PETALING JAYA: It pays to speak up.
A week ago, national sepak takraw player Syahir Rosdi took to social media to vent his disappointment after Malaysia’s Asian Games team regu champions received RM15,000 each for ending a 36-year wait for gold.
And yesterday, Syahir was lost for words.
The reward had risen to RM40,000 per athlete, with the revised rates benefiting team medallists across several sports.
"We received very positive news today. I’m honestly speechless," said Syahir after Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohd Taufiq Johari announced the revised National Sports Incentive Scheme (Shakam) rates in Putrajaya on Wednesday.
"We as players are deeply grateful to the minister for giving this issue his full attention. This isn’t just for sepak takraw, but for all team sports."
Just a week ago, he wrote: "I feel like crying, but as an athlete, I have to swallow it. After a 36-year wait for an Asian Games team gold, we received RM15,000 each, while individual gold medallists received RM80,000 each."
Syahir said he put up the post to clarify a misconception about how much the team had received.
The 30-year-old, along with teammates Farhan Adam and Mohamad Azlan Alias, was initially awarded RM15,000 for helping Malaysia beat Thailand in the men’s team regu final at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in September.
"Many people assume we got paid the full amount and we received a lot of hate when we did'nt perform.
"I just wanted the public to know the actual figure we received and hoped that the relevant authorities would look into reviewing the rates."
The figure was familiar to Syahir, who received the same amount for winning the men’s regu gold at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games.
Syahir hopes the higher rewards will give youngsters more reason to take up team sports such as sepak takraw, hockey and rugby.
"When they see there’s a better reward, it might encourage them to take up more team sports instead of pivoting to individual sports," he said.
For his teammate Farhan, the RM25,000 top-up could be a well-earned parting gift. Aichi-Nagoya was the 37-year-old’s fourth Asiad, and he had hinted before the tournament that it could be his last.
"I’m really touched. We thought the change would come at the next edition, but it’s being applied to this year’s Games too. We’ll get the top-up as well, and that makes us very grateful,” said Farhan.
"It means a lot and makes the win even sweeter."
