KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 — Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin is disappointed over the action of certain quarters who questioned the government’s support towards national paralympic athletes.

He said they were the ones who failed to show the much needed support as was observed during the Kuala Lumpur Asean Para Games last year.

"We have been supporting them (paralympic athletes) for a long time even at the world level, including the support from the National Sports Council.

"But when it was time for Malaysians to show their support for paralympic athletes especially at the Asean Para Games in Kuala Lumpur last year, the response was a bit disappointing and this may reflect the attitude of many Malaysians, when it comes to real support, they fall short,” he said.

Khairy said this when winding up debate on the Sports Development (Amendment) Bill 2018 in the Dewan Rakyat.

An opposition member of parliament Datuk Fauzi Abdul Rahman (PKR-Indera Mahkota), however, urged Khairy and the ministry to continue to provide full support to the athletes.

"Just carry on, continue to give full support to the paralympic athletes, I believe that they will promote Malaysia’s good name abroad,” he said.

The bill, which among other things, aimed at developing national sports and help in solving problems in sports bodies, was later approved.

The bill is to update the Sports Development Act 1997 to be relevant to changes in international sports and in line with the current national policies such as the National Sports Policy, Malaysian Youth Policy and National Transformation 2050. — Bernama