PETALING JAYA: A paralympic swimmer who previously took home medals for 17 years is currently struggling to survive on a meagre salary below RM1,000 per month.
He was an athlete at sporting events from 2000 until 2017 at the state and national levels, but now Zul Amirul Sidi Abdullah lives paycheck to paycheck every month with his private swimming lessons.
Zul previously took home the gold at the 2010 IPC Swimming World Championships in the men’s 50 metre (backstroke 55 category) and participated in the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Paralympics.
According to Harian Metro, the former Paralympian now resides in the Paroi People’s Housing Project (PPR) despite his contributions to the country and his home state, Negeri Sembilan.
The 53-year-old also resorted to applying for a new cane from the Cakna Rasa Sayang Society (PCRS) as he could not afford one for his mobility. His wife does not work as she stays home to take care of him.
Being disabled from the waist down since birth, Zul said he was unable to land a stable job and was left with no choice but to use his talents and experience in his work as a swimming coach.
“That too, the fee I charge my students is one of the cheapest in the state. My income depends on the number of students and how often they turn up for classes as well as the duration.
“Usually, after a few months or are adept in swimming, the parents will stop the swimming lessons and students come and go. So my income is unstable at around RM1,000 or less per month,” Zul was quoted as saying.
He was elected as a swimming sports coordinator for paralympic athletes in Negeri Sembilan by the National Sports Council, provided with an allowance of RM350 and disabled worker allowance at RM450 per month.
“I am grateful for the allowance, but with my dependents and financial commitments, things are quite difficult for me. That’s not the main issue, but I do feel as though my contributions to the country have been somewhat forgotten.
“I’m renting a unit at this PPR for RM150 a month, but due to past financial difficulties, I fell behind on rent, and now the management has set my monthly payment at RM250 to settle the arrears,“ he was also quoted as saying.
Zul’s two children, Muhammad Amirul Rasul, 17, and Anas Zul Amirul Sidi, 25, have taken after their talented father with their swimming prowess in the paralympic category under his guidance.
