Well-deserved reward: Aaron Chia (centre) and Soh Wooi Yik (left) receiving the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro cars yesterday. Together with them is Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh. — Bernama
PETALING JAYA: Men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik not only drove away with a Chery Tiggo 7 Pro cars each yesterday but also received an additional RM50,000 each under the National Sports Council’s (NSC’s) incentive scheme (Shakam).
China’s car manufacturers Chery Malaysia presented Aaron-Wooi Yik and men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia one sports utility vehicles (SUV) each for winning bronze medals at the Paris Olympics earlier this month.
Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, who attended the handover function, said the doubles pair had been supposed to share the Shakam incentive of RM100,000 but instead, it was decided that they would each receive RM100,000.
Zii Jia, who is away at the Japan Open in Yokohama, will also receive the RM100,000 grant from the government. Hannah said Aaron-Wooi Yik had been the catalysts at the Paris Olympics as the Malaysian contingent were toiling without a medal until they made the breakthrough in the men’s doubles.
“Both worked really hard and deserve the RM100,000 incentive, like Zii Jia,” said Hannah.
“It was very stressful for everyone at the Olympics but the turning point was when Aaron-Wooi Yik survived match point in the second game to take the match into a rubber game (against Kim Astrup-Aders Skaarup Rasmussen of Denmark) in the semi-finals.
“That changed the momentum for everybody. After watching that, everyone believed that anything was possible.”
Despite not being part of the Road to Gold programme, Zii Jia received a RM50,000 grant before the Olympics for his 2024 Paris preparation and has also been allocated another RM100,000 for his preparations post-Olympics.
This, Hannah said, was besides the Shakam incentive of RM100,000 for the bronze medal victory.
The stylish Chery SUV is worth RM123,800 and Aaron said this was first time either of them had received a car for their success, adding that it was a motivation to do better.
However, he said athletes should not be too concerned about the rewards.
“We are fighting for our nation and the reward is extra bonus for our efforts,” said Aaron.
Wooi Yik, who was also pleasantly surprised with the SUV, said he would present it to his father Soh Goon Chup, a former Thomas Cupper.
“I really feel happy to receive the car but may give it to my father as he likes to drive big cars like this,” said Wooi Yik.
