National diving queen receives more than RM1 million in incentives, state aquatic centre to be named after her
Pandelela poses for the camera after the presentation of incentives in Kuching.
KUCHING: The accomplishment by Pandelela Rinong in this year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has earned her RM600,000 in cash incentives and a fully-furnished condominium unit worth RM700,000.
Of the total cash incentive, RM500,000 was rewarded by the state government, while private corporation Techninier Sdn Bhd gave away RM100,000.
The condominium unit was pledged by Tenaga Stabil Sdn Bhd.
On hand to present the rewards were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Techninier chief executive officer Dato’ Lion Teh and Tenaga Stabil chief executive officer Hong Boon Swee.
Uggah, who represented Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, announced the official incentives for Pandelela during a reception hosted at the civic centre here yesterday.
Pandelela and teammate Cheong Jun Hoong were the silver medallists of the women’s synchronised 10m platform event at the Rio Olympics last month.
In acknowledging her achievements, Uggah said the state government had decided to name the Sarawak Aquatic Centre at Petra Jaya near here after Pandelela.
“The state government is proud to name the state aquatic centre as the ‘Pandelela Rinong Aquatics Centre’. We hope that there would be more young men and women following her footsteps and bringing home more medals.”
According to Uggah, Pandelela – a two-time Olympian – is proof that anyone can achieve greatness through passion, discipline and sheer determination.
He also lauded the two private corporations on their recognition of Pandelela’s success by awarding her with cash and property.
He hoped that more companies would come forward and offer incentives to sportswomen and sportsmen who had brought pride and honour to the country.
Uggah described Pandelela’s achievement at the Rio Olympics as a ‘historic one that every Sarawakian could be proud of’.
“Pandelela, we congratulate (you) on your success; we wish you greater success in the future. We are confident that in four years’ time, you will bring back the first, historic Olympic gold medal.”
‘Pandelela real pride of Sarawak’
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing Apart also expressed his best wishes and congratulations to Pandelela via WhatsApp yesterday, stating that she is a true role model for many young Sarawakians.
“This (Pandelela’s achievement) would remind all Sarawakians that no matter who or where you come from, if you have the will to achieve your dreams, you will get them,” he said.
Masing also acknowledged the honour from the state government to be bestowed upon the athlete.
“Apart from the financial rewards, the best and lasting reward is the renaming of Sarawak Aquatics Centre to Pandelela Rinong Aquatics Centre,” he pointed out.
In the 2012 London Games, Pandelela emerged as the first Malaysian female athlete to bring home an Olympic medal, as well as the first in any sport other than badminton, when she bagged the bronze medal in the 10m individual platform event.
Meanwhile, Youth, Sports and Solidarity Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin hailed Pandelela’s achievement as ‘the best from Sarawak and Malaysia’.
He said the diver brought honour not only to her home state, but also the whole of Malaysia.
“Pandelela is the real pride of Sarawak. We hope more youths would emulate her and that in (the next) 10 to 20 years, there will be more medals (for us) from the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games and Sukma (Malaysia Games).”
Manyin also acknowledged that Pandelela’s success did not come ‘without sacrifice’. He was told that her father, Pamg Joheng, had been criticised for ‘bringing her up and down to the swimming pool’ in the early days.
Manyin was pleased to see that all the hard work by the father and daughter had paid off.
Public Utilities Minister Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi and Assistant Minister for Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah were among those at the grand homecoming celebration.