Ministry’s Full Support For Pandelela

GOLDEN MOMENT: Pandelela competes in the women’s 10m platform diving finals at the Dr SP Mukherjee Aquatics Complex in New Delhi on Monday. — AFP photo

KUCHING: The Social Development and Urbanisation Ministry will continue to give Sarawak’s golden girl Pandelela Rinong Pamg its full support, the Minister Dato Sri William Mawan assured yesterday.

“We will go all out to support her. We have decided to give her incentives in recognition of her outstanding achievement,” he said.

Mawan revealed that the ministry would also be looking for deals with international brands to help Pandelela.

Assuring that she would continue to receive the necessary perks, he said Pandelela now ranked among top national athletes like world number ones Datuk Nicol David (squash) and Datuk Lee Chong Wei (badminton) who have secured lucrative endorsement deals through their world-beating feats.

“If we could do the same for Pandelela, it will greatly improve the livelihood of her family as well as inspire budding athletes in Sarawak to follow in her footsteps,” he added.

Clinching Malaysia’s first ever Commonwealth Games diving gold medal in the women 10m platform in New Dehli on Monday, the 17-year-old’s achievement has made her a sporting household name in the country.

Adding a gold medal to the silver she won with Leong Mun Yee in the 10m synchronise event the day before, the plucky Bidayuh lass has shown that with hard work and commitment, success in sports is possible.

Going through intensive training in Kunming, China, before the XIX Commonwealth Games, she took time out to compete in the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, diving her way to a silver medal in the 10m platform behind Asian Youth Games gold medallist Liu Jaio of China.
“We’ll monitor her training and performance. Because she is our pride, the ministry will not just sit and watch. We will support her all the way,” Mawan said, adding that Pandelela’s silver medal in Singapore was as good as her Commonwealth Games gold medal.

Meanwhile, Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS) director Francis Nyurang Ding said Pandelela’s superb performance showed that MSNS’s development programme was starting to bear fruit.

“We are very happy for her. We always knew she was championship material and she proved that in New Dehli,” he added.

“Not only is the council playing an important role – our athletes’ successes are the cumulative efforts of the coaches, parents and the state government.

“Pandelela represented the country and won the gold medal. Sarawak should be proud of her.”
On money incentives, Francis said: “These will certainly be given to Pandelela but the amount will be further discussed – there is no fixed amount yet.”