After Sukma triumph, Premier wants Sarawak para athletes to aim for Para Sukma top spot too

Abang Johari (second row, fourth left) and other dignitaries look on while Razi waves the Sarawak flag at Hikmah Exchange, Kuching on Sept 11, 2024.

By Shikin Louis

KUCHING, Sept 11: Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has tasked the State’s para athletes to excel in the forthcoming Para Malaysia Games (Para Sukma), building on Sarawak’s recent achievement as the champion in the just-concluded Sukma 2024.

He said the Sarawak government has given adequate training to the para athletes in preparation of Para Sukma, including sending them off to South Africa.

With Sarawak’s impressive performance to achieve 76 gold medals, exceeding its initial target of 70 gold medals to emerged as the overall champion in Sukma 2024, Abang Johari believes that the State para athletes who have high level of discipline, will be able to do achieve their target of 83 gold medals.

“If you want to wake up at 6.30am, you must wake up at 6.30am. You cannot slack off because you want to train.

“On the part of our para athletes, I believe they are full of discipline and that is why I believe they can achieve the 83-gold mark,” he said during the handing over of the Sarawak flag to Sarawak’s Para Sukma contingent at Hikmah Exchange here today.

At the same time, Abang Johari gave assurance that the Para Sukma athletes will receive cash incentives no less than what the Sukma athletes were promised upon netting gold, silver and bronze medals in their respective events.

“The cash incentives will be given equally. Be it Sukma or Para Sukma, the gold medallist will receive RM15,000, while the silver medallist will get RM5,000 and RM3,000 for bronze.

“If they win the medal in teams, the Sarawak government will also top up the incentives,” he stated.

At the event, Abang Johari handed over the Sarawak flag to Deputy Minister of Community Wellbeing Datuk Mohamad Razi Sitam who is the Sarawak’s Para Sukma contingent chef-de-mission (CDM).

Also present were Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian; Sarawak Minister of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development (KPWK) Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah who is the minister responsible for Para Sukma 2024; Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development (MYSED) Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah; Minister in the Premier’s Department Dato Sri John Sikie Tayai; Deputy Minister of Women and Childhood Development Datuk Rosey Yunus; and Deputy Sarawak Secretary (Operation) Datu Hii Chang Kee who is also the chief executive officer of Para Sukma 2024. — DayakDaily