KUANTAN: Pahang para athletes who secured gold medals during the Para Malaysia Games (Para Sukma) in Sarawak last month will receive the same incentive as their able-bodied counterparts.
The Pahang para contingent, who surpassed their 10-medal target by bringing home 15 gold medals, will each receive RM6,000 up from RM5,000 in the past.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said the Pahang executive council meeting agreed to increase the gold medal incentive for para athletes who returned with gold medals from Sarawak.
"The Pahang para athletes finished in seventh overall winning a total of 29 medals with 15 gold, five silver and nine bronze. It was even prouder when they exceeded the 10 gold medal target which was set before the competition.
"Following their achievement, the Pahang government has agreed to increase the gold medal incentive for para athletes from RM5,000 to RM6,000 which is the same as other Sukma athletes (gold medalist)," he said in a statement today.
Wan Rosdy said para athletes who won silver medals will receive RM3,000 each, while bronze medalists take home RM2,000.
Meanwhile, Wan Rosdy congratulated the Pahang Para Sukma contingent led by State Communications and Multimedia, Youth, Sports and Non-governmental Organisations Committee chairman Fadzli Mohamad Kamal and Kemayan assemblyman Khairulnizam Mohd Zuldin for their outstanding achievement in Sarawak.
"The exceptional results by para athletes should serve as an inspiration to others as they have displayed extraordinary perseverance and fighting spirit.
The experience in Sarawak should motivate them to push harder for the next para games hosted by Selangor in 2026," he said.
In August, Wan Rosdy announced a RM6,000 incentive to the state's athletes who secure gold medals during the 21st Sukma compared to RM4,000 offered in the previous editions.