THE Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM) will pursue legal action against a national para athlete who publicly accused the organisation of being a scam regarding unfulfilled reward promises from the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
PCM president Datuk Seri Megat D Shahriman Zaharudin stated the allegation has damaged the council’s reputation and that of its sponsors.
He described the accusation as slanderous and irresponsible during a press conference today.
“We are discussing with our lawyers to determine the next course of action,“ he confirmed, adding that PCM would not hesitate to suspend the athlete from future Games.
The controversy began when a para athlete expressed frustration on social media last week about not receiving the promised RM60,000 reward for winning gold at the Paralympics.
Media reports indicated Megat D Shahriman had announced last year that gold medallists would receive RM60,000 through an external company-sponsored incentive programme.
The PCM president revealed they would also take action against other para athletes who shared the controversial post.
He clarified that sponsor Zero Healthcare had already provided massage chairs worth over RM30,000 each to 30 para athletes plus additional cash rewards.
Another sponsor B Grimm Power Sdn Bhd contributed RM88,000 distributed among medal winners according to their achievements.
Malaysia won two gold medals through para badminton ace Cheah Liek Hou and powerlifting champion Bonnie Bunyau Gustin at the Paris Paralympics.
The team also secured two silver medals from athletics through Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli and Datuk Abdul Latif Romly plus one bronze from Eddy Bernard. – Bernama
