PENINSULAR MALAYSIA RMLSD· SABAH AND SARAWAK RM2.00· BRUNEI $2.00· PP413/09/2012 (030687) , , MALAYSIAN Olympians who stormedtheir way into the history books' returned home yesterday to a thunderous welcome by family, friends and fans. Prime Minister Datuk Serf Najib Razak, who was among the 1,OOO-strongcrowd at KLIA, announced additional rewards for them, , , ,.' - -" and said, 'Youall are rock stars today'. , ' ), -e- ~ , , - " \ ...RE~ORTSON PAGES 2'&3 PERPUSTAXAAN SUt-';'~N AUIJUL ~AIHJ.'U) UNIVERSUI PU'H{A MAl NEVI S'lI'RAITS T~MES 2 NEW STR1\ITS TIMES AKHllAR n;!1 TlDAK m~ENARKAN PRIME NEWS PRIME NEWS nm ....'jA KELlJAn DARl BAHAGIAN IN! Heroes'welcome for RMSOO;OOO for silver medallists SEPANCi: Malaysian olympic silver The sole bronze medal came from of us, 'from the government to the and bronzemedallists will get, an cyclist Azizulhasni Awang in the public. All of us must throw our sup- additional reward ofRM200,000. men's ketrin. port behind our athletes." , Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Accompanied by his wife, Datin The prime minister also shared the Olympic contingent Razak announced yesterday that sil- Seri Rosmah Mansor,' Najib said nerve-racking moment watching the ver medallists would receive Malaysian Olympians who gave their final between Chong Wei and Chi- RM500,000 worth of incentives, fol- all at Rio should be deemed heroes. na'sCheng Long. spend time with his family first and for Pandelela, for all of us," he lowed by RM300,OOOfor those with "You all are rockstars today. The "It felt like I was having heart pal- N~TION'SPRIDE: only then have a celebration for said. bronze. , country has done really well in Rio, pitations. Thank God my heart is still him," he said. 'For first-time Olympic medallist He said this before more than the best ever results in the country's strong enough (to withstand the Families and fans Ester Cham, wife of mixed dou-· Tan Wee Kiong and Goh V Shem, to tOOO .people who had gathered at Olympics history. But, fate was"not stress)." bles player Chan Peng Soon, said be greeted by screaming crowds, the Bunga Raya Complex at Kuala on our side, and we will have to wait Najib also expressed his hope to flock to KLiA to - . they would go on a short trip as a loud kompang and even vuvuzelas , Lumpur Intemational Airport here forour flrst gold (medal). ' see Chong Wei continue playing, be- family before he goes off. for the was something they had never ex- to give the Malaysian Olympic con- "To succeed (in the next cause the prime minister felt that the celebrate return of 2016 Korea Open Super Series next perienced before. tingent a rousing welcome; Olympics), the' major determinant World No.1 shuttler still had it in him national athletes month. The athletes were united in their Junior athletes, decked in sports will be our level of dedication, not to play for another two or three "I am overwhelmed to see so hope for the next generation of attire, were waving the Jalur Gemi- only among the athletes, but also all years. many Malaysians coming together Malaysian athletes' to step up and go lang enthusiastically, and sports fans BEATRICE NITA JAY to welcome the 'contingent home beyond the record that was screamed at the top of their lungs as AND AMIN MOKHTAR and I believe· that they have all achieved at Rio this year.. the Malaysian' Olympics contingent SEPANG made us very proud." Peng Soon, who rose to prorni- entered the complex. Lifetime flights reward [email protected] . The father of two .children, Mil- nence following his stellar perfor- Present were cabinet ministers in- ton, 5 and Hannah, 1, Peng soon's" mance in the badminton, mixed cluding Youth and Sports Minister' KUALA WMPUR: AirAsia will reward Asean nations registered five HE wait was finally over for success had already made Milton. doubles, challenged the younger Khairy Jamaluddin and M:ilaysian all five Olympic gold medal winners gold medals through Vietnamese family members of the Rio pick up the racket. generation to rise up. chef-de-mission to the Olympics Tan from Asean nations with free flights shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh, Singa- .TOlympics 2016 athletes, as Speaking to reporters after their "1hope our juniors rise fast. If, Sri Mohamed Al Amin Abdul Majid. for life, its 'group chief executive porean swimmer Joseph. School- the sight of orange jackets, slowly arrival here, the national athletes they are good, we will also feelthe ''We will conduct a post-mortem officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes an-. ing, Indonesian badminton pair approaching the Bunga Raya Corn- were surprised by the huge wel- , pressure. We will have the moti- and plan ways to boost the country's nounced yesterday. TontowiAhmad and Liliana Natsir plex at the Kuala. Lumpur Inter- come they got from the crowd, vation to rise together," he said. Prime sports Industry," Najib said "What an Olympics this was for and Thai weightlifters Sopita national Airport here yesterday be- many of whom had waited hours ' His hope was echoed by his team RosmahMansor,greeting OlympiccontingentdttheKuala" He said Malaysia had performed Asean," Fernandes wrote on'.Face- Tanasan and Sukanya Srisurat. came visible from afar. inside the Bunga Raya Complex. ' mate, Goh Liu Ying~. who urged Lumpur International Airport yesterday. ,Pic by Mohd Fadli Hamzah extremely well at the Rio Olympics. book. In all, Asean nations registered With banners and flowers in "(It is) so unexpected. Such a big young players to think big and cul- Ii, -' . '., " Malaysia received its four silver "Airasia, which has Its roots in 18medals at the Olympic Games in hand, coupled with matching crowd outside," said national diver tivate self-belief. Badminton expected medals from shuttlers Goh Liu Ying- Asean, wants to reward those who, Rio de Janeiro. Clothes and big smiles, the athletes', and Olympic silver medallist "To all Young players, you have to Chan Peng Soon; Tan Wee Kiong- . gave us so.much joy.They taught and . Malaysia, with four silvers and a families arrived at the hall as early Cheong Jun Hoong.. dare to dream, and you have. to be ... From Page 2 shuttlers joining BAM because they Goh V Shem; Datuk Lee Chong Wei reminded us never to give up onyour bronze medal, also returned with as 1pm to welcome' home the na- 'Th'e pleasant surprise was 'also confident-in yourself," she said. to deliver more medals have a systematic method and it is and divers Pandelela Rinong- dreams and never stop believing you its best-ever Olympic performance tional heroes. felt by Pandelela Rinong, her diving ,The arrival of the, national unbeaten pair, while our mixed dou:their best shot at representing Cheong Jun Hoong in the women's can be the best in the world." since debuting in 1956. + . "No diet for him. I am going to partner.. OJympic heroes were welcomed.by bles did really well to reachthe final, Malaysia at the Olympics. 10m platform synchro. + cook his favourite nasi lemak arid Chong Wei took the opportunity a huge crowd, numbering well over SEPANCi: Expect nothing less from ' Malaysia's fourth silver, while cyclist where they 10sUo' Indonesia's Ton- "As for diving) believe we can win he can eat all he wants," said Tan to thank citizens who stood by him 1,000. Leading the celebrationwas badminton anymore. Azlzulhasni Awang wail bronze. towi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir, more than just one medal and I see Yak Hua, mother of Tan Wee Kiang, during the most devastating mo- Prime, Minister Datuk Seri Najib That was the message from Youth , , The achievements in Rio de "Expect nothing less from bad- many other countries coming up . national shuttler of the men's dou- ment in the games. Razak and. his wife, Datin Serf Ros- and Sports Minister Khairy Ja- . Janeiro were Malaysia's best so far in minton anymore, and I think the' "Azizul will still be racing in the bles team. "I want, to thank the fans. I, too, mah Mansor, mal uddin after welcoming the history of the games. , . -challenge now for BAM (Badminton . keirin and sprint events, but we want "Tonight, we wiIlhave dinner with'. was personally disappointed. I lost Also present were Transport Min- Malaysia's Olympic medallists at the Asked whether it is acceptable for' Association of Malaysia) is to try and to See more backup athletes by then .. friends and family; We want him to three times in a ,row (in the isterDatuk Sed Liow Tiong Lai and Kuala Lumpur International Airport Malaysia's shuttlers to produce get these'pairs up there among the "We must' also look at winning relax and have agood time," said Wee Olympics finals), and only ended Youth and Sports Minister Khairy yesterday. ' mediocre performances after reach- world top five. medals through other sports. Maybe Kiang's father, Tan Cham Swee. 'up with the silver. Jamaluddin. Badminton had once agaiQ proven ing the Olympic finals, Khairy said: . "The National Badminton Acade- .through karate, since we have world- .Lee Chong Hoon, brother, Of "(However), after my loss, I re- to be Malaysia's strongest sport at "Expectations for badminton have my will also be ready by the end of class athletes'like Shakila Sani Jefry Datuk Lee Chong Wei, said he want- ceived a -Facebook message with a Pagel' pic: Dfltuk Serl Najll) the world's greatest sporting event changed and it has .done Qur players the year, and we will: need to have Krisnan and Lim Chee Wei." ' ed his brother to rest imd spend video of Malaysians singing Ne- Razak antJ his wife, Datln Serl when it delive_redthree silver medals good because it has increased the~r more shuttlers coming up the Khairy added that sports such as tIme With his family: garaku.