KUCHING: National para powerlifting champion Bonnie Bunyau Gustin has been conferred the “Bintang Kesatria Mangku Negara” (KMN) in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Malaysian sports.
The federal honour was bestowed by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, during the Audience and Investiture Ceremony for the 2026 Federal Orders, Decorations and Medals held in conjunction with His Majesty’s Official Birthday celebration at Istana Negara yesterday.
The recognition adds another accolade to a career that has established the Serian-born athlete as one of Malaysia’s most successful Paralympians.
Bonnie engraved his status as the world’s leading powerlifter in the men’s up to 72kg category when he successfully defended his Paralympic gold medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
The 25-year-old retained the title in style, lifting a world-record 232kg to surpass his own previous mark of 231kg set at the 2023 World Para Powerlifting Championships in Dubai.
The lift also broke his previous Paralympic record of 228kg established during his gold medal-winning performance at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
In Paris, Bonnie opened with a successful 221kg lift before raising the bar to 226kg and eventually 232kg, comfortably securing the gold medal ahead of China’s Hu Peng and Italy’s Donato Telesca.
His achievements have made him one of Sarawak’s most decorated athletes and a leading figure in Malaysian para sports.
Bonnie’s success on the international stage has also earned him national recognition, including a place on the shortlist for the Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM)-100PLUS 2025 Best Athlete Award.
The KMN award recognises not only Bonnie’s achievements on the platform, but also his role in inspiring the next generation of para athletes across Malaysia.
