Kenneth Low’s health didn’t have to decline. The former national squash player and coach didn’t need to lose everything he had.
But that usually happens when you are a nobody, and you are forgotten.
Low’s plight is a stark illustration of what is too often true: former national athletes continue to suffer from an outdated welfare system that doesn’t quite put their interests first.
The agony of ex-coaches and officials, who are left without healthcare treatment in their dotage, has also re-emerged.
It’s an old story about the inequality of healthcare, about missing academic opportunities, about lacking a sense of managing money, and about post-retirement employment.
For decades, the government has had no response to long-standing issues regarding a dignified retirement and welfare fund that includes a pension and life-time insurance.
Everybody’s talking. Nobody’s listening. Nothing is learned. It’s a mess.
Parents might now see sports as detrimental to the future and safety of their children in the absence of a security net for them.
Low did not pursue his studies after Form Five because he was a key player Malaysia needed for many tournaments.
He went on to become a six-time national champion and later a coach, until tragedy struck.
No one planned life after sports for him. Today, at 47, he is a cleaner at an archery centre.
He is suspected to be suffering from stroke-induced impairment, reduced coordination and motor skills, cognitive disability and short-term memory dysfunction.
The official response to his case can be summed up as the ministry wanting to be seen as doing something, but not doing anything substantial.
It didn’t help that youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh skipped the broader picture and chose to declare the national athletes welfare foundation (Yakeb) as the first to discover Low’s situation.
In a Facebook post, she said Yakeb was on Low’s case long before the media, and provided a chronology of the things that had been done.
The spin turned the sad episode into a competition of sorts, a “we were there first” snobbery.
FMT, in breaking the story, did acknowledge the initial assistance Yakeb had given to Low such as making an appointment for him with a neurologist, and giving him a RM300 monthly allowance.
That was all Yakeb could do due to its limited funds. The money for Low’s medical treatment had to come from somewhere else.
Does it matter who got to Low first? Doesn’t it matter that FMT and, later, the other media, brought national attention to an ex-sports star battling poor health, and struggling financially?
Yeoh should give up making excuses and thank the media and the public for coming together for a worthy cause.
As of this morning, public donations have totalled about RM130,000, which will allow Low to undergo medical tests. Contributions from big-hearted Malaysians ranged from RM10 to RM1,000.
There is talk the ministry does not want to publicise cases of down and out sportspeople, but the media will continue writing about them in the love of humanity.
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile” – Albert Einstein.
Putting athletes first
In Malaysia, athletes are seen as commodities first. Upon their retirement, the care they need to lead a meaningful life is far from guaranteed.
For needy former national athletes, any light at the end of the tunnel could well be that from an oncoming train.
The inequality in healthcare for them means they are entitled annually to a maximum of RM20,000 each from Yakeb.
The amount is a mockery compared to the medical benefits that cabinet ministers, for instance, receive for life.
The health, wellbeing and career pathways of athletes should be a priority for the government and the national sports associations (NSAs).
Yet, their decisions suggest more concern for costs and liability then whether athletes will get through their careers without long-term consequences.
The current model does not include coaches and officials, and they together with athletes should be given more control over decisions that directly, and sometimes permanently, impact their lives.
Their lack of power leaves them at the mercy of people who may not prioritise their wellbeing.
A fair system requires a different power arrangement to give athletes more say, and to change a wobbly structure.
If athletes have the authority to call out problems and compel the government and the NSAs to address them, they can secure rights that reflect the enormous work and value they provide.
While a good number of athletes leave sport with much more than they started, many end up with much less, or nothing at all.
The reality demands change. It cries for a fresh concept of finally putting the athletes first. - FMT
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.
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