KUALA LUMPUR – Former national shuttler Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin has vowed to inject greater intensity and motivation into Malaysia’s women’s singles squad as he begins his new role as head coach under the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).
The 33-year-old, who once spearheaded the national men’s singles charge, said his return to BAM was largely driven by the persistence of national singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen, who personally reached out to him while he was still coaching in Ireland.
“Coach Jonassen contacted me himself, always kept me updated on the national squad. From there I could see his determination to have me back. I really appreciate that,” Iskandar said on his second day at Akademi Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara, as reported by Bernama.
Outlining his plans, Iskandar said he will focus on shorter but more demanding training sessions designed to push players harder and prevent stagnation.
“It’s heavier, faster, but we give shorter sessions with more sets and reps,” he explained.
“In Malaysia, I understand — because I was also a BAM player before — sometimes you become stale. So we need to give them more motivation and intensity in training. For me, it’s about focusing on quality over quantity.”
He added that the women’s singles squad has already shown encouraging discipline and attitude, especially with the World Junior Championships around the corner.
Iskandar is currently overseeing 17 players — nine seniors and eight juniors — though his immediate focus will be on preparing the seniors for the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand this December.
“Of course, I also have to take care of the juniors. But for now, my focus will be more on the seniors ahead of the SEA Games. But I haven’t met them yet as they’re in Abu Dhabi,” he said.
As a player, Iskandar captured silver medals at the 2009 BWF World Junior Championships and helped Malaysia to team bronze at the 2014 Asian Games.
He was also part of the Thomas Cup bronze-winning squad that same year.
Now, with his return to the national fold, he says his mission is clear: to push the women’s singles shuttlers out of their comfort zone and ensure they carry fresh energy and sharper intensity into major tournaments. — September 30, 2025