Decision soon on athlete reward rates

KUALA LUMPUR: The long-standing reward rates under the National Sports Incentive Scheme (Shakam) warrant a review, with a decision expected to be announced soon, said Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohd Taufiq Johari.

He said his ministry was looking into the matter following concerns raised by stakeholders, including athletes and the Malaysian Sepaktakraw Federation (PSM), over the rates.

“The reward rates have been in use for a long time and warrant a review. A decision will be announced soon,” he said in a post on his official Facebook page yesterday.

Previously, PSM president Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan called for a review of the reward rates for team events, particularly those involving more than five players, to ensure that the incentives received by athletes were commensurate with their commitment and sacrifices.

He pointed out the substantial disparity between the RM80,000 reward for an individual gold medallist and the RM15,000 awarded to each athlete in team sepak takraw events.

He also said national sepak takraw team’s main tekong Syahir Rosdi had valid grounds for expressing disappointment over the incentive received after helping the national squad win the team gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, ending a 36-year wait. — Bernama