KUALA LUMPUR – Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria holds high hopes that national men’s singles ace, Lee Zii Jia, will represent the country in the coming Thomas Cup, scheduled to take place in Chengdu, China at the end of April.
Norza expressed his aspirations during a press conference following BAM’s annual general meeting held at Akademi Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara today.
So far, Zii Jia, ranked 11th in the world, has yet to make a final decision on playing in the Thomas Cup as he intends to thoroughly prepare for his second Olympics appearance when the Paris Games come around in July.
Nevertheless, Norza hopes that the Kedahan will reconsider his decision, especially considering Malaysia will be facing tough opponents Denmark and Hong Kong, along with Algeria, in Group D.
“For the Thomas and Uber Cup, the participation deadline is April 13, and we will announce our list of players earlier than that date.
“I want to say this, not many people have the opportunity to represent the country. In other countries, people would go to great lengths to secure a spot to represent their nation.
“Your service and contribution in representing the country will be remembered and appreciated by all Malaysians because you are the frontline warriors, and that’s something money can’t buy.
“I hope we will have a strong team. Despite being ranked fifth in the world, you can see our performance in the BATC (Badminton Asia Team Championships), we managed to assemble the best team, and we made it to the final, however, we didn’t succeed in the final.
“We are heading in the right direction if everyone is willing to strive for the glory of our country,” said Norza.
Apart from Zii Jia, another player whose inclusion in the Thomas Cup remains uncertain is Ng Tze Yong, who is currently battling a back injury.
This has led the national coaching team to consider other players, such as Cheam June Wei, to strengthen the national squad.
The previous edition in Nonthaburi, Thailand in 2022 saw Malaysia’s journey come to an end in the quarter-finals at the hands of India, who then went on to win their first-ever Thomas Cup. – April 6, 2024