BY NURA V LORNA & GABRIEL LIHAN
KUCHING: Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has called for a new benchmark in the Para Malaysia Games (SUKMA), aiming for a zero classification standard to ensure inclusivity for all para athletes.
She stressed that this would allow every para-athlete the opportunity to compete without any exceptions.
Reflecting on the reforms and improvements made in the Sarawak edition of Para SUKMA this year, Hannah said that Selangor, which will host the next biennial event, should strive to create a lasting legacy.
“Our hope is that in future editions of Para SUKMA, no events will be excluded so that we can celebrate all our para athletes and provide them a platform to compete.
“The federal and state governments will continue to provide our support, and we aim to create even more platforms for you (para athletes) to showcase and develop your talents, as well as other initiatives and programmes to uncover more hidden talents,” she said.
She said this during her closing speech at the 21st Para SUKMA at Stadium Perpaduan here last night (Sept 28).
On the same note, the minister expressed her desire for the Malaysian community to be educated and more aware of the capabilities and strengths of people with disabilities (PwD).
Citing the country’s current demographics, Hannah noted that while Malaysia has a population of 34 million, PwD should account for approximately 16 percent of this figure, or about 5 million individuals.
However, she said that the data from the Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development shows that only 700,000 PwDs are currently registered.
“This means that more than 4 million PwDs out there are still unregistered, or perhaps there are families who do not want these individuals to go out or be known by their neighbours,” she lamented.
Hannah further stressed that the exceptional performances of Malaysia’s para athletes should serve as inspiration for families to register their children.
“It’s not true that there is less interest in para sports compared to sports for able-bodied athletes.
“On my own Facebook page, videos of para athletes like Bonnie Bunyau Gustin’s gold medal win at the Paralympics received the highest engagement, with 3 million views. This shows a strong interest in our para athletes,” she added.
Additionally, she extended her appreciation to media outlets such as TV Sarawak and Bernama for their extensive coverage of the games.
“Every extraordinary story and stellar performance at Para SUKMA should be celebrated and shared widely. I thank the media for helping to highlight the achievements of our athletes, ensuring that more people are inspired by their journeys,” she said.
