KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 ― Recognising his contribution to the country, a Kuala Lumpur property developer is hoping to “surprise” Olympic silver medallist Datuk Lee Chong Wei with a brand new, fully-furnished condominium unit… even though it will only be ready in 2020.
Orando Holdings managing director Datuk Eng Wei Chun said he decided to gift the national shuttler a 1,100square-foot, three-bedroom unit at the planned Lavile condominium in Taman Maluri worth RM1.5 million even before Lee’s stellar performance at the recently-concluded Rio Games, The Star daily reported today.
“I wanted to give him a surprise. He has done so much for the country,” Eng was quoted saying.
He explained that he was gifting a unit to Lee because the latter had visited the Lavile showroom in Cheras just a few days before flying to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and expressed interest in buying.
He also told the daily that the reward was because Lee is seen as the face of Malaysia at international sporting events.
The developer added that he was just fulfilling his “corporate social responsibility” and hoped the reward would encourage more Malaysians to excel in sports.
“We want the country to have a bright future and be harmonious. Sports is doing that. This is my way of enhancing our sports for a brighter future for Malaysia,” he was quoted saying.
Lee, 32, has announced he is retiring from competitive badminton after the Rio Games in which he bested his arch-rival Lin Dan from China in the semi-finals, though he lost to another Chinese, Chen Long in the gold match.
The three-time Olympic silver medallist will get an RM3,000 monthly pension for the rest of his life.
Other corporate figures have also announced gifts for the Olympian, including a Proton Suprima S 1.6L Turbo Premium and an Osim uDiva Classic Massage Sofa.
He will receive RM637,888 from the National Sports Council and the Badminton Association of Malaysia.
Lee is scheduled to land at the KL International Airport with the remainder of the Malaysian contingent that competed in Rio at 1.30pm today.
