IPOH, A total of RM1.102 million was awarded to Perak athletes who won medals at the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) and Malaysia Para Games (Para SUKMA) 2024, which took place in Sarawak. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said out of the total, RM815,800 was allocated to SUKMA athletes, while RM286,200 was awarded to Para SUKMA athletes. 'This edition of SUKMA saw us record the highest medal tally in our participation outside of Perak. This is an incredibly proud achievement. 'We also achieved the target of 35 gold medals, and interestingly, most of the athletes who participated in this edition can still compete in SUKMA Selangor 2026,' he told reporters after attending the SUKMA and Para SUKMA Contingents Incentive Presentation Ceremony here last night. The Perak SUKMA contingent won 35 gold, 38 silver, and 56 bronze medals, placing Perak in seventh position out of 15 competing states in the Games held from Aug 17 to Aug 24. As for the Para SUKMA contingent, Perak ranked among the top five, winning 25 g old, 22 silver, and 20 bronze medals during the event held from Sept 22 to 28. Saarani expressed hope that all SUKMA and Para SUKMA athletes will continue to improve their performance to ensure even greater success, both nationally and internationally. 'This achievement is not the end of our journey. Instead, it is the starting point for us to achieve even more glorious victories in the future. 'I also want to emphasise that sports are not just about medals and victories. It instills values of perseverance, teamwork, and integrity. These are the values that should be embedded within each individual,' he said. Source: BERNAMA News Agency