Terengganu declares state holiday to celebrate Sukma champions

KEMAMAN: Terengganu has announced a state holiday and increased its cash incentives for emerging overall champion in the 13th Malaysia Games (Sukma) that ended in Malacca on Sunday.

Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said, who made the announcement, said the holiday on June 27, was an incentive to athletes who had worked very hard and a present to the people of the state for helping the state to emerge as the overall champion for the second time.

Ahmad also announced cash incentives of RM5,000 for a gold medal, RM3,000 (silver) and RM2,000 (bronze) compared with RM3,000 (gold), RM2,000 (silver) and RM1,000 (bronze), cash incentives paid when Terengganu emerged overall champion when it hosted the 12th edition in 2008.

In the recent Sukma hosted by Malacca, Terengganu won 47 gold, 30 silver and 43 bronze to edge Selangor who managed 43 gold, 43 silver and 58 bronze medals.

The victorious 482-athlete Terengganu contingent that arrived at the Terengganu-Pahang border on Sunday on a convoy, was taken on a parade in an around Chukai before arriving at Padang Astaka in Kemaman.

In the 2008 Sukma, Terengganu emerged overall champion with 61 gold, 39 silver and 47 bronze.

“The win in Malacca showed that we are not ‘Jaguh Kampung’ because even in 2008, after winning the title, I had said that Terengganu will emerge as a new power in sports.

“We have since proven that we can also win away from home.

“That is why we increased the incentives and announced a state holiday,” he said.

Siti Rajiah Ali, 20, is expected to walk away with the biggest pay cheque of RM35,000 since she had won seven gold medals from individual and team events in canoeing.

Siti Rajiah had also emerged as the biggest bigger in 2008 when she received RM21,000 for winning six gold medals and setting three new records. — Bernama