Sarawak athletes receive financial windfall for their outstanding achievements

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Abang Johari (third row, eight left) and Juma’ani (third row, seventh left) in a group photo together with the 29th SEA Games and 9th Asean Para Games incentive recipients. – Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi

KUCHING: Sarawak athletes who won medals  at the 29th SEA Games and 9th Asean Para Games held in Kuala Lumpur this year, received financial windfall last night for their outstanding achievements.

The success of 24 normal athletes and 27 disabled athletes were celebrated in an appreciation reception hosted for the Sarawak athletes at a leading hotel here.

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youths and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah and Assistant Minister for Youth and Sports Datuk Snowdan Lawan presented the incentives to the athletes.

The Sarawak athletes were rewarded with RM10,000 cash incentive for each gold medal while RM7,000 for each silver medal and RM5,000 for each bronze medal.

In the SEA Games, state athletes collected 13 gold medals, two silver medals and 16 bronze medals while in the Asean Para Games, they contributed 10 gold medals, 19 silver medals and 21 bronze medals.

The swimmers and top performers at both games were the biggest winners of the night with Welson Sim Wee Seng receiving the biggest windfall of RM32,000 for his two gold medals, one silver medal and one bronze medal, while para swimmers Mohd Adib Iqbal Abdullah and Anderson Jamba pocketed RM29,000 and RM27,000 respectively for their feats.

Other top performers in the swimming team include Fraidden Dawan (RM25,000), Jamery Siga (RM22,000), Julius Jaranding (RM21,000) and Ting Jin Ping (RM21,000) while diving diva Pandelela Rinong pocketed RM20,000 for her golden victories.

Wushu exponent Loh Jack Chang was the biggest earner who is not a swimmer, receiving RM20,000 followed by track and field athlete Davis Machang (RM19,000).

Abang Johari’s wife Datin Patinggi Dato Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang, Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Integrity and Ombudsman) Datuk Talib Zulpilip, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin, Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports permanent secretary Dato Ik Pahon Joyik were among those present.