KUALA LUMPUR – Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh expressed deep sympathy for national badminton player Lai Pei Jing, who fell victim to a fraudulent scheme, resulting in the loss of nearly all her savings.
Pei Jing, 31, disclosed on her social media yesterday that she had been deceived by a scam syndicate and now required some time alone before disclosing the full extent of her ordeal.
For Hannah, the situation is deeply saddening, and she is actively seeking a better understanding of Pei Jing’s circumstances to provide assistance.
“I sympathise with the unfortunate situation that Pei Jing has encountered. I am in contact with her to gather further information. I want to know more to determine how I can help.
“We are in contact with her and we urge police to assist her and update her regularly on the status of the investigation.
“We hope she will not be disturbed so she can focus on her next two tournaments.
“We will find ways to assist her for her next two tournaments,” said Hannah.
Following the distressing incident, Pei Jing reportedly filed a police report for further investigation.
As of now, the participation status of Pei Jing and her partner, Tan Kian Meng, in the Indonesia Open, set to commence tomorrow, remains uncertain.
They are scheduled to compete against the Algerian duo Koceila Mammeri and Tanina Violette Mammeri in the opening round.
At the recently concluded Singapore Open, Pei Jing-Kian Meng were eliminated in the second round. – June 3, 2024