KUALA LUMPUR – Former national shuttler Chong Wei Feng has turned down an offer from the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) to join as a coach, saying the proposal was not compelling enough to lure him away from his own academy, Shuttle Flash, where a group of elite junior players recently enrolled under his guidance.
The 38-year-old confirmed that BAM had reached out to him following the departure of former women’s singles coach Jeffer Rosobin, but expressed reservations about accepting the role.
“Datuk Rashid (Sidek) mentioned my name — he suggested me (to join) — so they (BAM) contacted me. One of the coaches asked if I was interested in the job. I told them I’d consider it, but most likely I wouldn’t take it up,” Wei Feng said on Scoop’s sports podcast, Sport Check, recently.
He explained that his priority lies with the young talents who joined Shuttle Flash in February, trusting him to develop their careers.
“I run my own academy, and all the junior elite players just joined me this year in February. I can’t simply abandon them. They’re already pitiful enough. They’re here because they trust me, so I have to be there for them — at least for now,” he added.
Wei Feng also pointed out that BAM’s offer lacked clarity, with no specific role outlined. He suggested that a higher salary package could have made the offer more appealing.
“If they offered a higher salary, then maybe I’d consider. Another issue is that when they called me, they didn’t mention any specific position. When I asked, they weren’t very sure themselves,” he said.
“See, I was a singles player, so I can’t be in charge of doubles or mixed doubles because I’m not good at that. If they can be more specific, then maybe I’d reconsider.”
Meanwhile, it is understood that BAM’s initial target, former national player Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, may also not be joining the national setup. Sources indicate his financial demands exceed BAM’s current budget.
Iskandar, who is currently coaching the Irish national badminton team, had been viewed as a strong candidate, but negotiations now appear to have stalled.
With Wei Feng declining and Iskandar potentially out of reach, BAM faces increasing pressure to find a suitable replacement to strengthen its coaching lineup — particularly in the women’s singles department, which has been without a strong chief since Jeffer’s exit in February.
Currently, the department is under the care of Misbun Ramdan Misbun.
For now, Wei Feng remains committed to his academy, where he believes he can make a more direct impact on Malaysia’s next generation of badminton stars.
“For now, I think no,” he said, closing the door — at least temporarily — on a return to the national fold. — April 17, 2025