At the start of the millennium, he was one of the country’s top powerlifters. Two decades on, para-athlete Mogan Subramaniam is now struggling to make ends meet.
Mogan’s sole source of income since 2009 has come from his business selling and servicing fire extinguishers for over 100 Tamil vernacular schools across Perak.
The former athlete told Malaysiakini that his work often takes him from one end of Perak to the other, generating roughly RM700 to RM800 a month.
Additionally, he also receives a monthly RM450 from the Social Welfare Department, which goes to cover his cost of living and rent.
However, his luck took a turn for the worse in 2015 - when he was involved in a road accident where he sustained multiple injuries to his chest, right arm and back.
In the same accident, Mogan’s older sister was declared dead at the scene. A part-time worker who was helping Mogan passed away while receiving treatment in hospital.
Mogan’s sole mode of transportation (a four-wheel drive) was also irreparably damaged.
Following his sister’s passing, the 48-year-old was evicted from his sister's house - where he lived for many years.
Difficulties repaying loan
Mogan now lives a solitary life in Taiping, Perak - having been divorced since 2002 and childless.
He is facing difficulties repaying a loan he took from Tekun Nasional - a financial scheme designed to assist local entrepreneurs.
Mogan continues to struggle as he began defaulting on loans that he had taken over the years.
This resulted in him becoming blacklisted by banks (according to a CTOS report) and is struggling to obtain further loans to ease his situation.
He had previously appealed to former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin in a letter dated March 16, 2021, on the matter.
In that letter, he wrote that he had borrowed RM30,000 in 2012 and later paid off RM12,000.
He then took out an additional RM10,000 from Tekun Prihatin - an interest-free initiative offered by the then-Muhyiddin administration to small business owners struggling with the effects of Covid-19.
However taking interest into account for the loan he took in 2012, he still owes RM34,093.
No help from political parties
According to Mogan, the blacklist - in addition to contracting Covid-19 last year - complicated his attempts for a fresh start following the accident.
Besides the former prime minister, he also made an appeal to Bukit Gantang MP Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal on the matter.
"So far, no political parties have offered help to me," Mogan told Malaysiakini.
Recently, after a conversation with a friend he became aware of the community-based efforts carried out by philanthropist Kuan Chee Heng - who goes by the moniker Uncle Kentang.
“My friend told me Uncle Kentang has helped many people who need assistance or are in trouble.
“So, I reached out to him through Whatsapp. I sent pictures of my situation to Uncle Kentang and asked for help,” said Mogan, who added that the philanthropist had responded after a few calls.
“I told him my problems. I don’t have a motorbike, I can’t get out of the house now and go anywhere. Anywhere I go, I have to take a taxi and spend a lot of money,” he explained.
Uncle Kentang has since offered to buy the former para-athlete a new three-wheel motorcycle - for which Mogan is very happy and grateful.
Mogan had previously won gold and silver in powerlifting events in the 2002 Malaysian Paralympiad. The paralympiad has since changed its name to the Para Sukma Games.
The country has seen the rise of former athletes struggling to make ends meet over the past year. There were gobsmacked reactions last year to former para swimmer Koh Lee Peng selling pocket tissues on the streets of central Kuala Lumpur to survive. - Mkini
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