KUALA LUMPUR – It only seems fair to see former World Champion Karamjit Singh treated equally with other sports champions such as Datuk Lee Chong Wei and Datuk Nicol David.
Badminton legend Chong Wei receives a monthly pension of RM3,000 for life following his Olympic silver medal in Beijing, while Nicol, although not getting a pension, was rewarded under Skim Hadiah Kemenangan Sukan (SHAKAM) for winning the World Championships eight times.
It has been a norm in Malaysia that high performing athletes get rewarded well by the Government - pension schemes are only given to Olympic medallist. -
“Did he get an official letter from the Ministry informing him of the RM5000 monthly pension for being World Champion? If he did then he should be paid and he should follow up with them. If it was only verbal, then he should follow up with the person who promised him.
“I know the Olympic Games Medallists are receiving their pensions. I am not sure whether Nicol David is getting RM5000. It really depends on what was promised and agreed,” said former Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) Secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi.
He said that the Ministry of Youth and Sports set up a lot of rules and Ministers also make lots of verbal promises which were not fulfilled, adding that Karamjit should really take up the matter officially with the Minister, with evidence that a verbal promise was made.
“Why did he take so long to bring the matter up? Since Chong Wei and Nicol David are paid a pension then Karamjit has a strong case,” Kok Chi added.
Meanwhile, former National Sports Council (NSC) director-general; Datuk Seri Zolkples Embong said that Karamjit was not rewarded by SHAKAM because motorsports do not come under NSC, but directly under the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Last week, many in the motoring fraternity agreed that Karamjit, the 2002 National Sportsman of the year, should get what he was promised by the sports ministry years ago because he has contributed to the racing world and made Malaysia proud during the time.
They said that the Malaysian rally racing king should receive the RM5,000 monthly pension, which was verbally promised. He was a world champion and made the Proton name known worldwide.
At the same time, after speaking to a former rally driver, The Vibes understood that a World Championship title in the rally is equal to a Gold medal in any sporting events.
“Karamjit beat the best drivers in the 2002 World Championship with a Proton while the others were using faster cars. It was all Karamjit in that championship and for that, the Government should reward him with something.
“Rally racing is not easy and to achieve such a feat together with a number of Asia Pacific Rally Championships (APRC), it is not something everyone can do. He did not race for himself but for the country.
“If not a pension, at least the Government can reward him with something that can help him contribute more into the motorsport industry,” said the former racer who wished for anonymity. – The Vibes, December 15, 2020.
