Reezal, now the housing and local government minister, said Ziyad should be rewarded as a gold medal winner after he smashed the world record he set at the previous Rio Games.

“As a matter of principle and personal opinion, I feel it (the winner’s allowance) is proper,” he said at his first press conference as the housing and local government minister.

“I believe we should celebrate his achievement and it is reasonable for the government to consider (giving) the reward (to Ziyad).”

Reezal said he was still reeling from the decision by the International Paralympic Committee yesterday in rejecting Ziyad’s appeal to overturn the F20 shot put results.

The decision saw Ziyad missing out on gold. A further appeal may be submitted but only after the Games have ended.

“I’m still disappointed with the decision. Whatever his (Ziyad’s) reason, he was still allowed to make his throw.

“His attempt was later officially recorded as a world record. It’s not like he didn’t make that throw. There was no technical issue with it,” he said.

The International Paralympic Committee defended the decision to disqualify Ziyad for turning up late at the call room, leading to him being stripped of a gold medal.

Ziyad broke the world and Malaysian able-bodied records on his way to his Tokyo feat.

He and two other athletes were disqualified on grounds that they had no good reason for their late arrival at the call room. The gold went instead to Ukraine’s Maksym Koval.

Meanwhile, Reezal admitted he had difficulty “moving on” from his stint at the youth and sports ministry, which he led for over a year under former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration.

However, he considered the change of portfolio as a challenge as well as an honour.

“It’s a big transition for me … It’s not easy and until now I have yet to move on.

“Nonetheless, it is an honour for me to be given this opportunity to lead an important ministry,” he said.