KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPC) has demanded that the National Sports Council (NSC) share the blame for Malaysia's failure to meet its four-gold medal target at the Paris Paralympics.
MPC president Datuk Seri Megat Shahriman Zaharudin said that while MPC is prepared to take responsibility, NSC cannot escape accountability for the results in Paris.
He accused the NSC of meddling in the management of the national team, creating a situation of "two captains in one ship," which he believes contributed to the disappointing outcome.
"Actually, the MPC should have been fully in charge, but we had two captains in one ship. Some of our responsibilities were taken over, either directly or indirectly, without our knowledge," Megat said.
"We have had numerous clashes like siblings. This unhealthy situation has harmed the national contingent.
"For your information, other countries manage their contingents entirely through their respective Paralympic councils. We should have managed everything ourselves.
"But for the Paris Paralympics, we were reduced to just two people. NSC wanted to interfere. In reality, the government has no standing in these events, yet they tried to take over our duties.
"They also bullied our chef de mission (Datuk R. Subramaniam) and showed him no respect.
"We accept responsibility for the failure, but NSC must also be held accountable. They cannot just remain silent and lay all the blame on MPC.
"If you want to hold power but not take responsibility, then it's better to step aside," he said.
Megat added that he could no longer stay silent as this issue has persisted since the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
"We've faced similar issues across four events: the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Para Games, the 2023 Phnom Penh Para ASEAN Games, and the Paris Paralympics.
"I will no longer stay silent. This is not just about saving face but about national pride. I take full responsibility because of the country's interest. This is taxpayers' money and public funds, and everyone must be accountable," he said.
Meanwhile, NSC director general Abdul Rashid Yaakub said he would comment on the matter upon his return from Paris.
Meanwhile, Megat congratulated all Malaysian athletes who competed in Paris and those who won medals at the Paralympics.
Malaysia finished 42nd overall, winning two gold, two silver, and one bronze medal. The golds were secured by para-badminton champion Cheah Liek Hou in the men's singles SU5 and powerlifter Bonnie Bunyau Gustin in the men's 72kg category.
"I would like to congratulate all the athletes who worked hard. For those who didn't win medals, don't be disheartened. Instead, let's work hard to improve our performance.
"We accept that we didn't meet the target of four gold medals. I hope this serves as a wake-up call for everyone to continue working hard," Megat added.