SHAH ALAM, Feb 10 — The state government intends to standardise the incentives for Para Malaysia Games (Para SUKMA) winners with those for able-bodied athletes to strengthen the high-performance sports ecosystem and improve the welfare of athletes with special needs ahead of Para SUKMA 2026.
State executive councillor for youth, sports, and entrepreneurship Mohd Najwan Halimi said this aligns with their approach to standardising access to training, performance development, and welfare for Para SUKMA athletes, ensuring they are on par with able-bodied athletes.
“We (the state government) have determined that victory incentives for Para SUKMA athletes will be equal to those received by SUKMA athletes. We want to ensure there is no discrimination in terms of rewards.
“In the 2024 Sarawak SUKMA, every gold medalist received RM10,000, and moving forward, Para SUKMA athletes will also receive the same rate. The latest incentive values will be announced in the near future," he told the media at Dewan Raja Muda Musa in Section 7 today.
The Selangor SUKMA and Para SUKMA 2026 chairman added that this measure aims to end the stigma surrounding para-athletes and elevate their dignity as high-performance athletes who contribute to the state's national-level achievements, among other things.
In the same development, Najwan said that SUKMA volunteer registration, which opened less than 72 hours ago, has attracted interest from approximately 18,000 individuals as of noon today, far exceeding the initial target of 5,000.
The sharp increase reflects the community's strong interest, especially among the youth, in volunteering to host the Selangor 2026 SUKMA and Para SUKMA.
“We will coordinate placements according to locality requirements and sporting branches, as some sports recorded very high interest while others remain low.
"The secretariat will conduct a review of the requirements to ensure a more balanced distribution of volunteers, in addition to providing training modules and appropriate incentives for those selected," he said.
Najwan added that volunteer participation covers both the SUKMA and Para SUKMA games, with management planned to ensure smooth operations and a high-standard hosting experience.
Earlier, he officiated the launch of the Selangor Road To Champion Para SUKMA 2026 programme and the presentation of the appointment letter for the Selangor Para SUKMA Contingent, which was attended by 141 para-athletes, including 10 team managers and 17 coaches.
During the event, Kampung Tunku state assemblyman Lim Yi Wei was appointed as Para SUKMA 2026's Chef de Mission, followed by Shah Alam Mayor Datuk Mohd Fauzi Mohd Yatim and Sepang Municipal Council President Ani Ahmad as Deputy Chef de Mission (I) and (II), respectively.
Para SUKMA 2026 is scheduled to take place around the Klang and Petaling districts from September 5 to September 10, offering 10 sports across 316 events.
