KUALA LUMPUR – Despite their world number four ranking, Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei may no longer be eligible for benefits under Malaysia’s Road to Gold (RTG) programme following their recent split.
Former international Datuk James Selvaraj believes the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) must clarify whether the separation is permanent, as the RTG committee, chaired by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, will only decide on the matter after the Hari Raya celebrations.
BAM acting president Datuk V. Subramaniam, who also heads the performance committee, recently stated that Tang Jie and Ee Wei would compete separately in upcoming tournaments, with their partnership status to be reassessed based on their coaches’ guidance.
Doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky later confirmed that Tang Jie and Ee Wei would partner younger players—Chan Wen Tse and Loo Bing Kun, respectively—in five tournaments starting in May.
The decision, he explained, was aimed at allowing both players to reflect on their challenges and improve their game. He did not rule out a possible reunion if they found they performed better together.
“This is a very tricky situation because we don’t yet know the final status of these two players,” said James.
“If BAM confirms that they will not reunite, then they should not be eligible to receive any benefits from RTG.”
Recently, Hannah announced that the athlete selection criteria for the RTG programme would be revised. For the 2024 Paris Olympics, only athletes ranked in the world’s top 10 or former Olympic medallists were eligible.
The RTG programme serves as a top-up initiative to the existing Podium Programme, providing Malaysia’s elite athletes with additional support to enhance their chances of winning medals at the Olympics and other major competitions.
Athletes under RTG receive sports science expertise, support services, and a RM3,000 monthly allowance.
Tensions between Tang Jie and Ee Wei first surfaced publicly during the All England earlier this month. In their first-round defeat to Indonesia’s Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto and Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja, Ee Wei appeared visibly frustrated with her partner.
The 24-year-old later removed all photos with Tang Jie from her Instagram before making her account private.
However, Scoop understands that the issue has been ongoing for over a year, dating back to the Paris Olympics period. BAM has reportedly explored all attempts to resolve the situation but to no avail. — March 29, 2025