Smooth ride
Khairy promises pleasant experience at Para Games
KUALA LUMPUR: Comfortable and convenient.
That’s the promise Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has made to everyone – athletes and spectators – attending the Kuala Lumpur Asean Para Games from Sept 17-23.
Khairy said that Malaysian SEA Games Organising Committee (Masoc) have taken all measures to ensure that access to all the venues would be smooth for both para athletes and disabled fans.
“We have taken inclusive measures to cater to the needs of the disabled who wish to attend matches in order to provide them with the same immersive experience while cheering for the athletes,” said Khairy during the flag handing over ceremony at a leading hotel here yesterday.
“I want Malaysians to rise together again in support of the para athletes – just like they did during the KL SEA Games last month.
“We’ll ensure everything is put in place to facilitate the athletes and the fans during the Games. We want the disabled fans to enjoy the same comfort like other fans,” he said.
Special seats and gates, new ramps and elevated platforms as well as special services – with shuttle buses at every venue – have been put in place.
For instance, there will be 1,340 special seats dedicated to the disabled at all locations, especially for those in wheelchairs.
Buses with facilities for the disabled will operate during the Games. There will also be ample parking bays for the disabled.
Khairy assured that transportation, which was a big issue during the KL Games, would not be a problem.
“Masoc have ensured that there would be sufficient buses – a total of 35 – to ferry athletes to their training and competition venues on time,” he said.
“But I hope the participating countries will not keep changing their times of departure for training or competition.”
On top of that, 4,000 volunteers will be mobilised to lend a hand to those in need.
Entrance to all the venues are free – including for the opening and closing ceremonies.
The opening ceremony will be led by sensational singer Yuna, with the theme “We Are One” – that focuses on inner strength.
“The opening and closing ceremo- nies will be shown live on television. All the 16 sports will shown live on YouTube,” he said.
A total of 326 athletes and 167 officials will be involved in 16 sports at six cluster venues – Kuala Lumpur Sports City in Bukit Jalil (main), Malaysian International Trade And Exhibition Centre (MiTEC), National Tennis Centre at Jalan Duta, Sunway Mega Lanes at Sunway Pyramid, National Velodrome in Nilai and Putrajaya.
There will be 289 events and Malaysia are targeting 103 gold medals.
Khairy, however, urged the athletes to aim for more than the 103 target so as to emerge as overall champions.
“I told the athletes that their disability is not an obstacle for being a champion. It’s not a weakness but a source of motivation to make it one of the nation’s best outings,” said Khairy, whose fiery encouragement was met by a thunderous roar of approval from the para athletes.
He also said that he would like to see more new faces making a name for themselves like Ridzuan Puzi, Abdul Latif Romly and Ziyad Zolkefli (athletics); and Fraidden Dawan, Carmen Lim, Mohd Nor Saiful (swimming).