It took Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin to reveal Malaysia’s target at next month’s Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
 
Even then Khairy or KJ, as he is popularly known, both, in politics and sports, did not give a specific figure, except to say the “target is to better Malaysia’s six-gold haul” at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014.
 
Khairy also made it clear the target revealed by him is only for able bodied athletes. The overall medal tally in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games will also include medals won in para sports. 
 
Khairy was speaking at the flag handing ceremony for the Malaysian contingent to Gold Coast in Putrajaya on Tuesday.
 
At the same function triple jumper Muhammad Hakimi Ismail was named as Malaysia’s flag bearer in Gold Coast.
 
At least Khairy has eased the speculation on Malaysia’s target in Gold Coast which became so secretive when Podium Programme director Tim Newenham and chef de mission Huang Ying How chose to avoid revealing any targets.
 
The duo chose to take the easy way out with a “we do not want to put pressure on the athletes” each time the local media threw questions on Malaysia’s target in Gold Coast.
 
Newenham, however, did make a general statement that Malaysia is gunning a top-10 finish in this year’s Commonwealth Games.
 
This drew criticism from many quarters, especially the media, as Malaysia has spent millions in preparing the teams to the Commonwealth Games and also the Asian Games in Indonesia in August.
 
Malaysia will be represented by a 178 strong contingent, both able bodied and para athletes at the Commonwealth Games. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH 
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