No suspension for para-athlete, says minister

Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has confirmed that national para shuttler Cheah Liek Hou will not face suspension following controversy over his remarks on athlete rewards.

In a statement today, Yeoh said her ministry and the Paralympic Council Malaysia (PCM) have reached an agreement on the matter.

“There will be no suspension of Cheah. PCM will seek further clarification from him regarding the confusion over the term ‘scam’,” she said.

Previously, the media reported that Cheah had accused PCM of being “dishonest” on social media for failing to deliver the RM60,000 cash incentive promised to him after winning a gold medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games.

The frustration voiced by the national para-badminton ace also drew Yeoh’s attention, who disagreed with the way PCM had handled the matter, particularly by issuing a show-cause letter against him.

PCM president Megat D Shahriman Zaharudin was reported as saying that the council would consider legal action against Cheah, following his public statement on social media, which allegedly tarnished its credibility and jeopardised future sponsorships.

New system

Commenting further, Yeoh today said that a new system will be introduced to prevent similar disputes in the future.

“Moving forward, all rewards will be accompanied by a written template for greater clarity and transparency, similar to the Road to Gold template,” she explained.

She stressed that it was important for athletes to remain focused on their training and competitions, while assuring continued government support.

“We will move forward so athletes can fully concentrate on training and competing. The Youth and Sports Ministry will always stand with our athletes in their fight to bring pride to the nation,” Yeoh said.

Yeoh also expressed gratitude to private sponsors who had stepped in to increase the council’s payout for medal winners.

“Thank you to other private sector parties who have contacted my office to top up the Malaysian Paralympic Council’s rewards for the five medal winners at the Paris 2024 Paralympics,” she said.

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