KUALA LUMPUR – Despite winning 18 medals, including three golds, since their first participation in the Deaflympics in 1993, Malaysian deaf sports athletes have still not been able to get the attention of the Youth and Sports Ministry.
After all these years, the Malaysian Deaf Sports Association (MSDeaf) is still hoping for support from the ministry in terms of funding and recognition.
Malaysia have won a total of 18 medals – three golds, 11 silvers and four bronzes – in the Deaflympics since their participation in the 17th Summer Deaflympics in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Speaking to Scoop, MSDeaf president Ong Shin Ruenn said that the association has been struggling over the years to secure financial support for its athletes to participate in tournaments.
“We have more than 1,000 deaf athletes in our association, and we, as an association, always believe that even people from the disabled community should be treated as normal human beings.
“That’s why we focus a lot on sports initiatives to help them be respected through their sporting abilities.
“We want to be able to access government grants and support, as well as receive the recognition we deserve for our athletes’ efforts and achievements.
“We hope the government can provide us with the necessary assistance to continue developing deaf sports in Malaysia,” Shin Ruenn added.
“We are responsible for developing and training many deaf sports athletes over the years. MSDeaf has been competing in international competitions and bringing back medals for Malaysia since 1993.
“We have not received sufficient funding and recognition from the government. We need financial assistance to support our athletes’ training, transportation, accommodation expenses, as well as operational costs,” Shin Ruenn said.
Shin Ruenn added that while MSDeaf has received some help from private sponsors, it is not enough to sustain the association’s activities and programmes in the long term.
MSDeaf has been actively promoting the development of deaf sports since its establishment in 1978.
The association has also sent athletes to participate in international sports tournaments such as the Asian Paralympics, Deaflympics and World Deaf Championships – mainly focusing on sports such as badminton, bowling, athletics, karate, football and futsal.
In the 2021 Summer Deaflympics held in Brazil’s Caxias do Sul, women’s doubles Boon Wei Ying and Foo Zu Tung won a badminton gold for Malaysia, ending the nation’s 21-year gold drought at the Games.
MSDeaf is set to host the World Deaf Football Championship, scheduled to take place from September 23 to October 7 in Kuala Lumpur.
The fourth edition of the tournament will feature 20 national teams competing for the title.
Malaysia has been placed in Group A alongside the United States, Germany and Egypt. – September 18, 2023