Sabah gives RM100,000 to Olympics medallist Tan Wee Kiong

Musa (middle) presenting the mock cheque to Tan in Kota Kinabalu on Monday. Looking on is Sabah Minister of Youth and Sports, Datuk Tawfiq Abu Bakar Titingan.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah-based Olympics silver medallist Tan Wee Kiong received RM100,000 from the state government and private contributors for his achievement at the recently concluded Rio Games.

After presenting the mock cheque to Tan, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said the state was proud of the Johor-born Tan whose family settled in Tawau,  Sabah 16 years ago.

Tan, 27, had partnered with Goh V Shem to clinch a silver medal at the Olympics in the badminton men’s doubles final.

“We are proud to have a player representing Sabah who has carved a name in the international arena and we hope to see more achievements from him,” he said during a private luncheon with Tan at his official residence in Sri Gaya, Monday afternoon.

“This is also a gesture of appreciation by the state government as well as other private individuals for Wee Kiong,” he said, adding that the state government gave RM55,000 while other contributors gave RM45, 000.

Tan, who became a member of the Sabah Badminton Association since 2012, said he did not expect to be given such incentive from the state government, let alone a huge one.

“I am really surprised when I was told that I would be given RM100, 000 for the Rio achievement,” he said.

Tan who was here on a day trip will be returning to Kuala Lumpur to focus on his training for the upcoming Japan Open in mid September.

His father Jacky, 54, said although the team missed the gold medal, he was still very proud of his son and has high hopes for him to do his best in all upcoming competitions.

“I also hope that Wee Kiong will become Malaysia’s number one badminton player in future,” he said.

Apart from the oil palm plantation the family ventured into when they moved to Sabah, Tan’s family also operates a badminton academy in Tawau.