KUALA LUMPUR — The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) is set to engage with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to curb online harassment targeting national players, following a rise in abusive comments on social media platforms.
Speaking to Scoop, BAM secretary-general Datuk Kenny Goh said the association views the matter seriously and will take all necessary steps to safeguard the emotional and mental well-being of its athletes.
“We’ll take all the necessary steps. We’ll evaluate every angle, including the players’ emotions and opinions, because any action we take could affect them. We must be smart about this,” he said when contacted.
Kenny added that BAM has already implemented several measures to protect players from being distracted or affected by online negativity, including advising them to limit their social media usage.
“We’ve already done that. We’ve advised the players not to be too active on social media because we want them to focus on training. We don’t want them staying up late scrolling online,” he said.
He said BAM has not received any formal complaints of online harassment from players but continues to monitor the situation closely.
“No, we haven’t received any formal complaints. But we can see what’s happening on social media, so we take action immediately,” he said.
Kenny explained that the association provides emotional support to affected players to ensure their morale and focus remain intact.
“We provide the necessary emotional support and assure them that we’re behind them all the way. It’s not rocket science if something similar happened to you or your family, you’d naturally show support,” he said.
He added that BAM will also consider aligning with the Youth and Sports Ministry’s Safe Sport Code, which outlines procedures and safeguards for athletes facing harassment or abuse.
“We will probably follow the procedures or SOPs set under the Safe Sport framework,” he said.
Kenny stressed that BAM remains committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for all players, adding that the association’s next course of action will take into account both regulatory collaboration and player welfare.
It is understood that world number two Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik have been bombarded with abuse since their French Open semi-final defeat to Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian-Shohibul Fikri on Saturday.
Some furious fans even slid into their private messages, hurling insults and demanding the pair split up a shocking show of hostility towards Malaysia’s top men’s doubles pair.
Independent pair Jimmy Wong-Lai Pei Jing were also targeted after losing the Indonesia Masters II Super 100 final to Marwan Faza-Aisyah Salsabila, while veteran Goh V Shem who finished runner-up in the men’s doubles final with South Korean partner Choi Sol Kyu was told by some to “retire”.
It is believed that some of the trolling originated from Indonesian fans. – October 28, 2025