KUALA LUMPUR: After making waves as Malaysia's first-ever Paralympic gold medallists at the Paralympic Games in Rio this year, Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi, Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli and Abdul Latif Romly continue to make their mark on history.
Now, the trio has become the first living, non-royal men to grace a series of national Pos Malaysia Bhd (Pos Malaysia) postage stamps.
This is quite an achievement, as guidelines pertaining to the printing of face drawings and actual pictures on stamps are very strict.
"Never has there been a non-ruler's face printed on a stamp while they were still alive. This is a recognition given only to our Paralympic heroes," said Pos Malaysia's group chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Shukrie Mohd Salleh.
Youth and Sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who was in attendance at the stamp series' launch event, said the move is a huge honour for the athletes.
Ziyad, speaking on behalf of the three athletes, said it was one of the biggest honours he had ever been given in his life.
Pos Malaysia said the stamp series, which only number at 150,000 units, was created in conjunction with the Youth and Sports Ministry and the National Sports Council, and were printed in New Zealand.