CM: Paralympians a torch of inspiration

 

KUCHING: Malaysian Paralympians can inspire their non-athletic counterparts to lead a more goal-directed life, said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem.

“To all of the participants, I hope you will share your spirit, your dream and determination, and your key to success with the other disabled persons. I’m sure you can inspire them; I also believe you can make a difference to their lives,” he said when opening the 18th Malaysian Paralympic Games 2016 at Stadium Perpaduan in Petra Jaya here yesterday.

His text of speech was read out by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas. Uggah led both the athletes and the crowd to cheer ‘Ooh-ha’ three times before delivering the speech.

Former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and wife Tun Jeanne Abdullah were special guests at the opening ceremony where 1,407 athletes from across the country are competing in the 18th Malaysian Paralympic Games which will be seeing nine major sport events including tenpin bowling, badminton, ping pong, swimming and powerlifting.

Adenan also took the opportunity to call upon all Malaysians to come together and be of help to the less privilege in society.

“Don’t feel pity towards people with disabilities. It is more important for us to show that we care for them and such attitude is in tandem with our objective of perserving a caring society.”

He believed that with commitment and high discipline, nothing would be impossible even to this special group of people with disabilities.

He also noted that this was a second time Sarawak hosted the national Paralympic games. The state first hosted the games in 1996.

Earlier, Minister of Welfare, Women and Community Wellbeing Datuk Fatimah Abdullah, who is also chairperson of the 18th Malaysian Paralympic Games 2016 committee, said the games offered a platform and opportunities for athletes to showcase their talent and mark their successes in sports.

The Paralympic games, according to her, is a multi-sport event involving athletes with a range of disabilities, classified into five cliff categories namely visually impaired, intellectual disabilities, celebral palsy, wheel-chair bound and others.

“It takes more than an exceptional sportsmen or sportswomen to become a participant of a Paralympic event. It is not just about their abilities and skills to compete with or against their fellow athletes.

“More importantly, it is about passion, grit, resolve, determination, self-discipline, perseverance, sportsmanship, comradeship and self-worth not only during the competition proper, but equally important through the training and preparation for the meet.”

Fatimah said it was in this context that paralympic games must be accordingly acknowledged as one which really tested one’s physical, emotional and spiritual strength, adding: “Paralympic athletes’ drive and motivation to overcome both physical and mental barriers in order to achieve their goals; their self-belief and confidence to overcome adversities and face difficulties; their humility and respect towards all those around them in the spirit of fair play; and their readiness to be motivated by the achievements and actions of others, and their aspiration to become positive examples to others, are indeed values which we all must acknowledge, respect and honour.”

Among those present were State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani, Assistant Minister for Welfare and Community Wellbeing Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail and Fatimah’s husband Datu Dr Adi Badiozaman Tuah.