Eva Wong, in addition to the State Sports Council and the Sabah Youth and Sports Department as my main motivation.
“The Asean Para Games in Cambodia is my second participation,” he said when met by reporters at a ceremony celebrating the achievements of Sabah athletes at the 32nd SEA Games and the 12th Asean Para Games in Cambodia, as well as the 19th Asian Games and the 19th Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, here yesterday.
Abd Halim, 26, is among 54 Sabah athletes who received the incentive which was presented by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
The Sabah government paid a winning incentive of RM304,000 to the state’s athletes who managed to win medals and make Malaysia and Sabah famous in the four sports games.
A sum of RM91,500 in winning incentives donated by the Sabah government was presented by the Chief Minister to athletes who successfully won medals at the 32nd SEA Games, 12th Asean Para Games athletes (RM126,000), 19th Asian Games athletes (RM46,500). and the 4th Para Asian athlete (RM40,000).
Another Sabah athlete who is the national female martial artist Nor Farah Mazlan who received an incentive of RM10,000 said she has done the best preparation to face the next match to win the gold medal at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia.
“Alhamdulillah, I am very grateful and grateful to receive this incentive. This is my second SEA Games and my first gold medal,” he said, representing the national martial arts team since 2018.
National triple jumper Andre Anura Anuar, who also received a RM10,000 incentive for winning the gold medal at the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia, said the incentive motivated him to continue to be enthusiastic and maintain his performance in the event.
Meanwhile, Hajiji during his speech said that the awarding of the winning incentive was commensurate with the seriousness and dedication of the Sabah athletes, in addition to attracting the interest and participation of the young people of Sabah in the field of sports, said the Chief Minister.
“The provision of this incentive is also expected to be a source of inspiration and a morale booster for them to be more successful in the future, as well as in line with the government’s efforts through the Sabah Youth and Sports Ministry to produce world-class athletes,” he said. — BERNAMA
