Recently, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu was slammed for riding on the coattails of Malaysian athlete Shereen Samson’s victory in the ongoing US National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Track and Field Championship.
The promising US-based runner won in the women’s 400m outdoor race in Allendale when she clocked 52.68s on Saturday, (28 May).
She became only the third Malaysian female runner to dip below 53 seconds in the 4oom event, joining Rabia Abdul Salam and her former Olympian mother, Josephine Mary Singarayar.
Prior to obtaining the champions title, Shereen had already broken a Malaysian record last March.
Clocking in at 53.79s at the second-tier US college indoor athletics, Shereen became the first Malaysian woman to go under 54 seconds in indoor 400m, breaking the Malaysian record of 54.58s by Noraseela Mohd Khalid.
Peja hot on her heels
Whilst Shereen’s success at the indoor college meet in March was allegedly met with silence by the Malaysia Athletics Federation, National Sports Council and Olympic Council of Malaysia, her win at the more recent outdoor athletic event was quick to be acknowledged by the Youth and Sports Minister.
Syabas! Pelari pecut wanita negara, Shereen Samson Vallabouy berjaya menjuarai acara 400m wanita di Kejohanan NCAA Division II Track and Field di Allendale, Michigan (28 Mei) dengan catatan 52.68s.#MalaysiaBoleh ??? pic.twitter.com/euPiTOMG64
— Faizal Azumu (@PejaOfPerak) May 29, 2022
However, the move by Faizal drew backlash from a few netizens as they criticised him, and in extension the Ministry of Youth and Sports for doing only the bare minimum, which is saying a word of congratulations.
Netizens felt that Faizal and his ministry should have done more for the aspiring Olympian by providing financial backing especially because her parents are apparently struggling to pay for her living expenses and other costs in the US.
This is in spite of the fact that Shereen is on a 75% athletics scholarship from Winona State University where she is pursuing a degree in recreation and tourism.
Netizens were in even more disbelief when they found out that Vincent Tan, the founder of Berjaya Corporation Berhad had donated a sum of US$52,000 (RM228,000) to Shereen and her parents through his personal charity organisation, Better Malaysia Foundation (BMF) to ease her journey to academic and athletic excellence.
They chastised the ministry for being ‘useless’ in supporting our national athletes that a private stakeholder had to step in to do the job.
It’s not that simple
However, a tweet by a netizen claimed that it was reported that back in March, after Shereen broke the indoor athletic record, Faizal had visited Panthers Athletic Club, whom Shereen used to train with , to donate RM50,000 to the club.
Jayabalan Karuppiah, president of the club, said that part of the money from the sports ministry will go towards Shereen’s education and expenses in the US.
This has caused some confusion amongst netizens who were now unsure on whether or not Shereen had received the money from the sports ministry.
Perhaps she did receive part of the money but still does not have enough to foot the bill for her American education.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments!
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