FORMER SPEED WALKER TO GET MRI SCAN AS OFFERS OF AID POUR IN

FMT

Tony Mariadass

 

July 22, 2020 1:22 PM

 

V Subramaniam receives traditional treatment for his legs.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former speed walker V Subramaniam, whose application for an MRI scan for his legs was said to be rejected by the National Athletes Welfare Foundation (Yakeb), will be examined at the Selayang Hospital today.

Youth and Sports Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican said he had asked Yakeb and the National Sports Council to assist the SEA Games gold medallist whose plight was highlighted by FMT yesterday.

He said he had asked both organisations to assist Subramaniam “wherever we can”, including in facilitating his admission to hospital for further medical examination or to the ISN Sports Medicine Centre.

Yakeb president Noorul Ariffin Abdul Majeed meanwhile said the foundation had helped Subramaniam “in many ways”.

Youth and Sports Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

He said Subramaniam had been given Covid-19 aid of RM500 as well as six letters of guarantee to hospitals. His in-patient and out-patient bills were also paid for, he said.

Regarding the MRI scan, he said Yakeb had not received any letter from either Subramaniam or a hospital.

“However, to avoid any difficulties on his end, we have urgently arranged for a check-up at the Selayang Hospital,” he said.

He also said Yakeb members should follow the guidelines when applying for aid, and that the foundation had assisted more than 1,700 former athletes since 2018.

Subramaniam, who was named Malaysian Sportsman of the Year in 1978, had asked for RM1,200 to undergo the scan four months ago.

He suffers from stiffness, numbness and pain in both legs which makes it difficult for him to continue his passion for coaching junior race walkers, or to even earn a living.

However, he said his request was rejected, forcing him to seek traditional therapy instead.

Yakeb president Noorul Ariffin Abdul Majeed.

He said Yakeb had told his son and son-in-law that allocations for former athletes had been stopped, and that the foundation no longer had the necessary budget when Subramaniam applied for aid.

He also said he only received one letter of guarantee several years ago for an angiogram which cost RM900.

The Covid-19 aid was only given after he requested for it, he added.

“I am, however, grateful that Yakeb came to my aid after my plight was highlighted by FMT,” he said.

Offers of assistance have also been pouring in from well-wishers and organisations.

Subramaniam won eight SEA Games gold medals in the 10km and 20km race walk events between 1977 and 1989.

He also trained race walkers who snared gold medals themselves at the same level from 1993 to 2015.

BLOG VERSION

 

Mixed reaction to walker Subra’s plight

Tony Mariadass

 

 

Subramaniam being given traditional treatment for his leg by sinseh Chin KO at QiTuiNa Holistic Health Centre (FMT pic)

Feathers were ruffled with news of walker V. Subramaniam’s plight of not getting assistance for his legs which are almost giving up on him.

 There was immediate reaction from various quarters namely Yayasan Kebajikan Atlet Kebangsaan (YAKEB), Ministry of Sports, National Sports Council (NSC), Federal Territory Schools Sports Council (FTSSC), fans and even the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC).

 There was genuine assistance, some reacting to save their face and some cashing in on the situation.

 While the fans were genuine in wanting to assist their iconic walker who they were prepared to pay for this medical bills, two officials from YAKEB led by operation manager – Aminuddin Mohd Nasir, an officer from the Ministry of Sports, a specialist doctor from Selayang Hospital (Datuk Dr Alwi Abdul Rahman) and two MIC officials, headed to Subramaniam’s house in Batu Caves yesterday afternoon.

 NSC director general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail called to inquire of Subramaniam’s state and offered any assistance, while FTSSC director Dr Hasnul Faizal Hushin Amir also called to offer any medical assistance through them.

 YAKEB president, Noorul Ariffin Abdul Majeed, was informed of the visit but was unable to visit Subramaniam because he was in Alor Setar to visit beach volleyball player Mohd Faiz Putra suffered a minor stroke and diagnosed for cancer.

 

Noorul in a statement reacting to FMT’s story yesterday on Subramaniam’s plight said: “YAKEB did help him in many ways. 

 “In fact, he is one of the recipients of RM500 under YAKEB’s Covid-19 initiatives to help ex-athletes, which he texted me to say thank you

 “For the record, as of today, YAKEB has issued six Guarantee Letter (GL) and paid his in-patient and outpatient bills.  The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) must be adhered, that is - all members must write in /contact YAKEB’s office to inform us on any assistance they need for our further action.  It must come through our office.

 “In Subramaniam’s case, until today YAKEB didn’t receive any form of letters regarding his magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI) or reference letter from hospital as he claimed

 “However, since this has come to our attention and to avoid any difficulties on his end, we have urgently arranged for his check up at Hospital Selayang tomorrow (today).  We hope similar issues do not arise in the future as it can be avoided if members follow the SOP accordingly.”

 Noorul added that YAKEB since 2018 had assisted more than 1700 ex-athletes and currently have 3000 members. 

 “We need to follow the standard SOP and they need to submit the relevant documents for us to consider and write to other agencies / hospitals to speed up the process.”

 However, Subramaniam responded: “I have only been given one GL for an angiogram a few years ago at Assunta Hospital which cost RM900 and now the RM500 during Covid 19. I was earlier left out of the list of recipients and only given after I requested and after filling in some documents.

 He added: “Whatever I told FMT is true when I said my son (called YAKEB and they said allocations for athletes have been stopped and when my son-in-law called the answer was, they had no budget and they have now come forward after my plight was highlighted by FMT to help and I am grateful.

“Tomorrow YAKEB have arranged to take me to Selayang Hospital to see the doctor to do my MRI and any other check-ups required.”

Minister of Youth and Sports, Reezal Merican Naina Merican, who was in Penang chairing a couple of meetings found time to respond through a statement.

 

The statement read: “I have requested YAKEB and MSN (NSC) to assist him (Subramaniam) wherever we can, including to facilitate his admission to hospital for further medical examination or to ISN Sports Medicine Centre.”

 Reezal Merican in his recent parliament answer also said that his Ministry has provided funding (RM100,000) to YAKEB to assist former athletes in need, and to those affected during this challenging time of unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic situation.

 

 Subramaniam at his Western Food stall (FMT pic)