KUALA LUMPUR — Nearly six decades after carrying the nation’s colours with pride, sweat and sacrifice, Malaysia’s former national athletics legends have finally been recognised in a moment heavy with emotion and long-overdue justice.
A chapter left unfinished since 1966 was finally closed when Malaysian Athletics (MA) settled outstanding incentive payments under the National Sportsman and Sportswoman Awards, disbursing a total of RM65,000 to nine trailblazers whose achievements laid the foundations of Malaysian athletics.
Among those honoured was iconic sprint queen Datuk M. Rajamani, crowned National Sportswoman in 1966 and 1967, who received RM10,000.
Now 83, Rajamani said the gesture, though delayed, carried profound meaning beyond its monetary value.
“The wait has been incredibly long and the value of money has changed, but what matters is that we are still remembered,” she said when met at the Royal Lake Club today.
The 1964 Olympian also said she intends to donate part of the sum to those in need.
Another towering figure in Malaysian sprinting, Tan Sri M. Jegathesan, who was named National Sportsman in 1966 and received RM5,000, admitted the incentive had long slipped from his memory.
“It never crossed my mind anymore. In those days, we were amateur athletes and rewards were never something we talked about,” he said.
“To receive this nearly 60 years later is truly touching.”
Junaidah Aman received RM10,000 after winning the National Sportswoman award in 1971 and 1972, while Gladys Chai Ng Mei (1973), Khoo Chong Beng (1975) and V. Subramaniam (1978) each received RM5,000.
Meanwhile, Datuk Rabuan Pit was awarded RM10,000 for his National Sportsman titles in 1980 and 1982, while Datuk Zaiton Othman received RM5,000 for being named National Sportswoman in 1982.
The presentation ceremony was officiated by Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria, who paid tribute to the pioneers of Malaysian athletics, describing them as athletes forged in an era of scarcity but defined by unwavering patriotism.
“They may not have had today’s facilities or rewards, but they were rich in sacrifice, rich in struggle and rich in patriotic spirit,” he said.
“Their commitment to defending the nation’s honour should inspire the younger generation.”
Norza added that sport must continue to serve as a unifying force in society, transcending race and background while creating moments of pride that bind Malaysians across generations. — February 5, 2026