LONDON, Aug 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysians should fully support the nation's paralympic athletes as much as they did the athletes of the London Olympic Games, said Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Razali Ibrahim.
"Malaysia's participation in the Paralympic Games is not merely because Malaysia wants to take part but because our athletes qualified on merit.
"It can be said that many Malaysians know who our paralympians are," he told Bernama after attending an Aidilfitri gathering for Malaysian paralympic athletes here Saturday.
Razali said the occasion was held with the cooperation of the Malaysian High Commission and the Ministry of Youth and Sports to introduce the national paralympic athletes.
"Apart from celebrating Aidilfitri and Merdeka Day, I feel the paralympians need more exposure to the Malaysians here to garner their support on the ground," he said.
He said the national paralympic athletes have the capability to compete and achieve success and glory for the country.
"In the prestigious London Paralympic Games, our athletes could also deliver medals for Malaysia.
"We should share their pride and achievements even though they are not at the level of the normal athletes," he said.
Twenty-three Malaysian athletes will compete in eight sports in the London Paralympics.
The Malaysian London Paralympic contingent is twice the size of the team at the Beijing Paralympics in China where only 11 athletes competed in five sports.
The Malaysian contingent is hoping for medals in archery, ping pong and athletics.
From Farhanah Azmi -- BERNAMA
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