KUALA LUMPUR — The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) should not give in to Lee Zii Jia’s demands ahead of the Thomas Cup, says former high-performance director Datuk James Selvaraj, cautioning that doing so could weaken the national structure and set an unhealthy precedent.
Speaking to Scoop, James said representing Malaysia must come without conditions, regardless of a player’s professional status.
“When you play for the country, you must give your all. You do not play for money or anything else — you play for the country,” he said when contacted.
While acknowledging that Zii Jia, who turned professional in 2022, trains and competes independently and therefore requires support, James stressed that national duty carries different expectations.
“On one hand, he is a professional and he is on his own. He needs help because nobody is assisting him.
“But when you represent the country, it is different. He should put the nation first.”
He warned that BAM acceding to individual requests could trigger similar demands from others.
“If BAM agrees, the next player will also ask for the same thing. If you keep accommodating everyone, then what is the point of having a national squad?” he said.
He also voiced concern about the message it could send to younger players.
“During our time, playing for the nation was a matter of pride. If you give in too easily, it may send the wrong message to the youngsters.”
At the same time, he conceded that BAM’s position is complicated by limited depth in the men’s singles department.
“The problem now is that we do not have a strong singles line-up. We have three or four very good pairs in the doubles, but in the men’s singles we are relying on Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh. There is nobody else,” he said.
With Ng Tze Yong only just returning from injury and his competitive fitness still uncertain, he described the current situation as “very difficult and delicate”.
“When you do not have enough players, you end up relying on the experienced ones. But how many experienced players do we have?” he added, noting that Zii Jia himself has struggled for form in his last two tournaments — the Indonesian Masters and Thailand Masters.
On Friday, BAM performance committee chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei met Zii Jia at Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara to discuss his potential involvement in the Thomas Cup Finals in Horsens, Denmark, from April 24 to May 3.
Chong Wei revealed that the 27-year-old had tabled several terms and requested a week to decide on his participation, with a final answer expected by Friday.
“There are several terms that we have discussed, and we have already given our response to him.
“I have also discussed the matter with the BAM president (Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Aziz) and the council members. We have a new management now, and we shall see what we can offer Zii Jia,” he was quoted as saying.
He described the meeting as “smooth and constructive” but acknowledged that time is short as BAM finalises its squad list for submission to the Badminton World Federation.
The talks follow controversy during the 2024 Thomas Cup in Chengdu, where Zii Jia’s camp reportedly sought compensation linked to image rights. Similar sponsorship-related issues have resurfaced ahead of this year’s tournament.
Chong Wei believes Zii Jia’s inclusion would bolster Malaysia’s men’s singles challenge, with the team expected to field four singles players and three doubles pairs in Horsens.
“He could be the second or third singles player, bringing better balance to the squad,” the three-time Olympic silver medallist said.
With the Thomas Cup fast approaching, the outcome of the negotiations will shape not only public perception of BAM’s authority but also whether Malaysia can field its strongest and most balanced line-up in pursuit of another deep run on the world stage. — February 23, 2026