KLANG, April 30 (Bernama) – A total of 40 to 50 para athletes are expected to represent Malaysia at the 2025 Asian Youth Para Games (AYPG), which will be held in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, from Dec 7 to 14, following Uzbekistan’s withdrawal as the original host.
Paralympic Council Malaysia (PCM) president Datuk Seri Megat D. Shahriman Zaharudin said only medal prospects will be selected, in line with the mission of bringing glory to the country rather than merely participating as “sports tourists”.
“We don’t want to send a contingent just to fill a quota. This is not a holiday — it’s a national duty. Selection is based on ability, current performance and medal potential,” he said when met at the announcement of Golden Moon Cafe as PCM’s official caterer here today.
Megat said the AYPG is also a vital platform to groom future national athletes to succeed local para sports icons such as Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, Ziyad Zolkefli, Datuk Abdul Latif Romly and Cheah Liek Hou.
“Our targets must be realistic. Young athletes must have clear goals. Without direction or something to strive for, there’s no motivation to work hard.
“We need fresh faces who can shine on the world stage, including in our long-term missions for the 2028 Los Angeles and 2032 Brisbane Paralympic Games,” he added.
Meanwhile, commenting on claims that some national athletes have yet to receive their incentives from the 2024 Paralympic Games, Megat dismissed the allegation and stressed that nearly all rewards have been disbursed.
“Alhamdulillah, all incentives have been given out except for one from B.Grimm, a German sponsor. The company’s founder wants to personally present the contribution to our athletes. We’re just waiting for a suitable date as his schedule is very tight. I’m targeting the latest to be by June,” he added.
Megat also reminded athletes not to be easily swayed by social media speculation and emphasised that athlete welfare remains a top priority for PCM.
— BERNAMA
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