WINDFALL FROM GOLD MEDALS: Sarawak’s Sukma chef de mission Datuk Lee Kim Shin (fourth left) together with his deputy, Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi (right), MSNS director Francis Nyurang Ding (left) and state’s contingent’s officials giving their thumbs up after revealing the incentives for 15th Sukma bound athletes.
KUCHING: Incentives to spur state athletes to do their best at Pahang Sukma, says Lee.
The state government through Ministry of Social Development is willing to fork out more cash incentives to the upcoming 15th Malaysia Games (Sukma XV) gold medallists who can bring back the targeted medal haul .
The incentive however should not be viewed as the main driving force for the Sukma bound athletes’ determination to win as many gold there is up for grabs in Kuantan, Pahang.
For the record, the total cash incentives for the athletes is worth over RM200,000 because whoever wins their first gold medal, the State government is giving RM5,000 and the recognition does not stop there because the winning athletes’ next and subsequent gold medals is going to worth RM7,000 each.
Sarawak Sukma chef de mission Datuk Lee Kim Shin said yesterday that the incentives were meant to spur the athletes to do their very best to win their events and to help the state contingent achieve the 47-gold medal target in the July 7 – 16 games.
“For the team events as well, each team member will also get the same amount of incentive just like the individual gold medallists,” he told reporters after launching the 50 Days Countdown to Sukma XV held at the Kuching Waterfront yesterday.
Lee, who is also Sports Assistant Minister said Sarawak had increased the amount of incentives just like Terengganu which is also giving similar high rewards their athletes who did well at Sukma.
However, the incentive for silver and bronze medals still remain at RM700 and RM500 respectively.
“I personally think that we can win at least 40 gold medals this time,” he said when asked whether the state athletes can achieve the 47-gold medal target and he expressed hope for them can exceed the target in order for Sarawak to finish among the top five teams.
To another question, Lee said about 80 per cent of the state Sukma teams are finalised and the Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS) is only waiting for the finalisation of the archery team.
Earlier, Lee read the text of speech from Minister of Social Development Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom who believed that all the sports associations
involved in Sukma had chosen the best athletes to represent the state.
The minister is confident that they are capable of achieving the state’s target of winning more golds than expected and Sarawak’s participation in Sukma will also serve as a platform for local athletes to continue excel at the international level.
“What will make us proud later is that Sarawak will continue to produce top calibre athletes such as Pandelela Rinong, Bryan Nickson Lomas, Josiah Ng, Mohd Azlan Iskander and others” said Mawan as he also stressed on the athletes to focus on international sports competitions such as Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Asia Games and South-east Asia Games.
Also present at the launching of countdown to Sukma XV were permanent secretary to Ministry of Social Development Affandi Keli, deputy chef de mission Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, assistants chef de mission Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Liwang Ligang, Azman Samaon, Datin Mary Saadiah Zainuddin, Gerald Rentap Jabu, Sunny Si and Robert Lau.