KUCHING: Bonnie Bunyau Gustin made history as the first athlete to clinch Malaysia’s maiden gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics.
The powerlifter’s achievement has won the hearts of fellow Malaysians.
Those congratulating Bonnie on his \outstanding achievement, with a new world record to boot, included the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in his Facebook post remarked that Bonnie’s success was a source of national pride when the national anthem Negaraku was played and the Jalur Gemilang raised high in Tokyo.
“Malaysia’s first gold! Thank you Bonnie Bunyau Gustin for presenting the Malaysian Family with the gold medal in men’s powerlifting,” Ismail said in his post.
Back in his home State, Minister for Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah offered congratulatory wishes and expressed her excitement Bonnie’s achievement.
“I sincerely hope that the public would now see people with disabilities in a different light. Please do not only look at their disabilities but also their potentials and abilities,” Fatimah said, urging for better accessibilities and opportunities for them.
“We want Sarawak to be a socially inclusive society with no one being sidelined,” she added.
Fatimah assured that Bonnie and all the other Sarawakian Paralympic athletes would be given incentives for their great achievement by the State Government.
Meanwhile, Minister of Youth and Sports Sarawak Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah attributed the gold medal win as a timely present for Hari Kebangsaan 2021 celebration.
“He has made all Malaysians and Sarawakians feeling proud and his achievement is also a very good Hari Kebangsaan 2021 present for all of us,” he said in a statement today.
Earlier today, the 22-year-old Sarawakian para athlete from Serian won Malaysia’s first gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympic Games and broke the record of 227 kg set by Rasool Mohsin from Iraq in Rio 2016 when he lifted 228 kg in his third attempt on the first day of the event.
