Pandelela (foreground) and teammate Leong Mun Yee in action during the women’s 10m synchronised final at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre July 27, 2021. – Bernama photo
KUCHING (July 29): The Youth and Sports Ministry will study the proposal to create a scholarship in the name of national diving queen Pandelela Rinong Pamg, said minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
This came on the heels of the suggestion made by Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing, who said the establishment of such scholarship would enable potential divers and swimmers to achieve their ambitions.
“I see it as a good initiative and we will examine it, but at this point, let Pandelela be given the space for peace of mind.
“Hopefully, she could climb the podium in the 10m individual platform event at the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games,” he told reporters at Bangunan Baitulmakmur II here yesterday during a press conference, held to announce the virtual hosting of the Southeast Asian Youth Mental Health Conferences this Saturday.
Also present were Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Snowdan Lawan and the ministry’s permanent secretary Nancy Jolhi.
A scholarship named after Pandelela was recently proposed by Masing, who also said both the federal and state governments must recognise Pandelela’s sporting capabilities and achievements in bringing glory to the country.
“I am proud of our rural people. If given the opportunity, our rural Sarawakians would succeed in whatever endeavours. It is about time Putrajaya acknowledges that Sarawakians are as good as ‘Orang Malaya’ (Peninsular Malaysians), if not better, given the chance and opportunity,” he said in a press statement.
Masing added that it was also appropriate for an aquatic centre to be named after Pandelela.
“The Sarawak government has named our aquatics centre after her (Pandelela) in Kuching. So what is wrong with the naming of Pandelela Rinong Aquatics Centre in Bukit Jalil?
“It would become a positive reaffirmation for our youths. They will say ‘if Pandelela can do it, why can’t I?’” he pointed out.
Pandelela is currently in her fourth appearance at the Olympics.
At the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in May this year, she clinched Malaysia’s first-ever gold medal from the Fina Diving World Cup.
Pandelela bagged a silver medal from the 10m synchronised platform at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with her partner Cheong Jun Hoong.
Prior to that, she received a bronze medal in the women’s 10m platform individual at the 2012 Olympics in London.