PENANG has continued to recognise and award its outstanding youths and athletes through the Penang State Sports Incentive Scheme (Skimas) and the special incentive scheme, known as the ‘Best! Anak Penang – Penang Young Talent Excellence Incentive Scheme’.
Seven Penang athletes who contributed four gold medals in the Cambodia 2023 Southeast Asian Games (32nd SEA Games) were given cash incentives by the state government under Skimas.
Also recognised was 16-year-old Malaysian Para swimming athlete Zy Lee Kher, who won two gold medals, each in the Men’s 200m freestyle S5 and the Men’s 200m individual medley SM5 during the ASEAN Para Games last year, also in Cambodia.
Zy, took home RM12,000 while Moh Keen Hoo (Men’s Snooker 6-Red Singles), and Thor Chuan Leong (Men’s Snooker Singles) bagged RM6,000 each for winning the gold medal in their respective category. Moh’s and Thor’s awards were received by Penang Billiard and Snooker Association (PBSA) president Datuk Michael Tan.
Meanwhile, Nurmaizatul Hanim Syafi Shiek Fuad (Women’s Field Hockey), Siti Nur Arfah Mohd Nor (Women’s Field Hockey), Muhammad Amirul Hamizan Azahar (Men’s Field Hockey), Muhamad Faris Harizan (Men’s Field Hockey), and Muhammad Danish Danial Abdul Wahab (Men’s Field Hockey) received RM1,500 each for their outstanding performance.
State Youth and Sports Committee chairman Soon Lip Chee said besides awarding Skimas recipients, a total of 104 outstanding youths were also given cash incentives under the ‘Best! Anak Penang – Penang Young Talent Excellence Incentive Scheme’.
Soon said the state allocated RM31,500 for Skimas, and RM36,583.34 for the ‘Best! Anak Penang – Penang Young Talent Excellence Incentive Scheme’.
“The Penang government congratulates and honours our recipients who have strived so hard to make our state and country proud.
“We hope that our youths and athletes will maintain their momentum and continue to do better for our state and country,” he said during the incentive presentation ceremony in Komtar today.
When met, Zy thanked the Penang government for honouring him for his success.
“I would like to thank the state, my family, coaches, teachers, and friends for their support. All these (achievements) would not be possible without them.
“They keep pushing me to do better,” he said.
Zy added that he made it a point to train at least two hours daily to maintain his stamina and improve his performance.
“I will be sitting for my SPM this year. It is not easy to strike a balance between my studies and swimming career,” he said.
“I plan to go deeper into sports after my studies. And I do not want to limit my skills to swimming alone.
“I have a passion for sports and I will continue to pursue my dreams,” he said.
Accompanying Zy were Penang Sports and Recreation Association for the Disabled (Pesron) deputy chairman Dr Mohd Sharizal Abdul Aziz, vice-chairman Prof Datuk Dr G.P. Doraisamy, and secretary Rashidah Mat Saad.
Dr Mohd Sharizal said he was very proud of Zy.
“He has a strong determination and is still young. He has broken records at such a young age.
“I believe that Zy can go very far in swimming if he puts his mind to it,” said the former SEA Games gold medalist, who won in the Para Sukma (Malaysia Games) last year.
Also present were Air Itam assemblyman Joseph Ng, Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Daniel Gooi, Penang State Sports Council (PSSC) director Harry Chai, and Penang Youth Development Corporation (PYDC) general manager Dr Gwee Sai Ling.
Story and pix by Christopher Tan