Hoe Yean, Cheong Min Highest Recipients of SEA Games 2025 Shakam Incentives

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 (Bernama) -- Swimming champion Khiew Hoe Yean and wushu queen Tan Cheong Min have become the national male and female athletes to receive the highest Sports Victory Prize Scheme (SHAKAM) for the 2025 SEA Games.

The 2025 SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games SHAKAM Presentation Ceremony here today saw Hoe Yean, who won two gold medals, one silver and one bronze, take home RM32,000 as a reward for his success at the biennial sports games in December last year.

Hoe Yean won gold in the 200-metre (m) and 400-m freestyle events, as well as silver in the 4x200m freestyle and bronze in the 4x100m freestyle.

Cheong Min, who is the 2019 world champion, received RM26,666.67 after winning two gold medals each in the combined events of Nanquan, Nandao and Nangun, as well as the Dulilian event.

At the same time, hockey, which includes field, indoor and five-a-side disciplines, emerged as the sport that received the highest reward of RM316,800 following its success in bringing home three golds and three silvers.

Cricket, which won two golds and one silver and one bronze, became the second sport to receive the highest reward of RM247,200 while athletics was third with RM150,000 after winning five golds, five silvers and six bronzes and breaking three games records.

Meanwhile, two para swimmers Abdul Halim Mohammad and Carmen Lim emerged as the highest recipients for the SHAKAM ASEAN Para Games 2025 for men and women after taking home RM62,000 and RM39,000 respectively.

Para athletics, which bagged 20 golds, 22 silvers and 23 bronzes and created 10 games records, received the highest incentive of RM550,800.

Para swimming came in second after winning RM344,400 with 13 golds, 20 silvers and 22 bronzes, followed by para cycling third (RM217,200) after winning 9 golds, five silvers and four bronzes.

Meanwhile, Cheong Min, who was met by reporters, described the rewards she received as the result of the joint efforts of various parties throughout the intensive preparation period.

"My competition schedule starts from July to December with the culmination being the SEA Games. Throughout that period, all parties MSN (National Sports Council), ISN (National Sports Institute), OCM (Olympic Council of Malaysia), KBS (Ministry of Youth and Sports), Malaysian Wushu Federation) provided support," said the 27-year-old athlete.

According to her, the SHAKAM reward she received will be saved for future use, similar to the previous reward used to cover the cost of her studies at the undergraduate level.

Earlier, Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari presented incentives at the event which was also attended by his deputy Mordi Bimol, KBS secretary-general Datuk Dr K Nagulendran and MSN director-general Jefri Ngadirin.

-- BERNAMA