Tun Jeanne Abdullah says watching disabled athletes perform is an enlightening experience

MALAYSIAN paralympic athletes deserve more support and attention because of their strong performances on the world stage, Tun Jeanne Abdullah said.

Jeanne, the wife of former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and patron of the Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPC), said paralympic events should receive equal media coverage and audience turnout because of the accomplishments of the athletes.

"At the last Asian Para Games (in Guangzhou), our disabled athletes performed better than their able-bodied counterparts, with nine gold medals, surpassing their target of eight."

She said it was time to shake off the negative perception of disabled athletes as their achievements were comparable to those of able-bodied sportsmen.

"They're as fit as any other. In fact, they have to work and compete twice as hard as they have to overcome much more physical challenges."

Watching disabled athletes perform was an awe-inspiring and enlightening experience, she said.

"When you've seen a young man with no arms and no legs swim across an Olympic pool or a blind football player using his hearing to navigate around the field, there are just no words to describe it. It changes the way you look at life.

"I am disheartened by the fact that few local reporters were on hand at the Asian Para Games when the Malaysian contingent grabbed 45 medals.

"We have world-class paralympians in so many different sports who are all proud to represent Malaysia. As Malaysians, it's only fair that we support and be proud of them."

Malaysian Paralympic Council president Datuk Zainal Abu Zarin said society needed to match international standards in giving equal treatment to para-athletes.

"The Asian Para Games are held after the Asian Games, just as the Paralympics are held after the Olympics. They run parallel to each other and are equal in stature, so there's no reason to ignore the Paralympics once the Olympics are over."

He said the disabled sports community was not looking for special treatment, merely to be recognised for its contributions as national athletes.

"Supporting them means giving light to their struggles and their achievements, their determination and courage in the face of difficulty. It also means to be fair and just in our recognition of our athletes, whether they are disabled or not."