The controversy raging over the small amount of prize money awarded to children who participated in a recent cycling competition continues to motivate others to take a stroll down memory lane.

Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang is the latest to join national cyclist Josiah Ng in sharing his past sporting endeavours.

As a junior tennis player, Tan recalled how the thrill of winning a match or tournament outweighed monetary concerns.

Commenting on those who kicked up a fuss over the cycling prize money, he said: "I'm sure those who condemn the prize money have not competed in junior sports at higher level.

"When I was competing in junior tennis, I doubt anyone was concerned what was the prize money. We just wanted to win. Don't politicise sports with money," he tweeted.

Tan also recalled pitting his skills against South Korean junior players in Malaysia, where the prize money was a mere RM100.

"If money mattered, then they wouldn't have flown (to Malaysia) and played here," he said.

According to Tan, the motive behind the condemnation of the prize money was to attack Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

'Children dragged into mudslinging match'

However, the Gerakan Youth leader lamented that the critics had dragged children into the political mudslinging match.

Photos of the minister presenting mock cheques as low as RM10 to children who participated in the Junior Cycling Malaysia (JCM) competition went viral yesterday, with many criticising the small amounts and drawing a comparison with the RM100 million corruption scandal in the Youth and Sports Ministry.

In a Facebook posting later, Khairy argued that giving larger amounts might spoil the children, and foster a mindset where they compete simply for monetary gain.

"We want them to grow up with the right values and attitude,” he added.

However, the minister acknowledged that perhaps presenting the children with mock cheques was inappropriate and this would be discontinued.