PETALING JAYA: Paris shuttler Cheah Liek Hou will, after all, receive a total of RM60,000 in incentives for winning gold at the Paralympic Games in Paris, thanks to 99 Speedmart.
On Tuesday (Sept 23), Liek Hou, who captured gold in the men’s singles SU5 (upper body impairment), received RM35,000 from 99 Speedmart.
Powerlifting champion Bonnie Bunyau Gustin was also rewarded with the same amount.
Silver medallists Abdul Latif Romly and Ziyad Zolkefli each received RM15,000, while bronze medallist Eddy Bernard was given RM7,000.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said 99 Speedmart had stepped in to reward Liek Hou and the other medallists after the 37-year-old had called out the Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM) for failing to deliver the RM60,000, which the latter said they had allegedly promised.
PCM had only given Liek Hou and Bonnie RM25,000 each, although he claimed the initial pledge was RM60,000 from three different sponsors.
With 99 Speedmart’s contribution, both Liek Hou and Bonnie have now received the full RM60,000 following their success in Paris.
“I want to thank 99 Speedmart for stepping in to give this top-up incentive to the medallists,” said Hannah at a ceremony at the Youth and Sports Ministry in Putrajaya.
“We at the Youth and Sports Ministry appreciate this effort by 99 Speedmart, which shows that our athletes will always be valued.”
