Malaysia's DPM: Medal Winners At Deaflympics To Be Rewarded

PETALING JAYA (Selangor, Malaysia), July 13 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government will consider rewarding athletes who excelled in their respective sports to win medals at the 23rd Deaflympics held in Samsun, Turkey from July 18-30. Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he would discuss the proposal and the type of incentive to be awarded, with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. "We will appreciate and honour athletes not as a caring government alone but it is a commitment to reward the success of all athletes," he told reporters after handing the Malaysian flag ‘Jalur Gemilang’ to the Malaysian deaf contingent that will compete in the 2017 Samsun Deaflympics, at Subang TUDM Base, here Thursday. Meanwhile, Kamarzaman Harun who is the Malaysian Deaf Sports Association (MSDeaf) president and chef-de-mission for the Deaflympics said Malaysia had set a two-gold target for the games, namely through badminton. The 30-member Malaysian contingent will be competing in three sports of the 21 sports contested and participated by 109 countries, namely badminton, athletics and tenpin bowling. “We are competing in the Deaflympics for the fifth time and we hope to achieve the target with the support of all Malaysians," he said through an interpreter. He said Malaysia’s best ever achievement in the Deaflympics was in 2001 when Malaysia won the men’s 110m hurdles gold. -- BERNAMA