“You (athletes) have to believe that you can achieve extraordinary success in Rio. All the athletes must aim to finish on the podium.

“If not, you can rewrite the national record or record a personal best. Do not become tourists in Rio,” he told paralympic athletes at a meeting held in a hotel, here today.

Paralympic athletes who win medals will receive a lifetime monthly allowance of RM5,000 (gold), RM3,000 (silver) and RM2,000 (bronze).

Medal winners will also receive similar incentives as the Olympic athletes namely, RM1 million (gold), RM300,000 (silver) and RM100,000 (bronze).

Khairy was confident the 21 paralympic athletes were capable of surpassing the one silver and one bronze medal won in the 2012 London Paralympic Games.

“Since some of our athletes are ranked among the world’s top five, it is not impossible for them to win Malaysia’s first gold medal in the Rio Paralympic Games.”

Among the athletes with medal prospects are Abdul Latif Romly, Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi and Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli.

The Malaysian paralympic contingent of 21 athletes and 19 coaches and officials will depart for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, tomorrow.

They will take part in eight of the 23 sports namely athletics, cycling, powerlifting, archery, ping pong, sailing, wheelchair tennis and swimming.