Added bonus: Chen Tang Jie (left) will receive an additional RM1mil if he can win the gold medal with Toh Ee Wei. — Bernama
PETALING JAYA: The ante has just been upped. Malaysia’s first-ever Olympic gold medallist stands to win an even bigger purse than thought, with RM2mil added to the pool.
Malaysia’s first Olympics gold medal winner is now set to take home close to RM7mil in cash and kind, if the winner is a badminton player. If not, a RM6mil prize awaits.
The Youth and Sports Ministry has announced that the prize pool has been injected with an additional RM2mil from the three private sponsors.
RM1mil will be given by Yinson Holdings Berhad, while Matrix Concepts Holdings Berhad and MJ Health screening Centre will each reward the country’s first gold medallist RM500,000.
If there is more than one gold medallist, the additional RM2mil will be split between them.
Previously, it was announced that Top Glove executive chairman Tan Sri Dr Lim Wee Chai would reward the gold medal winning athlete with a luxury serviced condominium worth RM1 million in Top Residency in Setia Alam.
If you are shuttlers Aaron Chia, Soh Wooi Yik, or Chen Tang Jie, there’s an additional incentive as Senheng executive chairman Lim Kim Heng would give RM1mil cash.
The three shuttlers were among the recruits from the SS badminton Talent programme between 2012 and 2016, and Senheng had sponsored their lodging and training expenses during that time.
The Olympic gold medal winner will also get RM1mil from redONE Mobile (redONE), which will be disbursed in monthly instalments over a 10-year period.
The National Sports Council (NSC) will also reward the athlete with RM1mil if they win gold, while silver medallist winners will get RM300,000, and bronze medallists RM100,000.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh had also announced that medal winners in Paris would be rewarded with a foreign-made car. On top of that, Chinese automotive brand Chery will also give the gold medal winner a Tiggo 8 Pro SUV, a silver medallist an Omoda E5, and a bronze medallist a Tiggo 7 Pro.
There will also be bonuses from the athlete’s respective associations and states for medal winners from the Paris Olympics.
Hannah thanked the private sector sponsors for their contribution in motivating the athletes to strive for gold.
“Thank you to the sponsors for believing that Malaysian athletes have what it takes to bring home the gold medal. I’m confident that all athletes will work hard in Paris,” she said.
Chef de mission Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said the incentives would serve as strong motivation for the athletes.
“We are excited that many corporate parties have come forward to support the national contingent.”
