KUALA LUMPUR — Newly appointed Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz has expressed a clear desire to retain national women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah, as the duo remain unsigned more than six months after their contracts expired.
Tengku Zafrul, who assumed the top post last month, said he had instructed BAM’s management to resolve the matter “as soon as possible” in the interest of clarity and focus.
“I’ve told the management — if possible, get this done soon. It will help give clarity, and the players can focus fully,” Tengku Zafrul said at a press conference today after visiting the national training camp at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM).
“We need to make sure we keep all our players within BAM. That’s the message I’ve given.”
While acknowledging that some countries offer greater freedom for players to turn independent, Tengku Zafrul said Malaysia needed its own tailored approach.
“We need to look at this objectively. There are pros and cons. Some believe players should be free to choose, while others point out that those who left have struggled after going independent,” he said.
“For me, it’s about results. That’s what matters. If they can deliver—whether under BAM or not—fans and the ministry just want to see them succeed.”
As reported by Scoop earlier, Pearly and Thinaah have been seeking revised terms closer to what BAM’s top earners reportedly receive — around RM2 million annually.
Their contracts expired in December 2024, but the pair have continued to train at ABM, fly business class, and receive salaries despite having no formal agreement in place.
When asked about this, Tengku Zafrul downplayed suggestions that the situation was unusual.
“If you are salaried, you get paid. If you don’t accept a contract, then there’s no new contract. But we must handle this neutrally,” he said.
Tengku Zafrul added that discussions were ongoing on establishing clearer guidelines for such cases, noting that views differed among players, former players, management, and sponsors.
His comments come just days after national women’s doubles head coach Rosman Razak said that his focus remained on guiding Pearly and Thinaah towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, regardless of how the situation unfolds.
The duo have been in strong form in recent weeks — winning the Thailand Open, reaching the semi-finals of the Malaysia Masters and quarter-finals of the Singapore Open, before finishing runners-up at the Indonesia Open Super 1000. — June 13, 2025