Malaysia offers million-ringgit bonus for Olympics gold

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — Malaysia, which has never won an Olympic gold medal, is offering a bonus of one million ringgit (307,000 dollars) to any athlete who can bring home the top prize from this year's Beijing Games.

Deputy prime minister Najib Razak said the offer, substantially higher than the 160,000 ringgit offered at previous Olympics, reflected rising standards in world sports.

"To win a gold medal is not easy because the competition is getting tougher. We can see that from one Olympics to another, the standard is increasing," he was quoted as saying by the state Bernama news agency late Tuesday.

"We should therefore set a higher target, and provide a more attractive incentive," he said.

Najib said silver medallists would win 300,000 ringgit, and...