Malaysia Athletics (MA) will set up a special task force to investigate the decades-old issue of unpaid prize money to national athletic legends following a recent expose by FMT.
The governing body said the task force, to be formed with the youth and sports ministry and the National Sports Council (NSC), will verify the list of affected athletes, trace financial records and determine the current value of the unpaid RM5,000 awards.
MA deputy president Wan Hisham Wan Salleh said the initiative is part of efforts to address what it described as a “deeply regrettable and unresolved chapter” in Malaysian athletics.
“I wish to express our profound respect for the athletes named in the report and our deepest, most sincere apologies that the promises made to you were not honoured,” he said in a statement.
“While the Malaysian Amateur Athletics Union (MAAU) was the governing body at the time, and the MA is a separate entity, we fully acknowledge our moral responsibility as the current custodians of athletics to help resolve this injustice.”
An FMT report yesterday detailed how at least 10 top Malaysian athletes never received their RM5,000 cash prize after winning the sportsman and sportswoman of the year awards from 1966 to 1982.
Among those affected are Dr Mani Jegathesan, M Rajamani, Junaidah Aman and V Subramaniam — former athletes who MA said laid the foundation for Malaysian sports.
Wan Hisham said MA will personally reach out to each athlete, assign liaison officers to maintain communication and formally advocate with the government for the release of funds to honour the commitments.
He also said MA will formally write to youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh and NSC director-general Jefri Ngadirin by the end of this week to present the facts and advocate for the moral necessity of resolving this decades-old issue.
Wan Hisham said MA will also request that the government, as the rightful body, allocate the funds to honour these historical commitments.
He added that MA’s efforts are not an admission of legal liability but a moral obligation to protect the dignity of the athletes.
Wan Hisham also pledged a systematic review of MA’s policies to ensure future promises to athletes are documented and fulfilled without delay.
“We cannot change the past, but we can certainly take responsibility for helping to heal it,” said Wan Hisham.
“MA is committed to being a vocal and active advocate in this endeavour. We owe our legends nothing less.”
