OCM President, Tan Sri Norza Zakaria, today welcomed the statement by the Minister of Youth & Sports, Datuk Seri Reezal Merican to study the possibility of awarding pensions to athletes who qualify for the Olympics.
“We would like to thank the Minister for considering the OCM’s appeal to introduce a pension scheme for our Olympians.
The time has come for us to recognize and repay all those who sacrificed years of their life to qualify for the Olympic Games. When they qualify for the pinnacle of sports and fight for the nation, we all come together regardless of race, religion or creed to cheer them on. They competed on our behalf. We rejoiced with them and we despaired with them.
Now that they are past their prime and with many facing difficulties particularly in the time of this pandemic, the move by the government to introduce a pension scheme for the Olympians is timely. It is our time to ‘compete’ on their behalf.
At the Olympic Council of Malaysia, we are looking forward to working closely with the Ministry of Youth & Sports and hope that this proposal can be approved by the Government as soon as possible.”
Dato’ Sieh Kok Chi was born on the 8th of November 1938. After his retirement in 1991, as an Engineer in the Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia, Dato’ Sieh chose to continue his involvement, full time, in the field of sports, where his life-long passion was, especially in the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM).
Born on 21st March 1949, Y.A.M Tunku Tan Sri Imran is the second son of the late Tuanku Jaafar, an elected monarch of the Negeri Sembilan. Tunku Imran was educated in the UK at the King’s School, Canterbury and studied law at Nottingham University before being called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn, London in 1971 and qualifying as a Barrister at Law.