Amir takes massive pay cut to focus on gold
NATIONAL B1 (totally blind) chess champion Amir Shamsuddin took a massive pay cut to focus on the Kuala Lumpur Asean Para Games.
The 42-year-old, who has eight children, has been receiving a monthly allowance of RM800 from the National Sports Council (NSC) since he became a full-time trainee early this year.
But that hasn’t stopped the self-employed Amir from aiming for the gold.
“It was a massive pay cut. I normally earn about RM50-RM60 a day selling tissues around the Klang Valley.
“I’d usually start my rounds around 7am and return by 11am. At night, it would depend on the weather. If it doesn’t rain, I will go out. This is how I survive on a daily basis.
“My wife is an asthmatic patient. She takes care of our children and does the household chores.
“I’m excited about representing the nation, but at the same time I hope someone will look into the plight of para athletes like me and my colleagues who have to sacrifice our livelihood to bring glory to the country.
“We hope someone will come forward to help ease our financial burden.
“I picked up chess as a 12-year-old (at St Nicholas School for the Blind in Penang). I represented the school and then I started to play for the association.
“I have nothing much to show for in chess except for the gold I won at the 2009 KL Asean Para Games.
“I wish we had strong support like the other countries, who send their para athletes overseas for exposure.
“None of us here have gone anywhere.” Team manager Dr Mohamed Nizam Mohamed Shapie hoped that the plight of para athletes would not fall on deaf ears.
“All they ask for is some support. They work so hard but there is no incentive for the silver or bronze medal winners. This is the reality.
“Indonesia have a successful incentive scheme to keep their para athletes on fire. Just look at how they have performed here.
“I’m not surprised they are leading the medal tally,” said Dr Nizam, a sports science lecturer with Universiti Teknologi Mara in Shah Alam.
After 12 events, Indonesia lead the medal tally in chess with seven golds, followed by the Philippines (three golds). Malaysia and Vietnam have one gold each.
Malaysia won their first gold through Nur Feiqha Maulad in the individual women’s B2 and B3 standard at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MiTEC) on Wednesday.
Nur Feiqha, who won four golds at KL 2009, also picked up a silver with Norain Fatihah Mohamed Yusoff in the women’s team B2 and B3.
Aqilah Syahira Ahmad-Siti Safura Jaafar won the bronze in the women’s team P1 standard while Saharuddin Mappa-Hanson Ang Ping Ting also bagged the bronze in the men’s B2 and B3 standard.