BUKIT MERTAJAM: The Youth and Sports Ministry will continue to assist and oversee the welfare of 1998 Commonwealth Games gold medallist G. Saravanan, says Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari.
He said the ministry would not neglect the welfare of veteran athletes who have brought international glory to the nation, noting that Saravanan was Malaysia's first gold medallist in the 50km race walk at the Commonwealth Games.
Saravanan, 56, has been suffering from Motor Neuron Disease (MND) since 2021, a condition affecting motor nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, which has significantly deteriorated since last year.
"Together with the National Athletes Welfare Foundation (Yakeb), the ministry and local community leaders visited Saravanan to present a financial contribution to ease the burden caused by MND.
"We are currently assessing the current needs and medical costs for the former athlete, including physiotherapy, medical treatments, and other monthly expenses, to ensure the assistance provided is sufficient for him and his family," he told reporters after the visit on Sunday (April 12).
Dr Mohammed Taufiq spent about half an hour visiting Saravanan and also presented a personal contribution to the former athlete. Also present was Yakeb chairman Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail.
Saravanan is currently fed through a tube and relies on a ventilator. He is unable to speak or walk and requires around-the-clock intensive care from his family members.
Ahmad Shapawi, meanwhile, said that Yakeb has provided various forms of aid to Saravanan since he fell ill, including a monthly contribution of RM500 to alleviate the family's financial burden.
"Yakeb has channelled over RM30,000 to Saravanan. We have been monitoring his disease progression since he was diagnosed and are doing our best to help his family," he said.
Meanwhile, his wife, M. Sasikala, 53, said her husband's condition is currently stable and showing slight positive development, although he still requires a ventilator at night to assist his breathing.
"My husband began showing symptoms in 2021, which were later confirmed as MND. It caused him to grow progressively weaker, starting with a sudden inability to speak normally, followed by impaired movement and a limp when walking," she said.
She added that her husband was previously a coach with the Penang State Sports Council but was forced to stop working entirely as his health declined. She and their three children now take turns caring for him full-time.
Previously, Saravanan's plight caught the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who extended assistance.
Saravanan made national history at the 1998 Commonwealth Games by winning the gold medal in the 50km race walk, a milestone that remains legendary in Malaysian sports history. — Bernama
