Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has clarified that the video of Paralympic athlete Ridzuan Puzi being circulated on social media is from the Para Athletics World Championship 2015.

"There are those who just found the video of Ridzuan Puzi, who won gold in the 100m T36 event. They share this video as if the win is something new that just happened.

"Actually, that video is from 2015 at the Para Athletics World Championship, and not from Paralympics 2016," Khairy said in a Facebook post last night.

The Paralympics this year has not begun yet, he said, adding that the Malaysian Paralympics contingent is only leaving for Rio today.

Therefore, Khairy (photo) said, it is impossible for any win from Paralympic 2016 as it has not even started.

For those who might ask if Ridzuan's achievement, which was in 2015, was not recognised, Khairy said that Ridzuan was indeed celebrated in various events.

"He (Ridzuan) was given the same incentives as 'normal' athletes. Ever since I was appointed as the sports minister, the incentives for 'normal' athletes and Paralympic or disabled athletes are equal.

"He (Ridzuan) won the National Sports Award which was broadcast live with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. He was named the Most Distinctive Youth in the Umno Youth assembly.

"The same thing for the other Paralympic athletes like Felicia Mikat, who had also won the National Sports Award," he said.

Khairy also said that he has told the Paralympic contingent that the value of their medals is equal to Olympic medals and that they will also get a monthly pension for the rest of their lives if they win any medals, just like 'normal' athletes.

There may be those who say people do not know about all this because there is no publicity for the Paralympic athletes, he said.

"There might be some truth there, but if you check my Facebook, I am always promoting the outstanding Paralympic athletes of Malaysia," he said.

Paralympic athletes given equal incentives

He has even written about changes in policies so that they are given equal incentives in 2013, but he said that maybe many did not get to read it.

Regardless of this, even though there are those who criticised him with inaccurate facts and assumptions, Khairy said he was happy about the recognition that the Paralympic athletes are receiving from Malaysian netizens now.

He also said that he hoped support for the athletes would continue and that this was not just something being made viral when the people want to 'bash' someone.

Imploring people to share his post, he said it was not for him, but so that people would know that Malaysian para-athletes have been looked after and celebrated when no one else paid much attention.

"It's okay that you dislike me and the government I represent, but please don't say we don't care about them.

'I have supported Malaysian para-athletes since my first day in office and I will continue to support them long after the spotlight moves to the latest viral issue Malaysian netizens want to latch onto.

"In the meantime, please support them in the upcoming Rio Paralympic Games. They are extraordinary and I am confident that they will create extraordinary history at the Rio Paralympics 2016," Khairy added.