KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim received a courtesy visit from Malaysia's national medal winners at the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games in Parliament earlier today.
In a Facebook post, he said that the visit included athletes such as Lee Zi Jia, Aaron Chia, Soh Wooi Yik, Cheah Liek Hou, Bonnie Bunyau Anak Gustin, Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli, and Eddy Bernard.
Anwar was particularly moved by Soh's story of enduring a fractured and swollen toe for 74 minutes during the bronze medal match in Paris.
"I am proud of these remarkable achievements and touched by their stories of perseverance, which began in school as they worked hard to become world-class athletes and unite Malaysians through their success.
"Thank you for your resilience and sacrifice in ensuring the Malaysian flag flies high in Paris," he said.
Anwar also shared the government's commitment to enhancing sports development, highlighting a RM230 million allocation in the 2025 Budget.
This funding will support various initiatives, including podium programmes, athlete training, and the "Road to Gold" preparation for para-athletes ahead of the upcoming World Para Games and Deaflympics in Tokyo 2025.
"It will also cover maintenance and improvement works for youth and sports facilities nationwide, as well as matching grants to encourage sports competitions organised by associations and NGOs," he added.