PRIME Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday offered a reward of RM20,000 to athletes who successfully break any national record at the Higher Education Games2022, at the opening ceremony in Tanjung Malim.

“Set new national records, no matter what the sport. Those who succeed will be rewarded with RM20,000,” he said at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) Stadium last night.

He said he hoped the games will produce more high-performance athletes with winning mindsets at major international-level championships.

“We can relate to many things when we talk about sports. It’s not only for health, but teaches us about team spirit, strategy and decision-making.

“I often emphasise how sports can inspire patriotism and unity. Whenever there’s a football or badminton match, especially at global level, we will sit together, cheer together as we support our national team,” he said.

Ismail said sports had its own distinctive aura, among competitors spectators alike, citing the example of national badminton coach Hendrawan who gave his shoes to Jamaican shuttler Samuel Ricketts so that he could continue playing.

He added that Malaysian silat competitor Siti Siti Shazwana Ajak was praised by social media users for protecting the modesty of her Indonesian opponent Selly Andriani when her headscarf came loose during their match at the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi Vietnam in May.

“We can learn from these examples that there are bigger things than just competing – compassion, respect and humanitarian values between competing teams.

“This is the spirit we want, not limited to athletes who compete, but also all supporting fans and spectators, along with volunteers and officials,” he said. – Bernama, August 15, 2022.